British Grand Prix - Rossi
Ambient temperature: 20 degrees
Track temperature: 26 degrees
Humidity: 22%
 ROSSI
EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD WITH SECOND PLACE IN 200TH GRAND
PRIX
Valentino Rossi finished a worthy runner-up at Donington
Park today, unable to catch Casey Stoner on this occasion
but surviving a mid-race battle with Dani Pedrosa to extend
his lead at the top of the championship. Today was Rossi’s
200th Grand Prix and this his 142nd podium since he opened
his account with a third place at the 1996 Austrian GP in
the 125cc class. It was also a good day for Rossi’s
team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who put his recent injuries and yesterday’s
poor qualifying behind him to come through from 17th on the
grid to take sixth.
Rossi’s recent work in testing on improving his starts
paid off today and the Italian held onto his second place
at the off. He tried to stay with Stoner but the Australian
was too quick in some parts of the track today and Rossi knew
that second was going to be as good as it got. Midway through
the 30-lap race Pedrosa loomed and twice passed Rossi into
turn one, but both times the multiple-champion took him back
and over the final stages he was able to create a safe cushion
from the Spaniard, crossing the line just under six seconds
behind Stoner and 2.558 ahead of Pedrosa, who is his closest
championship rival.
Rossi gained four points on Pedrosa today and is now 11 points
clear, whilst Lorenzo is behind Stoner in fourth. The MotoGP
paddock now packs up and heads straight to Assen for the Dutch
TT, which takes place in just six days time.
Valentino Rossi
Position: 2nd Time: +5.789
“I am quite happy about this result, although of course
I would have preferred to have been fighting with Stoner for
the win! I got a good start today and I tried to stay with
Casey, but in some corners he was faster than me and it was
impossible to keep up with his pace as the race went on. I
knew that second place was important because of the points
so I had to win my fight with Pedrosa in the middle of the
race! Luckily we took second and now I have extended my lead
by four points, which is very important for our championship.
Unfortunately this weekend we made some mistakes when it was
dry on Friday, and then because of the wet yesterday we weren’t
able to work on them until today, when it was too late to
make things perfect. Anyway we did the best we could so thanks
to all my guys. We are leading the championship but Stoner
showed his potential today so I think that this hard battle
between us all is going to continue race by race. I am glad
we only have a few days to Assen and I am looking forward
to doing better there.”
Davide Brivio
Team Manager
“Today it was difficult to do better than this but if
you think about the championship it has been a very important
result and we have increased our lead on Pedrosa by four points.
We’re not quite at the half-way point of the championship
yet – one more week – but we’re pretty happy
with our season so far and the important thing is that we’re
leading the championship. We have no time to rest before Assen
but we will be going there with the aim of getting back to
the top step of the podium.”
Masahiko Nakajima
Team Director
“We were struggling all weekend in order to try to find
the right set-up to fit these tricky conditions. At the end
we found a good setting, which enabled Valentino to be fast,
but unfortunately one of our rivals was still faster than
us today! Anyway we were able to secure important championship
points and we are satisfied about this. Now our aim is to
get back to the top of the podium next week.”
Results
1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro 44'44.982
2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team + 5.789
3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda + 8.347
4. Colin Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha + 12.678
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) JiR Team Scot MotoGP + 14.801
6. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team + 15.690
7. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda + 18.196
8. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki + 21.666
9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini + 29.354
10. Anthony West (AUS) Kawasaki Racing + 41.030
11. Toni Elias (SPA) Alice Team + 44.426
12. Randy De Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP + 46.199
13. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Alice Team + 48.731
14. Ben Spies (USA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP + 49.591
15. Alex De Angelis (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini + 1'22.186
16. Marco Melandri (ITA) Ducati Marlboro + 1'30.021
17. James Toseland (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha 1 Lap
NOT CLASSIFIED
John Hopkins (USA) Kawasaki Racing 14 Lap
Championship Standings
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 162
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda 151
3. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro 117
4. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 104
5. Colin Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 82
6. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) JiR Team Scot MotoGP 68
7. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 57
8. James Toseland (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha 53
9. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 51
10. Shinya Nakano (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini 49
11. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki 48
12. John Hopkins (USA) Kawasaki Racing 32
13. Marco Melandri (ITA) Ducati Marlboro 29
14. Toni Elias (SPA) Alice Team 29
15. Alex De Angelis (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini 25
16. Randy De Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP 22
17. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Alice Team 18
18. Anthony West (AUS) Kawasaki Racing 16
19. Tadyuki Okada (JPN) Repsol Honda Team 2
20. Ben Spies (USA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 2
Donington Park: Record Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2006, 1'28.714
Donington Park: Best Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2006, 1'27.676
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