Archive - Aug 16, 2008

Just a quick reminder for all our US-based readers: The MotoGP race from Brno is due to be broadcast  by CBS on Sunday, not Speed. The race is due to be shown as a same-day delay broadcast at 2pm EDT. For more details, check your local CBS affiliate, or the TV Racer website.

Be sure to check your DVRs, and don't miss the race. It could well be another classic.

Some unusual reports are coming out of Brno this evening. On Friday evening, there was a scheduled meeting of the riders' safety comission, but at that meeting, Valentino Rossi and Loris Capirossi arranged for another meeting, between all 17 of the current MotoGP riders and the CEO of Dorna, Carmelo Ezpeleta. The subject of that meeting was the dangers presented by the rapidly increasing corner speeds in MotoGP, and ideas were presented and discussed to tackle the problem.

Or at least, that's the official version, according to MotoGP.com, the website owned and operated by Dorna, the organizers of the MotoGP series. Respected motorcycle racing journalist Julian Ryder, however, is reporting over on Superbikeplanet.com that the main idea discussed was the institution of a single tire rule.

There is good reason to think that this is the case. With Michelin on course for their third hiding in a row, the Michelin riders are getting decidedly restive. According to Alberto Cani over at GPOne.com, the atmosphere in the Repsol Honda pit is very poor, with all of the anger directed at anyone wearing a blue and yellow Micheliin shirt. When asked by a Spanish journalist about what the relationship was like with the Michelin technicians, he replied: "I'd like to answer that question, but it would probably be better if I waited until another day."

The announcement that Team Scot and the JiR team of Luca Montiron were to split up has raised questions in the paddock about what effect this will have on the size of the grid, and how the spoils would be divided. It was generally assumed that Montiron's role in MotoGP was finished, and that Team Scot, having turned the worst team in the paddock into a model of efficiency, would stay in MotoGP, most likely with Yuki Takahashi, their current 250cc rider, taking the seat Andrea Dovizioso will vacate when he leaves for Repsol Honda.

But in an interview with GPOne.com's Alberto Cani, Montiron claimed that he will have a Honda, a title sponsor, and either Alex de Angelis or Nicky Hayden as a rider for next year. Montiron told GPOne.com that he has already presented his plans to Honda, and that these plans would include a big-name rider. Montiron confirmed that Alex de Angelis is one of the riders he is interested in. The other "big name " is believed to be Nicky Hayden, but Hayden is almost certain to sign with Ducati for 2009.

At the end of the first day of practice at Brno, it was clear that there were two men a long way clear of the rest of the field. Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi were over half a second ahead of the man in 3rd, and the only riders capable of cracking into the 1'57s. The timing sheets seemed to tell a fairly clear-cut story of two fast men, a pack of riders all very close to each other, and another disastrous failure by Michelin. The grid seemed to be shaping up nicely.

The problem was, Saturday's weather threw not so much a fly as a whale into the ointment, after a storm front unleashed torrential rain over the Czech track, leaving the circuit completely drenched, though still ridable. With more rain coming in during the day, the grid was going to reflect a slightly different reality than Friday's practice had revealed, and confusing the picture even more, the forecast for Sunday is for the usual warm, bone dry conditions we have come to expect from Brno over the years.

During the morning's free practice session, Casey Stoner had already proved quite emphatically that he is probably the best wet-weather rider in the world, by stomping all over the competition. And as qualifying started in a light drizzle, he continued in the same vein. On just his 2nd flying lap, the Australian took a 5 second lead over the rest of the field, leaving his rivals gasping for breath.