STONER STILL AHEAD

Stoner fastest in British GP practice


DONINGTON PARK (Reuters) - Ducati's MotoGP championship leader Casey Stoner lapped fastest on Friday in rainswept free practice for Sunday's British Grand Prix.
The Australian led the wet first session at Donington Park with a time of one minute 43.749 seconds, ahead of Honda's world champion Nicky Hayden in 1:43.781 and France's Randy de Puniet on a Kawasaki.
Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, a dominant winner from pole position at Donington last year for Honda, was fastest in the afternoon session punctuated by heavy showers in 1:43.870. Team mate Hayden was second quickest.
Yamaha's former champion Valentino Rossi, returning to one of his favourite circuits, was only seventh in the morning and 10th in the afternoon on a slippery track that made times of little significance.
The Italian fell in the gravel early in the opening session but remounted and returned to the pits.
Australian Anthony West, making his Kawasaki debut in Sunday's race as a replacement for the injured French rider Olivier Jacques who announced his retirement on Thursday, was fifth fastest in the afternoon.
Despite the treacherous conditions, there were few incidents in the two sessions.
Stoner, winner of four of the season's seven races so far, leads Rossi by 14 points.
Hungary's Gabor Talmacsi, the championship leader on an Aprilia, took provisional pole position in the 125cc category ahead of Spanish team mate Hector Faubel.