SUPERBIKE · MOTOCROSS ·
TOURING · CLASSICS · CRUISERS · SUPERMOTO
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Posted by Staff
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Monday, 05 May 2008 |
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Valentino Rossi ended his seven-race winless streak with
a vintage display in the Pramac Grand Prix of China, repeating his 2005 triumph
at the Shanghai International Circuit to take his first victory since the Portuguese race last
September. He battled with new MotoGP World Championship leader Dani Pedrosa for
the majority of the race.
Starting from second on the grid, Rossi was
involved in an inseparable front group for the opening laps. Eager to avoid a
breakaway from Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa, the five-time MotoGP World Champion
matched his Spanish rival lap-for-lap before finally sticking a move on him the
ninth time around the track. After assuming control, he upped the pace to take
his first victory with Bridgestone tyres, setting a new circuit record of
1´59.273 on his 18th lap.
Rossi lies just nine points behind Pedrosa in
the standings after becoming the fourth winner in as many races in 2008. Pedrosa
tried hard to assume the early advantage, but eventually finished second to
continue as the only rider to have placed on the podium at every race so
far.
Returning to the rostrum after two races away, 2007 World Champion
Casey Stoner completed the top three comprised of each of the previous Shanghai
winners. Last year´s victor was unable to play a part in the battle for the win,
but now finds himself in a much healthier position in the championship despite
not being completely satisfied with the final outcome.
In a result as
miraculous as it was mercurial, Jorge Lorenzo took fourth place with a late
surge back up the field, playing through the pain of a fractured ankle and other
assorted injuries on the occasion of his 21st birthday. Off the podium for the
first time this season, the Spaniard nonetheless received a hero´s welcome on
his return to the Fiat Yamaha garage. He is now second in the overall standings,
seven points behind arch rival Pedrosa.
Marco Melandri had his best
result since joining Ducati, in fifth place ahead of 2006 World Champion Nicky
Hayden. A tightly bunched group of Tech 3 Yamaha poleman Colin Edwards, Alice
Team´s Toni Elias, Suzuki veteran Loris Capirossi and San Carlo Gresini Honda
rider Shinya Nakano could have seen any number of combinations to complete the
top ten, whilst the only retiree from the race was Chris Vermeulen on the second
Rizla Suzuki GSV-R.
Valentino Rossi – Race Winner
"I´m very,
very happy, as it´s been a long time without victory. This was a difficult
period; we changed tyres and we had to work very hard. I knew that we had good
potential and we felt good from Friday. This is the first time that I was able
to ride at a good pace after 15 laps.
"This morning I was upset when I
saw rain, but when I saw it may be possible to ride in the dry I thought that I
could win. I really had to push to beat Dani; it was a great victory for
us."
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Mika Kallio continued his fantastic run of
podium finishes with victory in the 250cc Pramac Grand Prix of China, extending
his lead in the World Championship.
The Finn headed a Red Bull KTM
one-two from teammate Hiroshi Aoyama as he took the Austrian factory´s first win
at the Shanghai International Circuit, the duo starting from the front and third
rows respectively on the grid.
As in the 125cc race, the poleman took an
early bow to leave the field wide open. Portugal race winner Alvaro Bautista had
a high speed lowside on the eighth lap, whilst fellow front row starter Julian
Simon was forced into retirement after losing control of his Repsol KTM machine
on lap five.
In third place, Mattia Pasini braved a temperamental wet
tyre when the track dried, bouncing back from the disappointment of two crashes
in Estoril. The Polaris World rider came out on top in a battle between himself
and Marco Simoncelli, and benefitted from a last lap pair of run-offs from Yuki
Takahashi when the Japanese rider seemed assured of a rostrum finish. Coupled
with the surprise podium taken on the last lap in Jerez, the unluckiest rider of
2007 appears to have shaken off his demons upon arrival in the 250cc
category.
Behind Pasini and Simoncelli, another battle raged on between
persistent rivals Lotus Aprilia´s Alex Debon and Team Toth´s Hector Barbera.
Despite crashing in the incident with Simon, Debon was able to get back up and
edge out his fellow Spaniard.
The heartbroken Takahashi finished seventh
onboard the JiR Team Scot Honda, whilst there were great results for Ratthapark
Wilairot, Aleix Espargaro and Hector Faubel. Poleman Bautista eventually came in
twelve for a valuable addition to his points total.
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Andrea Iannone was the
surprise winner of the 125cc Pramac Grand Prix of China, shining in the wet
conditions that had hit the Shanghai International Circuit overnight. The I.C.
team rider kept his cool for his first ever World Championship victory, having
started from fifth place on the grid.
The Italian had faced early
challenges from poleman Bradley Smith and 2007 World Champion Gabor Talmacsi,
until the former crashed out on the seventh lap and the latter dropped his pace
at the midway point. From then on, it was a matter of holding his nerve for a
memorable win, which he eventually took by over three seconds and celebrated
with a huge wheelie down the home straight.
Wet weather expert Mike di
Meglio took his first podium of the year from the front row, getting the better
of Talmacsi as the rostrum places were decided. Too far behind the battling duo
to make a top three challenge, yet in no danger of being caught, Belson Derbi
rider Pol Espargaro took a comfortable fourth place.
Stefan Bradl and
Joan Olive completed the top six, with Olive holding off a late push from
Michael Ranseder as the Australian clocked the fastest lap of the race. Nico
Terol, Raffaele de Rosa and Efren Vazquez were the final riders in the top
ten.
There were numerous crashes in the first race of the day, with Danny
Webb, Sandro Cortese and Scott Redding amongst those joining World Championship
leader Simone Corsi in hitting the asphalt. Corsi still has the advantage
despite not having been able to finish the Chinese race.
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