Round 5: Alice Grand Prix of France

At this point I do have a request for the goddess Fortuna: spin that wheel because we want Rossi to be able to finish a race. After being t-boned by Elias in Jerez and withdrawing from the race because a faulty front Michelin tire in China, last Sunday in Le Mans Valentino ended his race because of the engine of his Yamaha at only 8 laps to the end when he had almost 4 sec on the second rider, Danny Pedrosa. Since the free practice on Friday, Rossi seemed optimistic about the race because of the new frame built to eliminate the chattering of his bike. On Saturday he qualified only 7th but he was very consistent during the hour, as he seemed to work more on the set up than the actual grid: regardless, the first row with Pedrosa, Nakano and Hopkins was not at his reach.
On race day the show was on: the TV was focusing on Hopkins and Pedrosa flying ahead of the rest of the group when Valentino appears on the “on board camera” mounted on Pedrosa’s bike. My impression was that Valentino had overshot the turn trying to pass the Spaniard, but right afterward the surprise effect was doubled when Rossi effortlessly passed Hopkins during the 4th lap. From that point on Valentino left the group in the dust until his engine stopped working at the 20th lap. Pedrosa potential victory didn’t last much: he had chosen soft front – soft rear claiming his concern for the wind and the low temperature in a track with long straights. My feeling is that Danny technically is still with a foot in the 250cc world and is still learning how to manage a lot of hp in poor gri conditions. In any case, Pedrosa in the last 5 laps was passed at beginning by Melandri and then, right at the last few corners, by the aggressive Capirossi.
Interesting to notice is that in Le Mans, for the first time in the last 8 races (2005/2006) Hayden didn’t make the podium. One thing is certain: if Valentino misfortune will end, he is not going to give away the first place on the podium to anybody so the rest of the contenders will race only for the other “two steps”.

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