Edwards owns Friday practice.

Colin Edwards put any lingering doubts over the sheer power of the Castrol Honda straight out of the window by dominating the time-sheets throughout Friday practice. Edwards secured provisional pole position after a scintillating series of laps, culminating in a best time of 2 minutes 00.434 seconds.

Colin Edwards put any lingering doubts over the sheer power of the Castrol Honda straight out of the window by dominating the time-sheets throughout Friday practice. Edwards secured provisional pole position after a scintillating series of laps, culminating in a best time of 2 minutes 00.434 seconds.

While Edwards may have been a touch miffed that he had failed to match Carl Fogarty's 1999 lap record, second placed Pierfrancesco Chili will have been delighted with his effort, just two tenths slower than the Texan. The Italian Suzuki rider is quickly becoming Edwards' biggest title threat and Chili showed more of the commitment on show at Monza.

The second Honda of Aaron Slight and the ever impressive Ducati of Troy Bayliss completed the provisional front row. The Australian took little time to acclimatise himself with the circuit and finished the session less than half a second off Edwards' pace.

Noriyuki Haga shrugged off the FIM's punishment of a one month ban and the deduction of 45 championship points by recording fifth fastest time on the improving Yamaha R7.

Another team to be pleased with their effort will be Aprilia with works rider's Troy Corser and Alessandro Antonello handily placed in sixth and seventh, on a track where the team expected to struggle.

Of the British contingent, John Reynolds was the highest placed in tenth on his Red Bull Ducati. Reve Racing team-mate James Haydon was 15th while Kawasaki debutante Stephen Plater was 20th.

Friday practice times. Hockenheim.

1. Colin Edwards Honda 2'00.434 secs.
2. Pierfrancesco Chili Suzuki 2'00.620 secs.
3. Aaron Slight Honda 2'00.787 secs.
4. Troy Bayliss Ducati 2'00.823 secs.
5. Noriyuki Haga Yamaha 2'00.981 secs.
6. Troy Corser Aprilia 2'01.152 secs.
7. Alessandro Antonello Aprilia 2'01.587 secs.
8. Robert Ulm Ducati 2'01.752 secs.
9. Vittoriano Guareschi Yamaha 2'01.845 secs.
10. John Reynolds Ducati 2'01.878 secs.
11. Andreas Meklau Ducati 2'02.024 secs.
12. Akira Yanagawa Kawasaki 2'02.231 secs.
13. Juan Borja Ducati 2'02.367 secs.
14. Katsuaki Fujiwara Suzuki 2'02.432 secs.
15. James Haydon Ducati 2'02.639 secs.
16. Simon Crafar Kawasaki 2'02.683 secs.
Etc

18. Ben Bostrom Ducati 2'02.919 secs.
20. Stephen Plater Kawasaki 2'03.432 secs.
28. Anthony Gobert Bimota 2'06.624 secs.

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