MotoGP Silverstone

I was not happy with the decision to move the MotoGP from Donington to Silverstone. However, the changes they have made to the track are really good! It makes for a good bike track now, and we had some really exciting races this weekend.

First up was the Moto2, with the impressive line-up of 40 odd riders on the grid. I really love this new series, where they are all so close that Iannone who dominated in Mugello is way down the grid at Silverstone. Almost all the riders have a chance for a podium, and it changes all the time. No clear favourites stand out, and they all go for winning the next corner. Watching Silverstone, I also love the different styles of the riders. You get some MotoGP stars mixing it up with 125cc champs and all the old 250 riders all having different lines. Then throw in motard riders like Hernandez who was totally backing it in to all the corners in proper motard style and you don't know what will happen next! Really entertaining! If only Lüthi would get his starts sorted he would have an easier time out there. As it was, he clawed his way back to the front, and took the lead with one lap to go. It seemed he had done what was needed, but over-cooked an entry letting Cluzel slip by.

The MotoGP was good too. Lorenzo is making the most out of the absence of Rossi and does look set to winning the championship. But I loved the fight between Ben and Nicky! What an amazing pass by The Ben there, taking his first podium. I expected him to be good this year, but I did not expect a podium quite so soon. Now if we could only get both Ben and Nicky on the podium at the same time it would be great...

We didn't see the pass. The joker tv operator cut to Lorenzo when the pass occurred.

I also liked how Randy was doing throughout the race. Having qualified in second, he is showing that he does have considerable speed. It is not the first time he is well up the grid, and he is often fast in testing. Part of his problem in racing is that he tends to be a bit all over the place, probably a result of him having to over-ride his customer bike to stay with the factory riders. Even if he finished 6th in the race, he was up there for most of it, sticking it to Dovi more than once. I would think his tires suffered more than the others.

Ben clearly showed his intelligent race craft by staying reasonably close to the front while conserving the tires, so that he cauld launch a final attack in the closing stages of the race. I am always amazed by how much of a thinking rider he is, and the comparison to Randy shows this more than ever. So do the results...

I won't see the race till Tuesday...my DVR skipped it for some reason.


damnit!!!!!

yeah, awesome pass by Ben... great battle for 2nd... Lorenzo is cruising!