Misano MotoGP - spoilers

[FourWheelDrift]

Melandri leads the first session, it's been raining though.

Autosport said:

Marco Melandri dominated the opening free practice session for the San Marino Grand Prix, as MotoGP's return to Misano was disrupted by rain. The Gresini Honda rider had been concerned about his fitness prior to the weekend, having withdrawn from the last race at Brno after developing a discal hernia in his neck.

But he ended the wet morning practice 1.684 seconds clear of title rivals Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner, having held a similar margin for much of the session. Stoner and Rossi closed to within eight tenths of a second of Melandri with their final laps, but the Italian restored his advantage with a 1:46.948 on his own last run. Loris Capirossi and Colin Edwards completed the top five, ahead of reigning champion Nicky Hayden.

Pramac D'Antin Ducati's Alex Hofmann returned to action for the first time since sustaining serious hand injuries in a practice collision at Laguna Seca. He set the 14th fastest time. Melandri's Gresini Honda teammate Toni Elias, whose fitness was also in question as he continues to recover from a broken leg, did not participate in the session.

Pos Rider Make Time
1. Marco Melandri Honda (M) 1:46.948
2. Valentino Rossi Yamaha (M) 1:48.632 + 1.684
3. Casey Stoner Ducati (B) 1:48.852 + 1.904
4. Loris Capirossi Ducati (B) 1:49.167 + 2.219
5. Colin Edwards Yamaha (M) 1:49.219 + 2.271
6. Nicky Hayden Honda (M) 1:49.591 + 2.643
7. Randy de Puniet Kawasaki (B) 1:49.724 + 2.776
8. John Hopkins Suzuki (B) 1:49.957 + 3.009
9. Anthony West Kawasaki (B) 1:50.389 + 3.441
10. Alex Barros Ducati (B) 1:51.072 + 4.124
11. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki (B) 1:51.164 + 4.216
12. Daniel Pedrosa Honda (M) 1:51.177 + 4.229
13. Carlos Checa Honda (M) 1:51.312 + 4.364
14. Alex Hofmann Ducati (B) 1:53.171 + 6.223
15. Shinya Nakano Honda (M) 1:53.297 + 6.349
16. Kurtis Roberts KR (M) 1:53.428 + 6.480
17. Sylvain Guintoli Yamaha (D) 1:56.352 + 9.404
18. Makoto Tamada Yamaha (D) 1:59.146 + 12.198

[FourWheelDrift]

My money is on Flipper, just a nose ahead of Orca.



Very heavy rain, 2nd practice called off for the day.

[FourWheelDrift]

And only 1 second quicker than the Superbikes pole position from earlier this year, and the Superbikes only get one lap.

MotoGP pole, Stomer - 1m33.9s
Superbikes pole, Corser - 1m34.9s

I thought the gap might/should have been bigger.

[FourWheelDrift]

macdeb said:

DITCH TRACTION CONTROL, BRING BACK 990's!

But with the close racing of the 990s, they also ran traction control.

This is purely down to tyres and the dominance of one rider, Stoner who is using the best bike and best tyres to obliterate the opposition.

[FourWheelDrift]

Rossi has said that it's all down to the new tyre rules, having a limited supply and no chance to change tyre types during the weekend. Coupled with the new bikes it's all gone screwy for some. Stoner is riding superbly though, you only have to see how far back Capirossi is in each race to see that, but if they allowed the tyre manufacturers to build and supply new tyres overnight like they used to the racing would be a lot closer.

[FourWheelDrift]

I think Rossi said he wouldn't expect this year to be any different in results or championship if they old tyres rules were back because Stoner has got everything right and is on a different planet this year, think of where the other Ducati's have been this year. Just that the racing would have been closer and tighter like it used to be. Think of a Rossi dominated year that still had close racing and it would be the same this year only with Stoner coming out on top.