New relationships blossom, but Stoner still king as 2008 MotoGP testing begins
The 2007 MotoGP series ended with a whimper at Valencia last weekend, Stoner’s barnstorming season-long dominance and Rossi’s equipment troubles having sucked a lot of interest out of proceedings oer the last few months. Pedrosa rode out a win in front of his home crowd, Stoner cruised to a safe second and a jubilant John Hopkins put Suzuki on the podium in his last ride on the Rizla bike.
Rossi’s unfortunate season ended on another low note, his Yamaha M1 unceremoniously dropping its bundle with a mysterious failure and costing him the chance to seal his #2 position in the championship. The fact that Rossi was riding with three fractured bones in his hand from a qualifying accident added painful injury to insult.
Rossi wearing Bridgestone in 08, and considering a move to Ducati for 09
The big news, and what’s generating the most controversy around the bench racing circles, is of course that Rossi has announced that he’s switching to Bridgestone tyres for 2008 - and he’s openly and publically threatening to jump from Yamaha to Ducati, or even back to Honda in 2009 if Yamaha’s racing division doesn’t pull its socks up and give him a bike he feels he can challenge the leaders on. The 2007 M1, while it seemed to be a good handling bike, was anywhere up to 30kmh slower than the Ducati all season - and the pneumatic valve system shoehorned in during the desperate midseason break showed a nasty habit of blowing up.
But for those who criticise Rossi’s loyalty, it’s worth remembering that as he becomes one of the older competitors in the GP paddock, he may not have that many seasons of racing left in him. Why should he persevere with a company that seems simply unwilling to put the development dollars in to be mechanically competitive in the 800cc era?
Honda pulls finger out
Elsewhere around the paddock, Honda has finally faced up to the fact that the 800cc class demands higher-revving engines than can be achieved with ordinary valve springs. Their 2008 RC212V finally features pneumatic valves, as well as a sweeter-handling chassis that winless 2006 champ Nicky Hayden found himself at home on at his first ride-out on the new bike Monday at Valencia, despite the fact that he still circulated faster on the old bike due to rough power delivery from the new engine.
Championship runner-up and stony-faced dwarf Pedrosa was very quick as well. Nobody expected the richest and most powerful team in MotoGP to be so thoroughly trousered in 2007’s expensive development season - no doubt they’re throwing the kitchen sink at the 2008 title to regain some face, and Pedrosa has shown this year that he can dance away from the entire field when conditions are going his way.
Capirex, Hopper, Vermeulen and De Puniet all happy with 2008 seats
Hopkins was reasonably quick on his first Kawasaki ride - but was pipped on the the timesheet by his floppy-hatted ex-teammate Chris Vermeulen. Pin-up lad and serial bowling ball Randy de Puniet was instantly fast on his new LCR Honda taking out the third fastest time. The affable Loris Capirossi was ecstatic about his first ride on the Suzuki GSV-R - perhaps odd given that the Suzuki has long been known as an underpowered corner-speed king, whereas Capirex’s last serious challenge at the title was on the brutally grunty, sideways-cornering 990cc Ducati. Either way, he certainly didn’t gel with the 2007 Duke, so hopefully we’ll see more of the cheerful dwarf on the 2008 podium.
Melandri shocked to learn red bikes don’t always go faster
Loris’ countryman Marco Melandri had a rough time on his first Desmosedici test, fighting the electronics and throttle response of the new Ducati and resolving to change his riding style to match this season’s dominant bike. Both Elias and Sylvain Guintoli on their first d’Antin
Ducati rides posted better times than Melandri, which he won’t be impressed about.
Kiddies get first go on dad’s bike
The 250cc graduate rookies seemed to enjoy their supersonic new toys, albeit at the bottom of the time sheets. De Angelis found his Gresini Honda RCV “fun,” Dovizioso eased into a tentative testing session on his own Honda, and rising star Jorge Lorenzo made an impression by nearly breaking the top 10 on his first ride out on the Yamaha M1. Lorenzo, of course, will share a garage with Rossi as his team-mate next year - although as he’ll be running Michelin against Rossi’s Bridgestones, the team structure is going to have to change so that critical tyre data doesn’t leak between the two teams.
Stonernator still untouchable
And then, there’s Stoner. The surgical, determined Aussie spent the test day simply going faster and faster and faster, smashing the outright lap record in the process and contributing to his Doohan-like reputation of ALWAYS needing to be the fastest guy in EVERY session. His reputation as a crasher well and truly decimated by an absolutely faultless 2007 title win, Stoner’s looking every bit the immovable force as the lead-up to MotoGP 2008 begins. Unlike Hayden, he’s torn the championship from his challengers’ hands by consistently being the fastest man on the track - and his calculated riding will set him in good stead even if the tyre and bike situation evens itself up next year.
So, even if 2007 wasn’t the most exhilirating title fight, I can’t wait for season 08! Thanks to crash.net.
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