Indianapolis - Another US MotoGP

Last season saw the first Grand Prix motorcycle race at the famed Brickyard for 99 years, and it turned out to be memorable for rather odd reasons. In fact, it was Hurricane Ike which had earlier blown over the area, and then turned around and came back for some unfinished business, that decided the whole proceedings. The 125cc and 250cc races were cut short and called off respectively, but the main event went on for 21 laps until the torrential rain and huge buffeting winds called a halt. Of course, by that time The Doctor had mastered the conditions better than anyone else and was in a decent lead by the time the red flag was waved.

So to this year's race. Yesterday's [Friday] practice sessions were almost a complete washout, with Dani Pedrosa the fastest on the soaking wet track [yes, I couldn't believe it myself]. Sadly, the videos aren't free to watch, but obviously the text is.

Pedrosa

Qualifying takes place this evening [GB time] for the 800cc bikes on the BBC Red Button [Freeview 302], after the 125 and 250cc machines. They all start at around 5.50pm.

The race itself is on BBC3 tomorrow at 7.45 to 9.00pm [after the Spa F1 highlights]. Already there have been cries in certain quarters that Auntie is buggering around with the channels MotoGP is being broadcast on, after doing such a good consistent job in the last couple of races. I do wish they'd leave it on the terrestrial channels, e.g. BBC1 or 2 [

As always in MotoGP, it should be a great race, full of overtaking and incident.

EDIT: Here's the full schedule.

Saturday 29 August

Qualifying

1750-2100, BBC Red Button/online

Sunday 30 August

125 and 250cc race

1650-1805, BBC Red Button/online

Race

1945-2100, BBC Three/online

Race repeat

0220-0335, BBC Three

Dani Pedosa's form carried over from free practice into qualifying today. It's obvious that Honda has pulled their finger out big time, if Dani can be fastest in a wet practice. It's no surprise if he goes fastest in the dry, as he is one quick rider and race winner. But Honda riders, Alex De Angelis and Tony Elias were 4th and 7th respectively, on their privateer Gresini machines, which shows Honda are equpping them with equal new stuff too, so desperate are they to take away the bragging rights from Yamaha. Pedrosa's countryman Lorenzo went second and Rossi only just made third with a late last lap, so the Yamahas are once again ganging up. With Casey Stoner still in Australia trying to sort out his health, or whether he likes or dislikes Ducati, depending on which motorpress you read, it was left to Nicky Hayden to bring the Desmosedici in at 6th. A good result, but perhaps flattered by Nicky being brought up on left handed tracks in the U.S. Even the best riders have a natural right or left corner bias, where they are faster. Temporary teamate Kallio crashed again, and 800cc MotoGP new boy Espargaro ended a creditable 16th, and notably in front of the other fairly new rider, Talmacsi. JT ended up 10th after starting out really well, but he nearly always goes better than he qualifies. Sadly, that doesn't cut the mustard at the pinnacle of motorsport, and I expect JT to be back in WSB next season, along with a couple of other former WSB high rollers from today's lineup. Of course, I hope that isn't true, as I still think JT could be a force with a privateer team. Chris Vermuelen has had a few seasons, so why not JT..?Maybe a Ducati..? Maybe not. One thing in Toseland's favour is that he's British, and MotoGP are desperate to have a top British rider in the lineup - all those extra bike sales.

Because of that, it's important Bradley Smith keeps on doing well on his 125cc Aprilia. He may not win the chamionship this year, but 3rd is pretty damn good, and there's no doubt he's consistently fast. It's just that his teammate Simon, has been slightly faster this season, once again getting pole.

In the 250s, 125cc World Champion Mike De Meglio got his first pole. next season should see him in Moto2 for 600cc 4-stokes; the screaming 250cc 2-strokes racing for the last few times this year. The 3 behind him all look to be going to MotoGP teams for next season. All are fast and unafraid to bash fairings at 150mph [i don't get that mentality], so next season's MotoGP racing should be even better than this year.

Indianapolis MotoGP qualifying result:

1 D Pedrosa (Sp) Repsol Honda 1min 39.730 sec

2 J Lorenzo (Sp) Fiat Yamaha 1min 40.236 sec

3 V Rossi (It) Fiat Yamaha 1min 40.609 sec

4 A de Angelis (RSM) Gresini Honda Gresini 1min 40.620 sec

5 C Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 40.961 sec

6 N Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 41.067 sec

7 T Elias (Sp) Gresini Honda 1min 41.283 sec

8 A Dovizioso (Ita) Repsol Honda 1min 41.309 sec

9 M Melandri (Ita) Hayate Racing 1min 41.530 sec

10 J Toseland (GB) Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 41.620 sec

11 L Capirossi (Ita) Rizla Suzuki 1min 41.742 sec

12 R de Puniet (Fr) LCR Honda 1min 41.773 sec

13 N Canepa (Ita) Pramac Racing 1min 41.910 sec

14 C Vermeulen (Aus) Rizla Suzuki 1min 42.038 sec

15 M Kallio (Fin) Ducati 1min 42.250 sec

16 A Espargaro (Sp) Pramac Racing 1min 42.577 sec

17 G Talmacsi (Hng) Scot Racing 1min 42.736 sec

125cc qualifying result:

1 J Simon (Spain) Aprilia 1min 49.337secs

2 S Cortese (Germany) Derbi 1:49.387

3 N Terol (Spain) Aprilia 1:49.537

4 P Espargaro (Spain) Derbi 1:49.577

5 B Smith (GB) Aprilia 1:49.585

250cc qualifying result:

1 M Di Meglio (Fra) Aprilia 1min 44.341secs

2 H Aoyama (Jpn) Honda 1:44.461

3 M Simoncelli (Ita) Gilera 1:44.553

4 H Barbera (Spa) Aprilia 1:44.625

5 J Cluzel (Fra) Aprilia 1:44.860

P.S. As you might have noticed, I didn't go for an overnight ride. I did go out, but got as far as Honiton. Had a pint and then came back. I was enjoying that bloody south-west road with the long wall next to it too much.

Well the Indianapolis meeting overall was impressive, even if the main race was a tad processional. People were falling off left, right and centre though, which nearly made up for it. Even Vale lost it. Pity the director kept breaking away from the action just as it was about to happen.

Perhaps the biggest thrill was watching young Bradley Smith storming his 125cc bike round the track in a lap record for the 125s. To think they are actually going up the main straight practically as fast as my VFR can go, and they are pipsqueak motors. As for going round the circuit, they're so incredibly agile, it must be a real hoot to ride them. Our Bradley came second though, and he almost made it first again. But at least he was on the podium, and so closes in slightly on 125cc Championship leader, Simon.

125cc race result:

1 P Espargaro (Spn) Derbi 42'07.925

2 B Smith (GB) Aprilia 42'08.045

3 S Corsi (Ita) Aprukua 42'08.373

4 N Terol (Spn) Aprilia 42'09.538

5 J Simon (Spn) Aprilia 42'09.726

Championship standings:

1 J Simon 185 pts

2 N Terol 132.5

3 B Smith 131.5

4 S Gadea 112

5 A Iannone 109.5

The 250 race went down to the wire, but as usual there was no British interest, making it for race fans alone. Marco Simoncelli won, which won't have done his title defence any harm at all, but second place went to 250cc Championship leader Aoyama. Just a few races ago Simoncelli was nowhere, and now, with 5 races to go, he's only 27 points behind. It's still do-able.

250cc race result:

1 M Simoncelli (Ita) Gilera 45'43.599

2 H Aoyama (Jpn) Honda 45'45.542

3 A Bautista (Spn) Aprilia 45'48.260

4 M Di Meglio (Fra) Aprilia 45'56.375

5 R Locatelli (Ita) Gilera 45'59.074

Championship standings:

1 H Aoyama 192

2 A Bautista 176

3 M Simoncelli 165

4 H Barbera 133

5 M Pasini 100

So to the main event, and Indianapolis ended up as Lorenzoland for the day. That's the name he calls every place he wins at. He even plants a Lorenzoland flag on occasion. This time he donned a Captain America shield, to go with the Captain America helmet he'd already been wearing throughout the race, and wheelied the length of the start-finish straight. That made him popular with the US crowd. He then proceeded to take his Yamaha M1 up the banking, get off, and climb the spectator fence, all 20ft high of it, and hang off the wire overhang, to the cheers of surrounding spectators at his feet..! I can just see any of the F1 drivers NOT doing that. In fact, committed bunch that the MotoGP riders are, I can see just about nobody else doing that. Was Lorenzo pleased - just slightly. He then wheelied back into parc ferme, and proceeded to vault the barrier, head first into the arms of his waiting mechanics. It was all good fun. But not for everybody.

Dani Pedrosa, as predicted, stormed off into the lead; followed by Rossi and Lorenzo, who'd actually muffed his getaway. JT was down in 10th, but doing well, and everybody else at the back seemed to leave the track. Actually it was only 3 of them, but it strung the field out F1 style, a bit. Then, with Pedrosa under a tiny bit of pressure, his front folded under him, leaving the 2 works Yamahas to have their cosy little dance to the finish. But it didn't work out like that. Rossi was definitely not comfortable, and Lorenzo seemed to have his measure. Sure enough, Lorenzo took Rossi at midpoint and started to put a couple of bike lengths between them. But Vale wasn't going to give up - let's face it, he never does - and kept up the pursuit, looking as if he might be able to work something out, as he nearly always does. But at the end of the start-finish straight, Rossi ran long... and then the US director cut away to other action... only to come back moments later with Vale skidding across the infield grass. Typically, he got his bike up and got going again. But this time he wasn't going to do anything, and so came in to retire. All this time, other people were falling off, mainly disappointingly behind JT. But he'd already got himself upto 6th [and finished there] with Melandri breathing down his neck, on the Kwacker. But there is a Le Tiss, as Marco fell off and end-overed his bike. He ran upto it to get back on, but according to Steve Parrish, he counted about £60,000 worth of damage. I thought he was being conservative in his estimate. Finally, it came to the last couple of laps, and poor Dani Pedrosa, who'd fallen off, had been going round faster than everybody else still. He came from way, way back last to 10th, and actually stormed past Vermeulen's Suzuki without bothering to slipstream, such was the Honda horsepower.

I could say that Pedrosa's Honda RC212V is based on my old Viffer V4 engine, but I won't because it isn't..! They are vaguely similar, but that's it. Here's how they finished:

Indianapolis MotoGP result:

1 J Lorenzo (Sp) Fiat Yamaha 47'13.592

2 A de Angelis (RSM) Gresini Honda 47'23.027

3 N Hayden (USA) Ducati 47'26.539

4 A Dovizioso (Ita) Repsol Honda 47'27.070

5 C Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 47'39.846

6 J Toseland (GB) Tech 3 Yamaha 47'46.000

7 L Capirossi (Ita) Rizla Suzuki 47'47.992

8 M Kallio (Fin) Ducati 47'48.448

9 T Elias (Sp) Gresini Honda 47'58.597

10 D Pedrosa (Spn) Repsol Honda 47'58.597

11 C Vermeulen (Aus) Rizla Suzuki 47'59.070

12 R de Puniet (Fr) LCR Honda 48'05.886

13 A Espargaro (Sp) Pramac Racing 48'17.144

14 G Talmacsi (Hng) Scot Racing 48'28.678

Championship standings:

1 V Rossi 212

2 J Lorenzo 187

3 C Stoner 150

4 D Pedrosa 141

5 C Edwards 123

6 A Dovizioso 120

7 A de Angelis 88

8 L Capirossi 86

9 R de Puniet 84

10 M Meldandri 79

11 C Vermeulen 77

12 N Hayden 73

13 J Toseland 72

14 T Elias 70

15 M Kallio 42

16 N Canepa 32

17 S Gibernau 12

18 G Talmacsi 10

19 Y Takahashi 9

20 A Espargaro 3

Onto Misano in Italy next week.