MOTOGP FIRST HALF
by Mark Bracks
 |
|
Bracksy researches where steaks and leathers come from |
 |
|
Too much sushi does cause a slight flatulence problem |
 |
|
John Hopkins on the Rizla Suzuki tries to do a shadow puppet |
 |
|
West and Rossi duke it out |
 |
|
Hopkins demonstrates how much faster he can go if he holds on with both hands |
 |
|
Colin Edwards motoring on the Fiat Yamaha |
We had a week off after Catalunya with two of those days taking up by testing. On my spare weekend I went to a bullfight in Barcelona. You might recall my "El Torero" experience and as such I had developed a fascination for those that want to stand in front of a marauding bull. The event was a five minute walk away at the Monumental bullring so it seemed like a good excuse to see how the Spanish psyche worked.
I also thought that bullfighting had been banned in Barcelona but I was wrong. Many people would have you believe it is banned such is many Catalans disdain for the "sport" but there is a group that still likes it. There were plenty of vocal protesters voicing their opposition but there were a lot more people queuing to get in -- and it was a sell out.
I was interested to see the Spanish psyche in action but to see six bulls get killed in less than two hours was a bit hard to swallow although three of the bulls got their own back.
It's the first and last time I will venture to one as the bull doesn't have a hope.
I also arrived at Donington a couple of days late - on the Saturday morning - after getting approval to stay in Barcelona to see the Rolling Stones at the Olympic Stadium. Two and a half hours of the legends who are still the greatest rock and roll band in the world; I hope I have as much energy at their age!
The two days of Donington was pretty miserable weather-wise as England
was copping a similar weather treatment to what NSW had been through
lately.
No sooner had I headed out for a look on Saturday morning to see the
lads charge through Craner Curves than Chris Vermeulen had a spectacular
get off. Hitting the wet grass he accelerated as the Suzuki bucked him
off to see him slide and spin on his back for about 200 metres.
Rossi's Saturday morning excursion was hilarious as he left pit lane and went a few hundred yards into the first turn, ran it wide off the ripple strip and into the mud. The guy is human after all!
It was an amazing weekend for crashes with a grand total of 109 falls over the three days. On Friday's wet one there were 52, 11 during Saturday's dry but cold conditions and a further 46 on Sunday.
I also had the flu and the after effects of the Stones concert. My voice was pretty well shot as anyone who listened to the telecast would've realised.
The circus is really moving now but it has been a pretty big week. You'd think we would fly straight to Holland from England but I returned to Barcelona for a day before heading to Holland.
What they have done to Assen, the Cathedral of road racing, is sacrilegious. All in the name of progress. You would think they would have put more thought into the new first section than drawing a circle. Most of the character of the place has been destroyed but there will be a part of me there forever because somewhere around the track is my Aussie mobile phone! I lost it doing a few laps on a scooter so if you ever see a black flip phone, let me know!
The track may be pretty ordinary now but surrounding towns make a trip to the Dutch TT a very enticing option. We stayed about 20 kilometres from the track right near the major town of Groningen. It's a great place for a night out as it is a student town with a university as well as a lot of industry including one of the head offices of Shell. The summer holidays had just started and the place has more bars than you can poke a stick at so there are plenty of choices of places to have fun and if you're into really tall slim blondes it certainly is the place for you!!!
Pity I'm now an old fart.
Plus, Assen goes off as they have a number of band-stands situated around the town in different parks and streets (hell, even Golden Earring is still rocking!) and on the Friday night before traditional race day Saturday there are go-kart races through the streets that start around 10pm as well as a man made motocross track. The Cloggies really know how to have a good time.
It is developing into one fantastic season for Australian motorcycling as out of nine races the Aussies have won six with Stoner winning five of them. It isn't lost on Stoner either and he is genuinely happy when he sees another Aussie on the podium. In France one of the first things he said was how happy he was for Vermeulen and it was the same in Donington as they left Parc Ferme shaking each others hand and laughing together.
Any rider that has won five of the first eight has gone onto win the championship. The only thing against Stoner is that we now have more races than ever before and his main rival is a bloke by the name of Rossi.
Hopefully the latest results for Stoner will finally shut the critics up -- especially the Italian press, who have continually said it is the bike's speed and not Stoner who is doing the business. Fair enough it has the speed but from the time I was a kid we always knew that Ducatis go around corners pretty well. Even though the Desmosedici has had a bit of criticism about its cornering abilities it appears that they still go around tight bends pretty well.
Stoner on the other hand is a revelation. He has amazed me this year after watching him up close last year. Mick Doohan always said that it's easier to stop a fast guy from crashing than trying to get a slow rider to go fast. Stoner has adapted to the Bridgestones and the Duke like he made them himself. He has front end slides but has only pitched it down the road once from the front and that was during Saturday morning warmup. They tell me that it is almost impossible to crash on a Bridgestone front as the feel from them is unbelievable. We might have to start calling him "Casey Bridgestoner!"
Great to see Westy score a full time ride with his much coveted factory bike. In Catalunya it seemed that the world had ended as he explained to me that it would be his last ride in the 250cc class after the conflicts with the team and he was worried that it might be the end of his GP career. What a difference a day makes. After his test on the bike the day after the Catalunyan GP he scored the ride!
It might have cost him a bit to get out of his contract with Yamaha to do the WSS Championship but I think you will see it was worth the money in the results he will provide for Kawasaki during the remainder of the season. To get the results he has had in just two races is remarkable but something we knew he had the talent to do.
One can only think how it might have been at Donington had he not had his little whoopsie going through Coppice Corner. It is deceiving how steep the climb is to the blind entry right hander that leads onto the back straight. The bike becomes light as it unloads the suspension and then has a lot to absorb as the throttle is again opened and in the wet it is very easy to come unstuck.
 |
|
That voodoo that you do so well: Rossi |
Hayden did it a few laps before and Rossi did it a few laps after Westy and to Ant's credit he did an amazing job to hang onto it. His bit of dirt tracking with the throttle pinned to get through the kitty litter was awesome before it fell over on him. Doing a few sums after the race, he lost over 36 seconds by the off-track excursion so on my calcs he would've finished fighting it out for fourth and fifth with Rossi, Hopkins and his team mate De Puniet.
Westy now has a perfect opportunity to cement his GP future over the next nine races. It's amazing how much more relaxed and happy he is now that he has a real chance to show his wares. He is in the box seat if he can get podium results this year -- and he and the bike are capable of it. He has the inside running and I'm sure his asking price is a lot less than some of the other high profile riders that are talking to Kawasaki.
The team is extremely happy with his performance, his attitude and his feedback. You may even have noticed a change in his attitude! Unless you saw the 250cc team close up it would be virtually impossible to understand what he was going through. It was funny how the British press sung the praises of his replacement Dan Linfoot at Donington for coming ninth but what they forgot to mention was that he was lapped in the process! Westy would've won the bloody race!
At the US GP Kawasaki will be running a third bike with Nicky's brother Roger Lee evidently scoring a ride for added exposure in America. Roger Lee rides for the US Kawasaki Superbike Team.
Stand by for confirmation in the near future that Jorge Lorenzo will be riding for Yamaha in MotoGP next year. Some say he will be Rossi's teammate, others aren't so sure.
We are just half way into the season and there are more hot tips in this paddock than at Randwick on a Saturday afternoon!
Here are a few to add to Lorenzo's move: Andrea Dovizioso may join Ducati, Capirossi or Hopkins may be turning green. Toseland in the Gresini team. Melandri to Suzuki or Ducati.
Ducati and Stoner have taken the option on the contract and I can see him being there for while. About the only other definite is that Rossi and his crew have signed with Yamaha until at least the end of the next season so there is definitely going to be some musical chairs with everyone else.
As for Chris Vermeulen, he had made no decision up until Assen, but he would be happy to stay at Suzuki. He said to me a few weeks ago that money wasn't an object. He just wants to be in a team that has a chance of winning the world championship and if there was a big difference in what Suzuki was offering compared to somewhere else he would stay. The Rizla Suzuki team isn't that far off being a serious winner. With everything so competitive it is just tenths of seconds now that are making the difference. It also makes sense for CV to stay where he is. After two years he knows the team and they work well together especially with his crew chief Tom O'Kane. Tom is one of the smartest men in the paddock and came into GP racing many years ago as a computer whiz when he joined the Roberts Lucky Strike Yamaha team. He was one of the first to bring computer data to the scene.
CV can't win a trick with the French this year as at Assen it was the second time this year he was taken out by a Gallic gladiator!
 |
|
Makoto Tamada: on fire |
As for Ten Kate Team heading to MotoGP, that has hit a brick wall,
although no definite word on Toseland. Ronald and Gerrit Ten Kate were
at Assen as you'd expect seeing they have their workshop just down the
road. I had a good chat to Ronald over the course of the weekend and
it won't be happening next year.
The Dutch team are super keen to come to GP racing as well as continue
their SBK competition but a huge stumbling block is that Honda will
not allow them to strip the motors down and work on them. As is the
case with every other team the engines are changed by factory personnel
with none of the team seeing what lives on the inside.
Ten Kate are renowned for their engine development and there is no way they just want to fit engines and run a team as Roland said, "I want to see pistons and what works."
Seems strange that a couple of guys who can make Hondas go pretty
fast are not allowed to help develop the latest generation GP bike especially
as they are behind but that is the way the Japanese are when it comes
to GP racing.
As someone once said, "It won't happen over night but it definitely
will happen!"
It should all start to become clearer around the USGP or at the latest after the summer break in Czecho.
The half-way point of an absolutely enthralling season has been reached and the competitiveness shows no signs of abating. No sane man would've picked Stoner and the Ducati to be so dominant but he has surprised many people -- me included -- as I thought Rossi would be leading the two-wheel dance. And no one would have thought that in 2007 no winner has come from pole position! Since Motegi last year in fact.
It is arguably the best racing in world championship history and I do feel so very privileged to witness all this unfold from where I am in the second best job in the world. (I think you can work out what I reckon would be the best job!)
The 800cc bikes were introduced to slow them down. Sure, they are slightly slower in a straight line but corner speeds have increased so that lap records are being equalled or beaten at many tracks. It's not too often you seen someone crash in a straight line.
Arguments that the machines would be too similar in performance and translate to less passing have also proved wrong.
Another surprise is the dog of a bike that Honda has produced considering
they are accused by many of instigating the 800cc rule. They couldn't
have had more egg on face if they were running around a chook farm!
It is so disappointing to see all the Honda riders trying so hard but
for very little result. Giving the opposition half a season start is
no way to defend a world title. Hopefully the progress Hayden has made
with the bike may see him get up front again
The new tyre rule has been a revelation and most feel it is a success.
The only ones who are against it are those that don't get the results.
Michelin have really struggled to come to terms with it but there is
really no excuse. All had the same lead time. Maybe Michelin have now
done the homework to bridge the Bridgestone gap. Dunlop has again been
disappointing and it is bizarre that a company who can dominate the
125 and 250cc classes (and other classes of racing) fails to make an
impact in the premier class.
Now we have another battle with both major companies developing 16 inch rear tyres.
The fuel limit has been an issue but there is so much engine management technology that mapping can be now programmed to every millimetre of track, the computer knowing how much fuel is left. If it is running out the rate adjusts automatically to lean it off.
The speed gap appears to be narrowing as development continues its natural course but still the Dukes were faster at Assen (Stoner 291.5, Hayden was second fastest over the weekend -- 288.3. Barros next 288.2 km/h Rossi's fastest was eighth at 283.6) but after the summer break the speeds will be even closer.
One thing the riders are not happy with is the lack of power from the 800s. Kenny Roberts JR and Chris Vermeulen echo everyone's thoughts on bringing back bigger capacity bikes with less electronics so the rider has more control over what happens. And if bigger bikes aren't feasible take away some of the electronics.
Nicky Hayden has taken away some of the traction control to give him more control, with the results especially evident at Assen.
With nine down and nine to go it is just a two horse race for the title between Rossi and Stoner as it seems everyone else is too far away in the points chase. As an Aussie I would like to see Stoner take it out but there is a sense of inevitability with Rossi's especially after his performance at Assen. 19 points over nine races is bugger all. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to the final race again. I know Bayliss said he has had his last MotoGP ride but would Ducati invite him to be a spoiler?
 |
|
"Meet the Press" at Assen |
As for the Fiat Yamaha livery for Assen, it copped a bit of flak but although the colour scheme looked like it was a result of an explosion in an ice cream factory I thought the marketing sense was excellent. It had everyone talking about the retro look that was used to commemorate the re-launch of the Fiat 500 or Bambino as I knew it as a kid. It is also a great reflection on the popularity of MotoGP that a company like Fiat would think to use a bike to push its new car. Think about it. MotoGP is very well respected.
Don't know about that bloke Elvis on Edwards' bike on the grid at Assen.
I also laughed at Hayden when he grabbed one of the garish helmets of the A-Style girl on the podium. Showed he is back to his fun loving best.
Another bonus that we will see more of is the new found confidence, rejuvenation and enthusiasm of Nicky. I have said before about his work ethic and dedication to the cause that I really noticed at the Catalunya test. Since then with all the hard work the team has put in and is riding he seems to be back
Bold tip: Like Makybe Diva in the Cup, Hayden will make it a hat trick at Laguna.
Before I sign off I'd like to say thanks again for all the great feedback you are giving me here and in the forums. Good to know you like what I write as well as the all the pics. I started in this game snapping pics, then moved onto writing to make a few more bob before embarking on a career as a professional dribbler. Many would say that I was born to dribble but it's a bit hard to understand when I've got such a good head for radio!
Until next time,
Hoo roo
Bracksy
