James Toseland returns to the MotoGP fray at Mugello determined to erase memories of his Le Mans crash and get down to some serious points scoring.
The 27 year old Yorkshireman has never raced at the legendary Italian venue but that’s nothing new this season for the Tech 3 Yamaha rider who has at least ridden round the track on a superbike but never in a race. He’s made a tremendous start to his MotoGP career and it was only his tangle with Andre Dovizioso in France that has dropped him to ninth place in the title chase after five rounds.
Seventeen year old Bradley Smith arrives in Mugello full of confidence after his second place in the 125 cc race at Le Mans. It was an important result for the Polaris World Aprilia rider after he’d crashed out in Portugal and China. With four races in the next five weeks he must keep up with those podium finishes to improve on his eighth place in the Championship.
Danny Webb and Scott Redding have both recovered from their crashes at Le Mans. Seventeen year old Webb fractured his thumb and suffered a sore back when he highsided from his DeGraff Honda in practice. Fifteen year old Redding showed no ill effects from his tumble and rode in a CEV Spanish Championship race on Sunday.
Ulsterman Eugene Laverty completed a trio of British fallers at Le Mans when he lost the front end of his 250 cc Blusens Aprilia. He will be looking to a return to the form he showed in China where he secured his best ever grand prix result.
James Toseland
“Another new circuit to learn and I’m really looking forward to it because it should be a great track to ride on a MotoGP machine. The crash at Le Mans was a racing accident and both me and the team have put it well behind us as we get back to scoring some serious points.”
Bradley Smith
“That was a big result for us in France and now we must continue in the same way in the next five races before the summer break. I’ve not done well at Mugello previously but that was with the Honda. I think the track should be much better suited to the Aprilia.”
Danny Webb
“My Thumb is OK but my back is still very sore. I’m off to the chiropractor on Tuesday and so I’m going to be 100 per cent fit by Friday. I think the Aprilia should be better at Mugello than the Honda last year.”
Scott Redding
“Le Mans was a disappointment but I’m fit for Mugello and will warm up with a race in Spain. Mugello is another new circuit and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Eugene Laverty
“Le Mans was such a disappointment but I’m back for Mugello and will be looking to get back to scoring more World Championship points. It’s an amazing event and a great track.”
Rossi Relishes Mugello Re-Union
The King of Mugello returns home leading the MotoGP World Championship and chasing his seventh consecutive Premier class victory at the magnificent 3.259 mile circuit high in the hills of Tuscany above the City of Florence.
The 29 year old Italian could not arrive home in better shape. Following his third consecutive victory on the Fiat Yamaha the seven times World Champion leads young Spanish chargers Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa by three points in the Championship. He has also won 125 and 250 cc grands prix at Mugello and chases his ninth win at his home grand prix.
His team-mate Lorenzo and Pedrosa will give him a tough time in the 23 lap race. Twenty one year old Lorenzo has made all the headlines in the last few weeks following his spectacular practice crash in China. The double 250 cc World Champion fractured both his ankles in the crash but finished an incredible fourth in China and second in France. He won the 250 cc race at Mugello two years ago.
Pedrosa has been equally impressive this season on the Repsol Honda. He finished off the podium for the first time this season in Le Mans after tyre problems kept him down in fourth and he won the 250 cc race at Mugello in 2005.
The only current MotoGP rider to beat Rossi in the premier class at Mugello is 125 and 250 cc World Champion Loris Capirossi. Eight long years ago he won the 500cc race at the Italian circuit and returns with the Rizla Suzuki on Sunday. His team-mate Chris Vermeulen rode into a well deserved fifth place in Le Mans while World Champion Casey Stoner chases his first victory at Mugello to resurrect his title defence.
The 22 year old Australian is fourth in the Championship and trails Rossi by a massive 41 points after failing to score at Le Mans after a technical problem with the Marlboro Desmosedici Ducati. His team-mate and 250 Mugello winner Marco Melandri is having a nightmare debut season with the Italian factory and will be praying for a change of fortune in front of the partisan Italian fans.
Andre Dovizioso makes his first appearance on a MotoGP bike, the JiR Scot Honda, in front of home fans while John Hopkins seeks to get his season back on track after the chain broke on his Kawasaki in France. Fellow American Colin Edwards took a well deserved third at Le Mans riding the Tech 3 Yamaha to show all that brilliant qualifying has been transferred to the actual race.
Finnish KTM rider Mika Kallio brings a 16 point 250 cc Championship lead to Italy where an Italian could be his biggest threat. Mattio Pasini won the 125 cc race two years ago and is chasing Kallio for the title this year. Watch out also for former 125 cc World Champion Alvaro Bautista who won last year but who has crashed far too many times this season.
Frenchman Mike Di Meglio took the lead in the 125 cc World Championship following his superb win in the Le Mans sprint race. The Italians will be after him on Sunday. Heading the challenge will be 18 year Nicholas Terol and his team-mate Simone Corsi who led the Championship after the first four rounds.
Event Time Schedule:
Friday 30th May
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 31th May
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 18th May
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 (21 laps)
14.00: MotoGP RACE (23 laps
(GMT +2) Time schedule in local time
Television Times
Practice, qualifying and the races will be shown at the following times on British television:
Saturday May 31st
BBCi and BBC Sport Website MotoGP qualifying 12.45 – 14.00
Sunday June 1st
BBCi and BBC Sport Website 125/250 cc races 09.45 – 12.15
BBC Two and BBC Sport Website MotoGP race 12.30 -14.00
BBC Two and BBC Sport Website MotoGP Extra 14.00 – 14.30
EUROSPORT
Saturday May 31st
MotoGP 20.45
Sunday May 18th
Warm-up and 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP races 08.45
