MotoGP – Estoril – Valentino Rossi returns to success ahead of Pedrosa and Stoner

This time the one who couldn't do anything about it is Casey Stoner. On the day of the forceful return to the highest levels of Yamaha, Honda and (above all) Michelin, Valentino Rossi returns to success by winning the head-to-head duel with Daniel Pedrosa, creating a race "of his" and keeping his world championship hopes alive . The seven-time world champion got the most out of his available package, demonstrating his riding and mastery in managing a difficult and complicated duel with Pedrosa, who has never been so combative in a direct confrontation with an opponent in the premier class. For Rossi, the victory (fourth of the season after Jerez, Mugello and Assen) is a "thought-buster" that brings the Yamaha/Michelin duo back to the top, a new force not to be underestimated for the non-European trip that will begin in 5 days at the Twin Ring in Motegi. It won't be a walk in the park for Casey Stoner: new "match point" to be played in Japan with Rossi and Pedrosa in attack and a race in Estoril where Bridgestone was the lifeline. Seventy-six points, however, remain a considerable advantage for a comeback that remains impossible...

Race report

Stunning start for Casey Stoner, immediately leader ahead of Pedrosa, Hayden, Melandri and Rossi, with Hofmann forced to start from the pits due to problems with his Desmosedici GP7. Rossi immediately tries to pass Melandri, succeeding at the "Orelha" after a previously frustrated attempt at Turn 5, the so-called "Parabolica Interior". Stoner tries to escape and Pedrosa follows him like a shadow, further away Hayden has to look over his shoulder from a determined Rossi and at the same time pressured by the Bridgestone-tyred Melandri/Hopkins pair. Valentino realizes the need for an overtaking and on the third lap he makes his way again in the "Orelha" style on Hayden: the duelists of the 2006 season almost come into contact, with the seven-time world champion who will get the upper hand and immediately try to make a comeback on the two escapees. We scrutinize the time monitor, observe with extreme attention the battle for fourth position between Nicky Hayden and Marco Melandri: the two put on a show with five passing of the baton in just under three laps, with the battle apparently won by American.

Joy therefore in Portugal for the official Honda HRC team: the renewed RC212V has become a lady motorbike, so much so that it can worry the missile Ducati Desmosedici GP7. The rest is done by Daniel Pedrosa's handle, and on the sixth lap the "impossible" materializes: the Catalan takes advantage of the slipstream of the #27 Ducati, comes alongside on the straight and with a decisive braking (luckily it was the heel of Achilles of the three-time world champion..) at Turn 1 Casey Stoner passes and takes the lead of the race! A Honda returns to the lead after the Sachsenring, but it doesn't end there, because Stoner loses further ground and with the same method as Pedrosa the good Rossi overtakes the Australian during the eighth lap! Pedrosa, then Rossi and Stoner: are we reliving the Sachsenring?

This isn't exactly the case, because today Valentino Rossi finally seems to be "on the ball" and in the next lap he passes Pedrosa and returns after time immemorial to the lead of a Grand Prix! Huge contest, three drivers in half a second, we correct ourselves: more than the Sachsenring it seems like a re-proposal of Barcelona. Restored revisitation with obvious improvements, starting with the inclusion of Nicky Hayden in the battle for success thanks to the record time of 1'37"493 during the 13th lap, and a Daniel Pedrosa decidedly in the "New and Improved" version. The reason? Just look at lap 16: he takes advantage of the slipstream of Rossi's M1, comes alongside and braking passes the seven-time world champion, the one who had "ridiculed" him on several occasions on this aspect in the recent past. Pedrosa is therefore the new race leader followed by Rossi, with Stoner further behind in obvious difficulty and now worried by Nicky Hayden: only the first two are still under 1'38, the trend of the sincere contest which if it is a battle it could not be otherwise what a duel.

Final rush of the contest, first real "die" of the engines this season: boom the 4-ad-L of Barros' Desmosedici, smoke also for the 4-in-line of De Puniet's Kawasaki. Tremendous epilogue also at Tech 3, with Guintoli (he was 15th) stopped by his own M1 and Tamada crashed (too bad, he was splendid eighth) at the "Orelha". All already forgotten, the race continues and with five laps to go Rossi and Pedrosa think it best to exchange the baton for a few corners, facilitating the return of Casey Stoner, who has become significantly closer. Just a false alarm, because today in Estoril a duel was supposed to be and a duel it was.

Two laps to go, Rossi tries to brake at turn 1, comes wide and Pedrosa passes him again: he tries again at the "Parabolica Interior" and this time everything goes well, Valentino is in the lead with still one lap to go. Rossi resists, creates a masterpiece last lap and returns to success, his fourth of the season, still keeping the championship games open. Second is Pedrosa ahead of Stoner, on the edge of the podium is Hayden followed by Melandri, Hopkins, Checa, Elias, Capirossi and Colin Edwards to close the top ten. There are now 76 points between Stoner and Rossi: second match point for the Australian in seven days at Motegi...

The "hot" declarations of the protagonists

Valentino Rossi, 1th: “I dedicate this victory to Colin McRae (rally champion who died yesterday in a helicopter accident), going back to the bikes I have to say that it was a difficult moment but we were already doing better in Misano. Here we were in great shape, when the Michelins work we are there. Stoner had a great performance, for me this third place here is worth more than when he wins by distance. I thank the bike, the team and the Michelins which were better than the Bridgestones today.”

Dani Pedrosa, 2th: “It was a good race. Here both Valentino and I were on par with the Bridgestones. When Rossi was in front he slowed down too much and Stoner gained, so I took the lead and tried to push. Rossi, however, always remained there and in the end overtook me without me being able to reply. I'm happy because in the end the bike ran as it did at the start of the race and that had never happened this year."

Casey Stoner, 3th: “Unfortunately I had clutch problems and therefore I had engine braking problems. The bike hasn't been perfect since testing. Unfortunately I was too far into the first corner and I wasn't able to fight for the victory..”

Alessio Piana