Moto GP, Round 4 - Mugello

[jhansen]

Not much else needs to be said when you say the word Mugello. The place is just spectacular and the racing is almost always good.

Lorenzo and Rossi remain at the top of the points table and will be the favorites for the win. Dovi, Pedrosa and Hayden have been fairly consistent and are in a tustle for third. All three could factor for the podium. The big question is Stoner, who has only scored points at one race. Certainly he'll be quick enough for the win, but can he put together a good race?

Perhaps I'm more interested in Moto 2. It'll be great to watch this class on a track such as Mugello. The racing should be brilliant.

[frostie]

This weekend sees the Italian MotoGP round and the Tuscan circuit will look to continue its long run of producing classic racing.

Each year races at this venue leave fan awe struck as races invariably produce exteptionally close races. An example of this would be the 2006 125cc Grand Prix which was the closest race in GP history with a 0.001 second victory margin and only 0.050 separating the podium places.

Indeed the small classes has traditionally been the race that is most closely contested with riders unable to break away from each other due to the slipstreaming battles on the long home straight.

Italian fans are always incredibly passionate at their races and the atmosphere they create at Mugello is just what anyone would expect. Fan clubs line the circuit to lend support to their chosen rider and on the formation laps of races the air around the circuit is filled with the coloured smoke from flares and one can only imagine how distracting this must be for the riders!

The Circuit

Originally Mugello was home to one of Italy’s largest road races through local towns. The road race circuit was 66 km long but in 1974 the shortened current circuit was first conceived and then updated by Ferrari in the late 80s after they purchased it to use for testing of road and race cars.
The current configuration of Mugello measures just over 5 km and with a 1141 metre home straight each year we see tremendous slipstreaming battles as riders exit the final corner and battle with one another all the way to San Donato, a downhill second gear corner where riders can choose from numerous lines.
The circuit is characterised by the lie of the land with the track following the natural contours of the Tuscany countryside. This sees riders flow from one apex to another and also sees a lack of slow chicanes with riders instead tackling fast left than right sequences that require a bike that can easily change direction. One of the prime overtaking places is at turn six and seven, Casanova and Savelli. One of the most atmospheric areas on any race track in the world, this sequence sees many fan clubs camping out in the hope of getting as close to their heroes as possible. With downhill braking the riders face a challenge in getting the bike stopped for the apex and keeping their pursuers at bay.
The final corner is one of the most difficult on the circuit because riders know any mistake will be punished heavily on the home straight. Bucine is a long left hander that leads all the way downhill to the start finish line.

Who will be the contenders at Mugello for MotoGP victory?

Mugello is an exceptionally fast and flowing circuit and favours a rider with exceptional feel for the front end of their bike. Certain riders consistently are at the front of the field at this track but no one has anything like the record of Valentino Rossi. A nine time winner of this race, Rossi consistently has saved his very best for the display of his compatriots. Last year saw the end of Rossi’s unbeaten run at Mugello when he followed home Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo.

Lorenzo leads the world championship after a stellar start to the year with two wins and a podium placing the Majorcan ahead of his teammate Rossi. Lorenzo has had mixed results here in the past but won in 2006 from pole in the 250cc race. Indeed qualifying has not been an issue for the Spaniard as he has started from the head of the field three times including last year. This year though Lorenzo has shown that he has added a lot of maturity to his already formidable speed and he will relish taking the fight to Rossi in Italy.

Stoner loves this circuit with an enviable qualifying record clearly displaying the speed that the 2007 world champion has consistently displayed here. In seven years he has only started outside the front row twice and in 2003’s 125cc Grand Prix marking the first pole position of his career but the race ended in disappointment for the Australian as he finished the race in 18th after being taken out from behind on the last lap after running in fifth. In recent years though Stoner's star has shined underneath the Tuscan sun with top four positions the last three years including a win and a runner up spot. After the disappointment of the start to the year Stoner will be keen to show the world that he has put his recent crashes behind him.
Last year was the first time that Honda’s Dani Pedrosa failed to finish in Italy and with the exception of his first race in 2001 the Spanaird has consistently finished inside the top four including five podiums. Qualifying though has been a struggle for Pedrosa with only three front row starts, but with such a long straight Pedrosa has consistently been able to use his small frame to his advantage by hiding behind the fairing and rocketing past his rivals over the start finish line.

Who will be the challengers in the support class

Outside of the top class the battle for victory is difficult to predict. The Moto2 class has consistently seen some of the closest fields ever with Toni Elias leading the title chase and expecting to challenge for a third victory in a row but the Spanish rider has never finished on the podium at Mugello in the past.

Aspar’s Julian Simon showed at Le Mans that the change to Suter chassis was successful and the reigning 125 champion will be expecting to add to his podium finish last year. Former 125 title winner Thomas Luthi has finished on the podium twice but has consistently finished inside the top five and will look to regain his form from the opening two races.
The main challenge to Elias is expected to come from former MotoGP teammate Alex Deangelis who finished in the top three for three consecutive years from 2005 in the 250cc class. The San Marinese rider has struggled this year and will look to rebound from his frightening crash last time out when he was struck by a crashing motorcycle.

In the 125cc class Bradley Smith knows that if he is to challenge for a world title this year but the Britain won this Grand Prix last year so should be full of confidence ahead of this weekend’s race. This race will be telling in how the internal dynamics of the Aspar team with Nico Terol battling for the title chase and challenging for race wins this year. It will be interesting to see how the team deals with Smith if he cannot get on a par with his Spanish teammate.

Pol Espagaro showed at Le Mans that he has a new found maturity to go with his undoubted speed and the Derbi showed in Qatar that it was the fastest bike down the long front straight so their riders will expect to challenge for the victory. Marc Marquez and Efran Vasquez are both searching for their first ever win in Grand Prix and the Derbi should be able to allow them to showcase their obvious talents.

[SALEEN S7R]

Should be a intersting GP, although going by the reports I have read and what I have seen at Le Mans I woudnt be betting on Rossi for the win this weekend as his shoulder injury seems quite serious. Lorenzo for me is going into the weekend as the clear favourite, with Stoner/Pedrosa/Dovizioso/Rossi right on his heels. Should be interesting to see the straight line speeds at Mugello between the 3 manufacturers, one thing is for sure Ducati dont have the straight line speed advantage they once had in previous years.

[jhansen]

Indeed, Rossi is definitely a bit more wounded than first thought, or at least that's what he wants us to think. Either way, he has shown up in Mugello with an interesting new look...

[chunder]

Looks bloody stupid if you aks me!!

[jhansen]

It's not his most flatering look, but he was fast today, along with Lorenzo.

This Espargaro kid seems pretty darn quick in the 125's.

[chunder]

Just anotehr in a long line of well backed, financially laden Spaniards in this great Spanish 125 champpionship, sorry MotoGP series!!

Viva Espana, isnt that wht you say Carmo

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by chunder

Looks bloody stupid if you aks me!!

it does look stupid . but i've got a feeling he knows it

[Dani Filth]

accident for rossi in fp2 this morning
he couldn't walk from it .. was carried away
looked like a broken leg

[bestfit]

Rossi out of race after fracturing shin bone in P2 crash

[skells22]

how long will he be out for?

[Victor_RO]

Rumours already say a couple of months. Sources from the track confirm an open and compound fracture... in any case, a very messy injury.

[duke_toaster]

Four races at least, surely ...

[SALEEN S7R]

Anyone know if there is any live tv coverage of qualifying? Cant see anything on Eurosport or the BBC but maybe I missed it in the listings.

[skells22]

try eurosport 2

[SALEEN S7R]

Ah I must have missed that when looking through the listings, thanks!

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Four races at least, surely ...

Who will replace him?

[Pato]

Now I think we can declare Lorenzo as 2010 champ.

Hope Rossi gets better soon.

[skells22]

do not speak too soon about that

[2000yellow360]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Anyone know if there is any live tv coverage of qualifying? Cant see anything on Eurosport or the BBC but maybe I missed it in the listings.

If you subscribe to Motogp.com you get it live.

Art

[chunder]

For tens of euro's per race

Nothing is free on motogp site, just a few picture and out of date news

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

Who will replace him?

You'd say Spies, but I'd prefer Edwards as he knows the team and bike.
Didn't want Lorenzo winning his first championship this way, he deserves better.

[chunder]

This isn't his first championship, he has won two 250 titles.

[frostie]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

You'd say Spies, but I'd prefer Edwards as he knows the team and bike.
Didn't want Lorenzo winning his first championship this way, he deserves better.

Thats the way I was thinking, I posted this on another forum:

Yamaha are left with very few options with who to take in and still challenge for the manufacturer title.

They might have to do something like what Honda did when Katoh died and they took in Ryuichi Kiyonari in from the Japanese superbike championship
but there hasnt seemed to be the same ultimate high quality of rider in that championship any longer.

They need to bring in a rider that has a future with the company and one that can consistently challenge for podiums....what about moving Colin Edwards(knows the team incredibly well from riding for them for three years) or Ben Spies(coming man of Yamaha and undoubtably a rider who they see as a man who can lead the company forward after Rossi.) They then need to replace one of the Tech 3 riders so how about moving James Toseland back from Superbikes to his old team for until after the Summer break. The R1 is not performing well enough in WSBK so Toseland wont be losing out on challenging for the title and Yamaha have four riders all of whom they already have under contract and all of whom they can trust to score podiums and points.

I know its a long shot but to be honest I don't see what Yam can do and still challenge for overall honours if they only have Lorenzo challenging for wins

The Toseland part is obviously a stretch but if Edwards is the man to get the FIAT ride then Tech 3 would probably be more appealing to Toseland.

[chunder]

No chance, Toseland would never go back there, he cant ride an 800!

Crutclow might have a go, but would crash his head off!!

More likely be a Moto2 rider.