Carter: Will Rossi stay or will he go?

Eurosport - Fri, 21 Nov 17:31:00 2008

If you've never seen the excellent World Rally Championship before, preferring instead to concentrate on two-wheeled motorsport, would the defection from one to the other by Valentino Rossi make you switch?

Or at least, have a passing interest in an arena you might not have had a look at before?

I ask because, this week, Valentino himself has dropped some pretty big hints at what might be next for him, career-wise.

The eight-times world champion has been putting a Ford Focus rally car through its paces in a test in Cumbria, part of his preparation for the Rally of Wales next month.

He's also been out in the Monza Rally, where he finished second. Considerably higher up the ranking than the rest of his motorcycle peers managed (and quite a few of them took part too, like Loris Capirossi and Marco Simoncelli>).

Second place would indicate, it is fairly safe to assume, that the still-youthful Italian is taking the matter of sliding around the dirt on four wheels very seriously indeed.

So when, whilst talking to La Gazetta dello Sport, Rossi said: "Yes, I like rallies very much. I think it is possible when I finish with bikes. I have another two years, after that we will see," it sparked a bit of interest around the world.

Is this the clearest indication yet that we've got another couple of years of watching Rossi on the bikes? Is he really going to switch to four wheels for good at the end of 2010?

If he does, what will happen to the MotoGP world? Will Rossi's departure mean that Casey Stoner becomes a results machine, rolling off World Championship after World Championship in a similarly devastating way to that which we last saw at the hands of Mick Doohan and his five crowns?

Or will it spur the others in the MotoGP pack on? Seeing the Alpha male leave suddenly encouraging them all to try and move into the vacant spot of all-time number one?

It is another two years before we know what will happen. Will Valentino find enough interest to carry on with motorcycle racing at all at the end of these next two years? We know he switched from Honda to Yamaha because he needed a fresh challenge and that the arrival of the 800s further sparked the grey matter too.

Two more years isn't a very long time at all, certainly not in racing terms and if all we do have is 36 more races to enjoy Rossi at this, the very top of his game, then we'd better relish it while we can.

And then take note of the WRC calendar, set the video and see how well our boy does in that world.

World champion in two seasons there too, I reckon.

Lorenzo plays down title talk

Eurosport - Sun, 16 Nov 17:49:00 2008

Jorge Lorenzo insists he is under no pressure to win the 2009 MotoGP title despite a stunning maiden season in the top flight that saw him briefly lead the championship.

The Spaniard enjoyed a stellar start to his career in the top flight, finishing on the podium in his first race and winning on only his third outing in Portugal. However, he would go on to be hampered by injuries sustained in a series of accidents over the season.

Nonetheless, Lorenzo was still able to secure fourth position in the standings, ahead of fellow rookie Andrea Dovizioso, the Yamaha rider supplementing his year with further podiums at Le Mans, Misano and the Indianapolis.

Attention now turns to whether Lorenzo can discover the consistency to mount a challenge on the 2009 title, although it isn't an objective he is necessarily chasing.

"There have been no objectives set out, and nobody is demanding that we win the title," the 21-year-old told the official MotoGP website. "I think that if I can improve my results then it will be an extraordinary season."

Lorenzo's first challenge will be to get acquainted with the new Bridgestone control tyre having spent his season adapting to Michelin rubber. With only a few outings coming up in which to settle himself on the new Yamaha M1, Lorenzo is eager to learn quickly.

"I have only had the chance to try the new bike for a day, with the intention of adjusting to the new regulations,´ said the Spaniard of his first run with Bridgestone tyres after a year with Michelin.

"The bike isn't working perfectly, so in Jerez we will be working above all with the chassis, now that we won´t have the engine until Sepang."

Smith ends season with deserved fourth

Eurosport - Sun, 26 Oct 12:26:00 2008

Briton Bradley Smith took a deserved fourth at the season-ending 125cc Valencia Grand Prix

Simone Corsi won the race from Jack and Jones Aprilia team-mate Nicolas Terol, with 2008 world champion Mike di Meglio third.

After two laps home rider Sergio Gadea of Bancaja Aspar and fellow leader Stefan Bradl of Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing came together and crashed out, creating a wide-open battle for the top spots.

Polaris World Aprilia rider Smith took third for a few laps in the latter part of the race after a double overtaking manoeuvre, only to drop out of the podium places again.

Di Meglio was at the front for much of the race after the Gadea-Bradl incident, swapping P1 with Corsi - but ran wide with two laps left to allow his rivals past.

Sandro Cortese was fifth ahead of Andrea Iannone, with Smith's British compatriot Scott Redding eighth behind Tomoyoshi Koyama.

The third Briton, Danny Webb, retired after six laps.

250s: Simoncelli takes final win

2008 world champion Marco Simoncelli won the 250cc GP from MotoGP-bound Yuki Takahashi with Alvaro Bautista third.

Mika Kallio crashed out on the last lap of KTM's final appearance in the class.

Kallio and fellow KTM rider Julian Simon had taken the first two spots at the first corner after starting from fourth and third respectively.

Simon suffered a puncture and dropped out from fifth spot late in the race with Bautista bearing down on him.

The Spaniard took a record-equalling 10th consecutive podium in the 250cc class when Kallio slid out with a few corners remaining.

Roberto Locatelli held a top-three spot in the middle part of the race but ended it in fourth, ahead of late-climbing Hiroshi Aoyama and Hector Faubel.

Stoner takes Valencia victory

Eurosport - Sun, 26 Oct 19:12:00 2008

Casey Stoner won a straightforward Valencia MotoGP from pole despite temporarily losing his lead on the first lap to Dani Pedrosa.

Third behind Spaniard Pedrosa was 2008 world champion Valentino Rossi, while another home rider Jorge Lorenzo secured the rookie of the year title as Andrea Dovizioso came in fourth.

Sheffield rider James Toseland fell back from fifth on the grid to 11th by the end, while his Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Colin Edwards finished sixth behind Nicky Hayden.

Stoner was at his best on the Ducati Marlboro after Pedrosa of Repsol Honda sneaked P1 from him at the first corner on a sunny day in southern Spain after the wet previous sessions.

Immediately hitting back to retake the lead, Pedrosa never looked likely to catch the Australian as he slowly but steadily built a lead at the front.

Rossi, who began in 10th after the adverse weather conditions in qualifying, went on the charge and jumped three places almost immediately, while by the third lap he was fifth ahead of Dovizioso and Loris Capirossi.

Lorenzo dropped from seventh at the start to 10th but, with Dovizioso needing to win to stand any chance of snatching the rookie title from him, looked comfortable as he climbed to eighth position by the final lap.

Hayden, in his last race for Honda after nine years with the Japanese manufacturer, was overtaken by Edwards on the first lap but fought back to reclaim his third spot.

However with Rossi eating up the tarmac and Dovizioso also keen to give his JiR Scot Honda squad a rousing send-off, he lost two places and was unable to make them up.

Shinya Nakano showed skill in acquiring an seventh-place finish.

Capirossi, who had started well in making up two places for sixth, fell back on his Rizla Suzuki and finished in ninth.

Marco Melandri, desperate to show Ducati what he could do before departing after a nightmare season, fought from last on the gird to as high as 10th - but lost ground in the latter part of the GP and dropped to 16th by its end.

Rossi ends the 2008 season as world champion for an eighth time, ahead of Stoner and Pedrosa in the standings.

Simoncelli champ, Smith second

Eurosport - Sun, 19 Oct 12:35:00 2008

Marco Simoncelli clinched the 250cc MotoGP world championship in Malaysia while Britain's Bradley Smith was second in the 125cc race.

250cc: Simoncelli wins title, Bautista wins

Marco Simoncelli secured the 250cc world title with one race to spare after claiming the podium finish he needed to give himself an unassailable lead over Hector Barbera.

The crazy-haired Italian (pictured) takes a 28-point lead over his rival Bautista into the final round, with only 25 up for grabs.

Speaking after a race run in searing heat, a visibly drained Simoncelli said: "I'm happy! I am not to good because I am so hot but it's wonderful. I can't speak, I'm sorry! It's wonderful, thanks to everyone."

Aprilia man Bautista romped to a superb victory ahead of Hiroshi Aoyama but, with the top three well ahead of the rest of the pack, Simoncelli was able to ease off and enjoy a third-place finish.

125cc: Impressive second for Smith

Britain's Bradley Smith took a battling second place behind Gabor Talmacsi in the 125cc Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

2007 world champion Talmacsi took his third win of the season after overhauling polesitter Andrea Iannone on the first lap and leading the rest of the way.

Smith quickly broke away from the chasing pack and overtook Iannone, who slipped back to finish 10th.

The Oxfordshire rider, who started 13th on the grid, began to reel in Talmacsi but quickly ran out of laps and had to settle for his third second place of the year.

Smith said: "It was a big shame because, with a bad qualifying position, I was so far back.

"But in the first two laps I took advantage of a fast bike, braked as late as possible and managed to close in.

"With Gabor, I was getting there but it just wasn't close enough. We'll have to wait until Valencia for the win, but for sure I'll be trying there."

Simone Corsi won a thrilling three-way battle for third place, edging out Sandro Cortese and newly-crowned world champion Mike Di Meglio.

Smith's fellow Briton Danny Webb endured a nightmare afternoon after qualifying third on the grid.

Webb's Aprilia did not start on the warm-up lap, and he was then handed a ride-through penalty for not starting from the pit lane. He later retired with mechanical trouble.

Rossi supreme in Malaysia

Eurosport - Sun, 19 Oct 14:26:00 2008

Valentino Rossi won the Malaysian MotoGP at Sepang as rookie Andrea Dovizioso took his debut podium behind Dani Pedrosa.

It was Rossi's ninth triumph of this victorious 2008 season and his 150th grand prix podium, while Pedrosa now cannot finish second in the championship after Casey Stoner came home in sixth.

"I had a great battle early in the race with Dani, but I had 10 laps alone which, although the track is fun, were hard work," Rossi said afterwards.

"I'm happy because it's my ninth victory of the year. I like this number and will try for 10 in Valencia."

Pedrosa said: "Valentino always gives more in the race than in practice, and we need to learn this and push harder.

"Second place is very good and we are happy with this."

The Italian produced a cool, calculating performance at a scorching hot Sepang after dropping from second to third at turn one while pole sitter Pedrosa blasted into an early lead.

Rossi put his Fiat Yamaha back ahead of countryman Dovizioso to reclaim second spot by the start of lap two and was soon locked on to Pedrosa's rear wheel. The pair circulated together for several laps, pulling away from JiR Team Scot rider Dovizioso - who had a queue of riders backed up behind him.

Pedrosa is at his most dangerous when he is able to escape in the early laps but, having failed to do so, the Spaniard looked likely to fall victim to Rossi.

However the Yamaha could not match Pedrosa's pneumatic-valve Repsol Honda along the straights, even in the slipstream, forcing the Italian to plot a braking move.

That eventually came at the halfway mark of the 21 laps - and saw the eight times world champion dragging his inside foot on the asphalt as he successfully dived inside Pedrosa into a left-hand hairpin.

The Italian's biggest threat thereafter was from the weather: with six laps to go white flags came out to indicate that bike swaps were now permitted due to the threat of rain. That did not materialise, however, and Rossi cruised to a comfortable four-second victory from Pedrosa.

By contrast, the battle for the final podium position went right to the line.

Dovizioso, who had finished fourth three times during his rookie season prior to Sepang, mounted an admirable defence against Nicky Hayden - whose Repsol seat the Italian will take next year - for almost the entire race, with five other riders also in contention by the midway point.

That seven-way fight was reduced to six when Jorge Lorenzo, who got a bad start from the front, lost the front of his Michelin-shod factory M1 and fell from sixth position through turn one.

With four laps to go, Hayden finally got in front of Dovizioso by diving inside into turn one. The Italian retaliated immediately, only to be squeezed gently to the edge of the track by Hayden. But Dovizioso was not finished and threw his JiR Team Scot machine inside Hayden into the next hard-braking zone.

A small mistake by Hayden allowed him a little breathing room and also put the American in danger of an attack from Gresini's Shinya Nakano, but the 2006 world champion was back on Dovizioso's rear wheel by the start of the last lap.

Dovizioso, impressive under braking throughout the race, held tight lines for the final lap and was rewarded with his first ever MotoGP podium - and the first podium this season for a satellite Honda rider - by 0.3s from Hayden.

"I'm really happy about my first podium," he said. "It was very difficult this year, we had many problems. We worked a lot and can be really happy with the result."

Nakano had overtaken Stoner with six laps to go and the Ducati Marlboro star appeared to be suffering badly in the exhausting 42-degree heat, but hung on to sixth by three seconds ahead of Rizla Suzuki's Loris Capirossi

Australian Stoner now holds a 26-point lead over Pedrosa in the drivers' standings heading into next weekend's Valencia season finale - and cannot be caught.

Colin Edwards was the only Tech 3 Yamaha rider to reach the flag at Sepang - finishing eighth - after rookie team-mate James Toseland fell on lap nine. Behind Edwards, Chris Vermeulen was the second GSV-R home in ninth, with Randy de Puniet 10th for Honda LCR.

Kawasaki riders John Hopkins and Anthony West finished 11th and 12th ahead of Alice's Sylvain Guintoli and Gresini's Alex de Angelis.

The second Alice Ducati of Toni Elias was forced to serve a jump-start penalty, but still finished ahead of factory Ducati rider Marco Melandri to claim the final World Championship point. Suzuki wild-card Nobuatsu Aoki was 17th and a distant last.

250: Simoncelli betas Bautista.

Sun 05 Oct, 05:19 AM

Marco Simoncelli wins Sunday's 250cc Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island

Marco Simoncelli emerged on top of a race long battle with 250cc World Championship rival Alvaro Bautista to win the Australian Grand Prix by just 0.223secs.

The Metis Gilera rider dropped from pole to fourth at turn one, but was up to second place behind Bautista by lap two of 25 and took the lead later on the same lap.

The pair fought for the remainder of the race, the repeated passes allowing the KTM trio of Hiroshi Aoyama, Mika Kallio and Julian Simon to join the victory fight for the first half of the race.

But the superior pace of Simoncelli and Bautista soon began to tell, and they were over ten seconds clear of third by the closing stages.

Simoncelli led at the start of the last lap, but a defensive line into the MG hairpin allowed Bautista to get a better exit. Their paths crossed at the apex of the following turn, forcing Bautista to lift. Simoncelli also bobbled, but Bautista couldn't capitalise and Simoncelli held on for his fifth victory of the season.

Simoncelli is now 37 points clear of Bautista with just 50 points remaining and therefore has an excellent chance of wrapping up his first world title next time out at Sepang.

Meanwhile, Aoyama had retired with a technical problem during the second half of the race - prompting the usually controlled Japanese to punch down a temporary wall inside the KTM pits with frustration and leaving colleagues Kallio and Simon to fight for the final podium position.

Simon looked to have third in the bag exiting the final corner, but was slipstreamed by Kallio on the run to the line. Double 2008 race winner Alex Debon held off Roberto Locatelli and Yuki Takahashi for fifth.

Race results - Phillip Island:

1. Simoncelli (Gilera)

2. Bautista (Aprilia) +0.223secs

3. Kallio (KTM) +14.450secs

4. Simon (KTM) +14.478secs

5. Debon (Aprilia) +26.226secs

6. Locatelli (Gilera) +26.392secs

7. Takahashi (Honda) +26.434secs

8. Espargaro (Aprilia) +40.546secs

9. Wilairot (Honda) +1min 0.219secs

10. Lai (Gilera) +1min 20.825secs

125cc: Di Meglio clinches title

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Oct 08:24:00 2008

Mike Di Meglio secured the 2008 125cc World Championship with his fourth victory of the season at Phillip Island.

The 20-year-old Frenchman took his first world title in perfect style, riding imperiously to lead home Stefan Bradl by a huge 10.255 second margin.

Outgoing world champion Gabor Talmacsi claimed the final podium position by a fraction of a second over Andrea Iannone.

Britain's Bradley Smith had charged into an early lead from second on the grid, but soon fell victim to one of 15 crashes on a cool Phillip Island track.

Di Meglio, who qualified on pole, was in front by the end of lap two and disappeared into the distance thereafter - averaging nearly half a second quicker per lap than the next fastest man.

Grizzly Gas Aprilia rider Bradl broke away for a safe second position during the second half of the race, and is now second in the world championship standings, 50 points behind di Meglio.

However, even if the young German won the two remaining rounds and Di Meglio failed to score, the Ajo Motorsport Derbi rider would still win the title on countback as, although that scenario would see both men finish with four wins, he has more second places to his name.

Di Meglio said: "I don't think the feeling of the Championship has really sunk in yet. I have to thank my team, Derbi and everybody. This weekend is really something special, the bike was perfect all the time, I had really a good feel with the bike and I could push very hard all the time also in the race."

Simone Corsi, who came into the event second in the championship, was just 10th at the halfway stage of the race and - having progressed slightly forward - was elbowed onto the grass by Marc Marquez on the dash to the flag, leaving him ninth.

Home win for masterful Stoner

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Oct 17:08:00 2008

Australia's Casey Stoner overcame a persistent wrist injury and the disappointment of relinquishing his world title last week to clinch his home MotoGP at Phillip Island for the second successive year.

The 2007 world champion beat Valentino Rossi by more than six seconds to the delight of the 50,541-strong home crowd, several thousand of whom stormed across the track at the conclusion of the race. American Nicky Hayden finished third.

Rossi, who had treatment on his neck after falling during qualifying on Saturday, wrapped up his fifth world MotoGP world title, and sixth premier-class title overall, in Japan last week.

"It wasn't really a disappointment because I lost the championship when I had those two crashes, and Valentino rode really well," the 22-year-old Stoner said.

"Before the championship last year we didn't expect even to be in the top three and to be world champion last year and at the moment we're running second this year is something you have to be proud of, no matter what.

"If we have the opportunity to fight for it again next year then great but we're very happy on [winning] the home GP." Stoner, who will have surgery at the end of the season to fix a broken bone in his wrist, blasted away from pole on his Ducati and led for all 27 laps of the 4.45-km track in sunny conditions.

Rossi started on the fourth row in 12th and moved through the field before he caught Hayden on the final lap. He has finished outside the top-three just twice in 16 races this season.

Britain's James Toseland equalled his best result in MotoGP, finishing sixth for the sixth time this season.

Toseland, who was celebrating his 28th birthday, said he was pleased with the result despite running in fourth for much of the race.

In an eventful outing, Toseland overtook Rossi and then had to deny over-aggressive riding when passing Honda's Andrea Dovizioso on the final lap.

"I knew fourth was up for grabs so I tried to pass Andrea at Honda hairpin on the last lap. We ran a bit wide and Andrea seemed a bit upset but I passed him without touching him. I am sorry if he is upset, but he is upset for no reason.

"I was fighting for the best result of my MotoGP career so I had to try something. Shinya came by as I ran wide but I passed him back at Siberia, only for him to come right back underneath me because I ran a bit wide again.

"I am just happy with the way I rode. I rode hard and I am really pleased that on my birthday I put a good show on and I could enjoy it. I was riding my heart out and when I have a ride like that and I pass Valentino it encourages me even more."

Earlier, France's Mike di Meglio won the 125cc world title with a dominant victory ahead of Stefan Bradl of Germany. Hungary's 2007 world champion Gabor Talmacsi finished third.

Italy's Marco Simoncelli clinched the 250 race and extended his world championship lead to 37 points after an intriguing battle with closest rival Alvaro Bautista of Spain. Finland's Mika Kallio finished third.

Rossi world champion.

Sun 28 Sep, 06:58 AM

Valentino Rossi clinches the 2008 MotoGP World Championship with victory in Yamaha's home race at Motegi in Japan.

Valentino Rossi has won the 2008 MotoGP World Championship in perfect style, by winning Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

Rossi dropped from fourth on the grid to fifth after the opening turns of the 24 lap race, but passed team-mate Jorge Lorenzo on lap two before hunting down race leaders - and title rivals - Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa.

When Stoner put a tight pass on Pedrosa on lap six, Rossi also demoted the Spaniard, and then shadowed Stoner before making a victory pass under-braking on lap 13.

Rossi gradually pulled away from the Ducati star, who clinched the 2007 title at Motegi last season, and enjoyed a one second advantage by lap 17. Rossi won his fifth race in a row - and eighth of the season - by 1.943secs at the chequered flag.

The Fiat Yamaha rider thus has an uncatchable 92 point championship lead over nearest rival Stoner with just three rounds and 75 points remaining. A perfect day for Yamaha was made complete by also wrapping up the 2008 manufacturers' and teams' championships at its home event.

Rossi celebrated his return to the top with a big wheelie over the line and was instantly congratulated by Stoner, before doing a burn out at the side of the track and being greeted by his waiting fan club.

Rossi was given a special t-shirt with the words "sorry for the delay" in Italian and a picture of a clock, then sat down at a waiting desk to sign some sort of contract!

Rossi won five consecutive 500cc/MotoGP World Championships from 2001 to 2005, and becomes only the second rider in history - after Giacomo Agostini - to regain the premier-class crown after two successive defeats. Agostini is now the only rider with more premier-class world titles than Rossi, having won eight.

Rossi is the first rider to win the premier-class title on four different types of motorcycle: A Honda 500cc four-cylinder two-stroke (2001), Honda 990cc five-cylinder stroke-stroke (2002, 2003), Yamaha 990cc four-cylinder four-stroke (2004, 2005) and a Yamaha 800cc four-cylinder four-stroke (2008).

The 2008 MotoGP World Championship is Rossi's eighth across all three grand prix classes, having also won the 125cc crown in 1997 and 250cc title in 1999.

Rossi and Stoner were joined on the Motegi podium by Pedrosa, who survived last lap contact with Lorenzo to hold on to third position.

Japanese Grand Prix:

1. Rossi

2. Stoner

3. Pedrosa

4. Lorenzo

5. Hayden

6. Capirossi

7. Edwards

8. Nakano

9. Dovizioso

10. Hopkins

11. Toseland

12. de Puniet

13. Melandri

14. Guintoli

15. West

16. Elias

17. de Angelis

125s: Bradl takes second win

Eurosport - Sun, 28 Sep 14:49:00 2008

Stefan Bradl took his second grand prix victory after holding off World Championship leader Mike di Meglio during the 125cc Japanese Grand Prix.

Britain's Bradley Smith crashed out on the fourth lap while compatriots Scott Redding and Danny Webb were eighth and 10th respectively.

Bradl, Di Meglio and reigning world champion Gabor Talmacsi broke away from the rest of the field heading into the closing stages of the 20-lap race, the last lap of which began with Bradl enjoying a vital 0.4-second lead.

The Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing Aprilia rider lost most of that advantage during the final circulation, but remained unshaken and did not allow Di Meglio room for a victory move.

Talmacsi, riding with an injured wrist, was in turn unable to overcome Di Meglio's Derbi and the top three crossed the finish line covered by just 0.281s.

With Simone Corsi finishing in seventh, Di Meglio's title lead has grown to 36 points with three rounds remaining.

250s: Simoncelli extends lead

Eurosport - Sun, 28 Sep 14:48:00 2008

Marco Simoncelli extended his 250cc World Championship lead with victory in the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

The Italian lost out to Alex Debon into turn one, but was back in front by the end of the first lap - where he ultimately remained at the chequered flag.

Nevertheless, Mapfre Aspar Aprilia's Alvaro Bautista made his way steadily forwards and took second position just after the halfway stage of the 23 laps.

The Spaniard looked set to mount a serious victory attack as he closed to within 0.3s of Simoncelli's Metis Gilera with three laps to go - but was held up by a backmarker.

That allowed Simoncelli the breathing room he needed to secure his fourth victory of the season and Dunlop's 200th.

Simoncelli, who began the race 26 points clear of Mika Kallio, will start the final three rounds of the championship 32 points in front of new nearest rival Bautista.

Kallio finished a lonely fifth on his factory KTM.

Rossi storms home in Indy

Eurosport - Sun, 14 Sep 22:28:00 2008

Italy's Valentino Rossi moved to within a point of an eighth world title when he won a rain-shortened Indianapolis MotoGP on Sunday.

Rossi was declared the winner after 20 laps when the race, the first at the legendary Brickyard since 1909, was red-flagged as heavy rain and galeforce winds, a legacy of Hurricane Ike, swept the circuit.

America's Nicky Hayden, on Honda, was second with Spain's Jorge Lorenzo, the teammate of Rossi, in third place.

It was world championship leader Rossi's seventh win of the season and fourth in a row.

It was also his 69th victory in the top category and with an 87-point lead over defending champion Casey Stoner of Australia and with just four races left, he can clinch the 2008 title by picking up just a point at Motegi in Japan in two weeks' time.

"These were the worst conditions of my career," said Rossi.

"It was a new track and a new surface. There was lots of water and even beer cans blowing across the track. The wind was not constant and was very strong.

"I was hoping for the red flag because it was getting dangerous."

San Marino GP - Rossi wins in San Marino

Eurosport - Sun, 31 Aug 18:34:00 2008

Seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi won the San Marino Grand Prix ahead of team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and Spaniard Toni Elias.

The victory allowed the Italian to equal compatriot Giacomo Agostini's record of 68 victories in the top Moto GP category.

Rossi, who was born just 10 kilometres away at Tavullia, revealed that Agostini had wished him well ahead of the race.

"These last few days I saw that Agostini was a little unhappy; today though I saw him smile; he came to greet me, wished me well and I won," said the Italian star.

The victory stretched the Yamaha rider's lead in the world championship standings to 75 points with just five races left.

Pole-sitter and reigning world champion Casey Stoner of Australia crashed out on lap six while leading, handing Rossi a clear run to victory.

"We have a 75-point lead which means that up to now we've been very strong, we've never let up, and more than everything we've kept our heads held high even during difficulties," said Rossi, who has finished runner-up in each of the last two seasons.

"This year I told myself that to beat Stoner we needed the best Valentino. I tried to bring him out. Although you're never sure to find him, I think I've found him and I'm happy."

Stoner remains second in the world championship race but just two points ahead of Spain's Dani Pedrosa after the Honda Repsol rider finished fourth.

The Australian had flown off the start line and built up a lead of three seconds by the end of the second lap.

Pedrosa had the quickest start and went from sixth to second within the first few corners, leaving Rossi frustrated in being unable to challenge Stoner from the start.

But the little Spaniard didn't have the pace to hold off Rossi, who was soon up to second and chasing down Stoner.

The Australian made life easy for his main rival, though, by skidding off the track all on his own.

"I got away well but Pedrosa overtook me and I lost a lot of time," said Rossi.

"Stoney was flying, then I got back up to my (starting) place, I saw him fall and then things went well for me."

Rossi then coasted to victory with Spaniard Lorenzo overtaking his countryman Pedrosa before the Honda rider was relegated to third amongst his kinsmen as Elias also sailed past.

In the 250cc race Spaniard Alvaro Bautista, a former world champion at 125cc, won ahead of Japan's Yuki Takahashi with compatriot Hector Barbera in third.

Italian Marco Simoncelli still leads the standings despite falling when in third place, before rising to finish sixth.

Reigning champion Gabor Talmacsi of Hungary led an Aprilia 1-2-3 finish in the 125cc race ahead of Britain's Bradley Smith and Italy's Simone Corsi.

Corsi stays second in the standings behind Frenchman Mike Di Meglio, who failed to finish.

125cc: Bradl takes maiden win

Eurosport - Sun, 17 Aug 12:05:00 2008

Germany's Stefan Bradl took his maiden 125cc victory in a thrilling race at Brno in the Czech Republic.

The 18-year-old Kiefer Racing Aprilia rider worked his way up from 13th on the grid to lead by the halfway point.

He gradually went clear, holding off championship leader Mike Di Meglio by nearly a second, although the Frenchman extended his points advantage over Simone Corsi to 44 points.

Joan Olive got the better of Gabor Talmasci - who was racing in front of an enthusiastic Hungarian contingent - to mount the bottom step of the podium.

Nicolas Terol collected a safe fifth, while Bradley Smith dropped to sixth position after leading on the opening lap.

Rossi romps as Stoner crashes out

Eurosport - Mon, 18 Aug 22:18:00 2008

Valentino Rossi tightened his grip on the MotoGP world championship lead, winning the Czech GP at Brno while Casey Stoner crashed out.
Reigning champion Stoner lost the front end of his Ducati while leading on lap seven of 22, sliding into the gravel.

Although he briefly rejoined the race the Australian retired the following lap as his bike was too badly damaged.

Rossi cruised to a dominant win, crossing the line over 15 seconds ahead of Alice Ducati's Toni Elias, with Rizla Suzuki veteran Loris Capirossi third.

The win leaves Rossi 50 points clear of Stoner - the equivalent of two race wins - with six rounds remaining, leaving the Italian odds-on to claim a sixth world championship in motorcycling's premier class.

"It's a great advantage [to have a 50-point lead]," Rossi said.

"[But with] six races with a driver like Stoner who demonstrates a fantastic speed everywhere and in every condition, it's not enough, but for sure better than 25."

"Yesterday was very difficult," said Elias, who captured the fourth podium of his career.

"[So] I started from the back, I passed many riders during the race and was finally in second and comfortable with my rhythm."

The Brno circuit heavily favoured the Bridgestone tyres used by each of the top eight, with Michelin riders a long way off the pace both in the race and Saturday's wet qualifying session.

Britain's James Toseland struggled all weekend - and was technically outside the qualifying time limit - and had to settle for 13th place, just ahead of Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards.

One-time championship leader Dani Pedrosa - another Michelin runner - claimed just a single point in 15th as he continues to be dogged by injury.

Rossi extends lead after dramatic US win

Eurosport - Mon, 21 Jul 15:05:00 2008

Italy's Valentino Rossi stretched his lead atop the MotoGP standings with a triumph in the US Grand Prix

The Yamaha rider, a seven-time world champion, emerged victorious after a fierce duel with reigning world champ Casey Stoner, who finished second aboard a Ducati, with Stoner's fellow Australian Chris Vermeulen third on a Suzuki.

Britain's James Toseland on his Tech 3 Yamaha finished ninth.
Stoner, winner on the challenging, hilly Laguna Seca layout last year, had dominated all of the free practice and qualifying this week, and had won the last three races from pole position to thrust himself into the title picture.

With the victory, however, Rossi took his total atop the standings to 212 points, 25 points in front of Stoner (187).

The two riders had separated themselves from the field when the deciding moment of the race occurred at the end of the 23rd of 32 laps.

As Rossi and Stoner prepared to enter the home straight, having battled at each corner, Stoner went wide into the gravel and his attempt to push himself back with his foot saw him fall. He resumed in second place, and couldn't catch his Italian rival, finishing 13 seconds adrift.

The runner-up finish did allow the 22-year-old to take over second place in the standings.

Spain's Dani Pedrosa, who was lying second overall coming into the race, withdrew before Saturday's qualifying after his practice runs showed his broken left wrist and injured ankle - suffered in a fall in the German Grand Prix - just wouldn't allow him to compete.

Rossi's victory brought an end to Stoner's storming run of victories at Britain, the Netherlands and Germany.

The Italian, whose seven world titles include five in the premier MotoGP category, added a first career win at Laguna Seca to titles in China, France and Italy already this season.

However, it was not all good news for Yamaha, with Rossi's team-mate Jorge Lorenzo thought to have broken a bone in his foot after coming off in dramatic crash in the first lap of the race.

Unusually, the US stop includes only the premier world championship category. The 125cc and 250cc series will resume alongside the MotoGP at the Czech Grand Prix in Brno on August 17.

Stoner continues top form in Dutch MotoGP

ASSEN, Netherlands (AFP) - Australian world champion Casey Stoner continued his excellent form on Saturday to win the Dutch motorcycling Grand Prix here ahead of Spaniard Dani Pedrosa and American Colin Edwards.

It is now two races out of two for the 22-year-old Ducati rider, after an imperious showing last weekend in the British GP at Donington.

"I was a bit nervous and tentative at the start but soon settled down. It's a pleasure to ride this bike and it's been really enjoyable," said Stoner, who clocked up his 20th career win.

The consecutive victories mean Stoner has bounced back into championship contention after a dismal first half of the season, which saw him go six races without a win.

The Australian, on pole, was never troubled after he made an electrifying breakaway, finishing over 11 seconds ahead of a field lead by Pedrosa, Edwards and 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden.

Stoner made up more points than was expected on championship leader Valentino Rossi, who crashed in the opening lap, but returned to finish the race in 11th place.

"I had no clue what happened, I noticed later on he (Rossi) was down the field and that there was some grass on the track which suggested there had been some sort of accident," said Stoner.
"I don't want anybody to crash so that I can win points that way, but I've had some bad luck too this year. The team have done a great job this weekend."

Pedrosa's second-placing and Rossi's bad luck now means the Spaniard assumes the lead in the championship standings on 171 points.

"It was important to finish in front, and second is a very good result. We had struggled a little, and in the race it was impossible to follow Casey," said the Spaniard, winner of the Catalunya GP.
"He was so fast, so I just tried my best to push. I am happy with this result, with returning to the podium and with the championship position."

Edwards, who started in the second row on his Yamaha, was on excellent form to claim third spot and his second podium of the championship.

"I had to almost stop when Rossi crashed, but somehow I have got on the podium," said the American.

Spain's Alvaro Bautista, riding an Aprilia, won the 250cc class race, finishing ahead of Swiss teammate Thomas Luthi and Italian Marco Simoncelli, on a Gilera.

Simoncelli's fifth successive podium finish means he closes the world championship gap between himself and Finnish leader Mika Kallio, who came home in seventh, almost 13sec off the pace.
In the 125cc, Hungary's reigning world champion Gabor Talmacsi, on an Aprilia, put in an excellent performance to win after starting on 13th on the grid.

That victory sees him gain three places in the overall standings, up to fourth on 93 points.
Frenchman Mike Di Meglio remains atop the standings on 141 points despite finishing seventh. Italy's Simone Corsi is just 16 points adrift of Di Meglio in second.

Stoner cruises as Toseland falls

Eurosport - Mon, 23 Jun 16:15:00 2008

Casey Stoner claimed a crushing victory in the British MotoGP at Donington Park while James Toseland suffered his fourth fall in two days.

Stoner, who started on pole for only the second time this season, crossed the line ahead of championship leader Valentino Rossi. The Italian's nearest rival, Dani Pedrosa of Spain, climbed from ninth on the grid to finish third.

The Australian, riding a Ducati, never looked in danger of surrendering his advantage and finished 5.789 seconds ahead of Rossi to take his first chequered flag since the season opener in Qatar.

Toseland, making his first MotoGP appearance on home soil, slid off the track on the first corner, losing control and making contact with John Hopkins' Kawasaki.

He remounted his Tech3 Yamaha, but trailed in a distant last place over a lap down and appeared to damage his right hand in the accident.

It completed a miserable weekend for the double World Superbike champion, who drew thousands of supporters to the East Midlands track.

Toseland fell three times on Saturday, twice during qualifying, and started just 16th on the grid.
Rossi extended his overall lead over Pedrosa to 11 points while Stoner moved ahead of Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo into third place, 45 points behind the four-times champion after eight races.

Earlier, Briton Scott Redding became the youngest Grand Prix race winner when he won the British 125cc race at the age of 15.

The rookie also recorded the first home win at the Donington Park circuit and ended his country's 451-race wait for a 125cc winner since Chas Mortimer won in Spain in 1973. Mike di Meglio of France retained the overall lead after finishing second.

Finland's Mika Kallio edged out Marco Simoncelli to win the 250cc section and stretch his championship lead over the Italian to eight points. Spain's Alex Debon finished third.

Youngster Redding wins for Britain

Eurosport - Mon, 23 Jun 13:01:00 2008

Fifteen-year-old Scott Redding became the first Briton since 1986 to win a MotoGP race on home tarmac, claiming a thrilling 125cc victory.

The Blusens Aprilia Junior rider, taking part in just his eighth race, brought Donington Park to its feet, leading the field home by a 5.3-second margin.
Redding spent most of the race in second place behind Italy's Andrea Iannone, but as the Briton closed in Iannone fell on Craner curves.

The last British rider to triumph in a Grand Prix race of any class was Ian McConnachie, who won the 80cc race at Silverstone 22 years ago.

Redding also becomes the youngest rider to win a race at 15 and 170 days, beating the previous record of 15 and 324 days set by Marco Melandri in 1998.

As he is under-age, Redding was not allowed to spray champagne on the podium - with Mike Di Meglio, 20, the only podium finisher old enough to be let loose with the bubbly.

"Unbelievable," said Redding, who was making his first appearance at Donington.

"It's my first podium and I get to stand on the top step. I don't know how it feels yet because it hasn't sunk in but I hope it's going to feel great."

Championship leader Di Meglio claimed a distant second place with Marc Marquez third for KTM.

Frenchman Di Meglio extends his points lead to 23 seconds over Simone Corsi, who finished fifth.
Mechanical trouble put paid to Stefan Bradl's hopes, although the German remains third in the title race.

Redding goes ninth in the overall standings, overtaking Bradley Smith who had to make do with a battling 10th place.

Britain's other 125cc regular Danny Webb failed to complete the first lap.