American John Hopkins turned the fastest lap time in the first half of the split and extended first MotoGP practice Friday at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Hopkins’ 1:25.265 on his Bridgestone-equipped Red Bull Suzuki GSV-R was just better than Troy Bayliss’ 1:25.336, turned on his Michelin-shod Camel Honda RC211V. In pre-event P.R. material, Bayliss predicted that the lap record for Laguna Seca (Colin Edwards’ 1:24.888 from 2002 World Superbike qualifying) would not last 15 minutes into the first MotoGP practice, but the overall lap record has held up, thanks in part to what riders have described as slippery, or “green,” track conditions. Telefonica Movistar Honda’s Marco Melandri was in the top five of the session when he crashed in the Corkscrew on his 19th lap. Melandri was seen on video feeds limping away from the accident with assistance, before lying down trackside. He did not go back out in the session. MotoGP Free Practice One Lap Times: 1. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:25.265 2. Troy Bayliss, Honda, 1:25.336 3. Kenny Lee Roberts, Suzuki, 1:25.635 4. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:25.965 5. Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, 1:25.966 6. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:26.030 7. Alex Barros, Honda, 1:26.204 8. Marco Melandri, Honda, 1:26.344, crash 9. Colin Edwards, Yamaha, 1:26.376 10. Ruben Xaus, Yamaha, 1:26.648 11. Carlos Checa, Ducati, 1:26.658 12. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:26.728 13. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, 1:26.933 14. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 1:27.080 15. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 1:27.608 16. Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, 1:27.652 17. Roberto Rolfo, Ducati, 1:28.721 18. Shane Byrne, Proton KR, 1:28.764 19. Toni Elias, Yamaha, 1:28.933