IF IT'S SUNDAY IT MUST BE GERMANY OR IS IT CALIFORNIA?
by Mark Bracks
Now that I've caught my breath a bit it's time for another update of life inside the circus.
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My fave legend... |
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Ago watches Westy in action |
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Kenny Roberts and Kenny Roberts |
As it's been awhile I'll wrap up both rounds before I head off for a break.
Early Sunday night we bolted from Sachsenring back to Dresden to save a lot of hassle getting on an early morning flight but unlike many who headed straight to the States I returned to Barcelona for 48 hours before I was on another plane but at least I got a chance to do some washing.
Sachsenring
Sachsenring is a special place. Looking at it from afar before I scored this dream gig, I didn't think much of it but after a second visit it like it even more than I did last year. It's situated in an industrial complex and replaced the road circuit after it became too dangerous. The layout is superb. It could have been spread out over a wider area but the tightness mixed with some fast blind corners, up and downhill sections and close spectator proximity makes it an exceptional place to visit.
Celebrating its 80th year the week before there was an event to mark the occasion with many legends from the past turning up including Ago, Jim Redman, Phil Read, Anton Mang and Angel Nieto who now is a TV commentator. It's steeped in history and we actually travel to the track on part of the old road racing circuit. It's easy to conjure images of the past as we motor through the tree lined road regaled with tales of days long past by my co-commentator Nick Harris.
To save time on Sunday we have a police escort to the track for Dorna personnel with about 30 cars in convoy over the 15 km to the track with not a thing stopping us and hooking along at about 140 clicks.
Also being just 100 km from Dresden (where we jet into), the entire district has an added bit of WWII history for the wrong reasons.
Redman was also inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame during the weekend. He won 45 GP's in his six 350cc and 250cc world championships during the 60's, but he had tongues wagging for other reasons as on his arm he had his 17-year-old girlfriend! One wag mentioned he could also be inducted into the Viagra Hall of Fame.
The criticism of the Ducati should be well and truly buried. Stoner proved that it isn't just top speed that has him and the team leading the world title. Witnessing up close how much earlier and later he gets on and off the gas bears witness to his riding and confidence. He has a very different style more in the lines and his execution compared to many others.
To see the remains of the tyres after the German race bears testimony to the 53 deg track temperature and the amount of time the bikes are on the side of the tyres. They were absolutely shredded and in some cases had huge chunks ripped out of them. Hopkins even commented that he found it hard to see in the latter stages with all the rubber stuck to his visor.
The curse of Friday 13th struck for a variety of riders with 21 crashes on the new surface at the 'Ring (equaling a wet 2003) with five MotoGP riders going down along with eight each in the other classes -- not including the three supports classes that included a round of the Sidecar titles.
Westy also had tongues wagging but it was more in shock when he took his one-metre pet king snake into the Kwaka garage. He carried it in a helmet bag asking team members to have a look with many thinking they would see a new helmet design but as they peeked in were welcome by his hissing mate that he purchased in Austria to make up for his pet python he has in Australia!
Westy has long been accused of having a not so enthusiastic attitude with a bemoaning style of describing his situation but the team are baffled by his past "record". All those who now work with him are very impressed with his attitude, feedback and general mixing with the team -- as proved by his snaky sense of humour. The entire team has nothing but praise for the guy. I've never doubted his attitude and it's quite easy to understand and bemoan not having a factory bike when possessing the talent he has. Last year he paid for the ride with his own funds and after some good performances Aprilia supplied an LE bike for this year -- a step down from the factory weapons but the team was an absolute joke and he only had one bike. They didn't have a clue and Ant was demoralised and pissed off with everything -- and rightly so after early expectations.
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West: snaky sense of humour |
Probably the worst was Alex Barros and the damage inflicted when his hand became stuck under the bike after highsiding at the second fastest corner on the track. It then proceeded to cartwheel across the top of him as he slid in front of it into the gravel. Footage of him pushing away trackside marshals as he gingerly removed his glove to reveal a blood covered hand and the ensuing treatment in Clinica Mobile was enthralling.
One of the most spectacular episodes of the day was Hayden's bike lunching itself on full noise down pit straight at the very end of the session -- right in front of all the big bosses from Honda who came over for the weekend! Bet it got the bosses thinking overtime?
Randy Mamola was quick on the scene picking up bits of engine that included the valve, part of the piston skirt and other bits of mashed metal. Once word got out rival team personnel were keen to have a close inspection with the ol' Vernier calipers!
Barros' teammate Alex Hofmann also sported broken bones in his right hand that had to be screwed and plated the weekend before the race in a mountain bike related accident. It wasn't actually on the bike as he was packing a car with mates to head out into the hills when the hatch door was slammed on his hand!
With John Hopkins' defection to Kawasaki the first step of the rider roundabout fell into place in Germany. Here's the latest with Capirossi being courted by Suzuki and Kawasaki while Melandri is going to Ducati.
Jorge Lorenzo has long been mooted to have signed with Yamaha with many saying he would be Rossi's team mate but Rossi has the influence and doesn't want him. As such because of the hangover from the sponsorship wrangle of Rossi's team at the end of 2005 with the change from Gauloises to Camel and the Spanish brand Fortuna being under that banner, Yamaha are rumoured to be supplying bikes to run under Fortuna colours with Lorenzo as the sole rider.
There is also a chance that Lucio Ceccenhello's LCR team may take on the Konica Minolta colours with an as yet unnamed rider.
As for the makeup and sponsorship of the Gresini team that currently
has Melandri and
the injured Tony Elias that is also an unknown quantity -- and the same
can be said for the Pramac Ducati.
Seems like the entire season is the silly season but, how do you bring in anti-poaching laws like in football codes when people are together for nearly a week 18 times a year?
Gabor Talmasci has a reason for his new found speed. From Assen he had spent time with his brother, who rides in the WSS chase on a 600 around his local Hungaroring racetrack. "Doing my lap times on the 125 was easy after riding and sliding the 600. I have now learnt how I can slide the 125 more." Maybe others will soon take his lead as some who have seen him at the AMCN Master Bike shootout claim he is very very fast. How long before he is in MotoGP?
He also sported a sticker on his bike during the German GP with a stick figure in a shower enclosed in a red circle with a line going through it! Work that out.
Laguna Seca
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Art imitates life: Hayden at Laguna |
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Already they have the merchandise done and the track will run in an anti-clockwise direction over a 16 turn, 4.186 km layout with the pit straight being used of the legendary track but will not use any of the banking.
There maybe a few people wondering about a second GP for the US but simply, it's the largest big-bore market in the world and to have two there can only benefit the sport in the long term. Also when an ex-four wheel champion called Mario Andretti says MotoGP is the best form of motor sport on the planet bar none it shows the respect for and growth of our great sport. I also think the race will be something special as well.
The resurfacing of Laguna was well received with the track no where near as treacherous as last year's motocross track but it still got a bit of criticism of the riders for having plenty of bumps in the first part of the track.
Anthony West was keen to get out and have a look and did a huge amount of laps on a paddock scooter as soon as he was allowed on the track on Thursday afternoon. He had heard all about the Corkscrew but it caught him completely unawares as it is an uphill blind entry corner. "I came over the top and it's not until you get right into the left hander that you see how steep it is. I came up there and thought 'Holy f#$%!'
"Then you do it on a GP bike its even more eye opening but it's still a great piece of track."
Westy has to have one of the smartest men in the paddock on his side. Affectionately known as "Fio", Fiorenzo Fanali started his career as an apprentice for MV Agusta and spannered for Ago before moving on to various roles over the next 30 years to see him one of the crew chiefs for Kawasaki including Max Biaggi. What he doesn't know isn't worth worrying about and some of his tales are amazing to listen to.
Also he asked me soon after Ant joined the team, "what is all this talk about his attitude? He is one of the best guys I have worked with." And having worked with Biaggi to name just one of the riders in his vast experience, Fio knows all about the good the bad and the ugly!
Coming to Laguna is like a mini homecoming as there are so many Aussies in the paddock so it's good to catch up with everyone for a once a year chinwag.
There was more silicon in the Laguna paddock than the Dow Corning factory but strangely enough no one was complaining! And it wasn't just the "Brollie Dollies" either as many of the natural and peroxided blondes, natural brunettes and others of the opposite genetic persuasion were sporting some form of bolt-on front bumpers. It must be a status symbol of all the rich college kids to get them blown up with the money coming from a rich benevolent dad. Imagine the dinner table conversation of dad and daughter; "Hey honey, would you like a new car seeing you are going to college?" to which the daughter might reply, "No thanks dad. I'd like some false tits!"
Jorge Lorenzo and Alex De Angelis were in attendance at Laguna. Lorenzo is signed and sealed to be on a Yamaha and it is rumoured that as Rossi won't have him in the team he will be in a one-rider team with Fortuna sponsorship. This will complete the hangover from the Gauloises sponsorship that was severed a couple of years ago.
De Angelis is still negotiating. He was on the same plane heading west and we had a chat during the flight. Asking him if he is 100% sure of being in MotoGP next year he relied, "mmm? 99%." I asked him if the Pramac Ducati was an option he just smiled and winked.
Garry McCoy also made the trek to Laguna looking at the prospects of a ride in either MotoGP or the AMA but if he had arrived a day earlier he may have well filled in for the injured Alex Hofmann.
Hofmann will undergo a lot of pain in the next few weeks overcoming his horrible hand injury after the brake adjustment knob sliced open the palm of his left hand and also broke the knuckle of his index finger. Such was the damage doctors had to do some severe surgery and now he has over 50 stitches in the palm of his hand and it is unknown if he will have full use of his hand ever again. The doctor who performed the surgery was the legendary Dr Ting.
He is ropable about the entire episode explaining in the press room on Sunday morning that if Hopkins can be fined $US2000 dollars for kicking out at Checa how come Guintoli isn't fined for his riding and how come inexperienced riders are allowed to take part in MotoGP; but he sympathises with the situation that Chas Davies found himself in.
When he saw the injury to his hand he actually passed out in shock for over five minutes. One of the medical officials also passed out on seeing the severity of the injury. Hofmann brought some graphic images of the injury to the press centre and they were sickening before and after photos.
Race direction is coming under fire from him as to why it took 15 minutes for the red flag to come out.
As for the race it wasn't as close and exciting as some of the other races we have seen this year but from an Aussie point of view it was sensational with Casey and CV up the front. Many said it was Chris's best race but I think leading last year's race for 17 laps before the bike slow has to be an even better effort.
Stoner came up with a good observation during the Saturday afternoon press conference when asked about how close the race would be and he explained that he didn't think it would be that close even though the lap times weren't too different. He said that there is something about Laguna that doesn't make for close racing. Yet again he was right!
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The closest Stoner seems to come to binning it... |
I thought Hayden would do it again but he didn't get past turn two. That will make some people happy but what a gut wrenching experience in front of your home crowd. When Hopkins came into the pits to get his left footpeg and gear lever changed he was in tears, the poor bugger. No matter your impression of the guys your heart has to go out to them in the way the race unfolded for them.
Who would've thought that Roger Lee Hayden would be the first American home and Colin Edwards would've been relegated by a Dunlop-shod Yamaha! I hope that hasn't done his employment prospects too much harm but if Lorenzo has his own team and Rossi wants him to remain his teammate it might be enough to provide a lifeline to stay.
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You know you go fast around corners when your sponsors write their names on the bottom of your tailpiece: Rossi |
Great to see CV stay with Suzuki too as he knows the team and all he works with plus he knows he will have the best the factory can supply and that is the main ingredient if anyone wants to win a title. Now it's up to Suzuki to supply a championship contender because one thing's for sure, Honda won't be building a dog of a bike like this year's effort.
With a month off we will all be champing at the bit by the time Czecho comes around in little over three weeks. Also there is a two day test after the race with all the factories testing new bits for the rest of the year which will be used to progress the next year's bikes.
Finally I was asked for some more information on the 16" rims and tyres now being used.
It's not the first time 16in tyres have been used. They have tried them in Superbike and in GP's Nakano tried them last year but the evolution is happening.
First up, who uses what? Michelin and Dunlop use 16" fronts while Bridgestone have stuck with 16.5"s which is interesting.
As for the rear, Dunlop has remained with 16.5. Michelin have done some experimenting but after Germany have decided to remain with 16.5 until they get it sorted a bit more. As for Bridgestone, it is up to the individual what choice in rear they want to use. For example on Sunday all riders used the 16.5 except Miguel DuHamel and Westy although most riders dabble with a 16" rear during practice.
The 16in provide the same rolling diameter as the 16.5 but offer great contact patch on the side of the tyres and they seem to last longer and offer better grip towards the end of the race.
Also with the amount of time the bikes are on the side of the tyre the 16in fronts offers better characteristics for tipping into the corners and better mid corner stability. And with increased corner entry speeds it allows for quicker change of direction.
As for the rear, it offers the same extra grip on the side. It may not be long before we see it as the tyre of choice because of all of the above.
Whatever the progress in tyres, all riders are complaining about a lack of power. That's interesting when they are putting out over 200hp!
Checa is racing at the Suzuka 8-hour this weekend and after testing the bike before Germany said to Honda, "Is there any chance of putting that engine in the GP bike?"
Duhamel was asked if there is much difference between his Supebike and the Gresini bike he had the opportunity to ride at Laguna and his reply was "Mmmm not much!"
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Series leader on 221 points: Casey Stoner |
I won't mention names but there are a few people in the States that blew me away with their support and comments at a couple of dos that were held over the weekend at Laguna. The Yamaha bash at the Monterey Aquarium is turning into one of the highlights of the weekend and with the people present I was stunned. They don't know what I look like but when they hear my voice they pull me aside for a quick chat. Maybe one day I'll put some pics up of those personal occasions (if you want) but then people may think I'm blowing smoke up my arse?
I look forward to catching Bori the crew and everyone else at the Island. It is going to be an absolutely sensational weekend and I reckon we will see three Aussies on the podium!
Anyway, time to put the feet up and have a frosty treat!
Hoo roo!
Bracksy
