Qatar 2008
QATAR HAD THE DISTINCTION OF HOLDING THE FIRST-EVER NIGHT RACE IN THE MOTOGP CHAMPIONSHIP. THE CIRCUIT WAS CERTAINLY QUITE A SPECTACLE WHEN VIEWED FROM MID-AIR - A MEANDERING PATH OF LIGHT AGAINST A PITCH-DARK BACKDROP. AT GROUND LEVEL, IT LOOKED MORE OR LESS AS USUAL BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF THE LIGHTING. IN THESE DAYS OF SHRINKING ENERGY SUPPLIES, IT SEEMS LUDICROUS TO LIGHT UP SOMETHING FOR WHICH DAYLIGHT IS IDEAL AND FREE AND ENERGY EFFICIENT BUT IN THIS GLOBAL AGE NO-ONE IS EXPECTED TO GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO WATCH AN EVENT THAT THEY CAN EASILY RECORD AND WATCH LATER. 'WE WANT IT NOW' SEEMS TO BE THE CRY OF THIS IMPATIENT WORLD WE LIVE IN AND SO RACES ARE RESCHEDULED TO ACCOMMODATE THE LARGER COMMERCIAL AUDIENCES. BUT THEY WILL BE RUN IN THE DARK! WELL, WE CAN LIGHT THE TRACK! CRAZY!!
THE RIDERS FOUND THE LIGHTS ALRIGHT BUT THE RESCHEDULED TIME MEANT THAT THE RACE WAS BEING RUN AT 23:00 LOCAL TIME IN TEMPERATURES OF 17-20ºC. THE USUAL HEAT OF THE DESERT HAD DISSIPATED LEADING TO CONDENSATION ON THE TRACK (LESS TYRE ADHESION) AND ON HELMET VISORS (LESS VISION) AND THESE FACTORS CAUSED PROBLEMS.
WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT (THE RED START LIGHTS, I HASTEN TO ADD), DANI PEDROSA ROCKETED AWAY FROM 8TH PLACE ON THE GRID TO TAKE THE LEAD AND LEFT ROOKIE JORGE LORENZO (POLE) IN 4TH AND CASEY STONER SLIPPED TO 6TH. JAMES TOSELAND (ROOKIE) AND TEAM-MATE COLIN EDWARDS MORE OR LESS RETAINED THEIR 2ND AND 3RD GRID POSITIONS. VALENTINO ROSSI WAS NO SLOUCH EITHER. JAMES SHOWED HE WAS NOT TO BE 'MESSED WITH' JUST BECAUSE HE IS A NEWCOMER TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP - TWICE WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPION, HE KNOWS HOW TO FIGHT HARD AND MADE A MOVE ON LORENZO TO UNCEREMONIOUSLY MOVE HIM OUT OF THE WAY. BY LAP 4 VALENTINO HAD REELED IN, AND PASSED, DANI WHILST CASEY GRADUALLY MOVED UP THE ORDER UNTIL, ON LAP 8, HE HIT THE FRONT WITH JORGE IN CLOSE ATTENDANCE.
THIS CONTINUED FOR MANY LAPS UNTIL, WITH 8 LAPS LEFT, CASEY BROKE AWAY AND TOOK A FINE, IF NOT DOMINANT, VICTORY. JORGE COULD NOT BE DISAPPOINTED - POLE AND 2ND PLACE IN THE RACE AT HIS FIRST ATTEMPT - LEAVING PEDROSA TO COME IN 3RD. ANOTHER REVELATION TURNED OUT TO BE ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, NEWLY ARRIVED FROM THE 250 C.C. CLASS, WHO WAS NOT TO BE INTIMIDATED AND OVERTOOK ROSSI IN AS CLEAN AND UNEXPECTED A MOVE AS YOU COULD WISH FOR TO PUSH VALENTINO DOWN TO 5TH.
STARTING GRID
| | | | | |
| 1.
|
Jorge Lorenzo
|
| 2.
|
James Toseland
|
| 3.
|
Colin Edwards
|
| 4.
|
Casey Stoner
|
| 5.
|
Randy de Puniet
|
| 6.
|
Nicky Hayden
|
| 7.
|
Valentino Rossi
|
| 8.
|
Dani Pedrosa
|
| 9.
|
Andrea Dovizioso
|
| 10.
|
John Hopkins
|
| 11.
|
Chris Vermeulen
|
| 12.
|
Alex de Angelis
|
| 13.
|
Loris Capirossi
|
| 14.
|
Tony Elias
|
| 15.
|
Shinya Nakano
|
| 16.
|
Marco Melandri
|
| 17.
|
Sylvain Guintoli
|
| 18.
|
Anthony West
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Casey Stoner
|
| 2.
|
Jorge Lorenzo
|
| 3.
|
Dani Pedrosa
|
| 4.
|
Andrea Dovizioso
|
| 5.
|
Valentino Rossi
|
| 6.
|
James Toseland
|
| 7.
|
Colin Edwards
|
| 8.
|
Loris Capirossi
|
| 9.
|
Randy de Puniet
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Riders :
| |
| Casey Stoner
|
25
|
| Jorge Lorenzo
|
20
|
| Dani Pedrosa
|
16
|
| Andrea Dovizioso
|
13
|
| Valentino Rossi
|
11
|
| James Toseland
|
10
|
| Colin Edwards
|
9
|
| Loris Capirossi
|
8
|
| Randy de Puniet
|
7
|
Constructors :
|
| Ducati
|
25
|
| Yamaha
|
20
|
| Honda
|
16
|
| Suzuki
|
8
|
| Kawasaki
|
4
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
10th March 2008
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