MotoGP - San Marino

Only just got in from sailing, so have learned that Saints lost, apparently deservedly too; and that later today the premier class bikes are once again going to be dicing with each other. Stoner is once again on pole, but he can win every race from now on, and as long as Valentino is on the podium with him, the Champonship is Rossi's. Of course, Rossi could breakdown or fall off. The impossible has definitely happened before, which is why Rossi is only a 7 times World Champion.

San Marino qualifying result:

1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 1min 33.378secs

2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha at 0.510

3. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP) Fiat Yamaha 0.586

4. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Honda 0.858

5. Toni Elias (ESP) Ducati 0.944

6. Dani Pedrosa (ESP) Honda 1.020

7. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 1.083

8. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 1.116

9. James Toseland (GBR) Yamaha 1.274

10. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 1.417

Frankly, I can't see Lorenzo being allowed to pass Rossi from this point of the season onward. And if he doesn't fall off [not guaranteed] he's a good moving chicane for other riders to try to get past. Not easy.

Race live

1230-1415, BBC TWO and BBC Sport website

Big things happened today. Stoner fell off for a 3rd race, but the 2nd time in a row when in the lead, and being pressured slightly by Rossi. Rossi now has a 75 point gap, and the Championship should be his with only 5 races left. Lorenzo has come back to form now he's healed, and came in second. Pedrosa shot through at the start, but gradually went backwards as he wasn't happy on his Michelin tyres.

And that's the biggest thing. It looks like Honda will switch to Bridgestone tyres, and if they do, so will every other factory, and rich satellite team. It might end up with there being a boycott of Michelin tyres, as they are simply not as good as Bridgestones. They've only had 3 wins early this season. Every other winner has been Bridgestone shod. That's not going to do Michelin's motorcycle tyre sales any good. In fact, we might even see Pirelli and/or Dunlop come back in, if they're up for it, because Bridgestone don't want to supply everybody. They want to beat other suppliers.

Back to the race. Not the best, but not the worst either. Plenty of overtaking, but in the more minor places. Stoner shot out into the lead, and the only one remotely able to go with him was Rossi. Then the lead, at around 3 seconds, started to come down slightly - and then Stoner fell off. Casey certainly likes to pressure the front tyre, and when he presses really hard, the front end goes down. As Olympic was commenting on the last race - Stoner was doing this on the LTR Honda in 2005, when under pressure. Basically, he has to learn to ride slightly slower and finish. Then he'd get points. Notable others; Elias rode his satellite Ducati excellently to finish 3rd, and it would seem to be a stupid decision to let him go elsewhere for next season, as he is the only rider who seems to have worked out how to ride the Ducati practically as fast as Stoner. James Toseland came in 6th again after a real dice with the riders around him, especially Dovizioso, and a last lap dash by Capirossi, who overtook him, but James got him back. That was fun to watch. Randy de Puniet went back to form slightly earlier than normal by falling off before a lap was completed. How many times has he fallen off in his career now..? Oh, and look where the factory Kwackers finished. Not good for the Kawasaki reputation at all.

San Marino MotoGP Result:

1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 44 mins 41.884 secs

2. Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 44:45.047

3. Toni Elias (Spain) Ducati 44:53.589

4. Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 44:59.354

5. Chris Vermeulen (Australia) Suzuki 45:05.293

6. James Toseland (Britain) Yamaha 45:08.092

7. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Suzuki 45:08.708

8. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 45:09.475

9. Marco Melandri (Italy) Ducati 45:15.053

10. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Yamaha 45:18.413

11. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 45:23.965

12. Shinya Nakano (Japan) Honda 45:25.692

13. Anthony West (Australia) Kawasaki 45:36.758

14. John Hopkins (U.S.) Kawasaki 45:37.038

I feel sorry for Stoner but agree he needs to know when to back of slightly and still win,if you look back at most of his crashes either this year or when he was on the Honda nearly always comes from pushing the front to hard.The championship is now Rossi's to loose but can't see that happening if need be in a race he will just back off and finish 3rd or 4th for the points.

I think will be interesting with the Honda situation on tyres,maybe they might do what yamaha did when Roberts ran the team in the 90's and run one make on the front and another on the rear.As it seems not to much wrong with the Michelin rear it's just the front that seems to loose grip.

I agree it's sad what has happened to Kawasaki they really started to look good a couple of seasons ago but have totally lost there way,they need to sign a big name rider who can get the development right for them.

Hmm, the problem with the Michelin rear is that it has such a narrow heat band in which it works well. Hence, during Laguna Seca, when Lorenzo's Yamaha spat him off while applying power as it hadn't reached any sort of grip, yet by the end, other Michelin rears were wearing out**. The Bridgestones were relatively fine. I just think Michelin have to get their act together, because they're being trounced.

**Apparently, Michelin brought along tyres of the wrong heat value. They thought Laguna would be hot. It was cool. All the weather forecasts said it would be cool. Bit of an error when people are depending on your product.

Bringing the wrong tyre because of an error is a joke after all these years experience i can't believe they don't have people double checking every aspect of what tyres to bring.

Seems they are having the same types of problems as in F1 looks like both will soon be a one make series.

It's a tough track though, it's bloody bumpy and you saw in the 250's with bikes going wide and Rossi getting out of his seat. Also, it was so much better when it was the other way round, strange that they changed it.

As for Stoner, I remember him in Super teens years back and he had a similar time there, he had a problem with tumbling off when in decent positions. We'll see though, I hope he gets back on it.