Czech Republic 2008
DESPITE SUFFERING FROM 'FLU OR A HEAVY COLD, CASEY STONER TOOK POLE FOR THE 6TH SUCCESSIVE ROUND (IN VERY WET CONDITIONS) WITH VALENTINO ROSSI IN SECOND PLACE BUT OVER A SECOND BACK. THE MICHELIN SHOD RUNNERS WERE IN TROUBLE AGAIN FOR THE 3RD SUCCESSIVE RACE - AN INDICATION OF HOW MUCH TROUBLE CAN BE SEEN BY THE TIMES OF JAMES TOSELAND AND JORGE LORENZO, CURRENT WORLD CHAMPIONS BOTH, WHO WERE OVER 11 SECONDS ADRIFT OF THE POLE POSITION TIME.
WHEN THE WARM-UP LAP COMMENCED, TONY ELIAS STALLED HIS BIKE BUT EVENTUALLY THE MECHANICS GOT IT STARTED AND HE TOOK HIS PLACE ON THE GRID. THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, CASEY TOOK THE LEAD AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY OPENED A GAP OF 1½ SECONDS TO ROSSI IN 2ND PLACE AND THESE TWO WERE AGAIN DRAWING AWAY FROM THE FIELD, AS THEY DID IN LAGUNA SECA LAST TIME OUT.
ON LAP 5, VALENTINO GOT THE GAP DOWN TO 1 SECOND AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS SPURRED CASEY ON TO TAKE ONE RISK TOO MANY OR WHETHER CASEY WOULD HAVE COME OFF ANYWAY IS UNCERTAIN BUT WHAT IS CERTAIN THAT ON LAP 6 HIS BIKE SEEMED TO FLY OFF THE TRACK AS HE WAS LEANT OVER AT THE MAXIMUM. THERE WAS A SUGGESTION AFTER THE RACE THAT HE MAY HAVE CAUGHT THE FOOTPEG ON THE KERB BUT IT CERTAINLY DID NOT LOOK LIKE THE USUAL BACK-END SLIDE - IT WAS MORE VICIOUS THAN THAT.
VALENTINO WAS NOW LEADING BY A GOOD MARGIN AND EVENTUALLY BUILT IT UP TO AROUND 20 SECONDS AS HE CRUISED ROUND. THAT MAY SOUND LIKE IT WAS A BORING RACE. FAR FROM IT, THERE WERE GOOD BATTLES ALL DOWN THE FIELD WITH SUZUKIS AND KAWASAKIS BOTH LOOKING COMPETITIVE. RIDE OF THE DAY THOUGH MUST SURELY GO TO TONI ELIAS.
FROM 13TH ON THE GRID (AND ALMOST A NON-STARTER) HE CLIMBED HIS WAY THROUGH THE FIELD TO FINISH 2ND AHEAD OF LORIS CAPIROSSI. PERHAPS TONI SHOULD ADOPT THE STALLED-ENGINE ROUTINE INTO HIS FUTURE RACE STRATEGY - IT CERTAINLY PAID OFF HERE BY GIVING HIM AN ADRENALINE BOOST THAT SAW HIM BACK TO HIS SCINTILLATING BEST. LORIS CAPIROSSI ALSO RETURNED TO FORM WITH A FINE 3RD PLACE.
STARTING GRID
| | | | | |
| 1.
|
Casey Stoner
|
| 2.
|
Valentino Rossi
|
| 3.
|
John Hopkins
|
| 4.
|
Chris Vermeulen
|
| 5.
|
Alex de Angelis
|
| 6.
|
Anthony West
|
| 7.
|
Randy de Puniet
|
| 8.
|
Shinya Nakano
|
| 9.
|
Loris Capirossi
|
| 10.
|
Sylvain Guintoli
|
| 11.
|
Marco Melandri
|
| 12.
|
Dani Pedrosa
|
| 13.
|
Tony Elias
|
| 14.
|
Andrea Dovizioso
|
| 15.
|
Colin Edwards
|
| 16.
|
James Toseland
|
| 17.
|
Jorge Lorenzo
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Valentino Rossi
|
| 2.
|
Tony Elias
|
| 3.
|
Loris Capirossi
|
| 4.
|
Shinya Nakano
|
| 5.
|
Anthony West
|
| 6.
|
Chris Vermeulen
|
| 7.
|
Marco Melandri
|
| 8.
|
Alex de Angelis
|
| 9.
|
Andrea Dovizioso
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Riders :
| |
| Valentino Rossi
|
237
|
| Casey Stoner
|
187
|
| Dani Pedrosa
|
172
|
| Jorge Lorenzo
|
120
|
| Andrea Dovizioso
|
110
|
| Colin Edwards
|
102
|
| Chris Vermeulen
|
99
|
| Nicky Hayden
|
84
|
| James Toseland
|
72
|
Constructors :
|
| Yamaha
|
266
|
| Ducati
|
212
|
| Honda
|
210
|
| Suzuki
|
128
|
| Kawasaki
|
63
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
18th August 2008
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