MotoGP – The tribulations of a GP in China –

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The tribulations of a GP in China

MotoGP - The tribulations of a GP in China -

A heavy suspense hangs over the third GP, linked both to the total lack of track record for the Shanghai circuit and to a not so easy start to the season for the favorites … Tour of the paddock, between tigers and dragons.

The Intercontinental Circus is getting ready to put its wheels on hitherto unexplored ground: the new track in Shanghai, which already hosted F1 in 2004 but never a fight on two wheels… This is to say if the suspense is intense! Before discovering the stakes, a quick look back on Alex Barros’ victory at Estoril.

As we anticipated last week, Alex Barros (Camel Honda), stage local this year in Portugal, did everything to shine in front of his home crowd (read). However, very few fans would have bet even a beer on the veteran of the premier category! But after leading the three free practice sessions, the qualifying session and the Sunday morning warm-up, the Brazilian wins the race, setting the fastest lap … !

A feeling of dejà vu

The feeling of dejà vu will have struck fans of the category: at the end of the 2002 season, Honda made two RCVs available for their satellite teams. The first went naturally to Daijiro Kato at Gresini, the Japanese manufacturer wishing to see him become the first Japanese world champion in the category in the short term. The second was awarded to the Sito Pons Team (Camel Honda, Team Pons at the time), more precisely to their 2nd rider Alex Barros. Indeed, his teammate Loris Capirossi having already signed with Ducati, he was deprived of 4-stroke. Alex then won the Malaysian GP on the machine he was discovering for the first time and doubled the stake in Valence … Two victories over the last four GPs, the public was delighted to see a driver capable of holding the ball high at a Doctor who until then was literally suffocating. The Honda leaders could not but congratulate themselves on this operation, as they could show that their bike was indeed the queen of MotoGP, Rossi being its faithful subject. As for Biaggi, this allowed him to put into perspective the exploits of his best enemy and confirmed his desire to leave Yamaha for Honda within the Team … Pons !

But now is history: we are in 2005 and Alex Barros, who had not won a GP for two seasons, finds himself catapulted to second place in the 7-point Championship from Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha )…

The reigning world champion has a lot to do. He gave 100% to overtake Sete Gibernau (Movistar Honda) on the wire in Jerez and had to perform a sacred balancing act in Estoril to finish second (partly thanks to the fall of the same Catalan then in the lead) . The M1 is a level below the RRS, that’s okay to say. If in pure performance the Yam does not come very far, it has the reputation on the other hand of being more difficult to adjust because it is more sensitive to changes in tracks as well as to weather conditions. The Italian prodigy is however confident: "I think the circuit will be very good because it looks wide, fast and technical". His team-mate Colin Edwards confirms this opinion and gives us some clues:"I looked at the track and it looks a lot like modern F1 circuits".

An F1-style layout

Shanghai is not the only F1-style track in the championship. The Sepang circuit in Malaysia is very much in line with this new type of track with its long straights and fast series of turns. Rossi has won three races there and finished second in the past four years: a record that gives him confidence !

Colin is also quite confident and has his reasons: "I am not worried because I have indeed often been led to discover new avenues in recent years. If we refer to Qatar last year, I learn fast and I like a challenge, I think Shanghai can be fine for us". Indeed, on a track also unknown to all, the Texan tornado had managed to come in second. But it was on a Honda…

Honda arrives in China … Apart from the presence in this territory with a juicy because gigantic market (read and), opening up to a little-known motorcycle civilization, the discovery of a new culture … China is above all an opportunity more to unleash his pack of Honda on Rossi the Fox !

On the Movistar side, it is still difficult to digest the last corner in Jerez and the fall of Gibernau in Portugal distracts them even more. Yet this fall was largely preventable.

Radio link

At a time when engineers are racking their brains to snatch a few more horses from the beautiful mechanics, only Team KR has experimented with a system that is a priori gadget but clever: the radio link. Sure that if Gresini could have slipped a little word in Gibernau’s ear ("despacio, hombre !", for example …), given the wet state of the turn at the end of the straight line, the Spaniard would not have stupidly lost the front, as well as the lead of the race and his 25 points…

Sete, then first with eleven seconds ahead of third Rossi, delivers the technique used by all of the best motorcycle racers in the world: "it was a very tough race and it was important to observe the flags of the marshals of race, because it was my only mark as for the quantity of water on the track. Where the white flags were waved I slowed down, and in the places where there was none I accelerated the pace ". Simple but hopelessly archaic. Finally, let’s hope that these lost points will not be the only judges of the title race in October….

Team Repsol is also struggling to get into the bath. If in Estoril, Max Biaggi was able to take advantage of the rain and the new regulations, his fans cannot be reassured.

"Let me tell you that Max Biaggi has always been there"

Especially since the words of the Roman Emperor towards Honda are somewhat remonstrating: "someone said today that Max Biaggi is back. Let me tell you: Max Biaggi has always been there, but today we also had a really good bike !"So the fault of the HRC for which"the potential is much greater than that"according to him. The Italian was forced to ride on his mule while his No.1 motorcycle (with which he has a"best feeling") was the victim of a technical problem. The electronics have once again taken their toll on his favorite bike while the other RCVs are running perfectly … Could Honda’s plot be in motion? Max to silence these (or his?) brilliant fuss for his 200th Grand Prix start !

Nicky Hayden on the other hand can only blame himself for his fall … If the Kentucky Kid impressed in Portugal, he still has to learn to moderate himself on slippery roads. But what health! In American Superbike, Nicky used one set of rear brake pads per race. But this excessive consumption is worth it: what a treat to see the cowboy shift his rear wheel, leaving behind a trail of several meters! Aesthetic !

"I know the track thanks to a very realistic video game"

The Sito Pons team is obviously delighted with Barros’ victory and hopes to see the Brazilian perform well as in late 2002. Especially since Alex has been training on this site for a long time: "I know the track thanks to a very realistic video game and it seems to me rather technical and varied". Troy Bayliss improvises more:"With Santi (Mulero, his chief engineer, Editor’s note), we took a look at the layout and I know that at the end of the pit straight there is a right turn … and that’s it !He relies, like Colin Edwards, on his habit of discovering new circuits and being faster than the others to record the new circuit: a great card to play for the Australian !

As the track is new, Michelin’s advantage over the manufacturer Bridgestone in terms of experience is tending to diminish. Should we expect a stroke of brilliance from the Ducati, Kawasaki or Suzuki who mount these compounds? The future will tell !

Because we always expect better from Ducati whose performance during the last GP was penalized by a new clutch system not developed at all. But already Carlos Checa, particularly impressive during the tests in Portugal and having obtained the fifth place in the race, attests to the better health of the Italian firm. Loris Capirossi will finally be able to fight 100% with a perfectly restored left ankle and an increasingly competitive bike: "We are making lots of very useful progress on the suspensions, engine mapping and tires. I think we’ll fight at the forefront again soon."

Shinya Nakano (Team Kawasaki) wants to stay in the top 6 of the world ranking in front of an Asian audience no doubt won over to his cause, especially as Japan is two hours away by plane…

"Like a hair on the soup !"

Our national OJ replaces Alex Hofmann, still injured in the wrist (read)! French, who has the feeling of being a little "like a hair on the soup", becomes the first Grand Prix rider to have raced with three different Japanese 4-stroke engines: the Yamaha of course, but also the Honda V5 (yes yes, on the Moriwaki, read) and now the Kawasaki. is not the only one to make his return to MotoGP.

The disappointment is great among the supporters of Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda). The Japanese, injured in his right hand during the Estoril qualifying session, will not participate in the Chinese GP. The medical assessment is final: scaphoid fracture which requires a surgical operation which took place yesterday in Tokyo. The recovery period may last two to three weeks, which makes his participation in the GP of France uncertain! It is therefore Jurgen van den Goorbergh who takes the opportunity to resume service in the premier category. Engaged in Mondial Supersport for three years, he is racing this year in a Ducati overtaken by the competition. But on the strength of his experience in the 500 (from 1997 to 2002) – and good results at Yamaha in Supersport 2003 and 2004, he will try not to disappoint the first employer on the field. With an RCV and Michelin tires, there is plenty to do !

The WCM and D’Antin Teams risk once again making up the figure. But by finishing the race, given the number of competitors at the start and the crashes, they can still score some points.

Finally, Team KR has decided not to participate in the Chinese GP. They thus save large travel expenses and wish to take advantage of this free time to devote themselves fully to the development of the new KTM engine and many new parts on the Jerez circuit and to prepare for the French GP..

Good GP everyone and see you on Monday for the Moto-Net lap by lap with J. Arsouille !

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