Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1542399
Corslun).o Cir(uir Corolunyo, Spoin Wonld Championship Road Rac€ ScPics l fter the sheer iov of Murello, !l the catalunvan Grand Prrx ! I *r. a sobe.ne exoerrence. Fl lrotobP racrnP rs lanlastrc, I , \.o," *o weeks ago. Now another reminder is due. lt is also very very dangerous. Maybe it's supposed to be dangerous. lf so, there was plenty to be thankful for at CatalunF. The six-bike first-corner crash that caused the HotoGP race to be red-flagged on the first lap didn't kill or maim anybody, as it easily might have done- lnstead, there were several incred- ibly lucky escapes. It caused plenty of problems, however. The race was due to restart after a 30- minute delay, minus both l'4arlboro Ducatis and Marco Melandri's Fortr.-rna Honda. There were more problems when Chris Vermeulen's Suzuki suddenly died on the start lane, and the restart was aborted while mechanics got it Soing again. This caused Shinya Nakano's Kawasaki to overheat and spray the screen with boiling water. He hurriedly fetched his spare, but mistakenly took up the same grid position for a race shoft- ened by one lap, rather than starting from the back, or from pit lane. He didn't see the signal calling him in for a ride-through penalty, and was then black-flagged and disqualified - another rider's race ruined by the "knock-on" effect. None ofthis, however, detracted from a second successive race win by Camel Honda's Valentino Rossi - right back on form, with a bike that works and all the riding and tactical skill to make the absolute most of it- Nor from the performance of the two others on the rostrum. Repsol Honda's Nicky Hayden hound- ed Rossi for much of the race, finally dropping back to 4.5 seconds behind in rhe final laps. Second was a major improvement on his weekend form, and enough to extend his World Championship lead- The biggest surprise was third - none other than Kenny Roberts Jr., his best fin- ish since Donington Park in the wet last year on the Suzuki, and the first-ever ros- - trum for a Team Roberts machine - since they abandoned Yamaha in 1996. Robers had been strong all weekend, and defeat- ed former Suzuki teammate lohn Hopkins for today's result. Casey Stoner was out of luck, after a blinding start had him in the lead for the lirst eight laps. This Givi Honda rider was behind Rossion the ninth when he slipped ofl at the end of the back sraight for a second successive cmsh. Dani Pedrosa, favorite of the 107, 264 spectators, also had a dire afternoon. A victim ofthe first crash, he was slow away in the restart, llth on lap one. He had picked his way through to fifth on lap l0 when he crashed again at the same place. Rossi's fortune much improved his overall position. with only Hayden scoring points, of his maior title rivals. But it was not a day to crow about. "l saw nothing of the crash because it was behind me, but we saw the red flags lcame slowly past turn one, and it was like a bi8 disaster there. Especially after- ward, when we saw the images on TY and I was scared, especially for Melandri. ''lt is already difficult to concentrate I I I I I - I I MOTOGP tune 17, 2006 VALENTINO BOSSI WINS A SOBERING GP IN CATALUNYA BY MrcHAEr Scorr PHoros BY Go[D & GoosE !. tr! ir 4: / ,*l &1 ' rl Sate Gibernou storts (r choin-reacfion pileup in thc first cornar oftcr hitting lcommole loris Copirosri (65), who in turn gets into ,llorco lllclondri (33).- \ t4 \ I V L,< I il I b '. I t, J t: \ \ A ...while Melondri ond Copirossi hit the deck ond get into Ped.oso (26). who lhen purher Hopkins (21) into rhe grovel rrop. ) 7- 42 JUNE 28,2006 . CYCLE NEWS ,,.Gibemqu continuer lo tumble... t