RSS
Home
Stoner takes checkered flag at Phillip Island
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
How sweet it is: Oz's favorite biker, Casey Stoner, rides with his national flag
after winning his Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Australia, Oct. 18, 2009.
(AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)
Sunday's Iveco Australian Grand Prix was one of those races that exhausted all your energy in the first minute, leaving you with little else for the remaining 20-odd laps.
After Jorge Lorenzo crashed out at Turn 1--taking Nicky Hayden with him--people 'round the world were seen exchanging big bills, settling bets lost on the possibility of a new MotoGP World Champ for 2009.
That alone was enough to sink fans and their race adrenaline before looking up to see that little prick from Spain almost knock Stoner off the track to take the lead. It wasn't long, though, before you could almost hear Stoner laugh as he put He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named back in his place and shot into first place.
Stoner and Rossi pretty much just took it form there. A bit of a yawn, the race was, after all that excitement, with a few battles between Honda's LCR Playboy and Marco Melandri as well as a brilliant ride by Alex de Angelis, who ended up taking fourth for the day.
Hayden, eventually got his time in the gravel sorted and got back on track, chalking up a 15th place when all was said and done.
Back to the race winner, Stoner was happy indeed, celebrating his birthday and a hometown victory in front of loyal friends and family. The former World Champ told Ducati.com, "I’d forgotten how good that winning feeling is and of all my victories this is perhaps the most special. I can honestly say that from a physical perspective I can’t ever remember feeling this strong after a race, which shows that the work we have done and the time we took out has been spot on. I got a good start and was able to put together the lap times to keep us at the front but quite honestly I felt I could have gone even faster if we’d have been able to find a little more rear traction over the course of the weekend."
Now, with Rossi’s second place opening his lead to 38 points, we all thought Lorenzo might be a little more heartbroken. Not the case. He told MotoGP.com, “I made a good start, but I was very close to Nicky and didn’t expect him to brake so quickly, so I touched Nicky and I couldn’t stay on the bike,” he explained. “My front brake broke and I couldn’t brake on the corner. I had two options: to go straight or try to take the corner. I tried to take the corner but I didn’t have a brake and the rear tire didn’t stay so I crashed. I have a little damage on my nose and finger, but it could be worse.”
Regarding Valentino Rossi's new-and-improved lead, Jorge said, “No this is not the most important thing, because it happens. It was difficult to win the world title, but I crashed. The thing that’s most important to me is my health, but now I’m a little less healthy!”
Finishing up the top ten: Colin Edwards took fifth spot from fifth on the grid, and Dovi took sixth. Melandri was the winner of his battle with de Puniet, taking seventh, followed by Kallio and Elias.
Just one week until the boys are back, at the penultimate race in Malaysia, Sunday, October 25, 2009.
For more info: MotoGP.com.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
