The British nation is famous for checking on the weather and after the appalling conditions at Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago the British MotoGP riders are no exception as they travel to Motegi for the A-Style Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday.They are all fed up with the rain that has fallen throughout the season and want a dry day on Sunday round the 2.983 mile Motegi circuit that has had its fair share of wet races.
Twenty seven year old Yorkshireman James Toseland slipped to 12th in the MotoGP World Championship after finishing out of the points in the Indianapolis rain. However, the Tech 3 Yamaha rider has a great chance to fight his way back into the top ten on his Motegi debut. He trails ninth place Shinya Nakano by just two points and will be seeking some good results in those last four races of, his MotoGP debut season.
Fifteen year old Scott Redding was the best of the Brits at Indianapolis with a brilliant fourth place in the 125 cc race. Once again the Gloucestershire teenager faces a new circuit and a new country in his amazing first season riding the Blusens Aprilia in the 125 cc World Championship.
The rain wrecked the chances of Bradley Smith and Danny Webb after they were both flying following disastrous first laps in America. Both were lapping as fast as the race leaders and fighting back through the field when the race was stopped. They have both raced at Motegi previously with Smith running in fifth place last year when he crashed out.
Smith is currently seventh in the Championship just one point behind Joan Olive while Redding moved back into the top ten.
Ulsterman Eugene Laverty will not compete in the remaining four 250 cc grands prix. The talented rider has terminated his contract with the Blusens Aprilia team and will concentrate on the World Supersport Championship for the remainder of the season.
James Toseland:
“Motegi is the last track of the eight I’ve had to learn this year, so it will be a tough weekend. I just want the weather to be consistent. I’ve been praying for that all year but I think there have only been two events when it has not rained over the weekend.”
Bradley Smith:
“Four to go and I’m still after that first win. I’m in good shape and I’ve been the fastest rider in the last two years apart from Talmacsi in Misano. I like Motegi and was running in fifth last year when I caught my knee slider on the kerb and crashed.”
Scott Redding:
“Another new circuit and another new country. I can’t wait to race there especially after Indianapolis where I got my second best result of the season. Part of me was disappointed because I could have been on the podium if I’d not missed a gear but I was happy with fourth because it put me back in the top ten of the Championship.”
Danny Webb:
“We now know where the speed is after qualifying on the front row and then running the same time as the leaders in the Indianapolis race. Hopefully in Japan the weather will be good and I can make a decent start”
Eugene Laverty:
“On Thursday I decided to part company with my 250 cc team Blusens Aprilia. I had high hopes of a strong second half to my season but promised parts didn’t arrive and following big crashes in Misano and Indianapolis I realised things weren’t going to get any better.”
NO DOCTOR’S DEJA VUE FOR ROSSI
Valentino Rossi will not need reminding of events three years ago when he arrives at the A-Style Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday with a great chance of regaining his MotoGP World title. Three years ago he collided with fellow Italian Marco Melandri while in a similar Championship winning position although he did go on to win the title later in the season.
The 29 year old Italian arrives at the 2.983 miles Motegi circuit north of Tokyo brimming with confidence. He has won the last four grands prix riding the Fiat Yamaha to build up an impressive 87 point lead over current World Champion Casey Stoner with just four rounds remaining. The seven time World Champion can afford to drop 11 points to Stoner at Motegi but still regain the title he lost to Nicky Hayden in 2006.
It’s a tough call for Stoner who will put all the calculations out of his mind and just concentrate of repeating the incredible record of Loris Capirossi, his former Marlboro Ducati team-mate who has won the race at Motegi riding for the Italian factory for the last three years. He will also check out that Rossi has never won at Motegi on a four-stroke with his only win in 2001 on a 500cc two-stroke Honda.
Stoner, who is still troubled by the broken scaphoid bone in his left hand, will also be defending his 17 point lead over Dani Pedrosa in their fight for second place. The Motegi circuit which includes an Indycar Oval was built by Honda and Pedrosa is their biggest hope of success. The Repsol Honda rider, who has a 250 cc win at Motegi, will be using Bridgestone tyres for just his second race. His team-mate former World Champion Nick Hayden has just four more races for the team before joining Stoner at Ducati next season. He could be a real threat on Sunday after finishing a superb second to Rossi a couple of weeks ago in the rain and wind at Indianapolis.
Rossi’s team-mate Jorge Lorenzo could also be a big threat in the 24 lap race after two successive podium finishes. The double 250 cc World Champion has not got a good record at Motegi, finishing on the podium just once but could put that right on Sunday. His great rival in the 250cc class Andrea Dovizioso has won a 125 cc race at Motegi and is desperate to crown his magnificent MotoGP debut season with a podium finish to consolidate his fifth place.
Capirossi returns riding for the Rizla Suzuki team chasing an amazing fourth consecutive victory. His team-mate Chris Vermeulen is sixth but only eight points in front of American Colin Edwards who’s having a tough time with tyre problems on his Tech 3 Yamaha. Suzuki will field three riders with test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi coming in for their home race.
Shinya Nakano could be making his last grand prix appearance in Japan. Next year he will be replaced by Toni Elias in the San Carlo Honda Gresini team and is likely to become the test rider for Honda and so could return as a wild card entry. Elias, his replacement next year, finished third in the wet race last year with Frenchman Randy De Puniet second. De Puniet, who’s had a tough year, has confirmed he will be riding for the LCR Honda team next season. His countryman Sylvain Guintoli was fourth in last year’s rain and would love a repeat result as he battles to find a MotoGP ride for next season.
One team looking for a change of fortune at their home race are Kawasaki. John Hopkins needs to settle into a few points scoring rides after an injury hit year while Anthony West is seeing out his time before being replaced by Melandri next season.
The 250 cc riders arrive in Japan desperate for action after their race in Indianapolis was cancelled because of the weather. That was good news for Championship leader Marco Simoncelli who held onto his 26 point lead without lifting a finger. The Italian Gilera rider will certainly be called into action on Sunday against Kallio’s KTM team who have a superb Motegi record. Last year Kallio won the race to follow on to his two 125 cc victories for the Austrian factory while two years ago they were successful in the 250 cc class with local hero Hiroshi Aoyama.
Frenchman Mike di Meglio defends his 25 point lead in the 125 cc class and his nearest rival Italian Simone Corsi has got to start winning grands prix again if he’s going to catch him. Corsi’s last win of his three victories this season came at Mugello in early June.
EVENT TIME SCHEDULE
Friday 26 September
09.00 – 09.45 125cc Practice
10.00 – 11.00 MotoGP Practice
11.15 – 12.15 250cc Practice
13.10 – 13.40 125cc Qualifying 1
13.55 – 14.55 MotoGP Practice
15.10 – 15.55 250cc Qualifying 1
Saturday 27 September
09.00 – 09.45 125cc Practice
10.00 – 11.00 MotoGP Practice
11.15 – 12.15 250cc Practice
13.10 – 13.40 125cc Qualifying 2
13.55 – 14.55 MotoGP Qualifying
15.10 – 15.55 250cc Qualifying 2
Sunday 28 September
08.40 – 09.00 125cc Warm Up
09.10 – 09.30 250cc Warm Up
09.40 – 10.05 MotoGP Warm Up
11.00 125cc RACE (20 laps)
12.15 250cc RACE (23 laps)
14.00 MotoGP RACE (24 laps)
TELEVISION TIMES
Practice, qualifying and the races will be shown at the following times on British television:
Sunday September 28
BBCi and BBC Sport Website 125/250 cc races 02.45 – 05.15
BBC One and BBC Sport Website 05.45 – 07.00
EUROSPORT
Friday September 26
Practice/Qualifying 05.00 - 08.00
Saturday September 27
Qualifying 05.00 – 08.00
Sunday September 28
Warm-up and 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP races 04.00 – 08.15
MotoGP 23.00 – 00.30
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