MotoGP – Big Italian party this weekend! –

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Big Italian party this weekend !

MotoGP - Big Italian party this weekend! -

Sunday at Mugello will be contested for the Italian GP, ​​one of the most anticipated events of the championship: key players in the motorcycle Grand Prix, the Italians (riders, teams and manufacturers) will seek to shine on the superb Tuscan circuit. Mamma mia !

Italy is hosting the Intercontinental Circus this weekend in one of its most beautiful regions: Tuscany. Nestled in one of its many valleys, the Mugello circuit offers MotoGP riders a fabulous playground (read)…

"The Mugello is a magnificent circuit, with a lot of level changes that give it its character, both from a driving and tire point of view.", recalls Jean-Philippe Weber, head of motorcycle racing at Michelin..

A little more restrictive on the tires than the Bugatti circuit at Le Mans with its particularly deformed surface, the Mugello is above all very demanding on the engines … and the pilots. !

"The coating is quite old and bumpy, so riders try to find smoother trajectories when cornering. It is difficult for us to help them on this precise point, because if we had to develop softer casings to absorb the bumps, this would cause too much movement of the tire.", underlines Jean-Philippe Weber.

"Engine power is the other key factor at Mugello as the straight is one of the longest in MotoGP", continues the manager of the French manufacturer, undefeated on this Italian track for … fifteen years !

However, among these fifteen victories, twelve go to only two drivers: Mick Doohan (from 1993 to 1998) and Valentino Rossi (from 2002 to 2007). But this year, the invincible Italian rides on Bridgestone tires … So will Rossi win a 7th straight victory? Or will Michelin climb to the top of the podium for the 16th consecutive time? ?

100% Made in Italy !

Unless Marco Melandri comes to shake up the two "favorites" of this GP to make Italy triumph: an Italian rider on an Italian motorcycle within an Italian team winning the Italian Grand Prix … We must admit that it would be remarkable !

All the more remarkable since poor Marco and his GP8 are only emerging for the moment in 13th place in the provisional classification … "It’s a circuit that the technicians know well and on which I hope to have the chance to have a good race", simply declares the n ° 33 of the official Ducati Marlboro team..

Fifth in the Chinese GP, we hoped for a return of the Herisson de Ravenne at its highest level, but his Ducati decided otherwise at the next GP in France, the GP8 stalling at the start (read and)…

"I would really like to do something good in front of my fans", insists Melandri who has never been on" his "Italian podium since his arrival in MotoGP in 2003. The previous year, he had won the event in 250cc on an Italian motorcycle (Aprilia). Forza Italia !

66% Pure Italy

The transalpine public will also be behind Andrea Dovizioso, fresh off the "two and a half" and already 8th in the championship! The young recruit is racing this year for the Italian-Japanese team Jir Scot Honda, which adds to his motivation … and to his nervousness. !

"It is difficult for me to describe my emotions on the eve of my national Grand Prix", admits n ° 4:"they start to rise when you arrive on the circuit and do not calm down until you cross the finish line !"

A long – not quite – straight line that only led him to the podium once in seven participations: it was in 2006 on his Honda 250 (read). The young Italian took third place in Takahashi (for 14 thousandths!), Thus joining Lorenzo on the podium – winner, of course! – and a certain Alex de Angelis…

Also new in the premier class, Alex de Angelis is a member of the private Italian Honda Gresini team. The San Marino rider already has three Italian podiums in the 250, but knows that this year in MotoGP, "unless there is a big surprise, it will be impossible to do the same".

Realistic therefore, but not pessimistic for all that, since during the post-GP tests at Le Mans, the n ° 15 and its satellite RCV fitted with Bridgestone managed to fit into Dani Pedrosa’s wheel on his factory RCV fitted with rubber. Michelin … And this for ten laps, "without too much difficulty", specifies Alex !

"This is proof that we have progressed", firmly believes the rookie, who, unlike his three comrades Lorenzo, Dovizioso and Toseland, is slow to sign a result in the top 10…

"Even though my real "home race" will be in Misano, I know my fans are planning to join me at Mugello and I am sure their presence will give me a little extra motivation to deliver my maximum", he concludes.

The Italian public will inevitably welcome Casey Stoner and his Ducati adorned with the "Numero Uno" plaque! The Australian will also have as his first supporter Gabriele del Torchio, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, who underlines how courageous his drivers were during the last GP.

"We will support our riders and demonstrate that the spirit that reigns at Ducati remains the same: combative, never giving up despite adversity", sums up the" very "big Italian boss. A stubbornness that Gabriele del Torchio found in his two drivers during the last GP:"Casey who pushed his motorcycle into the pits to regain the race and Marco, who refused to throw in the towel after his problem at the start and managed to score a point".

So many respectable attitudes, of course, but that the main stakeholders would not wish to have to reproduce, especially this weekend, a few kilometers from the Ducati factories. !

Because even if he considers that apart from his technical boredom in the race, his French weekend was "satisfactory", Stoner let slip many points … At least 16, since the reigning world champion thought he could finish on the final podium !

His counter stuck at 56 points, Casey is now 38 points behind Pedrosa and Lorenzo and 41 over Rossi … Last year at the same time, it was he who dominated Rossi by 21 points. But Casey having finished the season with 125 points ahead of his dolphin Dani and 126 over Vale, anything is possible !

The Ducati satellites of the Italian team D’Antin – sponsored by Alice, the internet service provider of Telecom Italia – will also be closely watched. Indeed, we remember that last year, veteran Alex Barros got his last Grand Prix podium at the handlebars of his GP7 Antin..

Of course, to hope that Sylvain Guintoli will sign his first podium on the same track with the "same" equipment a year later is utopian. The Frenchie n ° 50, who rode last year on the Tech3 team’s Yamaha Dunlop, must first adopt his driving with his new mount and new tires…

"Adaptation to the motorcycle is really difficult and it is not versatile. There is only one riding style that allows you to go fast with it and that’s what I have to learn "Sylvain told us two weeks ago at Le Mans (read).

On the other side of the box, Toni Elias will try to re-enter the top 10 he had reached in China (8th), but at the gates of which he had failed in France (11th) … "I’m not happy with the start of the season. I am doing everything I can to improve myself and hope to get better results soon", assures n ° 24.

Sixth in the race in 2007 on his Honda Gresini, Toni is a driver whose results have often been mixed … What if the Mugello GP, which takes place just a week before the Catalan GP, ​​was the start of a beautiful period for the Spanish star ?

One third Italian

Naturally, the big favorite of this event remains Valentino Rossi: winner of the last two Grand Prix (Shanghai and Le Mans), the Italian star has also captured "his" last six GP contested at Mugello !

"I now want to go to seven !", logically exclaims the famous n ° 46."It’s my home race and it is for many of our team as well, so running here is always very special.", continues Vale.

Championship leader – it hadn’t happened to him for over a year! -, the Doctor certainly reserves a special helmet decoration for his fans. But above all, he hopes "that the weather will be good – for us and for the fans – and that we will be able to have a big Italian party !".

His compatriot Loris Capirossi is also looking forward to the Mugello event: "I am really looking forward to driving a Suzuki in Italy, it will be a great moment for me and I know the fans will be many", ignites the old man.

Winner of an incredible 2000 edition of "his" Italian GP, ​​Loris finished second in 2001, 2003 and 2006. This year, the n ° 65 of the Rizla Suzuki team did not come out of the top 10 and is in 6th place of the general classification.

"I love Mugello and hope I can make some good progress there to give Italians and Suzuki fans something to celebrate", launches Capirex. At his side, there is no doubt that Chris Vermeulen will try to imitate him:"I’m sure having Loris on the team will be of great help", declared the Australian, author of a solid race at Le Mans (5th).

At the controls of his Honda aligned by the charismatic Lucio Cecchinello, Randy de Puniet will try not to repeat his blunder of last year: he lost the front in the double right Arrabiata as he went back up in the peloton…

Fortunately, the French had made up for it perfectly in the following two GPs, finishing 5th and 6th! So let’s hope that this year, the good results will "fall" from the Italian GP. With six Grand Prix to go in eight weeks, now is not the time to give up, on the contrary !

Shinya Nakano is also a member of an Italian team, that of Fausto Gresini: "it’s the home race of the whole team, so it is a bit for me too", notes the sympathetic n ° 56. His work with Bridgestone the day after the GP of France would have enabled him to return his RCV"more manageable".

Tenth in the last three Grand Prix (Portugal, China and France), Nakano says he is now aiming for the top 6. An ambitious goal he reached at Mugello in 2003 riding his Yamaha d’Antin…

Sponsored by the Italian giant Fiat, the official Yamaha team is counting on Rossi to shine on Sunday, but also on Lorenzo, who never ceases to impress! Injured to both ankles and forced to move around on a crutch in the paddocks, the Spaniard found a way to win over all his opponents – except Rossi, of course – in his last race !

"Obviously, I will not be given 100% for the Mugello, but with each passing race I can afford to put more pressure on my footrests.", warns the incredible rookie who cannot get over his 100th Grand Prix start on Sunday…

"Everything happened very quickly and if I ever reach the 200, I hope it will pass just as quickly: it will mean that I will have had as much fun as now, as much as the fans too I hope !", summarizes n ° 48.

Author of the same start to the season as Lorenzo (a victory, two second places, a third and a fourth), Dani Pedrosa will also be a serious contender for the podium, even for victory. Last year Dani stayed in Rossi’s asp, even overtaking him several times at the end of the straight. But the Italian was intractable … What will happen this year ?

"This circuit is one of the most complicated of the year. It’s very fast so to be fast, you have to concentrate 100% everywhere and take a lot of risks.", describes the Spanish Asimo who also hopes that the track is resurfaced."It would be time", Dani remark !

Official HRC driver too, Nicky Hayden will try to get back on the podium (he had done so in 2006, the year of his coronation). After all, for three years, a Repsol rider has shared the podium with a Ducati rider and Valentino Rossi !

However, Dani and Nicky could well be stung by a third thief: Tadayuki Okada! Indeed, the Japanese pilot – Repsol pilot from 1996 to 2000 – will join the 18 pilots of the Intercontinental Circus this weekend on the handlebars a version of the eagerly awaited RCV: the "tire" !

No special compounds or extraordinary wheels for this RCV, but the adoption of a distribution like what the competition uses today – except Ducati and its desmodromic system -: the pneumatic valve recall !

"The long straight line should be fine for my machine", already announces the Japanese driver of 41 years who remembers having finished on the podium in 1999, but also to have broken the wrist the previous year while competing with Doohan for the head of the race, just that !

Okada’s results in the Grand Prix – but also in practice, because top speeds will have to be watched! – will depend on the more or less rapid adoption of the pneumatic device on Honda n ° 26 and 69 … The whole weekend is therefore expected to be exciting !

At Kawasaki too, we are trying to improve engine performance. "To be honest, last week in testing, Olivier Jacque managed for the first time to ride faster with the screamer motorcycle than with the one currently used in racing. !", recently confided to us Michael Bartholemy, head of competition for the Greens (read).

No question, however, to see such a ZX-RR line up before 2009, suggested Bartholemy. John Hopkins – who celebrated his 25th birthday last week – and Anthony West – who moved to Belgium to train with Bartholemy – will therefore ride their "usual" Ninjas..

Finally, French, Texan and English (tele-) spectators will support the Tech3 team and its two pilots, Colin Edwards and James Toseland. Subscribed to the 9th (2003 and 2005) and 12th places (2004, 2006 and 2007), Colin Edwards will have a harder time getting on the podium than at Le Mans, a track that definitely suits him very well. !

See you on Monday to relive the MotoGP race turn by turn … but also those of the 125 and 250 !

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