In the case of today’s MotoGP race at Phillip Island, the answer is no. Dani Pedrosa came to Australia with the hope of riding and defending his 2nd place in the championship. But, wrestling a MotoGP bike around the high speeed switchback that is the Island with your broken collarbone plated after breaking it in 4 places, was always going to be a long shot and Dani has withdrawn. As has Loris Capirossi, after a crash in qualifying. So, we’re back to 15 bikes again and the disparity is frightening.
Stoner took his 25th pole on his 25th birthday and he is over half a second faster than Lorenzo. 3rd is Spies who is 1.2 seconds slower than Stoner. Last placed starter, Hector Barbera, is 3.2 seconds off the pace. Even Valentino Rossi, baulked twice on his qualifying laps, is 1.5 seconds away. Translate that into say, a 25 lap race, and it would mean that Lorenzo should finish 12.5 seconds behind Stoner assuming they maintain the same pace throughout the race. Of course, that doesn’t happen, but it helps to highlight just how important every split second is. Stoner’s gap at pole is enormous.
It promises to be at least cold and windy at PI today, with the possibility of rain, hail, cyclonic storms and a possible tidal wave (OK, I lied about the tidal wave – the rest IS possible). I’m glad I’ll be watching it here.
On another subject entirely, news.com.au runs an article this morning about the David Jones affair. Some very sensible stuff there after all the huffing and puffing by the media and the womens’ lobby. I’ve always been of the opinion that Ms Fraser-Kirk was a little gold-digger and it looks like the judge agreed. In any event, in seeking to win she has lost everything. Half a mill may keep her happy for a while, but nobody will employ her with her reputation while McInnis will bounce back from this fisaco and rise to the top of corporate life again (good CEO’s are pretty hard to find) and will ultimately look back on this sad affair as a minor setback.
And that’s my 2 cent’s worth today. Enjoy the MotoGP.
