Australian Casey Stoner wants to end his memorable season with one final victory at the last round of the MotoGP Championship, the bwin.com Grand Prix of the Community of Valencia in Spain on Sunday. What a finale it would prove for the 22 year-old riding the Marlboro Ducati after he has totally dominated the first 800cc season by winning ten grands prix with consummate ease that has left everybody else fighting for second place. The 2.489 mile Ricardo Tormo circuit was the venue for Stoner’s first ever grand prix win, when he won the 125cc race four years ago and it was also where he first tested the Ducati after the final grand prix of last season.
Former World Champion Valentino Rossi has mixed memories of the tight demanding track. Last year he crashed out when leading the World Championship and conceded the title to American Nicky Hayden. Previously the Fiat Yamaha star won two consecutive MotoGP races and just a single point finish in the 30-lap race on Sunday would ensure his second place in the championship over Spaniard Dani Pedrosa. The Repsol Honda rider has started the last three grands prix from pole and has won three times in Valencia in front of the home fans in both 125 and 250cc races.
The battle for third place is much closer with just 19 points separating Marco Melandri, John Hopkins, Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi. For three of those riders it will be their last ride for their current team. Melandri leaves Gresini Honda to join Stoner at Ducati. Hopkins leaves Rizla Suzuki to join Kawasaki and is replaced by Capirossi who leaves Ducati.
Veteran Alex Barros bows out of grand prix racing on the Pramac D’Antin Ducati. The Brazilian lies tenth in the Championship behind the American duo of former World Champion Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards. Both have had tough years and will be looking forward to 2008.
Randy De Puniet makes his last appearance for Kawasaki after good rides in the last three races. He replaces Spanish veteran Carlos Checa at LCR Honda. Checa makes his last grand prix appearance before joining the World Superbike Championship next season. Spaniard Toni Elias rides the Gresini Honda for the last time and joins Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli at Pramac D’Antin Ducati next season who will be replaced by Japanese rider Shinya Nakano.
Twenty year-old Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo signs off his 250cc career before joining Rossi in the Yamaha MotoGP team next season. The Fortuna Aprilia rider chases his tenth grand prix victory of the season after retaining his World 250cc title for the second year in succession after finishing third in Malaysia. Also making their last 250cc appearances to join MotoGP next year will be Andre Dovizioso and Alex de Angelis.
The 125cc World Championship will be decided in the 24-lap final encounter of the season. Gabor Talmacsi could bring the very first World Championship to Hungary although local hero and team-mate Hector Faubel will do everything to spoil the party.
Talmacsi leads his Bancaja Aspar Aprilia team-mate by ten points after winning in Malaysia but Faubel will have the massive crowd and plenty of local Spanish riders helping his cause. It promises to be some battle.
MotoGP Heroes Bow Out In Valencia MotoGP heroes Brazilian Alex Barros and Spaniard Carlos Checa look set to make their last grand prix appearances at Valencia on Sunday.
Thirty seven year-old Barros made his grand prix debut in the 80cc class in 1986 and has competed in 275 grands prix. He’s won seven premier class races, finished on the podium 32 times and has started from pole on five occasions.
Checa has ridden in 219 grands prix, winning two and finishing on the podium 24 times. He’s started three times from pole and next year will ride in the World Superbike Championship.
British Riders
Batttling British Foursome Aim To Finish With A Flourish The four British grand prix riders face the end of the season with mixed feelings but all aim to go out with a bang in Valencia.
Bradley Smith wants to thank his Repsol Honda team with a good result before moving onto the Polaris World 125cc Aprilia team next season.
Another 16 year-old Danny Webb hopes to sort out his future with his current Dutch-based Arie Molenaar team over the weekend and a good result and some World Championship points would be a good end to a tough first season for the Kent teenager.
Chaz Davies makes his last appearance for the Pramac D’Antin Ducati MotoGP team after replacing Alex Hofmann for the last three grands prix of the season. He’s done well in difficult circumstances and some Championship points would be just reward for Davies as he contemplates his future either in America or Europe.
Ulsterman Eugene Laverty also had a tough debut season in the very competitive 250cc class. Riding the production LCR Honda has been no picnic but he’s stuck to his task and like the others deserves some points to end his season.
Bradley Smith:“I’ve ridden thousands of laps at Valencia and set my fastest lap ever at the track at the test at the beginning of the year, which can’t be bad going into the race on Sunday. Although I’m not cutting my ties completely with some members of the team when I move next year, it will be sad on Sunday leaving the team I’ve ridden for over the last three years. I want to give them a good result as a big thank-you.”
Danny Webb:“I can’t wait for the race on Sunday especially at a track where I’ve raced before. I’ve been getting better every race despite the mistake we made with the setting in Sepang. Hopefully I will also be able to tie up my future with the team next year over the weekend.”
Chaz Davies:“I like Valencia and have gone well there in the past although I’ve found in both Phillip Island and Sepang it’s very different on the 800cc MotoGP bike. There are a couple of things I want to try and sort out with the team but if we can get a good clear run through practice and qualifying to the race, I’m confident we can do well. Also not many teams have tested the 800’s at Valencia which should be an advantage.”
Eugene Laverty:“It’s been a tough learning year. It would be great to score some points in that final round after so much hard work. I know the circuit well which should be a big advantage. The last grand prix circuit I’d competed on previously was Donington.”
Track Facts
The MotoGP title may be long decided but the tight 2.489 miles Ricardo Tormo circuit will provide one of the biggest crowds and atmosphere of the season. The circuit, named after the former 80cc World Champion, on the outskirts of Valencia is surrounded by grandstands producing a stadium effect of atmosphere and noise.
The track produces the second lowest lap time on the MotoGP calendar but still has a variety of bends to test riders, machinery and particularly tyres. It also produces plenty of close racing especially coming into the final bend a difficult left hander that tightens up into the half a mile start and finish straight.
Valencia is also regarded as the firework capital of the World and the noise and atmosphere generated on Sunday afternoon is a fitting finale to the MotoGP season.
Length: 2.489 miles.
Pole Position: Right
Width: 12m
Right corners: Five
Left Corners: Nine
Longest straight: 0.544 miles
Constructed: 1999.
Flashback
MotoGP:2006 Winner: Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 46m55.415s
Lap record: Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 1m32.924s
Pole record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1m31.002s
250cc:2006 Winner: Alex De Angelis (Aprilia) 43m52.247s
Lap record: Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 1m35.792s (05)
Pole record: Hiroshi Aoyama (KTM) 1m35.109s
125cc:
2006 Winner: Hector Faubel (Aprilia) 40m15.460s
Lap record: Faubel 1m39.574s
Pole record: Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) 1m39.058s
Television Practice, qualifying and the races will be shown at the following times on British Television
BBCSaturday Qualifying and BBCi and BBC Sport Website 12.30 – 1400
Sunday 125 and 250cc races live BBCi and BBC Sport Website 09.45 – 12.30
MotoGP race live BBC 2 12.30 – 1400
MotoGP extra BBC1 and BBC Sport website 14.00 – 14.30
Eurosport
Friday11.00 – 11.30 Introduction
11.30 – 12.00 MotoGP Live
12.00 – 12.45 125cc Live
12.45 – 14.00 MotoGP Live
14.00 – 15.00 250cc Live
19.00 – 20.30 Highlights
Saturday11.00 – 11.30 MotoGP Live
11.30 – 12.00 MotoGP Live
12.00 – 12.45 125cc Live
12.45 – 14.00 MotoGP Live
14.00 – 15.00 250cc Live
18.10 – 19.00 Highlights
21.45 – 23.30 Highlights
Sunday
08.00 – 08.45 Introduction
08.45 – 09.45 MotoGP Live
09.45 – 11.00 125cc Live
11.00 – 12.15 250cc Live
12.15 – 14.15 MotoGP Live
23.00 – 00.15 Highlights
