photo courtesy of Casey Stoner’s Facebook albums.
It should have been the perfect Spanish party. Jerez in the Spring, 3 Spaniards on pole position for the three races, what could go wrong?
Plenty, it seems. Firstly, the whole meeting was clouded, (yes, I know) by the typical Iberian Spring weather, rain, rain and more rain. Practice and qualifying sessions were all blighted either by precipitation or the after-effects of it in a drying track.
In the end, the race day dawned fine but with the lingering threat of rain and so it transpired. The Moto3 race (damn, those things are SO slow and they sound HORRIBLE) was like a game of ten pin bowling with survival of the luckiest being the order of the day. Both of Australia’s hopes, Arthur Sissis and Jack Miller were out early courtesy of the wet track and the race turned into a demonstration of the amazing skills of the Italian teenager Finati who spelt finis to the race very early, eventually winning by well over 30 seconds. The race for the minors was entertaining, but the Moto3’s have a long way to go before they can match the cachet of the 125’s.
Moto2 saw the usual cautious start from Marquez (who seems to have suddenly recovered from his eye troubles), hitting the lead about half race distance when rain started to fall. Unfortunately the one lap that he NEEDED to lead on, the 18th, Pol Espargaro crossed the line ahead and, when the race was stopped on lap 19, the countback to the previous completed lap saw the Spaniard awarded the win ahead of Marquez. Despite still not being as quick as the 250 two strokes they have replaced, the 600cc engined Moto2 bikes provide the best entertainment with close and brutal racing.
Lorenzo was on pole for the big one, and Stoner, who hadn’t even turned a wheel in morning warm-ups, was in 5th. Surely that would ensure another Spanish win? Evidently not. By third race distance, Stoner was doing his usual disappearing act and the Ducatis were dropping through the field as usual. A return of arm cramping issues slowed Stoner in the closing stages and the commentators were wetting themselves at the prospect of Lorenzo re-taking the lead but they were romancing themselves. Stoner turned it up a notch and ensured his first win of 2012. On the podium, both Stoner and Lorenzo looked happy (lLorenzo even shook Casey’s hand on the slow-down lap) but Pedrosa’s face was glum and despondent. I wonder if he knows what we are all thinking?
Rossi and Hayden propped up the back end of the top 10, over 30 seconds behind Casey as usual (this despite Hayden putting the Ducati on the front row in qualifying). Spies was again a non-event being beaten by both the Tech III bikes by nearly 30 seconds. Rumours are gathering strength that Yamaha are looking at swapping him with Dovizioso. They could do worse, as Spies is looking less and less like a race winner (or even POTENTIAL race winner) every time he goes out.
Ducati rumours continue, the latest being that Ducati will have a brand-new 75 degree engine to replace the “L” motor they have used since the beginning. Supposedly to make an appearance after the mid-season break (July) the bike should by then BE the Yamaha that Ducati said they’d never build. Rossi is looking more an more like he is just going through the motions. How have the mighty fallen.
Next weekend will be the final MotoGp meeting to be held at one of my favourite tracks, Estoril. Plenty of soul-searching for plenty of the teams in the next 5 days.
In speedway grand prix, Australia’s Chris Holder won the Polish round of the Speedway Grand prix series on the birthday of fellow Aussie speedway legend, Leigh Adams. He dedicated the win to Leigh who is still recuperating from spinal injuries incurred in an accident while training for the Finke Rally last year.