Yes, as Jef N mentioned, the wind was at their backs on the straight for the first time during the race. A few of the teams didn't adjust the gearing accordingly, most notibly HRC (who are supposed to be so sharp). Danni said it was a big problem for him.

Rossi looked great, and I think he had a lot left at the end that he held back. GREAT to see him back on top where he belongs.

Danni can't touch Rossi without a huge tire advantage... that much is clear. Rossi is simply a better racer. Lorenzo is looking like a much better prospect that PeePee right now simply because he can mix it up. Dani is fast, no doubt, but Lorenzo is just as fast but with stronger racecraft.

Great, GREAT to see Marco back at the front, but I'm not relieved yet. I'm praying that whatever they found doesn't just help at that track... and judging by his subdued reaction, I think Marco is too. He is tough to read though. After the race he said they found a good weight distribution that works well for him, and they made some fairly significant changes to the TC that let him "feel what the engine is doing." The announcers said something about his TC being changed from the usual system that cuts the spark (or electronics) to one that cuts the gas or fuel injection. Somehow it gives a different feel... but that was half rumor so nobody knows for sure.

He wasn't that excited though, but that might aslo be him acting like he knows he belongs there and the past performances were just embarassing. Fingers crossed.

Other thoughts:

Colin Edwards can ride a f--cking bike! Such a shame the guy hasn't managed to do more in GP... really a shame. Great guy and great personality, he could have done so much more for the sport in the US than Hayden (in my opinion).

Loris is making Vermulen look really bad. Or really average I guess... but either way, it is bad for the Vermin and bad for the SBK crowd (more on that in a bit).

Dovi is the real deal, and they asked him (the Italian announcers that is) after the race if he is ready to move up to HRC. Nicky is an afterthought at this point, and although Nicky got him back at the end, when Dovi passed him the first time it was significant.

MotoGP is a great show. A million times more interesting than F1, and any other motorsport for that matter. The sequence with Melandri passing Dovi into turn one, only to have Dovi come back under, then to have Melandri go back under him again... all in the same right hander... FANSTASTIC. That was some of the best action I have seen in years.


Last but not least... what about wonderboy Jame Toseland? A non-Michelin track and the boy is lost! Colin humiliated him in qualifying, and then in the race he was 9 seconds of Nakano! No excuse. B-stones were the tire to have, but that didn't stop Dovi from making a show of it for 90% of the race.


250's:

Super Sic, SUPER SIC!!! Bring on the tighter tracks! The kid can ride!

Hmmm...sounds like only Italians are doing well. Odd, coming from you Rolfo.

robertorolfo - 05 May 2008 07:48 AM

MotoGP is a great show. A million times more interesting than F1, and any other motorsport for that matter.

Why are you even wasting your time watching car racing in the first place?? Cars suck.

Gary, I've been shocked by Lorenzo like everyone else. The kid looks scary good. I did mention that he seems like the one who will take over for Rossi, not PeePee. Every now and then in 250's he wouldn't show up for a race... and I think that made people (myself included) wonder if he was a complete rider. Well he has shown how consistent and tough he is.

Makes me think that his odd races in 250's were a classic case of the smartest kid in the class getting so bored with the easy material that they start to have problems.

joe_b - 05 May 2008 08:34 AM

robertorolfo - 05 May 2008 07:48 AM

MotoGP is a great show. A million times more interesting than F1, and any other motorsport for that matter.

Why are you even wasting your time watching car racing in the first place?? Cars suck.

I tried to watch the first non-TC F1 race. I fell asleep about 8 laps in - and it was much more interesting than the old TC races imo.

Lorenzo is the real deal, but he's young and may still find a weak track or 2. I really thought he'd struggle his first season and I was dead wrong - and my impression of him rose by leaps and bounds this weekend. To ride with those injuries...ouch. He wants to ride, that's all I can say. I thought he'd finish outside of the top 10 in China, and at that I'd have been impressed.

Toseland, hey, I'm not condemning anyone for a bad race their first season, and especially at that abomination of a racetrack. I will not be sorry to see it off the calendar.

I do have to agree with you, RR, in that there is a very good chance that the 'non-Stoner' Ducati's are likely to bring up the rear at Le Mans again. China's drag strips are tailor-made for that bike. I hope I'm wrong here again, Melandri shouldn't be bringing up the rear. I would LOVE to see Melandri in front of Stoner in a few races. As far as Elias and Guintoli, I don't really rate them highly so no idea what to expect there.

Good to see Rossi getting a win (& one of 4 winning of 4 races this year!) - but this weekend it was Lorenzo that stole the show for me. That really had to hurt - & to do as good as he did in the race & qualifying really showed a lot. He's going to have to get used to the pain if he's going to get through the next bit of the schedule

Looks like Lorenzo's condition is a little worse than originally thought. I'm sure he'll still race in France though.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Lorenzo+diagnosed+with+further+ankle+fracture

If he raced in China I have to believe he'll be in France as well.

i think someone said something like the only thing that keeps Pedro in front of Hayden (in every race) is the speed advantage ( 7-8 mile/hour more maybe he is watching too much drag strip racing ) . Here IN CHINA Hayden was faster then Pedrosa on the straight ( maybe by 7-8 miles/hour ) and he still finished over 20 seconds behind , both having a clean race ...............
I know why , but you have no clue KK . Truth is ..... without that very small speed advantage that Pedro usually has he is still over 20 seconds faster then Nicky when the race is over . Must be magic again