Round 9 - Sachsenring MotoGP

We are in Germany for round nine of the MotoGP World Championship. As

you can see, they do things a little bit different year round

here. If you were worried that MotoGP was coming in to a bit of a

procession, fear not. Last time, everything got turned on its head.

It looked as though the Italian Grand Prix was going to follow a

familiar script. Casey Stoner gets After 17 laps, the script was torn

up. Casey Stoner. He is really getting Weeldon now, big style. --

real them. The world champion is back in front., Lorenzo started to

pull away. Then, on the last lap, and even bigger surprise. Over the

hill, into the braking zone. Dovizioso has the line. Dovizioso

pulls it back better! That gave Dovizioso second place, much to the

delight of the home fans and his wife. But, more importantly for the

championship, it meant that Lorenzo had taken nine points. Yes, he

managed to pull that get back. We're lucky to have the world

champion and race winner from Italy with those, 20 minutes before we go

out onto the track. Is that the turning point of the season for

Yamaha, is it a game on? It's an important race. But, as you know,

we will try to fight for the wind. But, it if we cannot not, it is

good for the competition. Maybe it rains in the middle of the race,

it's a difficult situation. victory two weeks ago, a real

confidence boost? Yes, it's grenade -- it's been a great race. Very

emotional. It gave us butterflies. The championship is very long, we

have to make so many races. So, be calm, be cool and enjoy. Just over

20 minutes until the race. What is your routine from now, a few

minutes -- last minute changes? talked to the boss, I talked to run

known to understand if we make some changes for the bike. Then I put on

my iPod and here some music. What have you got on there? Linkin Park,

Red Hot Chili Peppers. Phil Collins. Normally Linkin Park. I'm not sure

about Phil Collins. We'll leave you to it. We will follow you through.

Listening to some Phil Collins? That's a shock. A big race for him.

It's round nine of 18 in the championship, the halfway stage.

This circuit is one of only two on the calendar that he has never won

at at any class. The other one is in Spain, where we went for the

first time last year. This is the halfway stage of the season. The

half-time report is that Casey Ducati are in fourth. Nicky Hayden

is in fifth. He really loves this circuit. He finished on the podium

four years in success in. -- succession. He likes it in Germany.

He has been warming up for this one down the road with some very

MotoGP at Sachsenring, Nicky Hayden is about to get a taste of Sam four

will action in one of the fastest touring cars and the world. His

challenge is to master this 500 horsepower beast. His mentor is

none other than David Coulthard, who is completing his second season

in the championship. After a few laps, I will be in the passenger

seat to assess his performance. Welcome. You are familiar with

racetracks but we have got four rails -- wheels rather than two.

I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing for me. But we

are going to find out. This is what he will be driving. A Mercedes C-

class. Top speed, 300 kilometres an The understeer, it's so cold at the

moment. Trying to get some heat into the brakes. We should probably

go and put a bit of heat in the That was a good entry, we just

didn't quite get the exit. Get on the care and he will get a bit more

grip. -- get on that heard and he will get a bit more grip. It's

biting on the clutch, you might At what is very clear is that he

knows about finding the grip. had a couple of spins, but he never

so and twice on the first corn a. Once he had done it, it was locked

away. He's searching for the throttle, that is the sign of a

That was pretty awesome for me, how was it for you? It was fun, I

enjoyed it. It was... Well, when it first went out, it started to rain

and it was hard to make the tyres work. The breaking was most

impressive. You can brake is so deep. Obviously I love to get a few

more laps in, but I'd brought the car back in one piece, barely. It

was looking a little close. I brought it back with maybe a little

bit of grass and the defenders. But I kept it out of the wall. That was

the main objective. -- Under defender. That looked like a lot of

fun, but a bit scary. It looked like you enjoy scaring the life out

of hair? That was a little bit of an enjoyment. I didn't want to pick

on hair too bad. She was a good sport. We had fun. No damage done,

couple of doughnuts. But that is part of it. Back on two wheels here,

notoriously tricky. It seems to also we did Ducati? It's been a

good, solid Wigan so far. We came out strong, like you are supposed

to. The team did a great job, made a lot of little improvements. It

hasn't been spectacular. We will see. The races where it counts. It

is a nasty little track. It's downhill, uphill, blind, tight.

Very technical, with 50 a corner that drops away. -- fifth gear

corner. It's not an easy track, but it's a track I've really enjoyed

and it's been good to me. You know, I hope today that we put up a great

fighter. Do a good job for the team. We all need it. It's not been easy

these last few weeks. The motivation is there, the guys are

determined. Thanks a lot, Nicky. Good luck. So, things are looking

up in the Ducati garage. Over there, things that so good? The bad news

at Pramac is that there is no Capirossi. In the end, the pain was

too much. In the end it was a Silman Guintoli he took his spot.

He had tested with the team on the Monday test. So he has had a bit of

time on his bike. But Loris Capirossi has said one of the

motivations for coming here is that he didn't want to see somebody else

riding his bike. How does it feel now? Always, the past is to ride

the bike. I tried on Friday morning, but I'm not fit enough. I decided

to keep another week off. I would like to try again in Laguna.

are you feeling about your future? I know you said you would make an

announcement. Do things like this pursue towards retirement? Honestly,

in that moment, I don't do what I want to do next year. The feeling

is still really good, I still enjoy riding a bike. But after a rest and

holiday, I will think what I do. look forward to hearing what you're

While we await that decision with bated breath, no surprise to see

that the man stepping into his place, so van Guintoli, his last on

the grid. A real big ask for him. He stepped in marvellously as a

pundit for us a few months ago. The thing that is a surprise is that

immediately ahead of him on the grid is Valentino Rossi, serious

problems for that Ducati. They are nowhere closer to sorting it out.

They are without their CRU teeth once again, Gerry Burgess. Things

were not helped on Friday morning by a cash -- crash. It was a heavy

one. They lost the front. As he slides towards the gravel he

catches his elbow quite badly. A lot of wear and tear on the inside

of his elbow. He also jerks his previously injured shoulder. That

took the skin off the inside of the elbow. He's been riding in a lot of

pain for the rest of the weekend. Steve, Charnley, joining me at the

back of the grid, that's not the sole reason why he is at the back

of the grid? They still can't sort out the bike. They still haven't

found the key. Speaking to Alex, who is working things out, they say

they have gone back to testing. They'd given up on this season,

pretty much. I think they are trying to sort out for next year.

It's not much fun for the spectators or for him. He will

definitely go forward. So far, it's not promising for next year either.

Charlie, we saw a lot of crashes in that corner, particularly in

practice. I know you're have your own theory? What is going on is

that the rear tyres have gone softer. If you go a little bit

softer, you get a little bit more grip on the rear. If you think

about pacy -- Casey Stoner, he said with in qualifying, I was in at a

tenth of my best time on hard tyres. They are soft at the rear and that

gives more push. We saw Casey Stoner crash. It was cold on Friday

morning? It was cold, it had a head wind, everything going for crashes.

One of the other situations is that the gravel was high and it was

bouncing people up in the air. It was a very awkward situation. Look

at Marco Simoncelli. He goes down so gently. His air pack does off

now, as he gets away from the bike. We are very lucky we haven't got

more injuries and that we have actually got a full grid. That was

yesterday morning in sunny conditions. The track was warm. A

lot of cloud cover today, it will be tricky on the first lap? We have

been watching this, 23 degrees half an hour ago. The cloud is building.

Another thing that that crash, it's windy. It's like putting in a

tackle on a yacht. It's going to be really difficult. They need to be

careful for the first two or three laps. There's no point going to the

Moon on the first lap, you've got to finish the race. Charlie is used

to being at the back of the grid. We've never lost a commentator!

only has the tyres been a big issue, also a matter that has been

everybody's lips is the subject of Japan. I want to show you a quote

from Casey Stoner. The Japanese Grand Prix was postponed in April

because of the catastrophe out there with the earthquake and the

subsequent tsunami. The riders are now worried about radiation. This

is what Casey Stoner had to say yesterday. I will not go. That is

my opinion. I've had it now for some time. Not as long as Jorge

Lorenzo. I took more time to take my decision, but I will not go

there. I'm sure most riders are of the same opinion. If you know, that

is my decision. You know, I guess it is up to the organisers to

As I said, we do have the organiser with us. What is going to happen?

In principle we have had several meetings during the last Grand Prix.

We have decided to make an investigation with a private

company as to the level of radiation. We did it last week.

They have investigated. We will have the results by 24th July.

There will the results again on the 31st, with confirmation if there is

any level of radiation that it will be problematic. We have agreed that

depending on the results, we will go or not. They have seen as the

riders, if you believe Casey Stoner, they are not going? It is not my

problem. We have an agreement to make the race. We have an agreement

to bring the teams and drivers. The teams have an agreement with the

drivers. It is up to the team's whether they fulfil this agreement.

If the investigation is OK, the race will happen. Just to confirm,

we saw the quote from Casey Stoner, but he said it is all of the riders,

as far as we believe apart from Hiroshi Aoyama? I don't think all

of the riders have this opinion. It is the teams that need to resolve

that. Thanks for talking to us. Hopefully we will get a positive

resolution. We have seen how the riders line up at the back of the

grid, let's see how they line up at the front.

After the crash is in practice, things have calmed down for

qualifying. Although his Karel Abraham was gutted. With less than

20 minutes of the session remaining Casey Stoner set a benchmark taint.

Hot on his heels or was a Pedrosa. It was looking like being an All

Honda front row with Simoncelli completing the front three. This is

Her Edwards is feeling under the Casey Stoner, sixth pole position

of the season. How are you feeling? Temperature looks to be a bit down

on yesterday? This wind will be hard work because it cools the

right hand side of the tyres and we are going around a lot of left-hand

turns. We will have to be cautious and it will be a long, hard race. I

would prefer it to be warmer, but this is what we have got to ride in.

All the best today. That is the thought of the man at the front of

the grid, let's hear from the man at the back.

Sylvain Guintoli, 2008 the last time you're on the Pramac Racing

Ducati. Things have changed since then? It is great to be back. It

has been a difficult weekend so far. I am enjoying it, riding these

bikes is like riding a Formula One on a go-kart track. And next to

Valentino Rossi on the grid so I will enjoy that race. Best accent

in MotoGP. Let's go to Cal Crutchlow. He has had a bit of a

torrid weekend. It is another new track for him, difficult for him to

learn it being so technical. Not helped with two crashes. You are

talking a lot about the set-up, the front end feeling, now you have

gone for a drastic change? thought I might as well gamble, we

have nothing to lose. We have not had a good week in crash macro we

can so far. It is not my preferred style of riding, but we will see

how it goes. Hopefully it will pay off, I would tell you after the

race. The position not good, but statistics, from Casey Stoner at

the top to Cal Crutchlow in 12, just one second separating those

riders. I want too quickly show you

Bautista for start he went quicker this morning and he managed

yesterday? If he had made it round that complete lap he would have

made it quicker a game. We will have a look at the crashes as you

are talking. Just pushing the limits. We had seen all year, these

guys push limits when the confidence is there and they will

fall down now and again. His confidence is just coming back. It

is the first time he has jumped off the bike since he broke his leg so

badly. He is ready to go. We will quickly walk off the front Wade. I

want to show you Nicky Hayden. Crouching by the side of his bike.

It was quite positive for him at this track. We are getting thrown

up the grid now. We would just have a quick look at the front two.

Dovizioso, and round three for him. On the front row, Jorge Lorenzo,

the Dani Pedrosa, it is the first time he has been back on the front

row since Portugal in round three. Casey Stoner starts from pole

position. 13 laps ahead of us. As I said earlier, this is going to be a

big one, especially the blind turn big one, especially the blind turn

on the first lap. They also have to get around to her

No 1. The it is one of those corners that it sucks you into it.

So you cannot test way you want to break. It it will be busy in their.

Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo will be having a glance to make sure

nobody is charging down the inside. The whole first section is

difficult. Nicky Hayden, there are two ways to do this. Hang out wide

and cuts in late or make for the apex. We will see the rest of his

credit with Valentino Rossi at the back. He should made good progress?

He should do, and not sure if this is a ploy of his. A massive crowd,

there were something like a quarter of a million tickets sold. Watched

a man in the middle, Pedrosa back with us. If you don't always watch

MotoGP, a reminder Pedrosa is the fast starter on the planet. Lorenzo

has stalled his bike. He won't need that. We have lift-off. He is

getting pushed. You are allowed to give riders assistance to get off

the grid. I am sure he will catch all these guys up. You'll probably

see Casey Stoner hang back because he likes to get towards the back

wells he goes round. That is the last of the right handers. It goes

left at four, left at five, left at six. He can now pick up his pace

and get back to the grid. It is now 21 degrees. It is significant.

Everyone it will have to be cautious. This is the infamous turn.

So we had a great Moto to raise. In matters raised, that turn 11 is so

deep of the hill is. The pit straight is an absolute nightmare.

Moving up to the start of the grid. Casey Stoner in pole position on

the left Tyneside. The decision he has is whether he will move

straight to the apex. If someone is on the inside, you have the next

lap so you have the chance to squeeze someone out. We know the

whole race will be tight. Lorenzo had a problem getting his bike

started, but he is there. It is a cracker of a place. But fingers

crossed for this one. This is Germany, we are starting. A good

start from Stoner. Pedrosa is leading. Stoner has gone for the

apex. Lorenzo going round the outside, nice stuff from him.

Stoner in third place. As forecast, the fastest man on the planet off

the line. He did exactly that, went round they have - Mac Beth -- left

time. Lorenzo does not want his team mates to get his head down.

Pedrosa is a bit of a specialist. This is the moment, close your

eyes! They are Kerbel through it this time. Some of the guys have

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

having a go at each other. It was the one who got muscled out by

Dovizioso. Dovizioso very brave it down the outside. That is Bautista

who spoke on the grid, he said he has his confidence back. We were

talking about this yesterday in qualifying. It is not a horsepower

circuit. If there was one to naturally favour the Yamaha, it is

this place. For when they did I think I would ever say, Stoner the

third of the factory Ducati. A non it's out of pole position. They are

Lorenzo. He is on a bit of a role at the moment, Dovizioso. You have

Yamaha, Honda, hombre, Honda, Edwards is at the back. Jorge

Lorenzo is the man who now has a couple of lengths ahead. Stoner

trying to find a way through. Dovizioso, the first of the three

hombres. Bautista is not deterred by his high jump this morning. He

Rossi is through. He's working his way through. Valentino Rossi, as

you know, started at the stern of the ship. He's now 10th. He's

almost up to midship, as we head into this long run. Rossi crashed

right there only a few months ago. Not today. He's on the move. His

lap time is not too bad. The tyres are up to temperature, I'm sure the

times will start dropping off. A bit more confident on the right-

hand side. There we are, the same shot. Through on the inside, he

holds Nicky Hayden out on the inside. He has to watch the bits of

rolled-up rubber from the earlier races. He's through to the right

hand. Edwards is very much a part of this. It's so fast. Stoner is

hamming up through the inside. absolutely, a nice move for him.

Will he have a look up the inside of the Dovizioso? Here we are,

riding with Pedrosa. That is Stoner in front of us. He's up through

third, fourth, fifth, quick as you like. The fastest part of the

surface. But Rose is looking down the inside. Stoner has got

Dovizioso! He's back where he ought to be. What can he do about Jorge

Lorenzo? Stoner was the only guy that could get through. This entire

field, the first 12 guys, was separated by about the second. It

was that type. These guys are proving a point. It's going to be

about time degradation, the left- hand side of the tyre. Laguna is

the shortest, but this is going to be such a workout for the left-hand

Australian. Unlovely down the inside. Just enough to shut

everybody out. Here he goes! He's past Lorenzo. This is where Richard

tell, the last corner. The big drag up the hill. The Honda has more

squirt than a Emma Harle. Look at He kept it nice and tight. On board

Lorenzo was not in the hunt, once they got out of the corner. Stoner,

straight away, 22.173. Wonderful to watch him moving his body weight,

his head, his shoulders, every little bit. It looks like he is

tiptoeing, on a tight rope. He's using his body weight the whole

time to keep it in the perfect then the right, down the hill again.

We saw so many people, as you said earlier, chuck it away in the first

practice. Lorenzo is really in the thick of things now. 1 Yamaha and a

sea of Hondas. Through turn 11, what you have to do is very

difficult. You just have to roll it a touch, use a bit of back brake to

make sure the front tyre makes going on, you've got this sweating

gelignite in the form of Simoncelli. We know that Simons Chile is very

fast. -- Simoncelli. He keeps getting those terrific positions on

the grid, but converting it is another issue. It's very much like

tyre management, just look at A* it looks like crisis-management! Such

fantastic. Engines love this thick, chilly, cold air. And the riders

love not being too hot. We have been here when it has been 33

degrees at times. Still on board with Dani Pedrosa, up to turn 13.

Doing a great job staying in touch with these boys, not getting beaten

up too much by the Honda. There is the start of the hill. You go up

and over, a bit of a plateau. Then we go uphill again. He wants to

push on. Absolutely, how the guys get a chance to see it, I have no

idea, there is no time. Their lap times? Yes, there is nothing really

in it. Ben Spies is good, and as tyre degradation works in. You

fancy Bautista coming through. Hayden did 22.909. Behind him his

collar head woods and Valentino Rossi, followed by Cal Crutchlow.

to do. Interestingly, Colin Edwards is sandwiched between the two

Ducatis. Nicky Hayden has his front home race next week. He's got to

decide if his guide to the GP 11 -- Rossi is riding in, or will he

stick with the one he is running at the moment? It looks like Valentino

Rossi isn't making a huge amount of progress. He has certainly not

transform and the bike. Data always helps. If he checks the time sheets

for the last two qualifying... As a look at Lorenzo making a move. That

is the order you would expect the Honda team to be in. Lorenzo was

spoiling the party a little bit for them. Nicky Hayden... Here is the

past. That was pretty neat. Nice and tidy again. If you can just get

yourself on the inside, there was no way for Dovizioso to turn. At

the Griffi confident stuff. Watched by... How many people? They sold

240,000 tickets for the weekend. They answered at the love their

motor racing. It's the biggest event of the year. Such a lot of

heritage around. You've got to remember all of the motorcycle

companies in this area. The two- stroke engine that we used last

year was designed and engineered in this area. Most importantly, it's

the home of the two-stroke paper mache car! But I digress. These

boys are as tight as you like. I'll tell you why, if you look at

qualifying, Stoner managed to do a 22.1. Everybody else was on 22.6.

21.6, rather. Then it was 21.9, 21.9, 21.9. It is so tight together.

Or of these front-runners have gone for the harder option, front and

rear tyres. They are going to need it at the end of the race. One or

two of the slower guys have gone for the softer option, if you're

not going as hard you will not get the temperatures into the tyres. As

one of the big issues we have with the Bridgestone tyres. You can see

that in 2010 because 21.882. It goes downhill. And then it falls

off comeback the bottom. Look at backed by power slide! -- Look at

that palace slide. Look at Rossi, certainly got some confidence.

Colin Edwards has not crashed on this corner, but now we see the

speed. It's got to be. Colin is not silly. Colin Edwards has a lot to

do trying to fight back, he goes through the motions but that is it.

The next guy on Rossi's list is his team-mate. That going to be

interesting. Nicky Hayden, fighting back. Bautista looks like he has

made it stick. A little blue Barth before Rossi gets up his tail pipe.

This will be very interesting for Hayden if he gets up to his tail

pipe. A first-hand view of what do bikers like. It is a completely

different rear end. You can see that great big swing, the carbon

fibre on Nicky Hayden's machine. A Valentino Rossi has more like the

Yamaha system. We are on board with Bautista, the sole Suzuki. They

said to me that they wished they had got it working with two riders

and the team, so it makes it easier to get it sorted. Cardinal Sin this

morning, crashing by going faster than he did in qualifying. As his

boss said, it didn't dent his confidence but it was rather

foolish. An expensive way of starting your Sunday morning.

has still got his pecker up. He's not defeated by what he did. But

I'm sure the guys in the garage were not best pleased. Really

torpedoed the bike. Casey Stoner. He's not braking, what is going on?

It's a hard job. Is that 2007 champion Casey Stoner fighting of

Jorge Lorenzo, with the number one plate. Look at this, through here.

The way they fire themselves, jump from one side of the bike to the

other. He doesn't want a change direction. We are talking one had

and 20 mph. The gyroscopic effect of the wheels, they want to go

straight. The young man on top of it wants to turn the corner. It's

amazing, standing down on the grid, the ground moves under your feet

when they ride past you. Terrifying. It is terrifying, then always, the

growl of these 230 brake horsepower machines. All 800s. It has been 900,

up to 1000 next year, of course. No lack of confidence with Jorge

Lorenzo. He was right on the wheel of Stoner through that. That is the

audio mix you want to hear. Yamaha have a little bit more on the entry.

A little bit more comfortable. This might actually be Pedrosa's moment.

You are with Pedrosa. There is Lorenzo. You've got to say, over

Dani Pedrosa's career, we know what a brilliant rider he is, if he's

got a weakness it in the braking. If he's not careful, he'll Palace

lied again. Everywhere we go, the legions of Rossi fans are here. He

started at the blunt end, 16. He is up to nineth. He's been out-

qualified by Nicky Hayden. At an update on Cal Crutchlow, he is

second per lap off. Useful experience for him but it will be a

waste of time if he doesn't get another run next weekend. Casey

Stoner, Repsol Honda. Jorge Lorenzo on began a heart. His team-mate,

Dani Pedrosa or. -- on began aha. Straight through, Simoncelli gets

but it has worked. Marco Simoncelli, still to have a podium. This is the

battle for 4th. He's got more work to do, but can he close the gap on

the diminutive Spanish rider, Dani Pedrosa? He's running third. We

know how fast Danny is around the because we can see them. Stoner is

working so hard to try and break these guys. The best chance he's

got his if Dani Pedrosa starts to interfere with him, slow him down

at it. Then the Yamaha, you can see live! Are there any questions?

was brave. Confidence and bravery. It looked like the Yamaha of Jorge

Lorenzo, began a heart combination, run out of the corner. Just sticks

it down the inside. As Casey Stoner has now led to go, he can't turn

into the side of the Yamaha. We are not even yet up to half raised

another five points if they finish in this order. That would be

getting uncomfortable for him. There is a great example of pure

two racers, the three boys at the front. What harm there will be

aware of, if Jorge Lorenzo wins this race, three wins to Yamaha in

the last three races. If he was to nail it here, it would be building

their confidence. They are using the 2010 chassis with new

components bold and around it. Stoner is being closed down by

Pedrosa now. He does not have the pace that Lorenzo can run at. If

this is a Yamaha circuits, so it is Laguna Seca. When they got up, the

tyres they got out, but pressure and the grip or went. It is spain,

Spain and Australia. Pedrosa is a demon around here and is showing it

now. Qualifying is one thing and racing is another. 170 miles per

hour. Just a fraction later on the brakes. Casey Stoner is probably

thinking he will let Dani Pedrosa chase the Yamaha down. It is all

about tyres and who has the grip. This is an interesting turn.

Lorenzo, lack, a great time around here. Jorge Lorenzo was a were when

he lost the Championship at Silverstone, he said OK I am the

dog, I am the hunter and the man who has to go out and get it. He

knows he has to win races. The hammer is down and he comes over

the finish line and he was saying it is 0.2, when it was actually 0.4,

but you always like a little bit. Rossi has dropped off. This is a

belting scrapped. That is the Pramac Racing machine of de Puniet.

Cal Crutchlow has closed down de Puniet. At the front, there are the

two rock salt Honda machines. The gap is looking bigger now. Stoner

wants to be able to see the quarry and that is his team mate. It is

all very well being smoke by a Yamaha, but all three of these guys

are desperate to get there. Pedrosa is looking comfortable at the

moment. It is 0.6, now that gap. Pit boards are a bit late, they

have on board timers, but they won't have a lot of time to be

Casey Stoner's White does also. Stoner is quicker winding down the

infield. Pedrosa is much quicker through the last term and up the

hill. Pedrosa used a bit of the kerb on the inside. That was my

eyes from Simoncelli. A fee was paid enormous compliments from Ben

know how much effort the Honda are putting into taking this

Championship. They have all of their three rock salt Honda riders

out there but the party is being spoiled at the moment by Yamaha.

Casey Stoner was in pole position now he is in third. His leg went

down and that stopped the Blue machine of Bautista getting through.

This is an absolute belter. Rossi could not get it together.

Valentino Rossi they still say he has no confidence in the front end

of the bike. What would he be like if they could sort it out? We don't

know when they are going to be able to do it. You have got to say come

out Rossi is having a nightmare in a bubble car with that bike. But it

will be a better motorbike when they have finished with it.

doubt about it, but we wonder if Ducati will have to train - Mark --

changed their chain of thought. Dick cannot make it more flexible.

Rossi is on the inside. Where is Bautista? He is trying to have a

bit of theirs as well! Welcome back Suzuki and welcome back to the

middle of the field for Valentino Rossi. Valentino Rossi got down the

inside, got the breaks on and then have to run deep in the corner

taking Nicky Hayden out. Fortunately for him he got back up

the inside. They are scrapping it out for 11th place. That battle

with Rossi is the next fight down the track. A Valentino Rossi was

thinking, I have gone into hot. He had to run to date. It was a great

bit of racing. I was worried for Bautista. He sacrificed his career

on that to catty with some difficult times. But the bike is

getting quicker. He is in really getting on the pace and loving it.

As his say, it is confidence. They are a great team and we know how

good the Suzuki team is. Then there is the dynamic the battle at the

front between Spain. What has been happening is Dani Pedrosa has said

goodbye to his team-mate and is giving Lorenzo a workout. Ten laps

remaining. Dani Pedrosa has another new lap record. Pedrosa is the man

doing that in qualifying so they have lost some grip. If he gets it

right he will grab two beers a very, very quickly. Sixth gear, bury

yourself down there. Best macro good racing. The front wheel came

up in the air. He did not get the drive of the corner. It look to me

like Pedrosa does not need to be asked twice. A saw the front wheel

come up and unfortunately for Lorenzo, the programming system

will just have backed it down a little bit. This is good news for

Casey Stoner. He does not want Jorge Lorenzo to take the points.

Dani Pedrosa his way back in the Championship because we have missed

him for so many rounds. He this is the part of the track where the

Yamaha is good. It is stable and smooth. Good on the corner entry,

that is what the Yamaha seems to be at its best. It is a combination of

the Yamaha and the fabulous and rider of Jorge Lorenzo. It is the

exits were the Honda is strong and also the power. It is able to get

the power down a little bit earlier. By the time he gets there to do it

again if that is the only place he can try it on, there will be a gap

and it might be hard to close down. This is how close it is. This is

the start. There goes the Pedrosa data off the line. Extraordinary

how he takes out up to three bike lense straight away. Rossi has

picked up one, two, 3, four into the first turn. This was a lovely

move from Lorenzo. Round the outside and then jams it down the

the outside. Dani Pedrosa has stretched out a bit more of an

advantage. The first turn. It is absolutely terrifying. We have no

idea, they cannot reverse it. It is a matter of looking for a gap and

then going for it. As I was saying, this is exactly what Stoner didn't

need to have happened. His little team mate is disappearing into the

distance. Pedrosa on his way down the hill. This is the Championship

fight at we are talking about. I'm no Casey Stoner has a 19. Advantage,

but you have to look to play seven in the championships. Dani Pedrosa

has missed out. The body language of Stoner, he is all over the place

trying to get past. We will see that again but the almost ruined

his entry down the hill and he is not close enough. On the brakes,

that is where the Yamaha is so good. He is fidgeting. All the way

through the bottom of the hill where there is no real room to pass.

Can he get close enough? He is their! He is there. Another good

move down the inside. He was in all sorts of trouble, the back wheel of

that Honda was up in the air. can Stoner do? Can he close down

Stoner, look at the right hand side of the tier, the soft side of it.

The back wheel comes up in the air but just managed to get it down. No

work for the Yamaha or Jorge Lorenzo to go. That was him through.

But the right hand side of those tyres looking sued up. It's they

are super soft, it is the official category. Rossi got himself into

eighth place. And he has come now and is sitting in front of

Simoncelli. Simoncelli is only five seconds behind Pedrosa leading the

Dan Nicky Hayden... Well, he did have! -- Bautista and Nicky Hayden.

Once again, having a go, getting back past Bautista for the 11

more independent Ducatis. Barbera and Abraham. And Abraham on the

inside! Unfortunate, just went in a little bit too hot down the front.

He is having front tyre issues. He's always saying he doesn't have

any confidence in it. That was right down in turn three, just a

little bit too wide. It's still going on, 5 laps to go. Jorge

Lorenzo has regrouped. He certainly has. This isn't the best part of

the track for him. He's trying to stay in touch as he goes up the

hill. The Honda puts on the power. Not fast enough. The gap between

him and Stoner is 0.613. So it's not very much. It will go right

down to the wire unless Pedrosa can sorted out early. He's giving it

is fastest in places where he cannot pass. Here, turn 1 is the

obvious. Other than that, very few places where you have a chance to

really nasty to me. You know, people like Abraham, he's got a

gravel magnet on his bike. He's been dratted net twice just in

qualifying. An easy place to crash. The Honda guys cannot watch. They

got two shots. At that Lorenzo, so quick. Turn 11. You know why, he

hasn't crashed there. That's one of the places, it's actually one of

the riders, it is more who has not crashed there. Lorenzo was one that

hasn't done. De Yamaha team have kept those wheels on. Still, that

advantage is 0.8 seconds. Here is trouble. Look at this, Dovizioso.

Simoncelli forced out. As you said, Ben Spies is really going to get

hooked up in his. Ben Spies is only in fifth place. Two really tight

battles. 27 and one, that is the championship battle. It will go

right down to the wire. If Stoner can put another five points between

himself and Lorenzo, he'll breathe a sigh of relief. It leader the A14

point advantage away 24 point. Look at the black lines. -- it is either

going to be a 14 point advantage or and the championship. We are about

to go to America for the 9th round got enough energy to power a small

town, Simoncelli. A band over the crest we go. Mike Number 11, Ben

Spies, he wants to play. He's happy to play. Always smooth, trying to

be smooth again. You've got Pedrosa, Stoner Lorenzo. Hayden, Rossi,

Bautista, Edwards, that his dear and break the number one machine.

19 points is a nice advantage, but not enough. He's slipping and

sliding around. Who says that electronics stop them sliding? They

are not today. 20 points is what he will get if you get across the line

where he is forced up but if Casey Stoner gets a long, he won't be

Simoncelli fan. He's coming back to lap. But it's all about the race

for second place. Stoner, what can he do? I would say that the Yamaha

will have a look at him into turn 12. Tyre degradation, not much left

of that tyre now. Stoner will be doing everything he can to ride the

wheels of that. It will all but -- will be all about over the top on

turn 11. We have seen Stoner mug Valentino Rossi. That was a mistake

from Jorge Lorenzo. That has worked for Stoner. All-over? As long as

Stoner doesn't try to out-brake himself. Now it is the final corner.

Well, if he is having a look. He's going! Can he held it? This is the

race for the championship! Stoner has tried to come back. Who will

come across second? It's a Lorenzo! By 900ths of a second! This is the

second battle! Spies, having a kick at Simoncelli. Man, oh, man. It all

goes. I told you it was three races. Rossi is wanting to come off the

table. Bautista finds... Yes, he's going to do it! Bautista smokes but

two Ducatis. Everybody is a winner in Germany. Jorge Lorenzo, a class

He couldn't quite do it. Great stuff from Pedrosa. But that move

by Lorenzo, he had blown it, it was all over. But he made so much up to

turn 12. Then he was close enough to Janet up the inside. Terrific

ride, the last lap. I tell you, I thought that at turn 11 it was all

gone. Where is my water? I'm exhausted. I'll tell you what, have

we got a championship on our hands? Lorenzo has just taken another five

points out of Casey Stoner. Its absolute scream and by Dani Pedrosa.

What a finish, what a result for Dani Pedrosa. I've got his group

chief down here. How does it feel? After all the problems we had, and

Excuse your French. Or your German! It's just wonderful to win this

race. I thought for the last 10, 15 laps, maybe he cannot have the

power to stay in the his lap times. But he hit it, unbelievable. 22.1,

just sensational. Where does he get the fitness and strength from?

don't know, you'll have to ask him What about that? Fantastic scenes

down in Honda. After such a difficult few weeks, he got a punch

on the collarbone from Kasey Cadd to test it out, but it stood up to

the test? The sad thing for him is that he is 5th in the championship.

And a distance one at that. But there were three great scraps. Look

the middle of that battle. There were three fantastic race is going

on. Left the door open, up comes Number 11, Ben Spies. He's

absolutely delighted that he is in the hunt, finished in fifth place.

That blinding battle. What about the scrap between about Easter and

Nicky Hayden, with Valentino Rossi? 15 points is all that separates

Stoner and Lorenzo. That is really, really close. Dovizioso was third,

Rossi his third. Pedrosa was four points behind him. Dovizioso had a

really good race. He was in the thick of it with Simoncelli. He won

that particular battle. At the end of that, he was only 10 seconds

behind the winning rider, Dani Pedrosa. But Pedrosa, 22.1 on the

second last lap, 22.3 on the last lap. Stoner was at 22.7. That tells

you the whole story. He will be gutted. He was slightly out-raced

by Jorge Lorenzo. He regrouped at the bottom of the hill. Absolute

belter. He's delighted, that was the real rates for the championship.

-- race. He was willing that little guy on, trying to make him go

faster. He did well. He's good here. But that was a proper race. He's

annoyed with himself. But he had a great race. He was enjoying himself

and he did very well. He did very well indeed. He finished 14th

because of the mistake at the end. He was in the hunt, having a good

race. The thing he's got to get his head around is the front. Look at

that, Pedrosa. He gets past Lorenzo and bent that really made the

difference. He absolutely pressed on. I can't tell you how hard. This

boy here, when did we last see Suzuki in the thick of it? He

finished 7th, he didn't inherit it, he battled his way through. An

absolute blinder. How is Cal You didn't look too happy, you

looked disappointed with the race. But it such a tough circuit? I may

as well have stayed at home. Two points is two points, but I'd been

going round in circles each weekend. Same every session, the bike is

completely different to when we first started the weekend. It feels

the same. The guys can see it on the data. We have to go from here.

Colin was struggling as well, he got the gap at the start of the

race with the guys that went. I think we pretty much stayed quite

consistent in terms of lap times. We got mugged at the end. I tried

to go past De Puniet, I ran wide, and three guys came past me. I

couldn't get it back. At least we finished the race. But it's not

where I want to be finishing, definitely. We could see were

trying your best, as always. Better luck next time. Disappointment, but

I guess there will be mixed feelings for Casey?

Congratulations on the podium. I think you will not be too thrilled

with the final result? You are right there. I struggled throughout

the race. We felt we didn't want to overheat the tyres. Came through

when I felt I was faster. Unless we were pushing too hard it would have

been difficult to make an advantage. Jorge came past and I wanted to sit

behind him. Pedrosa came past and I didn't want to push my pace too

much more. I knew that we had a bit of race left. I knew that I wanted

some tyre left for the end. When I felt I was getting too far ahead I

started to push more. We had the pace but we didn't have any

confidence. As soon as the tyre started to get a little bit old, we

were struggling for grip. Any time I went into the corner, I would be

of the trouble. It wanted to come round from too much brake, if we

tried to minimise that then it would push the front. We tried to

get the bike set up perfectly. But we had a tough fight and we lost

out. But there was always next week. Still haven't lost your sense of

Thanks for that. And er you could not hear that, but he said he was

struggling for edge grip. On a circuit like this when there are so

many fast left handers, it is a difficulty? He was moving himself a

round. The only thing he will be cross with himself, he did not

block enough into the final corner. Jorge Lorenzo managed to slip up

the corner. Jorge Lorenzo, that last lap was special. Big mistake

at Ten. Nearly ran into the back of Casey Stoner. Then he made it so

much ground on the final two corners. Pedrosa was talking about

his fitness. It is hard to keep full fitness, when you come back

from an injury? You come back from injury and the rest of your body is

not race-fit either. Let's find out how he is feeling now?

Congratulating us, two races back to take your first win since coming

back, what a tough race? Unbelievable. The pace was so high

all of the time. The bikes were speeding all of the time. I had a

good rhythm at the end and the bike was working better at the end than

in the beginning. A perfect result, I did not expect it at all. Very,

very happy. I have to thank all of my fans, the doctors and my family

and people around me. They know how hard it was for me this time and to

come back and not win a race is an unbelievable feeling. Thanks to

them, I hope I can continue like this.

This is a Pedrosa circuit, he has done it here before? Last year.

Very professional performance from him. The lap record, and another

one, he went for it today. Now we can speak to Jorge Lorenzo.

Not a win, but one of your best races so far this season? It has

been a fantastic race. From the middle of the race I was very tired

in my left hand. I didn't know where I could find the force to

keep pushing until the end. Then Casey Stoner stopped the bike two

corners before the end and I made that profit. I think I made it a

miracle. This race is very important and we are so proud and

happy. A miracle finish for Jorge Lorenzo.

What he was getting at I think is that Casey Stoner was a bit too

defensive and it gave him the opportunity? I was hard on Lorenzo

because he did not make a mistake. It was one of those perfect brake

tests which I thought would have worked, but those last two corners,

the amount of room he made. Talk us the amount of room he made. Talk us

through it. This it was about the top and the back end of the circuit.

When we get at the top, Jorge Lorenzo wants to jam it up the

inside and he smacks it through from the inside. Perfect on the

last corner, nothing Stoner could last corner, nothing Stoner could

do about it. I bet he was cross with not blocking that off. He made

a bit of a mistake there. That is his longest success of podiums, and

if you cannot win the races, you have to get on the podium?

Unfortunately for him, Jorge Lorenzo is getting lots of points.

I think we have got a Championship on. We are going into Laguna Seca

next weekend and it is all on! Maybe they can close it down before

the summer break? You cannot afford to crash and get no points

whatsoever. It is about finishing and we have a long way to go.

guess it with Pedrosa back to form, some good circuits for him and that

could be points taken away from his team mate? He said he was going to

help Dani Pedrosa then he would help Casey Stoner, so he is all

help Casey Stoner, so he is all about himself first. Let's talk

about this. Up the straight, we have often said he is not that hot

on the brakes, but today he was fabulous. Remember he had an

accident in the rain which is what accident in the rain which is what

put him out for a few races about two or three years ago. He was

perfect today and his like bodyweight helps him on

acceleration. There was the battle for fourth place and a further back

a scrap between the two Ducati bikes and Bautista.

Terrific stuff. Great to see the Suzuki back in it. And Valentino

Rossi was absolutely in the mix a bit. He is running out wide,

running Nicky Hayden out a wide. Bautista was like a rat up a

drainpipe. Great scrap going on there, Colin Edwards watching it

all. It looks like the riders are coming onto the podium. The Dani

Pedrosa it is his first podium since Portugal.

As he said, Dani Pedrosa is no slouch around the circuit. We saw

him ruin our lives career chances a few years back with a crash. But he

is nimble around here and the pace he put on in the last couple of

laps was extraordinary. Up to 94 points now. Valentino Rossi is four

ahead of him with 98 points. You could expect on his current project

to read - -- trajectory. Casey Stoner will be very aware of this.

This is the local Prime Minister, they have lots of them here. Dani

Pedrosa. I can tell you what is going through his mind. He feels

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

fantastic about winning. He knows I hope for Dani Pedrosa this isn't

a Stirling Moss moment, the greatest rider never to win the

World Championship. It is unlikely he will win it this year. It is

most likely to be between the man on the right, Stoner and the man on

the left in blue, Lorenzo, who starts first. He jumped the gun.

Giving Dani Pedrosa a soaking. They are smartly wearing sunglasses,

they are smart, experience podium boys. This is much harder to

commentate and aim raised. Great to see Dani Pedrosa back. From Casey

Stoner's point of view, not a disaster, but four points closer to

having to work harder. Does this give us any clues for Laguna Seca?

I think it does. I think it does because Laguna Seca

like this one is an anti-clockwise circuit. It is also the shortest

track. Pedrosa goes well at there as well Alsop can we expect a

similar outcome? Pedrosa has turned it up, he came here after having

unlawful race last time. He did not look on form and said he was sore.

But came out here and he was on it. Qualifying was OK but the race was

stunning. We saw the third race, here is the second race. Ben Spies

after fighting with Marco towards market Simon Kelly after

towards market Simon Kelly after raising him in Italy. But

Simoncelli still to get a podium. We did not see what went on in the

previous corners. You would imagine there were a few elbows, they don't

call him Ben Spies elbows for nothing? I bet it was a lot of fun

out there, but unfortunately there was such a race going on at the

front we did not get to see that. front we did not get to see that.

Charlie said he could not wait to see another replay at the start, so

let's just do that. You can take us through it because it was a

thriller? It was. Dani Pedrosa, like a dart off the line. There

could move was from Jorge Lorenzo. Round the outside. He has it nicely

jammed for the left to coming up. Not a brilliant start, but very

brave around the outside. Been round the outside, if someone falls

and takes you out, it is risky, but it paid off for him today. As he

watched Rossi at the back, he sneaks through into the first term.

He picks up by spots, brilliant He picks up by spots, brilliant

stuff. As you said Charlie, it is hard to imagine what it is like,

all of those bikes going into a tight corner together off the line.

The other raised it was worse than that, 38 bikes will stop you can

join us on the red button later for that. We have seen some amazing

finishers in his corner. Almost behind us you can get an idea of

how steep it is. You can see the horizon within 20 yards of where we

are standing. That is the exit from the final turn. We have seen some

great finishes there, none more so than today? Last year, it you

remember Valentino Rossi early was back after his broken leg. Stoner

John dig up the inside sued just get ahead of him for that mastiff

will stop the champagne moments for its Dani Pedrosa or as well as

Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner. Also on the BBC we have a tribute

to a man who knows all about champagne moments.

He was the Marlon Brando, James Dean of the cricket world. And he

was very wild. He enraged the old guard. 1981 was a tough year.

England's weren't any good at anything. He was written off.

History tells this remarkable story. Six, he is out. He was unbelievable.

He did change my life. Most of it Ian Botham, the Legend of 1981. It

was Dani Pedrosa who hit everybody for six. I think we are about to

get hit for six as well! Now he will start closing positions in the

Championship because the Ducati of Nicky Hayden and Valentino, whilst

they have been getting away with it a little bit, they will be closed

in? Pedrosa is the next one of the aliens who will come up in the

Championship but he would just have to keep chipping away. I reckon

Pedrosa will be going what ever happens. In Japan. What do you

think about the Japan situation? Do you understand the riders

perspective? Not really, I think they have probably got enough to

much horsepower. But the teams are want them to go there they should

go. It will be the teams that will have to put the riders under

pressure. They are under contract and they will get fined if they

don't go. I remember being involved in strikes, but there was never a

unanimous decision. It was just that half of the grid started. But

if half of the grid start nowadays, it is not enough. What do you think

the outcome will be? I think there will all end up going. I don't see

how they can get out of it. I will be very surprised if the riders say,

we're not going to go and then the team has just say OK. There will be

a definite outcome when the final report comes in about the radiation

in Japan. That will be next week at Laguna Seca. After that we have a

summer break to assimilate all of that information and get it all