AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

MotoGP action rolls on to Phillip Island for Australian Grand Prix

Tuesday, 30 September 2008
An Australian circuit is the next to keep the MotoGP men at work in 2008, at one of the most anticipated races of the season.
Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa on track

One week on from the title-deciding race in the MotoGP World Championship, the series heads to Australia with plenty still at stake. The circuit of Phillip Island plays host to the Australian Grand Prix on October 5th, having held some of the classic premier class races over the years.

The 2008 MotoGP World Champion was revealed at the last round in Motegi, Japan, with Valentino Rossi clinching his sixth premier class title. The Fiat Yamaha rider will arrive at Phillip Island in celebratory mood, and with the chance to extend his five-race winning streak that began at Laguna Seca in July. Current form and an impressive history in Australia –Rossi has won Australian Grands Prix across all three World Championship classes, including the MotoGP title-clinching 2004 race- indicate that he is capable of adding to his 2008 victory total on October 5th.

Last year´s race at Phillip Island was a homecoming celebration for Casey Stoner, the outgoing World Champion for this latest visit. The Ducati rider had a perfect return to his local track in 2007, taking victory in front of his thousands of supporters. This season he is sure to elicit the same amount of devotion from the Australian fans, in his last appearance running the number one plate at home until at least 2010.

Stoner also has the battle for second place in the standings on his mind, with just eleven points separating himself and Repsol Honda´s Dani Pedrosa in the overall classification after both placed on the podium at Motegi. Pedrosa took a first rostrum with Bridgestone tyres at the Japanese date, but will not be simply testing rubber at the Australian Grand Prix. The runner-up in last season´s World Championship just missed out on the podium in Australia in 2007, having started from pole position.

Forty points down on Pedrosa, there is still every chance that Fiat Yamaha´s Jorge Lorenzo could work his way into the fight for second place. The Spaniard has won the past two 250cc races held in Australia, and brings the `Loren-show´ to the premier class as his quest for the Rookie of the Year prize continues. Nearest rival for the honour Andrea Dovizioso is fifth in the standings, some thirty points down on Lorenzo.

Tech 3 Yamaha´s Colin Edwards rounds off the top six in the 800cc class, although just three points split him, home rider Chris Vermeulen and 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden. Of the trio, only Edwards has yet to place on the rostrum at Phillip Island.

Shinya Nakano and James Toseland complete the MotoGP class top ten, with Toseland having had prior racing experience in Australia with a production bike.

Phillip Island, the self-styled home of Australian motorsport, is steeped in motor racing tradition, with the first car races having been held there on public roads in the 1920s. The first motorcycle races took place in 1931 and a permanent track was built in 1956. The circuit fell into disrepair during the late 70s and early 80s until it was bought in 1985 and given a AUS $5m facelift. MotoGP returned in 1989 and 1990 before becoming a regular fixture once more from 1997 onwards. The Phillip Island circuit is blessed with breathtaking scenery and beautiful ocean views and, as one of the fastest, most fluid, tracks on the calendar, it continues to provide some of the most spectacular racing in the MotoGP season.

MotoGP top three review Australian Grand Prix

Sunday, 05 October 2008
Three former MotoGP World Champions gave their views on the Australian Grand Prix after their podium celebrations.
Rossi, Stoner and Hayden on the podium at Phillip Island

Casey Stoner – Race Winner

`I wasn´t disappointed in Japan, the two crashes that I had was when I lost the championship. Valentino has ridden really well and was hard to beat this year. This morning we changed some things on the bike and felt comfortable. We knew that the race was going to be hard, as normally you cant get away here, but we did. Nicky was with me for a while but then he seemed to drop off. To be World Champion last year and in running for second this year is great; If we can challenge for the title again next year it will be fantastic, and if not for now the home victory is something that we can be happy with.´

Valentino Rossi – Second Placed

`For me it was very, very exctiting. I never had even one second to relax. Unfortunately my mistake in qualifying left me on the fourth row, but I was confident because I knew that I had good pace. There were some big battles. De Angelis crashed in front of me and I missed him by about a centimetre, and I pushed and pushed until I reached Lorenzo and Toseland. I lost a bit of time with James, but when I got in front I upped my pace to get away. I saw Nicky getting bigger and bigger, and thought it might be possible and that I had to try. On the last lap I was able to do it.´

Nicky Hayden – Third Placed

`At the beginning it was really fun. It was good to be at the front keeping the pressure on Casey. This track is so hard on tyres that I knew it would be a gamble and nearly went harder today; in fact, on my sighting lap I put a harder tyre on before changing it on the grid. This season has been so hard, but we´ll keep pushing for results and to salvage something until it´s over.´

Rossi roars through the field to take second on the island

Fiat Yamaha rider and 2008 World Champion Valentino Rossi recovered from yesterday's mishap to charge through the field from the fourth row at Phillip Island today, eventually taking second behind Casey Stoner. His team-mate Jorge Lorenzo took a second consecutive fourth place after a race long battle with several other riders.

A mistake during qualifying yesterday had left Rossi with strained neck muscles and a grid position of 12th, but the Italian relishes a challenge and he was already up to eighth by the end of the first lap, despite narrowly missing a collision when Alex de Angelis crashed out in front of him. On lap four Rossi found himself the back marker of a Yamaha trio, behind his team-mate Lorenzo and Tech 3 rider James Toseland. He despatched the Spaniard within two laps and got by Toseland soon after but the Briton put up a spirited challenge, wresting third back and hanging on for five more laps until Rossi eventually got the better of him. With a podium place secure the eight-time champion could have been forgiven for coasting home but he is never one to take the easy option and, with clear air and his M1 and Bridgestone tyres working perfectly, he gradually began to close on Nicky Hayden, who was nearly six seconds ahead. Little-by-little he made up the gap until he was within striking distance, making his move on the very last lap to take second and his 14th podium of the season.

After an intense two weeks the MotoGP paddock now has a two week rest before the penultimate round in Malaysia on 19th October.
Valentino Rossi - Position: 2nd Time: +6.504
"That was a very exciting race for me, from start to finish! Unfortunately I made a small mistake yesterday and I paid a high price for it - both with my starting position and with my body! This morning my neck was okay but I had a lot of pain in my head, so I have to say thank you to Dr. Costa and the Clinica Mobile because they gave me a lot of massage and some medicine and I was in better shape for the race. I got a good start and I was lucky to miss de Angelis by just a couple of centimetres, and then I arrived to Lorenzo and Toseland. The first time I passed James I thought I would be able to go but then he passed me back and I realised that his pace was not so bad, and we had a great battle! He was very strong and difficult to pass but once I did get by I was able to go and then I just kept pushing and gradually Nicky got bigger and bigger. It was fun to keep fighting till the last lap and I am very happy with this second position because it's always a great emotion to be on the podium here. Thanks to my team and to Bridgestone, with Casey as strong as he was I think this was the best we could have done today and I really enjoyed the race."
Davide Brivio - Team Manager
"We didn't win but this was another incredible performance from Valentino, demonstrating once again how he never gives up. The championship is secure, he was starting from the fourth row and the podium would have already been a good achievement but he still pushed at the maximum and was able to come second! He wasn't in perfect shape but the Clinica Mobile helped him a lot and he was able to do his best once again. We're racing to have fun now and we had a lot of fun today in a race that was exciting from start to finish."
Fourth place for Lorenzo after island battle
Jorge Lorenzo was disappointed to miss out on the podium at Phillip Island today, despite prevailing in a race-long battle for fourth place. His Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi stormed through the field after starting 12th to finish second behind Casey Stoner.

Lorenzo started from second on the grid but he did not quite have the outstanding rhythm he had yesterday and he slipped to fourth on lap one. He then traded places with Tech 3 Yamaha rider James Toseland a couple of times before settling in behind the Briton as Rossi loomed behind. By lap 13 of 27 Lorenzo's world champion team-mate had dispatched his Yamaha compatriots and was disappearing off and it then became a battle for fourth between the Spaniard, Toseland, Andrea Dovizioso and Shinya Nakano with the foursome trading passes at times more reminiscent of a 125cc race. In the last few laps Lorenzo was able to take control of proceedings somewhat and he was able to hang on to fourth, just ahead of Nakano with Toseland in sixth.

The rookie is 27 points off third in the championship and also has a mathematical chance of second, with two rounds remaining. The next battle comes in two week's time at Sepang in Malaysia.

Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 4th Time: +11.500
"I'm not very happy with the race because I know I should have been able to fight for the podium today. I didn't ride like I know I can, Toseland was in front of me many times and I couldn't pass him, and then I couldn't follow Valentino when he came through. I think I had the rhythm to have been with Valentino but it didn't work today. Even though it's mathematically still possible, I think that the second and third places in the championship are probably lost to me now. I think that the most important thing now is to get good results in Malaysia and Valencia so that we finish the season in the right way. The team, the tyres and the bike are all working well, we're getting good results but we know they can be better. I like Malaysia a lot, I rode there in the winter and I think it will be good for Michelin, so I'm looking forward to it."

Daniele Romagnoli - Team Manager
"We're a bit disappointed about today's result because we definitely had the potential to be on the podium and that's what we were hoping for. We had a few more problems than yesterday with grip in the rear and in the hard braking areas we weren't as good as the others, so we suffered for this. Aside from this it was a good race and Jorge had a great battle for fourth, so despite the result we've enjoyed it and now we're looking forward to the next one."
Birthday boy Toseland celebrates in style at Phillip Island
James Toseland celebrated his 28th birthday in fantastic fashion today, the Tech 3 Yamaha rider equalling his best MotoGP result in a pulsating Australian MotoGP race. Toseland played a starring role from the start of an enthralling 27-lap race as he charged into third place on the first lap. He briefly surrendered third to fellow Yamaha YZR-M1 rider Jorge Lorenzo on lap three, but retaliated superbly with a bold move at the first corner on lap five. Toseland then led a three-way Yamaha dice that included a hard-charging Valentino Rossi as he rode magnificently to keep the world champion at bay for six laps. Twice Rossi passed Toseland in quick succession, only for the British rider to respond with inch-perfect moves to reclaim third in what proved to be the battle of the race. Toseland's determined pursuit of Rossi thrilled a large Australian crowd, but as he lost touch with the Italian on lap 13, he was then locked in another terrific battle with Lorenzo, Andrea Dovizioso and Shinya Nakano. Just when it looked like his faultless display would be rewarded with his career best result, he dropped from fourth to sixth on a frantic lap 25. Toseland continued to push hard but was unable to improve on sixth, but his performance was arguably the outstanding ride of the day.

Colin Edwards also made a great start from the third row of the grid as he tried to mark his 100th Grand Prix appearance with a top six. Fifth on the first lap, he quickly encountered some traction issues, and his reward for a hard fought race was a battling eighth place. Today's result saw the Tech 3 Yamaha team move back into fourth place in the Team World Championship standings.

James Toseland - Position 6th - 100 points
"That was an unbelievable race. I got a really good start but Casey and Nicky were incredibly fast at the start. They really put the hammer down and I was wary that I needed to save my tyre for the last few laps, which are always difficult on this track with so much wear on the left side. I just wanted to stay out of trouble but I had some incredible battles out there. The one with Valentino was something special. When he passed me I knew I had to get straight back by him. If I had let him go I knew I'd have to push right at the limit and that would wear my tyre too quickly. The rear was already spinning at that point and I tried everything I could to keep him behind me. When he did pass me and he pulled a gap, I did push a bit too hard and that cost me towards the end of the race. But it was an honour to be racing with Valentino and passing him. In the last three laps I'd just lost a bit of grip and that was crucial because it probably cost me those two places. I knew fourth was up for grabs so I tried to pass Andrea at Honda Hairpin on the last lap. We ran a bit wide and Andrea seemed a bit upset but I passed him without touching him. I am sorry if he is upset, but he is upset for no reason. I was fighting for the best result of my MotoGP career so I had to try something. Shinya came by as I ran wide but I passed him back at Siberia, only for him to come right back underneath me because I ran a bit wide again. I am just happy with the way I rode. I rode hard and I am really pleased that on my birthday I put a good show on and I could enjoy it. I was riding my heart out and when I have a ride like that and I pass Valentino it encourages me even more."

Colin Edwards - Position 8th - 126 points
"I got a really good start and I thought I could hang in with the battle for third and fourth, but pretty much from the first couple of laps I knew it was going to be a really difficult race. I couldn't even keep them close to me because I couldn't get in the corner and I couldn't get out of the corners. Quite early on I had a moment on the front-end and that hadn't happened all weekend. After that I just couldn't push and I just stayed at the same pace. I couldn't really do more than a 31.5 and it didn't matter what I did I kept falling back. Right at the end I could see de Puniet was running into a few problems with his rear tyre and I was slowly reeling him back in. I managed to pass him and make it stick. It is severely disappointing because I really believed that I could run up close to the podium today. I was riding really hard so to finish eighth is frustrating. I felt like I was on the absolute limit at the pace I was running and it wasn't good enough. This isn't the way I wanted to celebrate my 100th Grand Prix, but congratulations to James. He rode a great race and I'll be looking for a lot more in Malaysia."
Herve Poncharal - Team Manager
"James was absolutely incredible today and he could not have done anymore to get his best result of the season. It was a shame he was sixth again, but again he showed what a true fighter he is. We were quietly confident going into the race after we had a very strong qualifying session with James fifth and Colin seventh on the grid. James made an incredible start and when we saw him fighting in third
we couldn't believe it because we weren't sure whether he could maintain the pace knowing how tough this track is for the tyres. But he kept his pace and that was impressive. He also fought very hard with some of the top guys in this championship. His fight with Valentino was extra special and terrific to watch. Not a lot of guys get passed by Valentino and then pass him straight back, so it was incredible to
see him do this. We were dreaming of a podium at one point but the way he rode, I think he gave the fans a really special show. It was a great way to celebrate his birthday and I think he gave himself a good present with that ride. Colin didn't finish where we expected but he fought hard to the end and his result has helped us move back into fourth in the Team World Championship, which is very important for
us. I'd also like to congratulate Mike di Meglio for winning the World 125 Championship. As a French team it is special to see home grown talent succeed on the world stage."


Race 1

Pos., Rider, Manu., Nat., Total Time

1, Casey Stoner, Ducati, AUS, 40'56.543
2, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, ITA, 0'6.504
3, Nicky Hayden, Honda, USA, 0'7.205
4, Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha, ESP, 0'11.500
5, Shinya Nakano, Honda, JPN, 0'11.914
6, James Toseland, Yamaha, GBR, 0'12.243
7, Andrea Dovizioso, Honda, ITA, 0'12.780
8, Colin Edwards, Yamaha, USA, 0'25.920
9, Randy De Puniet, Honda, FRA, 0'26.037
10, Loris Capirossi, Suzuki, ITA, 0'26.799
11, Toni Elias, Ducati, ESP, 0'27.027
12, Anthony West, Kawasaki, AUS, 0'47.808
13, John Hopkins, Kawasaki, USA, 0'48.333
14, Sylvain Guintoli, Ducati, FRA, 0'48.899
15, Chris Vermeulen, Suzuki, AUS, 0'48.935
16, Marco Melandri, Ducati, ITA, 1'11.767


Best Lap

Rider, Manu., Nat., Total Time

Casey Stoner, Ducati, AUS, 1'28.665

Rider Standings 05/10/2008

Pos., Rider, Manu., Nat., Points
1, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, ITA, 332
2, Casey Stoner, Ducati, AUS, 245
3, Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, ESP, 209
4, Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha, ESP, 182
5, Andrea Dovizioso, Honda, ITA, 145
6, Nicky Hayden, Honda, USA, 131
7, Colin Edwards, Yamaha, USA, 126
8, Chris Vermeulen, Suzuki, AUS, 118
9, Shinya Nakano, Honda, JPN, 106
10, Loris Capirossi, Suzuki, ITA, 102
11, James Toseland, Yamaha, GBR, 100
12, Toni Elias, Ducati, ESP, 91
13, Sylvain Guintoli, Ducati, FRA, 60
14, Alex De Angelis, Honda, SMR, 55
15, Randy De Puniet, Honda, FRA, 54



Team Standings 05/10/2008

Pos., Team, Points
1, FIAT Yamaha Team, 514
2, Repsol Honda Team, 340
3, Ducati Marlboro Team, 296
4, Tech3 Yamaha, 226
5, Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, 222
6, Honda Gresini, 161
7, Team Alice, 151
8, JIR Scot Team, 145
9, Kawasaki Racing Team, 96
10, Honda LCR, 54



Manufacturer Standings 05/10/2008

Pos., Manufacturer, Points

1, Yamaha, 361
2, Ducati, 286
3, Honda, 275
4, Suzuki, 165
5, Kawasaki, 81
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Rossi: "An exciting race"
"The second is a great achievement"

"It 'was a beautiful race - said Valentino Rossi - The last laps were then precisely from us .... Unfortunately, with the fall of yesterday I played the chance to win. But I knew I was optimistic because of having a large step . It 'was an exciting race from start to finish. Duellando I started well from the beginning. I was also lucky: De Angelis fell in front of me and I failed to one centimeter. "

Valentino did not win, but gave performance thanks to a great comeback that brought him from 12esimo ranks second behind the Ducati of Casey Stoner. .

Yesterday Rossi was the protagonist of a fall in which he had hurt his neck. Today pero 'led a perfect passing one by one his rivals.

The eight times world champion today was the maximum target second place because ', as well as from the fourth row, and now Stoner' was very fast: "I enjoyed very much, I never mollato - said Vale - I lost a po 'time to pass Toseland, with whom I have had a battle cheek. He and' one who sells expensive skin. However Stoner had a step more 'fast all. I found my rhythm and I was fast, I have taken Hayden last lap and I pushed to the maximum. The second place was the best result we could do today, and 'was a great race. "

5 October 2008
Italiano

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