MotoGP Race Results

MotoGP 2005 Catalunya Race

MotoGP at Circuit de Catalunya
Gran Premi Gauloises de Catalunya, Spain
June 12, 2005

"This is like deja vu all over again", said Yogi Berra in one of his most famous Berra-isms. The Rossi model is to start with a grid handicap of a couple of places back from pole, jam to the front by the end of the first lap and stalk the race leader, in this case Gibernau, until they crack under the pressure.

But you know what? No matter how many times it's repeated, it's still the most exciting motorsport in the world, bar none. This was made that much more apparent after watching the processional Canadian Grand Prix Formula 1 race on the same day, from the narrow Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montréal, where passing is as rare as pushrods. Yawn.

This was Rossi's fifth win in 6 races, giving him 145 points to the 87 points of, believe it or not, Marco Melandri in second place. Biaggi is third with 77 points and Gibernau follows with 73. Melandri definitely bears watching, and if he keeps it up, he'll be the one to accept the mantle from Rossi. He is showing great promise. But that won't be any time soon -- Rossi looks like he's still having way too much fun trouncing the competition.

105,700 screaming fans were on hand at the Montmeló circuit, near Barcelona. No doubt they wanted to cheer a Gibernau win, but the battle was well fought, and in the end, they got what they came for -- great motorcycle racing -- and they accepted the Rossi victory.

The setting was familiar to anyone watching this year's series. Gibernau had the pole with a 1:42.337, Melandri was 0.05 seconds back, then Rossi in third position, down 0.386 seconds. Rossi always seems to have trouble taking pole, and it's become normal for him to fight his way up to the front, usually accomplishing this amazing feat by the end of the first lap. In fact, that little show has been one of the joys of watching Rossi for the last several years.

Rossi trailed Gibernau almost the entire race, taking his usual stalking position about 2 bike lengths behind. It's an old psychological trick of journeyman racers, and it used to work magic on Rossi's old nemesis, Max Biaggi. Biaggi would usually wilt under the pressure and make one mistake or another, and the result was nearly always the same: early dismissal from class.

Gibernau is made of tougher fiber, but the problem is that Rossi pushes Gibernau (or Gibernau pushes himself) hard enough to either: 1) physical exhaustion or 2) worn tires. Gibernau often fights back, but time and again he seems to either make a strategic error or lose the will to fight hard enough.

The Catalunya race took door #2, and once Rossi blew by Gibernau and his worn medium front and hard rear, it was all over. Rossi pulled about an 8-bike lead and was probably 100 meters ahead by the finish line.

Well, maybe saying that Gibernau loses his will is too harsh of a statement. Gibernau is an excellent and very smooth motorcycle racer, but he has occasional lapses in his strategic thinking. The infamous last turn at the opening round in this season's Spanish Grand Prix is one example.

Although Rossi's dive was controversial, Gibernau should have done a better job of blocking. It was almost as if he figured "I'm in front, so by the rules, he shouldn't pass me". The Catalunya race had another example, when Rossi outbraked Gibernau at the end of the straight to take the lead. Gibernau should have figured that one was coming.

On top of everything else, Rossi came away with a 1:43.195 lap record, about 0.2 quicker than Gibernau's 2004 scorcher.

Meanwhile, there was lots of exciting third place action. Hayden, Barros and Melandri were battling for the final podium position, swapping back and forth throughout the race, just like 600 Supersport racers. The only question was, what happened to Biaggi? In the end, Melandri happened to be in front of this tight pack at the finish line, but it could have been any of the three if the race went another lap.

By the way, remember when MotoGP riders seemed to have so much fun backing the bikes into the corners? Have you noticed that art form has rather disappeared lately? It's probably due to the electronics or the traction control on the four-strokes. But Hayden brought back memories of the old days, with some pretty dramatic slides into the corners, reminiscent of his dirt track days on the AMA circuit.

With about 3-1/2 laps to go, Rossi closed up tightly on Gibernau and you knew what was coming next. Rossi's tires started to go also, but he closed up, then passed Gibernau on the brakes. Little by little, Rossi pulled away and Gibernau seemed to give it up. Rossi's choice of a hard front probably paid off and was just enough to make the difference.

Results: GRAN PREMI GAULOISES DE CATALUNYA
1 43'16.487 163.848 25 Gauloises Yamaha Team
15 HONDA Sete GIBERNAU SPA 2 43'17.581 163.779 1.094 20 Movistar Honda MotoGP
33 HONDA Marco MELANDRI ITA 3 43'24.297 163.356 7.810 16 Movistar Honda MotoGP
4 HONDA Alex BARROS BRA 4 43'24.691 163.332 8.204 13 Camel Honda
69 HONDA Nicky HAYDEN USA 5 43'24.760 163.327 8.273 11 Repsol Honda Team
3 HONDA Max BIAGGI ITA 6 43'28.538 163.091 12.051 10 Repsol Honda Team
5 YAMAHA Colin EDWARDS USA 7 43'35.249 162.672 18.762 9 Gauloises Yamaha Team
12 HONDA Troy BAYLISS AUS 8 43'59.118 161.201 42.631 8 Camel Honda
56 KAWASAKI Shinya NAKANO JPN 9 44'03.125 160.957 46.638 7 Kawasaki Racing Team
11 YAMAHA Ruben XAUS SPA 10 44'03.179 160.953 46.692 6 Fortuna Yamaha Team
7 DUCATI Carlos CHECA SPA 11 44'16.844 160.126 1'00.357 5 Ducati Marlboro Team
65 DUCATI Loris CAPIROSSI ITA 12 44'20.351 159.914 1'03.864 4 Ducati Marlboro Team
94 YAMAHA David CHECA SPA 13 44'20.472 159.907 1'03.985 3 Fortuna Yamaha Team
44 DUCATI Roberto ROLFO ITA 14 44'26.745 159.531 1'10.258 2 Team D’Antin Pramac
10 SUZUKI Kenny ROBERTS USA 15 44'40.218 158.729 1'23.731 1 Team Suzuki MotoGP
67 PROTON KR Shane BYRNE GBR 16 44'51.111 158.087 1'34.624 Team Roberts
66 KAWASAKI Alex HOFMANN GER 17 43'43.269 155.688 1 lap Kawasaki Racing Team
77 BLATA James ELLISON GBR 18 43'52.521 155.141 1 lap Blata WCM
27 BLATA Franco BATTAINI ITA 19 43'56.686 154.896 1 lap Blata WCM

Not Classified
21 SUZUKI John HOPKINS USA 31'26.247 144.347 9 laps Team Suzuki MotoGP
6 HONDA Makoto TAMADA JPN 8'47.428 161.322 20 laps Konica Minolta Honda