Germany 2009
THE GOOD NEWS - CASEY STONER'S ILLNESS HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS MILD ANAEMIA AND AN INFLAMED STOMACH LINING. HE CERTAINLY SEEMED BETTER HERE BUT HE HIMSELF IS NOT SO SURE THAT THIS IS THE COMPLETE ANSWER.
THE BIG ISSUE AT SACHSENRING IS THE ABILITY OF THE TYRES TO LAST, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE BIKES ARE HARDLY EVER UPRIGHT! THERE IS VERY LITTLE STRAIGHT LINE RUNNING AND SO A GREAT DEAL OF TIME IS SPENT ON THE SIDEWALL AND UNDER POWER AS THEY ROUND THE BENDS.
QUALIFYING TOOK PLACE IN POURING RAIN WITH A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF CRASHES, MOSTLY AT THE SAME CORNER, BUT, FORTUNATELY, RACE DAY WAS DRY. POOR STARTS FOR NICKY HAYDEN, 4TH ON THE GRID, AND JORGE LORENZO, 2ND, HAMPERED THEIR PROGRESS BUT JORGE DIDN'T DROP TOO FAR BEHIND AND RECOVERED WHEREAS NICKY DROPPED INTO THE PACK AND SUFFERED.
DANI PEDROSA GOT HIS USUAL FLYER, FROM 8TH, AND WAS CHALLENGING VALENTINO ROSSI BY THE FIRST TURN. FROM THEN ON THE TOP FOUR IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWED WHY THEY ARE THERE WITH CLOSE RACING FOR THE LEAD. STONER TOOK OVER THE LEAD AFTER THE FIRST FEW LAPS AND HELD IT FOR SOME TIME BUT THEN ROSSI TOOK IT BACK.
IT WAS THEN A RACE BETWEEN HIM AND LORENZO AND, WHILST JORGE DID TAKE THE LEAD, ROSSI GOT IT BACK A COUPLE OF LAPS FROM THE END TO TAKE VICTORY AGAIN.
PEDROSA HAD DROPPED BACK IN MID-RACE BUT EVENTUALLY GOT PAST STONER TO TAKE THE FINAL PODIUM PLACE. BOTH REPORTED TYRE MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS BUT THE WORST CASE WAS THAT OF ANDREA DOVIZIOSO.
WE SAW ON-BOARD FOOTAGE OF HIS FRONT TYRE SHREDDING DURING THE RACE, WHICH EXPLAINED HIS GRADUAL FALL DOWN THE FIELD. THE SITUATION BECAME SO BAD THAT HE HAD TO RETIRE 3 LAPS FROM THE END.
STARTING GRID
| | | | | |
| 1.
|
Valentino Rossi
|
| 2.
|
Jorge Lorenzo
|
| 3.
|
Casey Stoner
|
| 4.
|
Nicky Hayden
|
| 5.
|
Alex de Angelis
|
| 6.
|
Randy de Puniet
|
| 7.
|
Colin Edwards
|
| 8.
|
Dani Pedrosa
|
| 9.
|
Loris Capirossi
|
| 10.
|
Mika Kallio
|
| 11.
|
Andrea Dovizioso
|
| 12.
|
Chris Vermeulen
|
| 13.
|
Marco Melandri
|
| 14.
|
James Toseland
|
| 15.
|
Niccolo Canepa
|
| 16.
|
Gabor Talmasci
|
| 17.
|
Tony Elias
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Valentino Rossi
|
| 2.
|
Jorge Lorenzo
|
| 3.
|
Dani Pedrosa
|
| 4.
|
Casey Stoner
|
| 5.
|
Alex de Angelis
|
| 6.
|
Tony Elias
|
| 7.
|
Marco Melandri
|
| 8.
|
Nicky Hayden
|
| 9.
|
Colin Edwards
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Riders :
| |
| Valentino Rossi
|
176
|
| Jorge Lorenzo
|
162
|
| Casey Stoner
|
148
|
| Dani Pedrosa
|
108
|
| Colin Edwards
|
83
|
| Marco Melandri
|
70
|
| Andrea Dovizioso
|
69
|
| Chris Vermeulen
|
64
|
| Loris Capirossi
|
61
|
Constructors :
|
| Yamaha
|
210
|
| Ducati
|
148
|
| Honda
|
139
|
| Suzuki
|
84
|
| Kawasaki
|
70
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
20th July 2009
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