Title showdown looms for Rossi at Valencia
Circuit Ricardo Tormo
One of the most exciting seasons in the history of the MotoGP
World Championship reaches an intense climax next weekend
as Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden (Honda) go head-to-head
for the title in a final-round shootout at Valencia. The amphitheatre-style
surroundings of the Ricardo Tormo circuit on the outskirts
of the Spanish city provide the perfect stage for the ultimate
instalment of a 17-round epic that began on the Iberian peninsular
in less than perfect fashion for Camel Yamaha rider Rossi
nine months ago.
Since being knocked from his bike in the first corner of
the first race at Jerez, the Italian has been through virtually
every emotion known to a motorcycle racer. A dramatically
unpredictable season of twists and turns has seen Rossi visit
the gravel traps, the hospital and the top step of the podium
in almost equal measures, with technical problems also robbing
him of vital points in the first half of the season. However,
since finding himself a massive 51 points behind Hayden after
round eleven at Laguna Seca, the five-time World Champion
has shown his true colours with a string of five consecutive
podium finishes.
His latest, second place in the Grand Prix of Portugal at
Estoril, coupled with a crash for Hayden, finally lifted him
above the American to the top of the standings for the first
time this season and opened up an eight-point gap between
the pair with one round to go. It means that for the first
time in fourteen seasons the destiny of the MotoGP World Championship
will be decided in the final round, with the drama set to
unfold in front of a sell-out crowd in excess of 120,000 people
in the firecracker atmosphere of Cheste.
Colin Edwards will once again be looking to play the role
of good team-mate after his star performance at Estoril just
over a week ago. The Texan was back to his best form in Portugal,
qualifying second on the grid and providing a crucial helping
hand to Rossi in the early stages of the race - only to narrowly
miss out on his second rostrum of the season as he took fourth
place at the line. This weekend Edwards' clear objective is
to go at least one position better and make sure he is celebrating
alongside Rossi on Sunday evening.
Valentino Rossi: My one chance
Valentino Rossi travels to Spain this week knowing that he
cannot afford to let this incredible opportunity slip after
admitting that a fifth title defence was effectively out of
his hands just five rounds ago. Hayden's well-publicised misfortune
in Portugal has perhaps overshadowed the fact that it is Rossi's
own form - a run of nine top-three finishes from the last
eleven races - that has propelled him to the top of the standings
and fulfilled his target of arriving at the final round with
a sixth consecutive premier-class title in sight.
"Things went very well for us in Estoril - we've achieved
our goal of coming here still fighting for the championship
and for this I have to thank everyone in the team so much,"
says Rossi. "Each person has worked at 100% to bring
us back to this position and now we're all very excited about
this final race. Of course it's not going to be like other
times, when I have won the championship with some races to
spare and less pressure. Now I only have one chance. It's
a big pressure for everyone but it's great for the show.
"Valencia isn't one of my best tracks and we also know
that Hayden is really strong there, so it's definitely not
going to be easy. On the other hand we know that the M1 works
quite well there and in the race last year it was very good
in the second half of the race especially. If we can start
from the front then I think we can try for the win, but whatever
happens it's going to be a really exciting race. Hopefully
Colin and I can be at the front together like in Estoril and
we'll just see what we can do!"
Colin Edwards: A team player
Colin Edwards says his number one aim this weekend is to help
out his great friend and team-mate Valentino Rossi in his
quest to win the title. The best way to do that, of course,
is for the Texan to keep his excellent form going and continue
with the recent progress the pair have made with the set-up
of their YZR-M1 machines. Edwards' attitude is a reflection
of a tight team ethic at Camel Yamaha and it is something
he hopes will pay dividends when the chequered flag greets
the 2006 MotoGP World Champion on Sunday.
"I'm pretty excited about the last race of the season,
it's going to be pretty close I reckon," says Edwards.
"Estoril worked out well for the team and I was able
to help Valentino out, which was the number one aim. Obviously
I was disappointed not to be on the podium but my bike worked
great and I think that we're in good shape to do it all again
at Valencia."
"I've raced at Valencia for years so I know it really
well and I know I am quite fast there. Like in Estoril, the
aim is going to be to get on the front row alongside Valentino
and then just to help him out in the race as much as possible.
Of course this time out I want to be on the podium too, a
Yamaha one-two would be the perfect end to the season!"
Davide Brivio: The final push
For Camel Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio the Grand Prix
of Portugal epitomised the togetherness and spirit shown by
his riders and staff since bouncing back from the brink of
failure midway through the season. With just one round remaining
the Italian is asking for one final, definitive push before
a well-earned break and the start of the new 800cc era in
2007.
"Since the summer break we have just taken the races
one-by-one, working our hardest and keeping our focus, and
the results have been excellent," reflects Brivio. "Our
objective from Brno onwards was to keep fighting until the
end of the season and try to get to the last round with a
mathematical chance of winning the title. After Portugal that
mathematical chance is a lot stronger than we expected but
it is not over yet and, as we all know from our experience
this season, anything can still happen.
"It looks like being another dramatic weekend but from
our point of view the objective is just the same as it has
been for the last five or six races - to keep our heads down,
work hard and stay focused on the job of giving our riders
the best possible package for Sunday. If we can do that then
I'm sure Valentino and Colin will do their part too, and hopefully
we can celebrate together on Sunday."
Technically speaking: Valencia according to Jeremy
Burgess
With its unique stadium-style surroundings the Ricardo Tormo
circuit in Valencia is a spectacular, if somewhat cramped
facility characterised by a never-ending burst of tight corners,
connected by short straights. The long penultimate looping
left-hander and the fast entry to turn one contrast violently
with the otherwise geometric flip-flop chicanes and slow-speed
corners of the infield.
"Valencia isn't one of Valentino's favourite tracks
because it is so tight and twisty, but we won there in 2004
and finished third last year after starting well down the
grid, so we know the M1 works well," says Jeremy Burgess,
Chief Engineer to Valentino Rossi. "One of the big lessons
we have learnt this season is that if you want to win in this
class nowadays then you really have to start from the front
so we will again be using the free practice sessions to make
sure we have the right bike settings for both qualifying and
the race.
"Technically there is not much to say about Valencia
other than the obvious fact that it has a lot of low gear
usage and very little throttle - with the back straight and
the start-finish straight being the only two high speed sections.
The last long left is different to any other corner in the
world and it can be crucial to the outcome of the race so
for that reason it requires special attention when setting
the bike up to make sure you have the speed coming towards
the line. The rest is slow and anti-clockwise - there's not
much else to say about it really!"
Valentino Rossi: Information
Age: 27
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1
GP victories: 84 (57 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 172 (113 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 44
World Championships - 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc,
1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP)
Colin Edwards: Information
Age: 32
Lives: Conroe, Texas
Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1
First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 65 x MotoGP
World Championships - 2 World Superbike
Valencia Lap Record: Marco Melandri (Honda) 2004, 1'33.043
Valencia Best Lap: Sete Gibernau (Honda) 2005, 1'31.874
2005 Valencia Grand Prix Results:
1. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda, 46'58.152
2. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda, +0.097
3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha +2.959
8. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha, +25.678
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