After suffering all through the weekend with a very painful toothache I fronted up to the dentist this morning and had said troublesome tooth removed. I now have a swollen mouth, numb lips and a big hole where the tooth was. But I’m not in pain so that’s the pay-off.
I didn’t stay up to watch the Grand prix last night/this morning. I figured that, while I was asleep, my tooth wouldn’t bother me and that proved to be the best idea. From the media reports this morning it seems like another dominating performance from Casey Stoner (is it too early yet to call him the World Champion-elect?) and the usual suspects filling the minors. Spies fell to 9th at the start, which is rather like his usual form, but he did fight back to grab 3rd spot on the podium and, with no team orders at Yamaha, apparently, take a few more points off Lorenzo that he might desperately need come end of season time. Dani Pedrosa got his usual lightning start but must be getting pretty fed up of being stalked and then passed by Stoner. I wonder why it is that the American riders only really seem to perform at their best in front of their home crowds? Nicky Hayden has won 3 races since entering the class and two of them were at Laguna Seca. Do they, perhaps think that home races pay double points? I don’t understand. Anyway, with Phillip Island looming, the betting on Casey Stoner making it a “four-peat” is getting shorter. The odds of Ducati scoring its fourth win in a row at PI are lengthening to kilometre proportions.
Front tyre issues seemed to be the major talking point at Indy with many riders falling foul of the newly-paved surface which apparently chews up tyres and spits them out.
Marc Marquez has ignited the Moto2 class this year. Just imagine where he would be if he hadn’t crashed out of the first 3 races of the year with various unforced errors. Anyway, the gap between him and Bradl is now down to less than one win and Bradl finished 4th last night. The momentum is certainly with the young Spaniard and Bradl has gone from unbackable favourite to having a very tenuous grip on the championship.
Nico Terol, however, marches on, doing what he has to do to keep the pack at bay and proving himself to be the class of the field, mechanical woes aside. Maverick Vinales is the discovery of the season and surely Johann Zarco MUST win a race before the year is out? It’s going to be a fascinating close to the season.
HRC’s Executive Vice President, Shuhei Nakamoto ignited a storm of debate over the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix by declaring that he’d like to have the race at Suzuka instead of Motegi. Of course he would, it’s Honda’s track and it’s in the middle of the Honda heartland. But he clarified his statements on the weekend adding that he was only expressing a personal preference and that, anyway, Suzuka does not meet the minimum safety standards to be able to run a GP at the moment. Given the parlous state of the world economy, I can’t see Honda shelling out for a major upgrade any time soon.
Finally, spare a thought for two-times World Supersport champion, Kenan Sofoglu, who was forced to sit out last night’s Moto2 race after suffering this monstrous highside during FP1 on Friday. Kenan broke his foot and also injured his left knee which will require surgery.