Monday 1st June 2015

MotoGP Italy: PH2

Can the Italian riders, and machines, shine at home?

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The Italian MotoGP always throws up some Italian passion and, despite a poor grid position, you could never write off Rossi sending the crowds into rapture. He did, however, have the slight stumbling blocks of a bang on form team mate, a very rapid pair of Ducatis and Marc Marquez ahead...

A terrible start by Rossi silenced one section of the crowds, but with Lorenzo leading the way, the Ducati fans were going into meltdown as the factory pair were hot on his heels. However the man on the move was Marquez, who was riding like a demon to recover from his poor grid slot.

After a hectic first few laps, the race settled down with Marquez sitting behind leader Lorenzo with the two Andreas still in the frame and Rossi a disappointing eighth. But then, within the space of a lap, Lorenzo suddenly had a one-second lead and Marc was tangling with Dovi. Was Jorge going to do his disappearing trick? A lap later the gap was two seconds - game over.

Although the race win was never in doubt, the battle between the Repsol and Ducati pair (welcome back to form Dani) made the mid-race laps worth watching. Especially as Rossi was now in fifth and closing the gap on the battle for the remaining podium slots. While also providing a stunning bit of slow motion action when he nearly highsided! With six laps to go, Marquez wasn't quite as lucky and tucked the front, much to the crowd's delight! Although Rossi overtaking Pedrosa a few corners later raised the sound level even further. In the end a win for Lorenzo, a battling second for Iannone on a Ducati and Rossi in third and still leading the championship was enough to keep the Italian crowd happy.

Moto2 and Moto3
Pole-setter Sam Lowes was looking on form in Moto2 but a poor start saw him demoted to third by the first corner before he tangled with another rider and undid all his hard work. But at least he was still upright and by mid-race he had fought his way back up to fifth spot. A battling ride saw Lowes finish fourth while Rabat narrowly took the win from Zarco.

Home town advantage, not to mention having Rossi as his boss and a special paint scheme, virtually guaranteed a good showing from last time out Moto3 race winner Fenati. With Mugello's long straight ensuring a breaking away win was a pretty tricky task on a Moto3 bike, come the last lap, around 13 riders were all in with a shot of taking the win! An awesome last lap saw Kent steam through the pack to take second spot with Oliveira getting the win and Fenati third.

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Results

1st: Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP)
2nd: Iannone (Ducati Team)
3rd: Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP)

Moto2:
1st: Rabat  (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS)
2nd: Zarco (Ajo Motorsport)
3rd: Aegerter (Technomag Racing Interwetten)

Moto3:
1st: Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
2nd: Kent (Leopard Racing)
3rd: Fenati (SKY Racing VR46)

Brit watch:
Cal Crutchlow (MotoGP) - DNF
Bradley Smith (MotoGP) - 5
Scott Redding (MotoGP) - 11
Eugene Laverty (MotoGP) - 15
Sam Lowes (Moto2) - 4
John McPhee (Moto3) - 19
Danny Kent (Moto3) - 2

Previous rounds:
MotoGP USA
MotoGP Qatar
MotoGP Argentina
MotoGP Jerez
MotoGP France

[J B L]

Do we reckon Rossi can win a few more to take the championship?

[Yazza54]

Hopefully, but now Lorenzo is on form he can't keep bks ing up qualifying. Needs to be up there to stop him checking out.

Of course Marc could and probably will get his head back in gear too.

Edited by Yazza54 on Monday 1st June 11:19

[bakerstreet]

J B L said:

Do we reckon Rossi can win a few more to take the championship?

Don't think so. I think Lorenzo will take it this year. MM needs wins and DNFs from the people above him in the standings.

I would love for Rossi to get a 10th world title, but I just don't think its going to happen. He really needs to sort out his qualifying performance, so he doesn't have to battle past Cruthclow/smith etc etc.

Even though Rossi is looking to continue beyond 2016, if he finishes third this year, then maybe 2017 could see him move to WSB and clean up there.

[LoonR1]

It's Lorenzo's all the way now he's got his mojo back. Love his super smooth style.

[mitzy]

Jorge for the title , but I would have a cheeky bet on Rossi winning the title.

[smilo996]

Was it the first double British podium in MotoGP since 1971, thanks to Lowes and Kent?

Cal needs to stop falling off or else he will have to retire.

Always think Tito Rabat looks like a farmers son going to town for the first time. He seems surprised to be racing and genuinely amazed when on the podium. A real grafter.

Yet to be proven wrong that MM was the recession champ. Now that Ducati have finally dropped their CRT bike and brought a MotoGP bike to the grid and Yamahaha have installed a fully seemless clutch and a few tweeks, MM just doesn't look other than very mediocre. Even when someone took a race to him last year he was found wanting. Pedro had a much better weekend whilst still recovering so it cannot really all be attirbuted to the bike much as the BT Sport boys want it to be. Call me a cynic.

Wish Rossi would pull his finger out and qualify in the top 6 at least or else Lorenzo is going to romp the championship at this rate.

Pedro amazing as usual. Always the runner up but still in there trying as hard as possible always.

Smith put Pol in his place again which will do him good.

[Yazza54]

smilo996 said:

Was it the first double British podium in MotoGP since 1971, thanks to Lowes and Kent?

Lowes came 4th.

[RemaL]

I would like to See Rossi win the title but thinking if Jorge keeps this up he's going for it.

After the last year or so he's really upped his game. But hoping for a good season and see Rossi, jorge and Marc go at it every race. Maybe even Dani but I doubt it