MotoGP – Brno FP3 – Bridgestone party with Capirossi and Hopkins

Two riders on Bridgestone tires ahead of everyone. Impossible, incredible, unachievable. Yet in the third, and last, free practice session, in the first two positions we find the Ducati Desmosedici GP5 of Loris Capirossi and the Suzuki GSV-R of John Hopkins in the lead, ahead of all the Yamahas, Hondas and company branded with the Bibendum on the front mudguard. . Mysteries of Brno, timekeepers on holiday, no, none of this, simply the excellent performance of the "evolution" Japanese tires brought here for the first time in the Czech Republic. Yesterday Capirossi was divided between the Sachsenring specifications and the new ones that will debut tomorrow in the race, obtaining excellent chronometric results in both cases. Is this a sign of a turning point at Bridgestone, as well as Ducati? Hope is always the last to die, just as Capirex is the last to close the throttle, and the monstrous time of 1'58"196 (new record) is confirmation of this. How long will it take to reach the Qualifying? The thought of being 1'57” short is not pure utopia…

Capirossi in front, and it's a pleasure, Hopkins in second, the same. Fantastic to see Ducati and Suzuki at the top, followed by the Yamaha YZR M1s of Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi. After yesterday's crash, the Doctor really seems capable of being able to challenge for the pole position and consequent record: Bridgestone for some time, allowing... The best of the Honda riders is Nicky Hayden, fifth, ahead of Sete Gibernau and Kenny Roberts who thus confirms the Excellent Suzuki competitiveness in Brno. Diametrically opposite story for Max Biaggi, eighth (now a place reserved for the Roman, he can rest assured that no one will steal it from him...) 1"137 from the top: perhaps it is better to already think about Monday with the new RCV, if not to 2006 or other activities.

Melandri ninth, first of a trio of Hond riders also made up of Tamada and Bayliss, with Barros strangely 13th on a track that doesn't suit him much. The Kawasakis are back, the "licensor" Ruben Like this? It's like imagining Nicole Kidman working in a supermarket: what is she doing?

Alessio Piana