Mugello - Italian MotoGP

Just to get one thing out of the way. This is motorsport, therefore it goes into the Motoring forum, and NOT General Sports, even though there are still some old motorsport threads in there.

So it's welcome back the motoring forum, and the first major event for it is this weekend's MotoGP race at Mugello - home to Ferrari, as it happens. They own the circuit, and it's their testing home. A brilliant track it is too, really twisty and technical, with a 0.7 mile main straight where the bikes get near their top speeds, doing around 206mph before they hit the brakes. It's a real shame that it's not on the F1 list of races. Have a look in Wikipedia and see what you think:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mugello

This is pretty much Valentino Rossi's home grand prix. I say that realising that there are four other italian riders, but look for a sea of yellow 46 cards and flags on Sunday. They'll wave every time Vale goes past, and it really seems to inspire him. But with Lorenzo now on top form, Melandri finding real pace, Pedrosa back to fitness, Stoner flying on the Ducati, and the ever lurking Dovizioso, Rossi won't have it all his own way. It should be the usual excellent Mugello entertainment. We'll see.

Practice today, qualification tomorrow, race Sunday, BBC2 12.30 - 14.00.

EDIT: Live coverage of the 125 and 250cc races, 9:50am-12:05om via the red button.

Stoner is going to walk this one.....maybe:p

Dani Pedrosa was clocking 217mph on the Mugello straight before he hit the brakes. Just shows how my 206mph info was very much yesteryear's news.

After today's [Friday] practice:

Italian MotoGP free practice times:

1 J Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 1 minute 49.87 seconds

2 V Rossi Italy, Yamaha, 1:50.065

3 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati, 1:50.144

4 D Pedrosa (Spa) Honda, 1:50.808

5 C Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:50.891

6 A De Angelis (RSM) Honda 1:50.898

7 L Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki 1:51.007

8 R de Puniet (Fra) Honda, 1:51.03

9 A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda 1:51.206

10 M Melandri (Ita) Kawasaki 1:51.359

11 J Toseland (GB) Yamaha 1:51.401

12 T Elias (Spa) Honda 1:51.823

13 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 1:51.994

14 N Canepa (Ita) Ducati 1:52.319

15 N Hayden (US) Ducati 1:52.403

16 Y Takahashi (Jpn) Honda 1:52.607

17 M Kallio (Fin) Ducati 1:52.619

Ta Beeb.

Watched the practice yesterday and Rossi was bang on it right from the start so i think it should be a cracking race,Stoner seemed to have the Ducati running well just find it a shame that Hayden can't get used to it yet i really though his style would work on it.But if Hayden doesn't get to grips with it i think the engineers should look at the design of the bike rather than just swap riders,apart from Stoner there is now a long list of good riders that couldn't make the Ducati work.

Was interesting listening to Eurosports commentary yesterday when they were talking about Toseland it seems he is loosing time on every corner because they can not get him to break the habbit of breaking earlier like he would of done in Superbikes.As you only have to look at Edwards for proof that the bike isn't slow.

Britons Bradley and Scott get Pole and 2nd spot on the front row of the 125cc lineup. Might have to hit the red button tomorrow morning for the tiddler race.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/8070383.stm

Lorenzo got pole, and he's right on it. The Yamaha carries such speed into the corners, that although it's slower than the Ducati and Honda, its handling and drive out of corners just keeps it ahead. It must be one heck of a bike. I agree, it's a shame that Hayden can't tame the Duke beast yet, just like Melandri couldn't. I fear it will be a season of not getting to grips with it too. It is said that Stoner is a bit of an enigma in that he forces the Ducati to go faster. It's certainly got the engine and drive, but it does shake and shimmy whenever he's really gunning the thing. But then Nicky got the Honda bouncing around too, when he won the 2006 World Championship. What is it with the Duke..?

Although You, Me and any normal human being would, I find it incredible that JT is breaking early into corners. He didn't suffer the same in the early part of 2008, so what went wrong..? Is he trying too hard; scared or just running out of skill..? Tbf, Colin Edwards is a much faster one lap man [in MotoGP] than a racer, but I take the point. MotoGP is quite obviously a big step up from Superbikes, and only the cream can really make the most of these lightweight projectiles. Shame though that Troy Bayliss retired when he did, because I still remember him winning the last race at Valencia in 2006, after becoming Superbike World Champion, and being invited by Ducati to have a tour round. He took off and blew the opposition away. Amazing..!

Anyway, here's the lineup for the big race:

Italian MotoGP qualifying result:

1 J Lorenzo (Spn) Fiat Yamaha 1:48.987

2 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 1:49.008

3 L Capirossi (Ita) Rizla Suzuki 1:49.121

4 V Rossi (Ita) Fiat Yamaha 1:49.148

5 R de Puniet (Fr) LCR Honda 1:49.499

6 C Edwards (US) Tech 3 Yamaha 1:49.547

7 A Dovizioso (It) Repsol Honda 1:49.648

8 D Pedrosa (Spn) Repsol Honda 1:50.073

9 T Elias (Spn) Gresini Honda 1:50.078

10 Y Takahashi (Jpn) Scot Racing Honda 1:50.305

11 C Vermeulen (Aus) Rizla Suzuki 1:50.405

12 A de Angelis (RSM) Gresini Honda1:50.448

13 N Canepa (Ita) Ducati 1:50.528

14 J Toseland (GB) Tech 3 Yamaha 1:50.537

15 M Melandri (Ita) Kawasaki 1:50.710

16 N Hayden (US) Ducati 1:50.924

17 M Kallio (Fin) Pramac Ducati 1:51.008

Ta Auntie.

What a couple of great races in the 125cc and 250cc categories. I'm going to turn on the box a bit earlier in future. Bradley Smith won his second race of the season, and now leads the 125cc World Championship, which is excellent news for British motorcycle racing. He went off like a rabbit after a few laps, but they reeled him in, and the lead swapped several times. But with a few laps remaining he put in a couple of stonking times to pull away, and just had the distance to not be caught on the home straight. As mentioned earlier, the Mugello home straight is so long that riders can slipstream, and pull out to pip the leader over the line. For example, very early in the race, Bradley went from 7th to 1st by slipstreaming. It makes for brilliant racing.

In the 250cc race there is no British involvement, but the rain came down, and the riders changed to wets at the last second. Cue Marco Simoncelli disappearing into the distance. But they reeled him in too, and he and Bautista came together at one point and went off the track, only to rejoin it behind the eventual winner Pasini. Being as it was wet, there were more heart in mouth moments than I care to remember. Don't like riding in the rain, but it does give an edge to racing, despite the riders obviously posting much slower times.

Now for the big one.

Cracking big race, where the riders had to change bikes mid-race wearing wet boots to dry. JT came in seemingly several laps too early, but it sort of paid off, because he finished 7th, after qualifying 14th. The lead changed countless times, in fact, when replays of passes were being shown, other passing maneuvers were going on. Just as they started, the Beeb team had a quick bet on who would win, with Suzi going for Rossi, Charlie going for Stoner, and Nostradamus going for Lorenzo. I had a feeling about Stoner, and agreed with Charlie. Cue pole sitter Lorenzo smoking his tyre off the line and getting completely swallowed up. It's amazing he got it all back together to nearly win. Little Pedrosa came off bouncing into the gravel on an already badly injured thigh. That's ouch..!

Italian MotoGP race result:

1 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati

2 J Lorenzo (Spn) Fiat Yamaha

3 V Rossi (Ita) Fiat Yamaha

4 A Dovizioso (It) Repsol Honda

5 L Capirossi (Ita) Rizla Suzuki

6 C Edwards (US) Tech 3 Yamaha

7 J Toseland (GB) Tech 3 Yamaha

8 R de Puniet (Fr) LCR Honda

9 N Canepa (Ita) Ducati

10 C Vermeulen (Aus) Rizla Suzuki

11 M Melandri (Ita) Kawasaki

12 N Hayden (US) Ducati

13 M Kallio (Fin) Pramac Ducati

14 T Elias (Spn) Gresini Honda

15 A de Angelis (RSM) Gresini Honda

Ta Beeb.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/8075977.stm

Just a bit of everyday action in the world of 250cc category MotoGP:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/8076267.stm