Voy Por Ustedes

While I'm kicking my heels at home waiting to shop for tables and sandwiches I've had occasion to watch the qualifying for tomorrows MotoGP. I do so love MotoGP, but this race in particular. It's one of those old school tracks that separates the great riders from the good riders.

By my way of thinking anyone can pelt down a straight at 200mph, but not everyone can take a left-hander at 130mph with their knee on the tarmac and haul the bike over for a 100mph right-hander before he's even had time to move his head in the direction he wants to go.

Actually I say everyone can go fast in a straight line; back in my motorcycling days I bought a TT600 and thought I'd see how fast it would go so I went missilling my way down the A40 at 155mph, but after about two miles I was absolutely knackered even though it was a straight line.

Anyway, I digress. So yes it's a riders track. From the circuit diagram it looks like Mugello has lots of chicanes but they're just really fast corners so there's no breaking it's just down the gears and corner speed. Valentino Rossi is the best at this, all the silly computers in the world can't compensate for a lack ability on tracks like this one and the straight line speed advantage the Ducati's have is neutralised by the twisty parts of the track.


Erm..obviously as I type this Casey Stoner has just some how put in a fastest lap beating Rossi's effort by something like 0.20 of a second with about 8 minutes to go in the session..but though people, but it ain't over yet and wooooooooahh arghhhhhh ooohhhh Valentino has nicked pole position back off him.

What I'm getting at anyway, is I'm even more confident than I was yesterday about this race and even more happy at getting on at odds against with Vale looking so jolly fast. Qualifying is always just a means to an end rather than an end for him. Any position in the top four is fine. Some riders seem to want to rack up poles without every really having a shot at winner the actual race.


This looks to me like the podium positions are locked up. A tri-cast of Rossi, Lorenzo and Stoner. As a possible dark horse Colin Edwards and Loris Capirossi also look fast. The Honda's look lost and Nicky Hayden on the other Ducati might as well go back to dirt bike racing.

** Erm..Capirossi has some how just put in the fastest lap with about a minute to go. The commentators are silent. He is trading at 32 on betfair to win the race!

No wait - Now it's Lorenzo on pole! Stoner second!! Capirossi third!!! Rossi fourth!!!!

Qualifying over. All very interesting. I don't think Valentino Rossi has finished off the top row in qualifying for this race ever. Can't wait for the race - 2pm our time, well worth getting up early for.