MotoGP Round 18 - Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana, Circuit de Valencia

[flying finn]

MotoGP Round 18 - Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana, Circuit de Valencia

Friday 24.10
Free Practice 1 > 10:00 - 11:00
Free Practice 2 > 13:55 - 14:55

Saturday 25.10
Free Practice 3 > 10:00 - 11:00
Qualifying > 13:55 - 14:55

Sunday 26.10
Warm Up > 09:40 - 10:05
Race (30 laps x 4.005km = 120.150 km) > 14:00 - 14:50

Lap Record > 1:32.748 (155.453 kmh) - Dani PEDROSA (2007)
Home page > http://www.circuitvalencia.com/
Programme > http://www.circuitvalencia.com/ver_n...l?cnt_id=23759
Circuit map > http://www.circuitvalencia.com/plano_del_circuit.html
Google Satellite > http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...20556&t=k&z=17
Weather forecast > http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.sh...rld=0205&links > Friday - sunny 22deg

Honda preview > http://www.f1sa.com/index.php?option...022&Itemid=219

Championship Standings

1. ROSSI Valentino ITA > 357
2. STONER Casey AUS > 255
3. PEDROSA Dani SPA > 229
4. LORENZO Jorge SPA > 182
5. DOVIZIOSO Andrea ITA > 161
6. HAYDEN Nicky USA > 144
7. EDWARDS Colin USA > 134
8. VERMEULEN Chris AUS > 125
9. NAKANO Shinya JPN > 117
10 CAPIROSSI Loris ITA > 111

[wills]

Eurosport did a fantastic job for their last qualifying session broadcast with ex commentator Dennis Noyers and Wayne Gardner as guests. I'm really sad to see this great team of commentators go after this race on Sunday.

Btw it looks like Rossi still hasn't overcame this bogie track qualifying mid field - he'll probably get tangled again on the first lap.

[Born Racer]

He could just as easily charge through and win though.

[chunder]

Dull as dishwater race

Sadly last race with the guys, didnt send it off quite as much as they should, but was sad.

Beeb what have you done, bought the right to a dull as dishwater series! If it wasnt for Rossi you would be strugglin to get viewers, coz I lose count of teh times I ahve turned off teh GP races this year Im afraid!

[bestfit]

coz I lose count of teh times I ahve turned off teh GP races this year Im afraid!

I think that that may say more about you than the races Chunder.

[chunder]

Lol well people vote with their feet really,
I like watching excting racing, xenophobia is not enough for me.

[Charlies]

Not the most inspiring race once they got spaced out and a dominant race by Stoner. God help us when he's back to full fitness.

Genuinely sad to see the end of Eurosport's coverage. I haven't watched much of the BBC coverage, but without Toby and Julian I don't think I'll watch practice and qualifying, just the races.

Still there's plenty of interest for 2009. Hayden at Ducati, the carbon fibre bike, rookies with Pramac, Gibernau back, Dovizioso alongside Pedrosa, Lorenzo on the same tyres as Rossi and Stoner attempting to reclaim the title.

[flying finn]

Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana - Results

1. Casey STONER AUS > Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI > 46'46.114 (154.141kmh)
2. Dani PEDROSA SPA > Repsol Honda Team HONDA > 46'49.504 (+3.390)
3. Valentino ROSSI ITA > Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA > 46'58.308 (+12.194)
4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA > JiR Team Scot MotoGP HONDA > 47'10.273 (+24.159)
5. Nicky HAYDEN USA > Repsol Honda Team HONDA > 47'12.346 (+26.232)
6. Colin EDWARDS USA > Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA > 47'18.323 (+32.209)
7. Shinya NAKANO JPN > San Carlo Honda Gresini > HONDA 47'20.685 (+34.571)
8. Jorge LORENZO SPA > Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA > 47'21.775 (+35.661)
9. Loris CAPIROSSI ITA > Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI > 47'24.342 (+38.228)
10. Alex DE ANGELIS RSM > San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA > 47'33.697 (+47.583)
11. James TOSELAND GBR > Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA > 47'38.221 (+52.107)
12. Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA > Alice Team DUCATI > 47'38.464 (+52.350)
13. Chris VERMEULEN AUS > Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI > 47'38.947 (+52.833)
14. John HOPKINS USA > Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI > 47'39.341 (+53.227)
15. Randy DE PUNIET FRA > LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA > 47'39.525 (+53.411)
16. Marco MELANDRI ITA > Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI > 47'54.501 (+1'08.387)
17. Anthony WEST AUS > Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI > 47'57.295 (+1'11.181)
18. Toni ELIAS SPA > Alice Team DUCATI > 48'23.169 (+1'37.055)

> congratulations to Lorenzo for the 'Rookie of the Year' award
> everyone finished the last race of the season
> nice rides from Dovizioso and Nakano again
> Suzuki and Kawasaki with much off-season work to do

Final Championship Standings

1. Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 373
2. Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 280
3. Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team 249
4. Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 190
5. Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP 174
6. Nicky HAYDEN USA Repsol Honda Team 155
7. Colin EDWARDS USA Tech 3 Yamaha 144
8. Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 128
9. Shinya NAKANO JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 126
10. Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 118
11. James TOSELAND GBR Tech 3 Yamaha 105
12. Toni ELIAS SPA Alice Team 92
13. Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA Alice Team 67
14. Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 63
15. Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 61
16. John HOPKINS USA Kawasaki Racing Team 57
17. Marco MELANDRI ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 51
18. Anthony WEST AUS Kawasaki Racing Team 50
19. Ben SPIES USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 20
20. Jamie HACKING USA Kawasaki Racing Team 5
21. Tadayuki OKADA JPN Repsol Honda Team 2

[gomick]

good ride by takahashi in the 250's

[Dani Filth]

it wasn't a great race indeed .. saved only by the midpack
but still . it was better than 5-6 months with no racing

[wills]

250 race was good - gutsy effort by Kallio on the last lap. Valencia hasn't offered close racing in MotoGP for a while as usually the leader after the first lap just runs off into the distance. I'm still gutted that BBC will be the only channel to broadcast it next year but I guess all good things must come to an end. And with one make tyre I fear the series will go into decline in the future just like the Superbikes.

[chunder]

Superbikes is hradly in decline! What a daft thing to say, the single tyre rule has actually made it better, BMW and Aprilia are coming back and because the proper factory teams are not involved customer bikes are still competitive!

For me there is far greater strength in teh WSBK series, ok the rider talent is a little less, but spectacle and quality is great.

[Tazz]

Originally Posted by chunder

... ok the rider talent is a little less, but spectacle and quality is great.

I would't say that. Just look at Haga, Corser, even Fabrizio. They are a lot more talented than some GP riders... Not to mention Bayliss

But anyway, Superbikes in far from going in to decline...

[Dani Filth]

a lot more talented?? .. you must be kidding .. more talented than who .. Toseland?? Vermuellen ?? ..
all of them(bar fabrizio) were in GP racing .. only Bayliss managed to win ..
but that doesn't mean WSBK isn't great


regarding Valencia .. 125 race was good though and could've been even better

[Tazz]

Just think about Haga and Nakano for example. Wich one do you say is more talented ?

[wills]

I'd say Haga but I won't forget when the Nakano was part of the Japanese wildcards who blew international 250cc riders into dust back in the days at Suzuka.

[jhansen]

All I know is that we have to wait till freaking April for the next race...

[chunder]

Haga has consistnely proved that he could ONLY be quick on a 500 no Dunlops.

When he was on teh Red Bull bike he crashed as much as De Puniet does now

And he was awful on teh Aprilia, but then the bike was a pig.

Nakano is a contract time rider, just like many others, only goes quick when he needs a job, Re Elias, Barros, etc

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by Tazz

Just think about Haga and Nakano for example. Wich one do you say is more talented ?

if you put both on a 250 Yamaha i'd say Nakano

anyway
Nakano or Nakatomi ..would be more like it
if not .. compare 2nd place with 2nd place .. Haga and Stoner
and I was and still am a Haga fan