Who was the most spectacular rider in 2007

With Jerez the 2007 MotoGp season is officially ended. Now everybody will be able to relax, re-charge batteries, take care of shoulders and legs and gain a couple of pounds during the holidays. Before changing page, I would like to run a poll similar to the last one because I am looking to discover our emotional side.

Who was the most spectacular and fun-to-watch rider in 2007? It doesn’t matter how he ended up the Championship or if he has ever stepped on the podium because he is the man whom we still remember about.

MotoGp Poll: Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana

The championship has already been assigned to Stoner, the true revelation of the season but, last year, we had the fingers crossed until the last race with Rossi and Hayden fighting head to head, single point to single point until the end, until Valencia where the Doctor low-sided serving the championship to Hayden on a silver plate. That race was majestically won by Bayliss in front a strong Capirossi, someone who was supposed to guarantee the results for the Ducati Team in 2007 while letting the young Stoner to acclimate himself to the rude Italian horse. Well, all of us know how things have gone …
Sunday race doesn’t have any particular importance if not for the racing numbers well listed by Motogp.com. Among the different records, I would point out that another win by the Aussie, the eleventh one, it would elevate him at the level of Rossi and Agostini, and right behind Mick Doohan’s 12 victories.
Have said that let’s pick the second rider on the podium out of the first seven in the MotoGp World Championship! My pick is Stoner behind Rossi: I hope for an epical battle between the Italian and the Aussie and not their tires or bikes, just the two men.

MotoGp Poll: A-Style Grand Prix of Japan

Second place to? After Estoril and the resurgence of Rossi, Pedrosa and Hayden along with their much improved bikes, I don't really know! Today Rossi has openly admitted that the recent victory has improved the his team morale and he is planning to fight until the end of the championship: there are 100 points left with Stoner leading with a 76 points difference over Valentino. Last year Rossi was able to keep the cold mathematic at bay until the last race. The M1 got faster and Michelin tires are equal if not better than Bridgestone, as long as it doesn't rain. The goddess Fortune is always represented with a wheel to remind everybody that luck comes and go and it is about time for the Italian champ to enjoy a bit of luck after going up-hill for almost two years.
Now the statistics are totally against the Fiat Yamaha team with Bridgestone winning the race in the last three seasons. Also we shouldn't forget that last year Capirossi and his Ducati won the Motegi race with a 5 seconds gap on Rossi while the new phenomenon Stoner had crashed out. I am looking at last year classification with Melandri in third and I get even more confused .....
Ok, I made my mind and I pick Pedrosa again behind Rossi but do not ask me the third rider because in my heart I would like the show to go on until the last event

MotoGp Poll: Gp Cinzano di S. Marino e Riviera di Rimini

Melandri was the fastest under the rain in the first day of practice in the new Misano circuit. I have been there once, many years ago when Randy Mamola used to race in 500cc for Cagiva, the Castiglioni brothers' creature. The race was stopped for rain conditions and with some discussion among riders I recall that it was won by Frank Chili (not every body raced afterwards). Also about Mamola I believe that year the American rider received a Ferrari Testarossa as present for winning a race with the Italian bike.



Rossi was second, with Stoner separated by the doctor only by a few tens of second. I believe for the first time in the season we find Capirossi right behind Casey (it must be a question of pride for racing at home)and then Edwards and Hayden. Curiously the rain specialist are not leading the time sheet, and as of now I have not clue why. Anyhow for the first time, following the new rules, the race will be held clock wise so the old circuit, that was recently up-graded, to host MotoGp it's really a totally new track for everybody. Who is going win the very special derby among the Italian DUCATI with Stoner, and the local riders Rossi, Capirossi and Melandri? No that some foreign guys like Pedrosa, Hayden or Hopkins are not hoping to ruin the whole Italian party, but somehow I believe that it's going to be "cosa nostra". As usual with the PMP poll we try to pick the second place so, as Italian, I will be happy with Stoner behind a revived Rossi

Picture source

MotoGp Poll: Grand Prix Ceske Republiky

Second place to Capirossi: I watched an interview on the Italian news after the FP1 and he seemed very confident and relaxed. At this point of the season and with the new contract with Suzuki signed, he can just go and see what happens. He knows and we know that given the right conditions he is a tremendous fighter. On the front tires, I imagine another difficult weekend for Michelin and his riders, lead as usual by Valentino Rossi. Thumbs up to Guintoli: in the tire war between Bridgestone and Michelin he was able to lock a great time on qualifying tires. Capirossi was my first choice but he is 8th in the championship and we need to choose a name among the first 7 riders so my pick is another Bridgestone man ...Hopkins! Or maybe Stoner behind Vale ... (in that case Monday night at 8:00, when we will meet at Matchless we will have another round of beers while watching again the race)

MotoGp Poll: Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix

Everybody should agree on Nicky Hayden's victory in Laguna Seca, but who is going to take the second place? Logic wants that I pick Edwards, always faster than Rossi in USA, but my heart goes to Valentino, to an epic victory in a track so difficult to an European rider born and raised in circuits that are totally different at least in width and run-offs. The Tavullia Champion is a rider who learns quickly from his own mistakes, someone able to change his riding style according to the conditions even during the same race by processing continuously the information collected from lap to lap. As much as I try to be rational, when it comes to MotoGp, I like to imagine what it would excite me and so, my pick is Hayden, second behind an irresistible Rossi. Unfortunately we have to choose among the first 7 riders in the World Championship, so I will be even more naive, Edwards (again like logic wanted) but again behind Rossi, for a historic Yamaha podium!!!!!!!

MotoGp Poll: Grand Prix Deutschland

Who is going to get the second place Sunday in Germany? I say Stoner. Why? Because last year Rossi won the race starting from 11th position, as he did in Assen 2 weeks ago. The Sachsenring circuit has 14 turns, it’s tight, bumpy and with change of elevations that tend to upset the bikes. Also by being a short track usually the lap times are very close so we should expect some close racing for Sunday. Having said that I believe that in dry conditions Rossi should be able to win in front of the 2007 matador Stoner and, why not, Hayden. Indeed Nicky has taken third place at this circuit for the past three GPs. He is very excited for his recent improvements and looking forward for a winning in Laguna Seca, but in Germany last year he fought for the victory right up to the end of the race so he knows that this is a track where his style could make the difference.
Anyhow, I speculate a very tight race, with a lot of dicing and Stoner getting even more determined in closing the doors to contain Rossi, so in such a scenario anything could happen, and we should not be surprised to see “strangers” on the podium.

MotoGp Poll: Grand Prix of China

Last Sunday the second place for Elias was spectacular and totally unexpected, as matter of the fact his name was not listed as one of the first seven in the World Championship Standing. In China, next week it’s going to be even more difficult for the characteristic of the circuit with two long straights, one of which measure ¾ of a mile, the longest in the MotoGp calendar. Stoner and Capirossi are the favorite with their red Italian missile, but the resurgence of the Team Gresini with Elias and Melandri on improving Honda, could challenge the possibilities for the other contenders, Rossi, Pedrosa, Edwards and Hayden to get on the podium. Stoner has accumulated 10 points of advantage on Rossi and 25 on Pedrosa, he feels strong and absolutely not pressured by Rossi. It’s Rossi that has to prove that he is still the best, while Stoner has already done even more that his team was expecting from him. Anyhow, who is going to stand on the second step of the podium in China?