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Post by bikesnoopy on May 18, 2008 14:47:50 GMT
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Post by Young Burchy on May 18, 2008 20:07:55 GMT
Rossi was on form today, whe he got to the front he never looked back. Class Act. You juts know nobody is ever gonna out brake him Bradley Smith has to be one of the luckiest riders today, awful start, credit to get to the front pack though before the rain came. Good second part of the race however, and when Gabor dropped it I was sure he was gonna win 2nd place Shame Hoppers chain went walkabout and nice to see Colin Edwards back up the front where he belongs. Bring on Mugello!
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Post by bikesnoopy on May 18, 2008 20:28:23 GMT
:agreed: All good stuff . . . ;D
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Post by BADGER on May 18, 2008 21:17:56 GMT
Thought you might be pleased Snoops... But here is the unbiased results : Race results - Le Mans.Full race results from the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, round five of the 2008 MotoGP season. Both Marco Melandri and Ducati Marlboro team-mate Casey Stoner chose to pit for their wet weather bikes, after suffering mechanical problems with their number one machines. Rossi celebrated his 90th victory with the man he has now equalled as second in the all time grand prix win list, Angel Nieto, who gave a lift to the Italian during the slow down lap.1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 44min 30.799 secs 2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 44min 35.796 secs 3. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 44min 37.604 secs 4. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 44min 40.956 secs 5. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 44min 52.561 secs 6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 44min 53.194 secs 7. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 44min 58.605 secs 8. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 44min 58.794 secs 9. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 45min 0.143 secs 10. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 45min 1.621 secs 11. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 45min 5.953 secs 12. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 45min 7.015 secs 13. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 45min 22.837 secs 14. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 46min 0.106 secs15. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 46min 10.422 secs 16. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 44min 47.085 secs DNF: John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B)25min 36.029 secs James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M)3min 19.828 secs
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Post by BADGER on May 18, 2008 21:22:45 GMT
Valentino Rossi has joined Angel Nieto as the second most successful grand prix rider of all time by taking his 90th victory - and second of the 2008 season - during a dramatic French Grand Prix at Le Mans.
And superstitious '12+1' world champion Nieto - six times ruler of the 50cc class in addition to seven 125cc titles - played a central part in Rossi's post-race celebrations.
The Spanish legend of the '60s, '70s and '80s - dressed in special leathers saying 'Bravo Valentino' - took control of Rossi's victorious Fiat Yamaha on the slow down lap, while The Doctor sat behind him waving a '90 +90' flag.
Rossi's next record-book target will be the four wins he needs to match countryman Giacomo Agostini's all time premier-class record of 68, although Ago's total of 122 wins in all classes will take some beating.
Sunday was also a dream day for the Yamaha factory, which swept all three podium places. Rossi finished almost five seconds clear of injured team-mate Jorge Lorenzo - who rode an incredible race after slipping back to tenth on the opening lap - with Colin Edwards third for the home Tech 3 team.
By contrast, Dani Pedrosa saw his repeated attempts to take the lead thwarted and was eventually shuffled back to a disappointing fourth position, while world champion Casey Stoner dropped out of the podium fight when a mechanical problem five laps from the finish ruined the Australian's perfect record of 22 point scoring rides for Ducati.
Add in some frantic battles throughout the field, plus a mid-race rain shower, and there was more than enough to keep the vocal French crowd entertained for the full 26 lap distance.
Rossi had been only sixth through turn one, as Stoner and pole sitter Pedrosa took the early advantage. Pedrosa's rivals had feared the Repsol Honda rider might escape if he broke clear in the early stages, but Dani was unable to find a way past Stoner - and came close to losing the front of his RCV when he finally attempted to dive inside on lap four.
The 2007 world championship runner-up saved the head-shaking incident, but ran wide and was promptly attacked by Rossi. Pedrosa put up a stiff resistance, but the Italian confirmed the move at the following turn.
Rossi then spent three laps behind Stoner, and saw his first attempt to overtake the #1 firmly rebuffed when Casey ran the seven time world champion to the edge of the track. But on lap eight Rossi made a neat victory pass up the inside of Stoner on the entry to an off camber left hander, and had built a three second lead by the halfway stage.
A light rain shower saw the mechanics spring into life in pit lane, but it wasn't heavy enough to require a change of bikes - and the uncertain conditions only seemed to help Rossi build his untouchable lead further en route to becoming the first double winner of 2008.
After a cautious start, Lorenzo joined the fight for second - alongside Pedrosa, Stoner and Edwards - late in the race.
The MotoGP rookie overcame his double ankle fractures - and two practice falls - to snatch fourth from Edwards on lap 20, take third when Stoner struck problems along the main straight a lap later, and inflict a satisfying pass on arch-rival Pedrosa for second later in the same lap.
Lorenzo later mounted the podium on crutches, before sitting on a chair, having been the top Michelin rider in the French manufacturer's home event.
Edwards demoted Dani to fourth into the first chicane on lap 22, by which time Stoner's lifeless Ducati was being pushed down pit lane. Earlier rain meant the Qatar winner could change to his second Desmosedici - fitted with race tyres - and at least reach the chequered flag, but 16th place meant no points.
Rizla Suzuki's 2007 event winner Chris Vermeulen rode a strong race to sit just 1.5secs from fourth position by the halfway stage, but dropped away during the second half of the race to finish 11secs from Pedrosa.
Andrea Dovizioso was almost within striking distance of the Australian at the flag, having collided with fellow rookie James Toseland early in the race - an incident that sent the double World Superbike tumbling into the gravel for his first GP non-finish.
John Hopkins held seventh at the midway stage, but was forced into retirement when his Kawasaki shed its chain. Loris Capirossi went on to secure the position, with Nicky Hayden, home hero Randy de Puniet and Shinya Nakano completing the top ten.
Marco Melandri suffered mechanical problems right from the start, but took advantage of the rain to change bikes and collect the final world championship point.
Meanwhile, just three points now separated the world championship top three, with Rossi leading the standings for the first time in 2008 heading into his home Italian Grand Prix, while Lorenzo and Pedrosa are tied for second.
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Post by Young Burchy on May 19, 2008 9:43:12 GMT
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Post by brakeline on May 19, 2008 10:13:27 GMT
Noo if Hopkins hid a Scot oiler fitted his chain wid never hive snapped. Colin Backwards wis 3rd cause everybidy else wis behind him Here's hopin Rossi is def back an gorgeous Jorge gets his ankles back then it'll be excitin, mibee wee Pedrosa might look interested.
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micky
Stuck in the saddle
There's No Replacement For Displacement
Posts: 92
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Post by micky on May 20, 2008 10:50:22 GMT
Edwards does call Rossi the GOAT, but what does he know. I think the more they introduce silly rules and use electronics the more important the bike is than rider. (how can a rider ride flat out for engine management to hold back on revs so you don't run out of fuel on the last couple of laps and I get fed up of hearing traction control kicking in nearly ever corner) Theres no way Hayen (who could get his bike sideways until electronic) has forgot to ride a bike over night, he tries so hard but his team design the bike for Pedrossa. Stoner does wonders with a hard to ride bike and after the first race this year I thought he was going to sail to another World Championship, but all the other bikes are up on similar power now which means he has to try too hard therefore making mistakes.
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Post by BADGER on May 20, 2008 16:44:42 GMT
Engine investigation halts Ducati test.
Ducati finds cause of Stoner's engine failure in Sunday's French Grand Prix.
Tuesday's second and final day of post race testing at Le Mans ended early for Ducati, when its engineers discovered the cause of Casey Stoner's engine failure during Sunday's French Grand Prix.
After studying the available data since the incident, Ducati Corse engineers were today able to pinpoint the component that failed while Stoner was holding third position in the closing stages of Sunday's race.
It was therefore decided not to continue testing on Tuesday afternoon in order to avoid further damage to other engines. Engineers back at the Borgo Panigale factory will now replace the component in question before the team's home race at Mugello in just over a week's time.
However, Stoner had already managed to complete the majority of work planned for the test and had been straight back on the pace this morning on race tyres, setting a lap time almost identical to his Monday best to sit 0.531secs clear of Valentino Rossi by the end of the morning session.
Stoner's team-mate Marco Melandri completed only a handful of laps today. With lower ambient and track temperatures he waited until 10:30 before taking to the track, and then stopped at 12:00.
Although all five factory MotoGP teams were present for testing on Monday, plus Honda Gresini, only four riders returned on Tuesday - Michelin/Honda test rider Erwan Nigon joining Stoner, Rossi and Melandri out on track.
Stoner's engine failure forced the Australian to crawl back to the pits before swapping to his wet weather bike in order to reach the flag. Stoner eventually finished 16th and last, marking his first non-score since joining Ducati at the start of 2007.
MEAN WHILE......
Rossi ready to sign?
Rossi set to sign new Yamaha contract before home grand prix?
With two wins from the last two rounds, Valentino Rossi will head to his home Italian Grand Prix on June 1 holding the 2008 MotoGP World Championship lead - and perhaps a new Yamaha contract.
Although Rossi has always maintained a desire to remain with Yamaha beyond the end of his existing contract, title defeats for the past two seasons - largely attributed to problems with the seven time world champion's tyres and machinery - prompted the threat of a departure and made the Italian cautious about extending his M1 relationship, which began so spectacularly in 2004.
But Yamaha has responded to The Doctor's criticism by producing what Rossi believes is the best M1 ever for 2008, while the Italian's switch to Bridgestone tyres is now delivering the kind of consistent performance he was hoping for after Michelin's 2007 trauma.
As such, there now seems little reason to leave Yamaha - and few factors to pull him away.
The challenge of winning the world title for a third manufacturer remains a possibility, but the troubles of the past two seasons have perhaps taught Rossi that just winning the title again should be satisfaction enough.
The impact of a potential Italian dream team at Ducati has now been lost by Casey Stoner's title victory - becoming Ducati's second world champion doesn't have much of a ring to it - while it is difficult to see what underdogs Suzuki and Kawasaki could offer Rossi that Yamaha cannot. A Honda return is almost unimaginable.
Add to that the importance Rossi places on keeping his crew of trusted mechanics, the majority of whom left Honda with him in 2003, and the chances of tempting him to ride anything other than an M1 next year are extraordinarily slim.
"We're talking with Yamaha. I asked them to build a bike to win races and they made it, so there's no reason for me to change bikes," Rossi told Spanish television channel TVE. "We still have to find an agreement and settle a contract, but I think it's very likely that I'll continue for one or two years with Yamaha.
"The 2008 YZR-M1 is the best bike that Yamaha has produced over the past few years. The 2005 machine was very good but compared to it, the 2008 is even better - it's really the best Yamaha I have ever ridden. I'm very happy as they managed to take a big step in very little time.
"I'm still hungry for victory and I think I can still ride for a few years, as long as I want it and I can be on top."
Speculation is therefore turning to 'when' rather than 'if' Rossi will re-sign and, with the Italian Grand Prix Rossi's most intense of the season, it would be far from surprising if Valentino wanted to decide his future before the event.
Rossi's victory last Sunday at Le Mans was his 90th in grand prix racing, equalling '12+1' world champion Angel Nieto. Giacomo Agostini is the only rider to have won more races, with 122 victories in all classes, but Rossi is now just four behind his fellow Italian's all-time record of 68 500cc/MotoGP wins.
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