Misano - The San Marino MotoGP

Something took place today. Free practice went on, for a race, though you'd hardly know about it. And one team was about half a second faster than anybody else. Let's guess who it was...

1] Repsol [Factory] Honda

2] Fiat [Factory] Yamaha

3] Rizla [Factory, and only] Suzuki

4] Hayate [Fac... blah, blah] Kawasaki

or....

5] Malboro [Factory] Ducati

BTW, has anyone noticed how much cigarette advertising is still around MotoGP..? Naughty, but nobody mentions it. Well I just did. It shouldn't be there, but it is. Everybody has to have something to balance against their enjoyment of life. We in the UK have Moral Responsibility and Sh!te Weather. Those in Southern Europe have Sun and Potentially Eventual Lung Cancer. It's an Idea. Apparently they live longer than us, anyway.

Back to free practice, and the answer to who went fastest. The Fiat Yamaha lads turned out to be half a second faster than anybody else, and the in-house rivalry is beginning to get the whole MotoGP paddock crowd rather fascinated, even the other riders. Will it be Lorenzo or Rossi..? After Indy, Rossi is 25 points ahead with 5 races to go [MotoGP followers will know that isn't anything like insurmountable, unlike F1], and the momentum has been with Jorge Lorenzo. Yet today, on Rossi's turf [his home is only a few kilometres down the road] Lorenzo has been fastest all day, only for Rossi to pull something out of the bag, late on, and find 0.126 seconds to eliminate.

The thing I want to know is... where did he find that eighth of a second to lose..? They're all on the limit, concentrating hard on speed; so where did Vale lose that tiny bit..? **How do you do that..?

**As, reading this, you're probably a car driver only, not a biker, you don't need to come up with an explanation. It's not a test.

And nobody did..!

Today was significant. Valentino has been laying down the law all weekend so far. Watching qualification today was like listening to the song, anything you can do [i can do better...] One kind of knew something special was coming because the bikes were going around in lap times of 1m 36s odd, and nobody was looking badly out of shape. Then up on the screen came last year's lap record of 1m 33.32 set by Casey Stoner [back for Estoril]. No wonder most of the front runners looked relaxed. Then with 20 odd minutes to go Rossi popped in an early quick one in the 1m 35s area. Immediately Lorenzo popped in a lower 1m35s time. Then Rossi, then Lorenzo, then Rossi, then Lorenzo... it was like musical chairs, and each lap got a tiny bit faster and faster. Then low and behold, Pedrosa came stonking along with the fastest lap, with out-of-a-job-next-season Tony Elias immediately behind him for second spot. Lorenzo responded, and got between Pedrosa and Elias. Which now meant Rossi was on the second row. With the seconds ticking down, Rossi went into the pits to have his rear tyre changed, and came out with 1m 45s remaining. Instead of touring around to gently get the heat into his rear tyre, he pushed it quite a bit, and crossed the line for his flying lap with 3 seconds to spare. Having got heat into the tyres, in a fast track kind of way, he then stormed around nearly a quarter of a second faster than everybody else in 1m 34.338 seconds. Please note though that this was still a second slower than Stoner's time last year. That was a heck of a lap.

To put Rossi's time into perspective, during the swapping of times earlier, people had been going a couple of hundredth's faster than the others. Rossi came along and nailed one that couldn't be returned, and he did it when there was no other chance. Failing would have possibly put him on the second row. Instead, the very fast Elias went there, but he can be very satisfied with his afternoon's work. He shouldn't be out of a ride next season. JT looked for all the person who had just been told he had no job in MotoGP next season, as he qualified 14th. Luckily British fans may not have to wait for too long before another genuine British contender comes along.

In the 125s, young Brit Bradley Smith did a Rossi, and went round with a last gasper to get pole. I'm always astounded by Bradley, when he's interviewed or when he is riding. he is so mature, you wouldn't believe he is 18.

San Marino MotoGP qualifying result:

1 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 1 min 34.338 secs

2 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 1:34.560

3 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 1:34.808

4 Toni Elias (Spain) Honda 1:34.907

5 Colin Edwards (U.S.) Yamaha 1:35.184

6 Nicky Hayden (U.S.) Ducati 1:35.223

7 Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Honda 1:35.343

8 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 1:35.492

9 Randy de Puniet (France) Honda 1:35.554

10 Loris Capirossi (Italy) Suzuki 1:35.561

14 James Toseland (UK) Yamaha 1:36.070

125cc qualifying:

1 Bradley Smith (Gbr) Aprilia 1min 43.727secs

2 Julian Simon (Spa) Aprilia 1:43.743

3 Andrea Iannone (Fra) Aprilia 1:43.890

4 Nicolas Terol (Spa) Aprilia 1:43.987

5 Sergio Gadea (Spa) Aprilia 1:44.062

6 Pol Espargaro (Spa) Derbi 1:44.171

7 Marc Marquez (Spa) KTM 1:44.179

8 Simone Corsi (Ita) Aprilia 1:44.349

9 Stefan Bradl (Ger) Aprilia 1:44.656

10 Sandro Cortese (Ger) Derbi 1:44.929

13 Danny Webb (Gbr) Aprilia 1:45.188

14 Scott Redding (Gbr) Aprilia 1:45.213

250cc qualifying:

1 Hiroshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda 1 min 38.867 secs

2 Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 1:38.875

3 Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Gilera 1:39.038

4 Mattia Pasini (Italy) Aprilia 1:39.068

5 Mike Di Meglio (France) Aprilia 1:39.397

6 Alex Debon (Spain) Aprilia 1:39.416

7 Hector Faubel (Spain) Honda 1:39.602

8 Alvaro Bautista (Spain) Aprilia 1:39.825

9 Roberto Locatelli (Italy) Gilera 1:39.91015

10 Ratthapark Wilairot (Thailand) Honda 1:39.969

P.S. Rossi has a new helmet for the race weekend. People who are his fans know him as The Doctor and so he has this on the back of his race leathers. But just for this weekend, to accompany The Doctor logo, and to commemorate his own mistake, last week in Indianapolis, his new helmet has a picture of Shrek Donkey on the front, with The Donkey written on the back. Only Valentino would bother to do this. But then he is the honorary president of AGV Helmets.

The_Donkey_Helmet

And what's this I hear that Ferrari once again talked to him about driving at Monza..? Thankfully, he had his sensible hat on, at the time.

125 and 250cc race

0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online

MotoGP Race

1230-1400, BBC Two/online

MotoGP Extra

1400-1430, BBC Red Button/online

Just watched morning practise and Rossi put in a lap at the end that would have been quick enough for front row in quali, amazing, should be a corker

Oh my god what an end to the 125 race, shiiiiit! Topped off my the headbutt between the two that went off!

Oh my god what an end to the 125 race, shiiiiit! Topped off by the headbutt between the two that went off!

OK, I'll admit it - I haven't watched the 125 or the 250cc races yet. Both of which had extremely dramatic ends to them... apparently. Had a really late night and just about had the wherewithall to program the HDD recorder before staggering up the wooden hill. Just got back down in time to push the record button again for the main event, and then slumped in the armchair to watch it. I always watch them again a few hours/days later to get a look at the details. Besides, I'm trying to get more confidence in the front end of my bike. All the handling facts say I can, but in my heart I'm a scaredy cat. And I know in my head that being a coward actually makes me more dangerous. Stupid eh..? Apparently though, none other than James Toseland has the same problem with his Yamaha M1, so I'm in good company, I suppose.

Today's race was a good one, made better by the importance, but it wasn't great. There was some excellent action in the earlier laps, especially a second corner pile up, which nearly resulted in fisticuffs. Must be the Italian air or something. But by just over halfway, Valentino had got past Pedrosa, and then so did Lorenzo. There was an element of... please don't fall off guys... in the watching of the race, because it's rotten way to decide championhips. I like to see someone outride the opposition, not benefit from someone else falling off, even if it is dramatic.

Highlights were the crash between the minor placers on the second corner, and nobody got hurt, except the causer Alex De Angelis, who got a bump on his little finger, and some sore pride. Tony Elias did his cause for a ride next season no harm at all, by being very fast early on, but eventually coming in 6th. Old warhorse Capirossi came in 5th.

JT came in 10th. Yes, he beat his teammate, Colin Edwards when he got taken out, but that's little compensation. He should be beating guys who are out of work next season, but they outdid him. His only plus is that he is British, and MotoGP really needs a British representative. But I now honestly don't think it will be with Tech3 Yamaha. Perhaps Pramac Ducati..? Mind you, Nicky Hayden has just signed an extension to Factory Ducati for next season, and he's behind JT in the Championship, so anything can happen. It's an unpredictable motorsport is this one.

San Marino MotoGP result:

1 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 44mins 32.882secs

2 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 44:35.298

3 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 44:45.282

4 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 44:59.212

5 Loris Capirossi (Italy) Suzuki 44:59.421

6 Toni Elias (Spain) Honda 45:01.168

7 Mika Kallio (Finland) Ducati 45:03.066

8 Marco Melandri (Italy) Kawasaki 45:04.639

9 Chris Vermeulen (Australia) Suzuki 45:04.791

10 James Toseland (Britain) Yamaha 45:11.229

Championship standings:

1 V Rossi 237 points

2 J Lorenzo 207

3 D Pedrosa 157

4 C Stoner 150

5 A Dovizioso 133

6 C Edwards 123

7 L Capirossi 97

8 A de Angelis 88

9 R de Puniet 88

10 M Melandri 87

13 J Toseland 78

125cc race result:

1 Julian Simon (Spain) Aprilia 40mins 15.301 secs

2 Nicolas Terol (Spain) Aprilia 40:15.874

3 Bradley Smith (Britain) Aprilia 40:20.775

Championship standings:

1 J Simon (Spn) Aprilia 210.0 points

2 N Terol (Spn) Aprilia 152.5

3 B Smith (GB) Aprilia 147.5

250cc race result:

1 Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 43 mins 23.353 secs

2 Mattia Pasini (Italy) Aprilia 43:23.393

3 Alvaro Bautista (Spain) Aprilia 43:25.044

4 Hiroshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda 43:25.050

5 Mike Di Meglio (France) Aprilia 43:25.274

Championship standings:

1 H Aoyama 205

2 A Bautista 192

3 M Simoncelli 165

4 H Barbera 158

5 M Pasini 120

Estoril in one month's time. Jeez, I might get some sailing in, and I might even get to a Saints match..!

Just watched the 125 and 250cc races. Yep, they were excellent. Sometimes it's better watching those than it is the main event. Brilliant riding from everybody, except Gadea in the 125s and Simoncelli in the 250s. Gadea's crash, where his bike spat him over the top, was a bit staggering. How he or his bike didn't get hit by his fellow riders, I'll never know. Apparently, he wasn't injured, even though it looked bad. Simoncelli just lost it putting the power on. Apparently, his traction control was playing up. That last corner gasper between Espargaro and Iannone was brilliant. It was easy to see that Iannone would have real trouble making the corner, and then he ended up losing the front end, and taking out Espargaro as well. How those guys didn't get injured amazed me. Both popped up and faced each other off, and then the headbutt from Iannone. Apparently, it was because Espargaro had dared to touch his bike..! And Espargaro easily deserved to win the race, after charging through from way back in 9th or 10th.

I really don't know whether there is something in the Italian Adriatic air, because even Nicky Hayden, in the main event, was just about ready to flatten Alex De Angelis, only for a race marshal to get between them. You can't say you don't get your money's worth, in this sport.

EDIT: Just found this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/8240731.stm