Casey Stoner sets early pace in MotoGP practice on Phillip Island

CASEY Stoner's Phillip Island farewell is off to the best possible start by dominating today’s practice ahead of the Australian MotoGP.

Stoner makes impression

CASEY Stoner's Phillip Island farewell is off to the best possible start by dominating today's practice ahead of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Aiming for his sixth successive win at Phillip Island, the defending world champion was fastest in both sessions - by nearly a full second in each in changeable weather conditions.

Racing just weeks after surgery on a serious ankle injury and in his last Australian GP before retirement, Stoner made his intentions clear early.

He clocked a lap of 1min 31.046sec before light rain interrupted the first of the day's two 45-minute sessions.

After the rain cleared, Stoner again put down a sizzling marker - his 1:30.374 lap faster than world championship contenders Jorge Lorenzo (1:31.279) and Dani Pedrosa (1:31.533).

It was a similar story in the second period.

Stoner was quick early, then punched out another low number as his rivals appeared to be closing in on his pace.

He then went even quicker, becoming the only rider to break the 1min 30sec mark on the day with his fastest lap of 1:29.999 - Honda team-mate Pedrosa next best with a 1:30.884.

Yamaha rider Lorenzo leads Pedrosa by 23 points in the championship, they being the only two riders who can win the crown with two races remaining.

Lorenzo has promised he won't “go crazy” at Phillip Island this weekend in his attempts to wrap up the title ahead of fellow Spaniard Pedrosa, even though he could secure it with the right mix of results at the second last race of the year.

“It would be great and we have possibilities (to wrap up the title at Phillip Island), but we're not going to go crazy to make it here,” Lorenzo said.

“The most important thing is to make it.

“More than ever we must really concentrate and focus and not make any mistakes.”

Australian Kris McLaren, making his MotoGP debut as a replacement rider for the Avintia team, was slowest of the 20 riders in both sessions.

Qualifying will be held tomorrow ahead of Sunday's race.

AAP