Pedrosa put himself on target to become the first repeat winner of 2008, during Sunday's fifth round, by taking a 0.133secs advantage over Lorenzo in the morning session - then upping his pace by over 0.4secs in the afternoon.
But reigning world champion
Casey Stoner was just 0.049secs behind the Repsol Honda rider by the end of day one, with
Colin Edwards providing Tech 3 Yamaha with an excellent start to the team's home event by leading much of the afternoon hour on his way to an eventual third, just a whisker from Pedrosa.
Lorenzo, who will start the French Grand Prix seven points behind Pedrosa, was fourth fastest (+0.260secs) - but suffered a major scare just moments before the chequered flag was waved when the Spaniard, who fractured his ankles last time out in Shanghai, fell from his Fiat Yamaha at turn two.
Fortunately, the
MotoGP rookie was able to hobble gingerly to his feet, without apparently suffering any further damage, before sitting on a stretcher and being carried out of the gravel trap.
2007 Le Mans winner
Chris Vermeulen proved he doesn't need rain to be fast in France by setting the fifth fastest time for Rizla Suzuki, the Australian finishing the day between the Fiat Yamaha riders with
Valentino Rossi sixth quickest.
Rossi had been third this morning, but was the only rider to lap slower in the afternoon session, leaving him 0.659secs from Pedrosa and the third best
Bridgestone rider (behind Stoner and Vermeulen) at Michelin's home event.
Shinya Nakano, a French resident during his Tech 3 days, was a promising seventh fastest, with
Randy de Puniet taking his special red, white and blue home Honda LCR livery to a day one eighth.
John Hopkins once again led the Kawasaki challenge in ninth, with
Alex de Angelis the second best rookie behind Lorenzo in tenth - but just one second behind Pedrosa!
