2007 MotoGP - Catalunya

Casey Stoner, Loris Capirossi.  Courtesy Ducati Corse.

Race Results
A scribe in the traditional print press recently wrote that the 800cc MotoGP bikes were causing boring, processional racing.

I don't know what MotoGP series he's watching, but on this planet, it doesn't get any better than this.  The 800cc bikes have brought some incredible battles in 2007; look at today's results (below) and you'll find 5 different motorcycle manufacturers finishing in positions 1 through 5.  When's the last time that happened? 

Not to mention the incredible battle between the super-smooth, unflappable Casey Stoner and the Yamaha of Valentino Rossi, which has apparently gained a few more horsepower since the last race, because it was nearly as fast as Stoner's Ducati on the long Cataluyna straight.

In the end, Ducati Marlboro Team rider Casey Stoner won a breathtaking three-man battle for victory at Catalunya this afternoon, extending his points lead at the top of the MotoGP World Championship. 

Stoner had it all - stunning attack and superb defense - as he fought with Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa throughout the 25 laps in 31 degree (88F) heat to keep 112,000 sun-soaked fans on their feet.  The Australian enjoyed the lion's share of the lead, attacking immediately whenever passed.  The trio crossed the line in that order, covered by seven tenths.

Stoner's fourth win of 2007 keeps Ducati at the top of the constructors' championship and the Ducati Marlboro Team ahead in the teams' championship.

Casey Stoner, winner, World Championship leader on 140 points:  "Going into this weekend we weren't sure how things would go.  At Mugello we had a few difficulties and we thought it might be the same here.  On Friday we weren't exactly on the pace, we were losing a lot in a couple of areas.  Fortunately, the team worked really hard, we came up with a solution on Saturday morning and since then we've kept the bike exactly the same."

"The whole team did a great job this weekend and proved wrong people who said we can't win on European tracks.  There were some nice passing maneuvers going on everywhere.  All three of us had our strong points and our weak points around the circuit, I was just trying to minimize my weak points and cover my lines, and it worked out.  It was such a close race, no one could go away, it was very, very enjoyable to be racing that close.  It was really good because our bike was set up quite well for the braking points, so for Valentino to pass us he usually had to run wide and we were able to pass him back immediately a lot of times."

"The way the team has set up the bike for me is fantastic, and the Bridgestones worked great again, at a circuit where they've struggled in the past, so they've really changed things around.  Today was another great race for us, I'm still not thinking about the championship, maybe later in the season we can really start aiming for that."

Yamaha Team Report
Valentino Rossi rode his Yamaha M1 to a fighting second place in Catalunya today after an exhilarating battle with Casey Stoner, the Australian eventually taking the flag just 0.069 seconds ahead of the Fiat Yamaha rider after a nail-biting final few laps.  Rossi 96th premier-class podium gives him yet another record as it takes him above Mick Doohan as the rider with the most podium finishes ever in the top class of Grand Prix racing.  His team-mate Edwards suffered from grip issues throughout and was unable to stick with the leading pack from sixth on the grid, eventually finishing in tenth.

After starting from pole, Rossi found himself down in fourth on lap one and was then forced to push hard in the first three laps to get past John Hopkins before he could begin to close the gap to Dani Pedrosa, who was by then following Stoner in second place.

On lap eleven of 25 Rossi made his move on the local favorite, the cheer from the grandstands proving that there was however a sizeable Italian element amongst the 112,600-strong crowd.  Rossi soon started looking for passing opportunities on Stoner, making his first successful bid at the end of lap eighteen before relinquishing the lead back to the Australian on the next lap.

From then on the fans were treated to some vintage wheel-to-wheel racing from the pair, with Pedrosa also in close contention, and an incredible number of passes made in several different parts of the track.  Going into the penultimate lap however Stoner made his decisive move and Rossi was unable to peg him back, despite throwing every effort at it.

Twenty points for Rossi today means he is now fourteen behind Stoner after seven races, whilst Colin Edwards remains tenth in the standings.  After two races on the trot there is now a ten-day break before the MotoGP circus heads to Donington for the Grand Prix of Great Britain, another of Rossi's favorite hunting grounds.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 2ndTime: +0.069:  "What a race!  Even if I'm disappointed not to win, it's a great emotion to be part of a race like that and fantastic fun.  It really was an amazing battle to the end with many wonderful overtaking maneuvers by both of us in all different parts of the track!"

"Unfortunately I lost a bit of time at the start and then it was quite hard to pass Hopkins because he was fantastic on the brakes.  Then with Stoner it was a great fight and honestly I couldn't have tried harder to win, but he was a very hard rival.  There were some places were we could have been better today, not just on the straight but also in some corners, but anyway it was a great experience and it will help us to understand what we need to do to keep on improving."

"Yamaha and Michelin are working very hard and the fact that we could fight like this today to the very end showed this.  Of course I'm sad because I've won a lot of times here in Montmelo and I wanted to win again, but like I said, I don't think I could have done anymore today! We know that we can beat Stoner but today he rode like a god and he's a fantastic rival, so congratulations to him."

Qualifying
Tomorrow's Grand Prix of Catalunya will see Fiat Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi start from pole position for the fourth time this season, after he put in another exemplary qualifying performance at Montmelo this afternoon. 

And second position is a surprise by the injured Randy de Puniet, with Dani Pedrosa filling out the first row of the grid.

Rossi, who is seeking a ninth victory at this circuit, will also be aiming to break the current MotoGP pole position jinx to become the first rider to win from the front of the grid since Motegi last year.  Team-mate Colin Edwards was only 0.4 seconds slower than Rossi in a close qualifying battle and will start from sixth for tomorrow's 25-lap race.

This morning's free practice saw both Rossi and Edwards continue to make steady improvements to the set-up of their M1s and they finished the session fourth and ninth respectively.  Temperatures then climbed steadily to reach a high of 33 degrees during Qualifying and, with similar conditions expected tomorrow, the pair spent the early part of the session perfecting their race settings under the scorching Spanish sun.

With eight minutes remaining Rossi's first run with a Michelin qualifying tire saw him put in the eventual pole time of 1'41.840 and also made him the only rider to dip under the previous pole record, which he set here last year.  Edwards second effort saw him move as high as third at one point but some last minute fast times pushed him down to sixth and he will start from the outside of the front row tomorrow when the lights go out at 1400 local time.

Valentino Rossi Position: 1stTime: 1'41.840Laps: 27:  "I'm really happy to have another pole position, this season our bike is working brilliantly with our Michelin qualifying tires and at every race I have great fun during qualifying!  Along with Mugello this is one of my favorite tracks and really I find it hard to decide which I like best!  It's fun to have two great races together like this even if it's hard work without a rest in between."

"As usual it's going to be very important to start from the front tomorrow, but I think it's going to be a really hard battle anyway, especially in this heat.  Pedrosa and Stoner look very strong and also Hopkins has a good pace, so I think we can expect a great fight for the fans to watch!  Anyway we're starting in the best position, my M1 feels very good and we will be looking for another victory."

Gran Premi de Catalunya  - Race Preview
This week the Ducati Marlboro Team dashes from its home Grand Prix at Mugello to Barcelona for the Catalan GP, the second of four races during June, MotoGP's busiest month.

Casey Stoner has scored three wins, plus a third, a fourth and a fifth place from the first six races, proving that he has both speed and consistency.  His Ducati should continue its powerful showing down the long Circuit de Catalunya straight, which is one of the longest in the world (see circuit map below).

Loris Capirossi meanwhile has scored one podium so far this season and is currently working hard to refine a new engine spec developed by Ducati Corse to suit his riding style.  Capirossi won Ducati's historic debut MotoGP win at Catalunya in June 2003, so the Italian will be aiming to fight up front once again this weekend as he and Stoner continue to work hard with the team and with their Desmosedici GP7s.

Livio Suppo, Ducati MotoGP Project Manager - "Barcelona will be another big challenge, so we go there working to do our best.  The big thing is that we didn't race there last year (both Capirossi and team-mate Sete Gibernau were injured in a first-corner accident and didn't take part in the restarted race), so we don't have any recent race tire data for this track.  But Casey proved to be very good under pressure once more at Mugello, so we go to Spain feeling optimistic.  Loris won our first race there four years ago, and we hope he will have more time to work on the new engine spec he used for the first time at Mugello."

Casey Stoner, 2007 MotoGP World Championship leader with 115 points  - "We learned a few more things at Mugello last weekend and that should help us at Barcelona.  As always, we will do the best we can and whatever happens, happens.  We've been doing a very good job so far this season, so now we go into every race a little more relaxed, a bit more confident in my ability."

"Barcelona used to be one of my favorite tracks, until they resurfaced it and it got a bit too rough, then it started to really play up with the bikes.  My first couple of years it was really good, 2001 to 2003, then in 2004 it started getting too rough and in 2005 they resurfaced it.  But it wasn't resurfaced really well and the F1 cars make it worse.  The track is pretty hard work, it's got some really good points and some fast corners.  The first sector's not too bad, most people are pretty similar through there, then the next section is really hard, but it's the last few turns that are really crucial, especially the last two right-handers."

"It's a very technical circuit, so hopefully it'll be another good one for us.  Ducati's first ever win was here and even if it'd be nice to have another one our target is still to do our best and see what happens.

Loris Capirossi - "I'm looking forward to this race because I hope we will have good weather that will allow us to continue the work we did on our new engine spec at Mugello.  The new spec works well for me - it gives more linear power delivery which is better for my riding style.  I use more lean angle than other riders through the corners, so I need a more gentle feeling from the engine when I begin to use the throttle out of the turns."

"We made a good jump forward with the engine and the chassis at Mugello.  We improved my feeling with the front end of the bike, which is vital for my style, but I still need more improvements in that area.  Last year we had quite a tough weekend at Catalunya, even before the big crash, but I think this visit will be very different, I love this circuit, I got Ducati's first win there in 2003. It's a great track with a lot of long corners where you need good traction from the rear."