Stoner tops times at Le Mans

LE MANS, France - World motorcycling champion Casey Stoner on Friday dominated the first and second practice sessions for the 2012 French MotoGP here after his announcement that he would indeed quit the sport.

The 26-year-old Australian, who said on Thursday that he would bow out at the end of the season for personal reasons, led the pack with a combined time of 1min33.740sec on a Honda.

35 WINS SO FAR

Spain's Dani Pedrosa, also Honda-mounted, was in second and compatriot Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) was third.

Stoner has won 35 MotoGP races in his career and is leading the current standings by one point after winning two of the season's three events. The French MotoGP will be raced on Sunday afternoon.

Combined times of the first and second free practice sessions for the French Motorcycle Grand Prix on Friday:

1 Casey Stoner (AUS/Honda) 1min33.740
2 Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) +0.265
3 Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Yamaha) +0.396
4 Alvaro Bautista (ESP/Honda) +0.697
5 Ben Spies (USA/Yamaha) +0.727
6 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Yamaha) +0.845
7 Cal Crutchlow (GBR/Yamaha) +0.870
8 Hector Barbera (ESP/Ducati) +1.339
9 Valentino Rossi (ITA/Ducati) +1.372
10 Nicky Hayden (USA/Ducati) +1.392