MotoGP: CZECH Grand Prix *SPOILERS*

[auto]

FP1 RESULTS

Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'56.595 294.599 
2 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'56.994 293.000 0.399
3 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'57.584 297.684 0.989
4 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'57.741 290.556 1.146
5 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'58.172 294.037 1.577
6 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'58.295 288.847 1.700
7 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'58.302 296.296 1.707
8 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'58.497 289.699 1.902
9 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'58.582 294.599 1.987
10 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1'58.739 292.682 2.144
11 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'58.764 290.556 2.169
12 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'58.821 291.183 2.226
13 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'59.041 290.010 2.446
14 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1'59.055 290.791 2.460
15 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 1'59.531 289.855 2.936
16 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1'59.979 292.365 3.384
17 84 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 2'00.423 292.762 3.828

Kallio enjoys first experience of factory bike


Seventh fastest on Friday in the Czech Republic was a good showing for Mika Kallio as he temporarily swapped his satellite Desmosedici GP9 for a factory version.


Standing in for the unavailable Casey Stoner in the Marlboro Ducati team for three races, due to the Australian’s ongoing illness, the opening day of the Cardion ab Czech Republic Grand Prix was a big occasion for Mika Kallio, but the steady Finn took it all in his stride as he lapped seventh best overall in FP1.

Summarising the day Kallio commented, “Actually everything went quite well. We finished in the top ten and that was really good for me, because throughout this year we have always had little problems on Fridays, but this time things went smoothly and I was seventh. It was important because I was nervous before I went out.”

Asked about how factory Desmosedici bike differs from his regular Pramac satellite Ducati the MotoGP rookie replied, “There does not seem to be any big difference and that is why it was quite easy for me to jump into Casey’s seat. Maybe there are some small things but nothing big and it was ok. I like the team and I knew them before so there was no problem there. Now I have three races to see what we can do and I need to show my talent for sure.”

On whether there were big changes to make ahead of Saturday and whether he had enjoyed his first day on the factory bike, Kallio stated, “We had some small problems, mainly with left hand side grip so we need to find some solutions for this. Of course I was scared for the first few laps but I liked it and now I just need to concentrate.”

[Eno the Wonderdog]

What? This weekend? Where? WOOHOO!!

[Everso Biggyballies]

What? This weekend? Where? WOOHOO!!

I guess it will be at Brno, or the modern configuration.  Still a fine track, but nothing like the mighty Brno of old, which I was fortunate to visit in my days of ETCC spannering.

[Eno the Wonderdog]

I'm a fan of every word with no vowels.. until you are suprised you forgot one.

Brn.. OH!

[the chad]

mother  if Lorenzo drops that Yamaha once more im gonna flip out!!!

that was shaping up to be a great race, and so was the championship... and my dreamteam  hahaha dammit!

[Everso Biggyballies]

mother  if Lorenzo drops that Yamaha once more im gonna flip out!!!

Yep I think the last couple of races have done nothing for Lorenzo's stock, and heaps for Val's.  Any thoughts of a challenge Jorge may have thought he had have gone off in airbags the last couple of rounds.

Jorge is back to being a good #2 in my eyes, at Yamaha anyway.  A #1 anywhere else perhaps, but not on the same page as Rossi.

[Mothers Worry]

Yes, a massive disappointment. Here's the stats:

Rossi dominates after Lorenzo falls

From autosport.com:

Rossi dominates after Lorenzo falls

Sunday, August 16th 2009, 12:47 GMT

Valentino Rossi dealt a massive psychological blow to Yamaha team-mate and world championship rival Jorge Lorenzo with an emphatic fifth win of the season at Brno.

The world champion cruised to victory in the Czech MotoGP after Lorenzo fell from the lead as the two battled at the front on lap 18.

As they did at Barcelona and the Sachsenring, the two Yamaha riders were separated by less than a second for the entire race as they battled for supremacy, swapping lap record times as they swiftly dropped early leader Dani Pedrosa in their wake.

Once Lorenzo had dispensed with Pedrosa's Honda on lap four, he began to pursue Rossi as the pair disappeared down the road.

The blue and white bikes then ran in formation for the next ten laps, before Lorenzo mounted a concerted charge. On lap 16 the Spaniard broke the lap record again - 1m56.670 - and then dived down the inside of Rossi into Turn 3.

Rossi capitulated, but begrudgingly and stuck firmly in Lorenzo's tow. Enough indeed to replicate the manouvre on the following lap.

And that's when Lorenzo fell.

The front-end gave way on the Spaniard's bike and he simply slid off into the gravel, infuriated and defeated.

From that point on Rossi was home and dry - with a 50 point lead and six races to go.

Behind them Pedrosa ran a lonely race, which became a valuable second place when his bitter rival Lorenzo fell.

Gresini Honda's Toni Elias produced his usual Brno performance with a stunning third place after a fairing-to-fairing dice with Donington winner Andrea Dovizioso.

The two Honda riders swapped positions as if they were racing 125s, and the result was not settled until the final corner. Loris Capirossi was in close pursuit too on the Suzuki.

Nicky Hayden recorded probably his best performance of the season, if not his best result (which was fifth at Laguna Seca), less than 26s behind the winner in sixth place on the Ducati. The American passed his countryman Colin Edwards (Tech 3 Yamaha) on lap 17 and after that he had a clear run home.

Gresini Honda's Alex de Angelis was eighth and James Toseland (Tech 3) ninth having inherited the position on the penultimate lap when Marco Melandri and Mika Kallio made contact on the last corner.

Melandri (Hayate Kawasaki) appeared to take a shot up the inside of the Ducati rider, who was on a different, and faster, trajectory. The riders came to blows off the bikes too.

Randy de Puniet finished tenth for LCR ahead of Chris Vermeulen on the second Suzuki.

Pos  Rider             Bike               Time/Gap
 1.  Valentino Rossi   Yamaha           43m08.991s
 2.  Dani Pedrosa      Honda             + 11.766s
 3.  Toni Elias        Gresini Honda     + 20.756s
 4.  Andrea Dovizioso  Honda             + 21.418s
 5.  Loris Capirossi   Suzuki            + 21.538s
 6.  Nicky Hayden      Ducati            + 25.544s
 7.  Colin Edwards     Tech 3 Yamaha     + 25.676s
 8.  Alex de Angelis   Gresini Honda     + 34.109s
 9.  James Toseland    Tech 3 Yamaha     + 35.617s
10.  Randy de Puniet   LCR Honda         + 39.824s
11.  Chris Vermeulen   Suzuki            + 40.776s
12.  Niccolo Canepa    Pramac Ducati     + 50.661s
13.  Gabor Talmacsi    Scot Honda        + 59.188s

Retirements:

     Mika Kallio       Ducati           20 laps
     Marco Melandri    Hayate Kawasaki  20 laps
     Jorge Lorenzo     Yamaha           17 laps
     Michel Fabrizio   Pramac Ducati    5 laps

............. and when you get a few DNF's like this the field looks awfully thin.

[auto]

I wish I could meet the guy who took Kallio out 

Melandri it is time to retire

/bias

[Everso Biggyballies]

I have always thought of Melandri as some sort of Rock Ape, and his sudden baulking mid turn didnt exactly leave Kallio with any avoidance options.  Very much like a JPM braketest.....

Melandri puts the occassional good rides together but he has some alarming lapses in talent and this was one of those.  I was looking for Kallio to bring home a good result.  Fortunately for him he had had in the circumstances a pretty good weekend and I think the downside is the loss of points with no loss of credibility.

The Rock Ape on the other hand.....

[nayr37]

wow didnt ducati miss Casey. They were no where this weekend.