Japanese MotoGP - Motegi

[St Landrew]

The pundits have been talking about Casey Stoner giving up riding for the rest of this season, owing to a wrist injury he sustained nearly two years ago that hasn't properly healed. Looks as if Casey hadn't heard the rumours, because he posted the fastest time around the Motegi circuit on his Ducati in today's Free Practice.

 

Rossi, on the other hand, was 7/10ths of a second back, but is within 1 point of his 8th Motorcycle World Championship, so he had a fair bit to lose if he'd fallen off and injured himself badly. We could have our World Champion on Sunday, with 3 races still to go at Phillip Island, Sepang and Valencia.

 

Rossi tests his new 2009 YZR-M1 Yamaha at Motegi on Monday.

[St Landrew]

Blimey..! Jorge Lorenzo in pole position. Are we finally seeing a circuit that prefers a Michelin tyre..? Tbh, I doubt it. What I really suspect is that Lorenzo has ridden the rims off his M1 Yamaha to get it to top spot. If he's in that sort of mood for the race, then Rossi and Stoner might not have their private battle. Nevertheless, Rossi has to come third or better to become World Champion again.

 

Lorenzo has been promising brilliance all season, but most of it has seen him below par due to ongoing injury. But he's made of the usual stuff motorcycle racers are composed of, and has ridden through the cracked and broken ankles, wrist and thumb injuries, and bangs to the head. Every time he's been fully fit he's done something special. And it isn't because his bike is super special either. He's one of the breed who can get on the bike and make it go faster than almost anyone else. If there are still two tyre suppliers next season, I'll bet Jorge ends up on the same manufacturer as Rossi. Same bike, same tyre. What better to beat the 2008 World Champion..?

[St Landrew]

Motegi qualifying result:

1. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 1min 45.543secs

2. Casey Stoner (Aus) Ducati 1:45.831

3. Nicky Hayden (US) Honda 1:45.971

4. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 1:46.060

5. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 1:46.303

6. Loris Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki 1:46.450

7. Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:46.496

8. Randy de Puniet (Fra) Honda 1:46.554

9. Shinya Nakano (Jap) Honda 1:46.616

10. James Toseland (GB) Yamaha 1:46.863

 

Thank you Auntie Beeb.

 

P.S. Well done Nicky Hayden, for showing Honda that you can ride their bike fast, and that the 2006 World Championship was no fluke. Faster than teammate Pedrosa again, who gets all the attention.

Edited 27 September, 2008 by St Landrew

[St Landrew]

For those interested in an early start, here's the times for watching the races:

 

 

Sunday 28 September

125cc & 250cc races

0245-0515, BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website

MotoGP race live

0545-0700, BBC ONE and BBC Sport website

 

Think I might just record this. I'm in no mood stay up late, and then catch some sleep to watch the race in Singapore later.

Edited 28 September, 2008 by St Landrew

[St Landrew]

Not a brilliant race overall, but a great one in patches. Stoner and Pedrosa went off like scalded cats, with Hayden, Lorenzo and Rossi in pursuit, as the rest of the tail were quickly dropped by a few seconds. There seemed to be an inevitability as Rossi got the magnets on [Charlie Cox's favourite phrase], and reeled them all in, one by one, until he was on the tail of Stoner, with Pedrosa just ahead, holding up the pair behind. Motegi, despite its width, is a very hard track to pass on due to the shape of the corners, and so Stoner had to do something he complained about when Rossi did it to him a few races back. He squeezed out Pedrosa by diving inside and then driving out to the outer part of the track. Concious of his close pass, he took his clutch hand right off the handlebar and waved his apology like he was leaving on a cruise ship, despite being cranked right over, doing around 130+ mph, and opening up the Duke. That took the sort of balls I don't have. The racer in Rossi noticed Pedrosa was slightly perturbed, and being the GOAT he is, slipped past the whipper-snapper before he got his wits back.

 

Contrary to Steve Parrish's predictions, Stoner and Rossi set about buggering off up the track until they were on their own, while in the background, Lorenzo ate up the distance between him and Pedrosa. Stoner's Ducati was squirming about, trying to keep ahead, while Rossi was arrow straight and smooth, with his speed through the corners eating up the distance by feet, only for the Ducati to pull away. Eventually, under braking, anchors, legs in the breeze, Rossi dived inside Stoner into a left hander, and then pulled away. It then became a masterclass, showing what a fantastic champion Rossi is. To say he is something really special is a huge understatement. He's the best of all time. I can't see past him for next season either.

 

Japanese MotoGP result:

1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 43min 09.599secs,

2. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati at 1.943,

3. Dani Pedrosa (ESP) Honda 4.866,

4. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP) Yamaha 6.165,

5. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 24.593,

6. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Suzuki 25.685,

7. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 25.918,

8. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 26.003,

9. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Honda 26.219,

10. John Hopkins (USA) Kawasaki 37.131,

11. James Toseland (GBR) Yamaha 37.574,

12. Randy De Puniet (FRA) Honda 38.020,

13. Marco Melandri (ITA) Ducati 39.768,

14. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Ducati 45.846,

15. Anthony West (AUS) Kawasaki 55.748,

16. Toni Elias (ESP) Ducati 59.320,

17. Alex De Angelis (RSM) Honda 1:12.398.

 

World championship standings:

1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 312 points,

2. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 220,

3. Dani Pedrosa (ESP) Honda 209,

4. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP) Yamaha 169,

5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Honda 136,

6. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 118,

7. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 117,

8. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 115,

9. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Suzuki 96,

10. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 95

 

 

Thank you Auntie Beeb.

[St Landrew]

Well bugger me. Hat's off to Casey Stoner. No excuses [he is carrying an injury], and just explained his race. And then he agreed Rossi was a worthy champion. Come back all I said about the man and his whinging. When the chips are down, he's honest and forthright. One day, without a doubt, he will be World Champion again:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/7640347.stm

 

Roll on Phillip Island.