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San Marino practice
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Stoner clocks the fastest time ahead of Rossi and impressively Ant
West. Hayden and Pedrosa are down in 8 and 9 and surprisingly Hoppers
is only 11th fastest while his team mate Vermulen is 6th. It's
looking like a Stoner, Rossi battle for the race.
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Will Stoner change from race winning mode to championship winning mode and
allow Rossi through easily?
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It's kind of hard to say who will have what, given the unfamiliarity
with the track and the rain. But Stoner had a half second on Rossi in
that session, which is huge. In the Q Stoner was perhaps consistently
fastest on race tires and went sub-35.4 in two different stints, while
Rossi's best was a fastest 35.35 but may have had a little more trouble
getting to that level. In P2-3 Stoner did six stints, got down to steady
35s in the 5th one, 7 of them, the last a 35.41, then into the 34s in
the last one, 34.85 the best. Rossi took the same approach, also got
down to mid-35s in the 5th, but didn't make the jump in the last one,
although he did get to a 35.23.
West, Checa, Edwards and Vermeulen got down into the 35s late in that
session as well, while de Puniet did his a bit earlier and then dropped
beck. Hayden in 8th got down to 3 high ones right at the end, but his
best race tire was a 36.02 in QP. De Puniet got down to 35.62, Hopkins
35.77, Pedrosa 35.97, Checa 35.61, and then Vermeulen did nine race tire
35s, the best a 35.34. Edwards got down to 35.66, while West didn't get
out of the 36s.
What this all suggests to me is that the Bridgestones once again have an
edge here, and Stoner has some minor margin over Rossi so far. It looks
to me that it will be down to these two, with Rossi riding inspired at
home perhaps what gives him a real chance. Otherwise, I'd think it'd be
another Stoner walk. After those two who knows, but Hayden needs to find
something to stay in it. Once again the Repsol Hondas look very similar,
and they did manage to find something in the race at Brno. Checa is the
big surprise, and I don't know where he's finding that speed. My best
guess for 3rd is one of the Risla Suzukis.
That Melandri getoff was pretty brutal, and he's detuned at the end of
row 4. Capirossi is sadly lost once again, on the 5th row, so it looks
like Italy's hopes ride with Rossi. And Ducati, of course.
Meanwhile in Georgia, Spies has taken the pole point after today's
session was rained out, pushing his lead to 7. He was 0.3 up on Mladin,
who was in turn a full 1.5 up on DiSalvo in 3rd. But 3rd through 10th
were only separated by a half second, so it looks like two wars starting
later today, the usual up front for the win and the championship and a
big one for that last podium spot. Bostrom put the pother Ymaha in 4th,
and then the big surprise Ellison in 5th ahead of the only American
Honda of Zemke (where is Hodgson?). Mladin just edged Spies in the
warmup, with DiSalvo still 3rd and over a second back.
Rog Hayden is on SSport pole, and Hayes in FX and Spies in SStock. Hayes
and Spies should clinch this weekend, which means Spies will only be
focused on SB at Laguna, and Hayes should be riding the SB, unless Honda
is trying out someone else, meaning Hodgson, but don't bet on that. In
SSport Hacking is 0.25 back in 3rd and Hayes 0.3 back in 4th, not that
it really matters. Should be good, and it's LIVE ON SPEED tomorrow...
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