Oz Racers around the World – May/June 2007

Moto GP – Mugello

Valentino Rossi has beaten MotoGP World Championship leader Casey Stoner for the first time in four races, by winning his home Italian Grand Prix for a record sixth time in succession.Riding with a large red heart on his helmet - to signify that, despite what the Italian media may think, he hasn't lost his 'heart' for a fight or love of MotoGP - Rossi was indeed forced to dug deep as he slumped from the front row to eighth at turn one, while pole sitter Stoner stormed to an early lead for the home manufacturer. Rossi looked in real trouble as he struggled to overcome Rizla Suzuki's John Hopkins in the early stages - and the Fiat Yamaha star was still eighth after two of the 23 laps. But The Doctor kept his cool and began slowly scything through the field.

The Italian reached fourth on lap six, putting him in the thick of a hectic lead group, then passed Honda-mounted countryman Marco Melandri for third and Stoner for second in the space of a lap. That left only Pedrosa between the #46 and victory; Rossi shadowed the Spaniard for several laps before calmly taking the lead for the first time under braking on lap nine.

By that point the pair had broken Stoner and - whilst Pedrosa clung to Rossi's rear wheel for much of the remainder of the race - the former 125 and 250cc world champion was once again unable to retaliate and eventually settled for a safe second. Third place would go to a Ducati rider, but not Stoner. The young Australian was under pressure from Hopkins and Pramac d'Antin rider Alex Barros for the second half of the race. The Brazilian overtook factory star Stoner with three laps to go, then kept the determined Australian at arm's reach to the chequered flag - proving that there are no Ducati team orders at this stage.

But the race was all about Rossi, who crossed the line with his fist clenched before being mobbed by his adoring fans. As well as winning his biggest race of the year, Rossi pulled 12 points out of Stoner's lead and will start next weekend's Catalan Grand Prix just nine behind the 21 year-old. Completing a dark day for Ducati Marlboro was a seventh place finish for Stoner's team-mate, and home hero, Loris Capirossi. The Italian joined Stoner in a Desmosedici one-two in the early stages, but suddenly dropped from contention around lap six and was never able to recover.

One place in front of Melandri was second on the grid Chris Vermeulen, the Le Mans winner lacking the dry pace needed for a second consecutive podium, while world champion Nicky Hayden - Pedrosa's team-mate - rose just three places from his 13th on the grid.

Moto GP – Le Mans

Chris Vermeulen has taken his debut MotoGP victory from 12^th on the grid after an action-packed French Grand Prix, in which rain fell just before the start - prompting pit stops, accidents and continuous overtaking.

The first wet 800cc race began under heavily overcast skies, but only the odd drop of rain, and with world championship leader Casey Stoner taking an early lead ahead of Vermeulen's Rizla Suzuki team-mate John Hopkins. Pole sitter Colin Edwards plummeted backwards at turn one - and the Texan's day didn't improve thereafter; he eventually finished 12th and last after multiple pit stops and bike changes. Meanwhile, Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi shoved his way swiftly past title rival Stoner through the opening turns to make an early break, but as the rain increased Rossi was reeled back-in by an unexpected chasing pack that included home heroes Randy de Puniet and Sylvain Guintoli.

After those changes, Hopkins and Vermeulen held first and second, by the halfway point, 2006 event winner Marco Melandri had also found his wet weather feet and was closing fast on Vermeulen, with Rossi and Stoner locked in a fight for third.

Although Melandri went on to close to within a few tenths of Vermeulen, the Italian couldn't make a pass and - after a few scares - throttled off in the closing stages to secure his first podium of an otherwise troubled season. Vermeulen, who had also struggled prior to Le Mans, remained faultless and walked on water to his first MotoGP victory in only his second season in the class.

Another Australian celebrating at Le Mans was Stoner, who claimed the final place on an all-Bridgestone podium to extend his world championship lead over Rossi to 21 points. Le Mans was tipped as a possible worst event for the 21-year-old and Ducati, yet he qualified second on the grid and beat Rossi fair and square in a wet weather duel to take his fourth podium from five rounds. Rossi was clearly struggling with his factory M1 in the closing stages and, as Stoner pulled away, fell victim to world champion Hayden, the American's Repsol Honda team-mate Pedrosa and satellite Ducati rider Alex Hofmann. That left the former five-times MotoGP champion staring at a lowly seventh position, but he was elevated one spot when Hayden suffered a heavy fall from fourth with just three laps to go.

Hopkins, third last time in China, collected a lonely seventh after his trip through the gravel, while Stoner's team-mate Loris Capirossi, plus Tech 3 team-mates Makoto Tamada and Guintoli, completed the top ten. Edwards finished three laps down and was the final rider to reach the chequered flag after a chaotic afternoon in which seven failed to finish.

AMA

Race 1:

Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin extended his recent return to dominance, scoring his 57th career AMA Superbike victory on Saturday afternoon at Road America. After the skies cleared just in time to allow for a dry final, Mladin stumbled out of the gates from pole, but quickly regrouped to battle his way into the lead by the end of lap two, a position he would hold to the checkered flag. As per usual, only one man was able to even keep the Australian legend honest: defending series champion Ben Spies.

The 22-year-old Texan rocketed to the holeshot and pulled an early advantage as Mladin dropped to fourth behind Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates and American Honda’s Jake Zemke. During the time it took the six-time champ to work his way into second, Spies had opened up a 1.213-second gap on the race’s first circulation of the four-mile raceway. However, with a clear track in front of him, Mladin quickly gobbled up the gap and positioned himself to steal the lead as the two crossed the stripe to start the third lap.

Mladin picked his pace back up and, while Spies kept him honest to the end, he proved to be in complete control to the flag.

Race 2:

Defending AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies stepped up to claim a crucial, impressive victory on Sunday at Road America to reclaim the ’07 title lead. Despite being faced with tricky track conditions in a persistent rain, the 22-year-old from Longview, Texas showed the depth of his talent by pulling free from the field early and building a mammoth advantage as many of his rivals struggled just to remain on two wheels during the 16-lap affair. Mladin eased up to grab a safe third, Spies now boasts 307 points to Mladin’s 305, following 9 of 19 races.

World Superbikes – Silverstone

Race 1:

Troy Bayliss kept his Xerox Ducati rubber side down and on the black stuff to win race one at round seven of the Corona Extra Superbike World Championship at a soaking wet Silverstone. “That was a tough race,” he said, “Congratulations to everyone who is on the podium as it was very easy to make a mistake out there. There were some back markers and at the end I was able to force my way passed some of them and I think that made a difference to Haga and Corser as I got away a bit.” Noriyuki Haga followed him home in the murky conditions to secure second place and a healthy twenty points haul. “For me race two would be better if only ten laps!” joked a very cold Haga, “During race I had problem with my hand as it was so cold. It was a tough race and really difficult to see with the spray. The bike was working good and I will do my best in race two.”

The last step of the podium went to his team-mate Troy Corser on the second Yamaha Italia machine. “To be honest it was real tricky out there. I got a good start so I was able to see for a while. The water really sticks to your visor especially on the slow corners; you need some speed to get it to clear,” he said.
Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's James Toseland had been running in fourth place when he high sided on the second lap. He was able to restart and finish eighth salvaging eight points for his championship. With Haga on the podium and Toseland not, it has closed up the Championship, Haga is now just twenty three points away from Toseland's lead.

Off the line it was Bayliss who got away well with Haga and Corser chasing him, Toseland was also following. Everything changed in just one lap with Toseland going down and Corser taking the lead. Bayliss sat behind him for a number of laps with Haga who was in third place all over him, so he decided to make his move and break Corser which he did on lap ten.

Josh Brookes was putting in a good show running in sixth place when he crashed his Alto Evolution Honda. His team-mate Karl Muggeridge crashed out on the first lap so it wasn't a good race for the team.

Lap nineteen saw Haga move up to second and Toseland secure eleventh place. One lap later and Yukio Kagayama crashed out giving Toseland another boost up the placings. The two Spaniards in the Championship, Fonsi Nieto and Ruben Xaus also crashed out on consecutive laps, promoting Toseland to eighth place. Xaus was able to restart and pull in some points. Out of twenty one starters only thirteen riders finished the race and the front three lapped the bulk of the top ten finishers.

Race 2:

The British weather has interrupted the Corona Extra Superbike World Championship at Silverstone with the race organisers calling the second race off due to the amount of standing water on the track. Rain fell for most of the day and the first race saw only thirteen riders out of twenty one finish the race. All the riders agreed that the right decision was made as the only person in the race who could see clearly was the man at the very front, anyone behind was blinded by spray and unable to determine the amount of water on the track leading to aqua planning.

The next round of the championship will take place at the reversed Misano track in three weeks time where hopefully the Italian weather will be more conducive to racing!

World Supersport

Anthony West who is replacing the injured Kevin Curtain in the SSP Yamaha has won the World Supersport race at Silverstone in treacherous conditions. The race didn't run full distance due to Massimo Roccoli crashing and bringing out the red flags. Second place went to Robbin Harms on the Stiggy Motorsport Honda with Katsuaki Fujiwara in third place on his Althea Honda.

The bulk of the keys protagonists crashed out due to the heavy rain which has hampered all of race day. Kenan Sofuoglu, the current Championship leader didn't even manage one full lap of the race as he went off at turn one on the first lap. Yoann Tiberio didn't fare much better as he went out one lap later.

TBritain's hopes of success were also short lived as Craig Jones crashed on lap seven whilst running at the front on the Reve Ekerold Honda.

Reigning Champ, Sebastien Charpentier lasted longer than his team-mate but still didn't finish the race. Davide Guigliano, Pere Riba and Broc Parkes also failed to finish.