Rate this article:
REVIEWED: “Rust In Peace” By Malcolm Tucker
Malcolm Tucker delves into the photographic archives of the celebrated motoring historian Mike Worthington-Williams
Our Price: $49.00
"Le Mans", Starring Steve McQueen
The greatest racing film of all time! Dramatization of a man's tentative participation in the Le Mans race
Our Price: $14.99
“Monaco Grand Prix"
A photographic portrait of the world's most prestigious motor race.
Our Price: $75.00
Signed Bobby Allison Coca-Cola 1/24
1/24-scale die-cast replica is now available and personally autographed by Bobby Allison on the windshield!
Our Price: $54.95
Man-Made Thunder
Examine how the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has transformed from a performance-based sport into a personality-driven enterprise.
Our Price: $49.00
Written by:
Dennis Noyes
02/14/2008 - 07:22 PM
Madrid, Spain
Ducati Marlboro's Casey Stoner (Ducati Corse) ยป More Photos
Grand Prix Zero takes place this Sunday at Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain and the winner of the 40-minute shootout will take home a new BMW Z4 M Roadster and short-term bragging rights, but don’t be fooled by fireworks with qualifying tires. The meaningful comparison will be taken from race pace on race tires over three days of testing (February 16, 17, and 18) at Jerez, and, unless something major has changed between the recent Malaysian and Australian tests, we will be seeing the first straight-up Stoner-Rossi duel of what promises to be a Stoner-Rossi season.
All 18 MotoGP riders are expected to make the show, including convalescents Dani Pedrosa, who broke a finger on first day of the first Malaysian tests, and Kawasaki’s John Hopkins, who suffered a torn adductor muscle in his groin on day one of the second Sepang tests.
By the time the 40-minute session begins on Sunday, televised live on Spain’s TVE and carried by many other European companies, we will already know who is fastest on race tires and who can hold race pace consistently.
In spite of the naïve headlines dedicated to the rider with the fastest lap on a sticky ‘Q’ tires on a given day, the reality is that, as the circus comes to Spain, two riders have stood head and shoulders above the rest on race tires.
The opening tests in mid January at the end of the obligatory winter break seemed very promising for both Michelin and Honda. Pedrosa was very quick from the beginning but was injured early on day one. Nicky Hayden set the quickest time on qualifying tires and Michelin riders took four of the top five times -- but it may have been a false dawn for both Honda and Michelin.
Stoner and Rossi on Devastating Pace at Recent Tests
Casey Stoner was so fast in Phillip Island on the Desmosedici that the second fastest man on race tires, rookie Andrea Dovizioso (Honda-Michelin), actually only managed to set the 21st fastest lap. The fastest lap on race tires by Stoner was 1’30.019 and he recorded 19 other laps faster than the 1’30.452 that placed Dovizioso second among riders.
Stoner, who was also fastest
Of course, Rossi was not present at Sepang when Stoner showed the awesome potential of the current 2008 Ducati-Bridgestone package at Phillip Island.
Then it was Rossi’s turn to strut Yamaha’s stuff at Sepang II a week later. This time Stoner and the factory Ducati team sat out the tests leaving Rossi and Yamaha to wonder if what they did was good enough.
On a track where Rossi was beaten back to fifth last year in a race won by Stoner, Rossi ran a race simulation that, when adjusted to include a standing start, beat his own race time by a whopping 22.7 seconds and, more importantly, was 17.6 seconds quicker that Stoner’s winning time.
Rossi was easily the fastest on qualifying tires, but more importantly, the average lap time of his best five laps on race tires was almost a second faster than the pace of the second fastest man in Malaysia, Hayden on his Michelin-shod Repsol Honda.
Some European papers made a lot of rookie Jorge Lorenzo’s performance at Sepang II on his qualifying tire, but the reigning and two-time World 250 champion was so frustrated by his pace that he reportedly chucked his helmet across the garage in disgust.
Hayden was the top rider at Sepang II on Michelins, but not by much, and left Malaysia clearly worried after having ridden the sessions on a valve-spring motor built to the “softer” (Hayden’s word) Pedrosa-spec. Honda’s pneumatic-valve RC212V has underperformed and the world’s largest motorcycle factory has had to run preseason tests with a single rider, Hayden, due to Pedrosa’s injury. This has meant less feedback.
Pedrosa, speaking from Barcelona, cast doubts on Hayden’s ability to lead development and Hayden, annoyed but restrained, pointed out that the 2006 RC211V that he, Hayden, developed, won the MotoGP Championship.
Page 1 of 2
Commenting is not allowed in this article.
