Thanks Wendy.. I was just too lazy to search for it..

Congrats Vale !!!!!

Thanks for the articles and videos!

____

Rossi's home run revives 2005 form.

Monday, 2nd June 2008

Rossi's seventh home victory also marks his third 2008 win in a row.

Valentino Rossi was back to his best at Mugello on Sunday, when a 'dream' seventh consecutive home victory also marked the first time since the 2005 season - when the Italian last won the MotoGP crown - that he's taken three race wins in a row.

Watched by almost 100,000 fans - including Brad Pitt - Rossi slipped back to fourth at turn one, but soon settled his supporters' nerves by making short work of Loris Capirossi, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner.

The Fiat Yamaha superstar took the lead for the first time on lap 4 of 23 and was never seriously threatened thereafter, stretching his lead to three seconds over Stoner before rolling off slightly in the later stages as the temperature increased.


"After winning the championship, winning at Mugello is the next best thing for me and once again today it was like a dream," beamed an emotionally drained Rossi. "There is no way to describe the feeling I have standing on the podium in front of all of my fans here and I am so happy that I could win once again today.

"To win for the seventh time running at my home track is amazing but I felt quite a lot of pressure about this, so it's a relief as well because I didn't want to disappoint everyone!

"It's been a hard weekend for everyone because of the bad weather and the lack of dry track time, but my crew have done a fantastic job with the bike and my M1 was wonderful today. Once I got to the front I was able to make a gap from the others but towards the end it was unbelievably hot and it became quite hard to ride."

Stoner later revealed that he expected to be strong in the closing stages, and pushed hard as the laps wound down, but Rossi had more than enough in reserve to secure his third victory in a row - and Bridgestone's first ever at Mugello, ending Michelin's 17-year reign.

"I wanted to ease off a bit but Casey was pushing hard behind so I had to keep going. Thanks to all of my team, to the engineers and of course to Bridgestone!" said The Doctor, who rode with an eye-catching crash helmet for his home event. "I'm really glad that I've been the one to give them their first win at this track and they did a great job today because my tyre worked virtually the same from start to finish.

"It's been a fantastic day, it's always one of the best moments of the year for me and now we've made a bit more of the gap at the top of the championship so things couldn't be better. Honestly after this weekend I think I would like to go to bed for five days but now we have to go straight to Barcelona!" he concluded.

Rossi may have been feeling the weight of expectation this weekend, but his Fiat Yamaha Team were quick to admit that they'd also been feeling the pressure.


"We did it!" grinned team manager Davide Brivio. "There has been a lot of pressure on us this weekend because everyone has been talking about Valentino's six wins in a row and expecting him to make it seven, and I think everyone in the team has felt it. Well done to all of them for keeping focused throughout and providing Valentino with the tools to do the job; what a job he did! It's wonderful to watch him ride like this at Mugello it seems no one can stop him here. We've had three wins in a row but there's no time to relax as now we go straight to Barcelona for what we know will be another big battle."

"We have felt a lot of pressure here because we wanted Valentino to be able to continue his winning streak and we were worried that, if we lost, the Italians would be very angry with us!" admitted team director Masahiko Nakajima. "We made a huge effort and we are very happy because we have achieved one of the most important objectives of the early part of the season. Now we have many others to achieve and we have to find more energy for Catalunya next week."

The Catalan Grand Prix takes place next Sunday and will start with Rossi holding a 12 point world championship lead over home hero Pedrosa.

Fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, Rossi's Michelin-shod team-mate, has now slipped 28 points from the top after falling at Mugello. Defending champion Stoner remains fourth, but is now 46 points from Rossi.

Rossi expects to sign a new Yamaha contract - for one or two years - before the start of the summer break.


Gi

Thanks very much for the article Gi.

"We have felt a lot of pressure here because we wanted Valentino to be able to continue his winning streak and we were worried that, if we lost, the Italians would be very angry with us!"

I had not really thought about this but can you imagine how that crowd might have reacted if things had gone differently?

Just imagine a Hayden/Pedro/Portugal scenario between Vale and KC in the closing laps.

I am so glad Vale won!

with translation from Italian

interview (only voice):
Zoom



Valentino: "Winning here that is almost a worldwide"


Ritrovatosi fourth to first curve, Valentino Rossi there has much to put things in place, involandosi toward yet another victory on the circuit house, the seventh consecutive. "Here Doohan also had obtained six, a record is not bad! -- Said Valentine - I think that for a pilot's dream largest after that of winning the World Cup, is to win the race of the house: I ce I did nine times in total, then I can say to be lucky! And then here is always beautiful, beneath the podium there's lots of people. Of course, happens in other races, but here there is always more! It is the largest of emotion is incredible because after so many years is always the same. "

Rossi then explained how he built his success:

"I'm happy because we managed to put in place the bike in a single day of tests, and also because the choice of Bridgestone is proving very positive. Coming here I was a little 'worried, because he had always won Michelin, but it is still true that lately he had always done with me, then… We made the right choice of tyres, today was very hot: at the beginning I was more fast Casey and Dani so I tried to pass immediately and take a little 'advantage. Once taken the margin was fairly quiet: I tried to slow down, however, Stoner began hammering on turning fast times, and then I could not even relax for a moment, I had to push until the end. With all these changes of direction and this heat was difficult, I had to push very strong on foot, but it was worth it. "

Three victories in a row in six races: you are giving a very clear signal to your rivals
"Yes, this is a little 'a race to himself, but clearly the main objective is the World Cup. I won three races out of six: only one in less than that I won last year, but in 18 races! The situation is much better compared to 2007, I think I have a Yamaha in great shape, Bridgestone work well and I am serene. The championship is long, Pedrosa is very close: we must try to go on like this in Barcelona because there is now, between seven days. I will serve only five to recover this ... I will have to shorten the time. "

Ce make it to summarize the reasons for the rebirth of this year?
"We started first by a major technical difference compared to last year: the bike goes much better, is not only faster but as an engine driving too well. I chose to change tires taking risks on my skin, because if it had gone wrong would have been a problem, but is now bearing fruit. I then are clear: if the bike and the tyres are in place, are still fast. "

In 125 and 250 has witnessed two races decided in sprint, MotoGP instead…
"Yes, and I regret that the MotoGP is much more boring of 125 and 250. Here the tires have a steady performance from start to finish and with the electronic bikes are a little 'easier to drive: It is very important the work they were doing tests to understand that we can keep pace in the race. Then, it takes until the end. In years past, however, the minimum tender was divided into three or four phases. Now there is only one, so it's very difficult that battle is on track. "

What do you think the contact there was between Simoncelli and Barbera?
"I think Barbera has taken around Simoncelli It was overcome, then the sverniciava each time going straight into head and slowing down. Surely not a very fair behaviour. Simoncelli for its part has changed line too quickly, then made a manoeuvre a little 'to the limit: of course not thought to take Barbera, I think you would take away the wake, but Hector was probably so fast that it was already there next. I am sure that Simoncelli has not suitable ".

Do not believe it necessary to establish a rule to avoid these episodes?
"We have already spoken: maybe we should make a rule prohibiting any change in trajectory straight. Need a rule clear: we must go straight ahead, point. But if the penalty is disqualification, I fear that in 125 arriverebbero eight pilots to target…. "

Why did not you launched the helmet to the public as last year?
"Why do I have absolutely forbidden to do so! Last year there was a problem of public policy because people have been… menata to take it. However last year's helmet with the heart had been employed for them, so it was right that they had. "

I don`t have a bike, but I don`t care........ I`ll buy that helmet and then buy a bike ( cos I don`t want to look stupid while showing off with my precious )


Bring that helmet out!




What do you think the contact there was between Simoncelli and Barbera?
"I think Barbera has taken around Simoncelli It was overcome, then the sverniciava each time going straight into head and slowing down. Surely not a very fair behaviour. Simoncelli for its part has changed line too quickly, then made a manoeuvre a little 'to the limit: of course not thought to take Barbera, I think you would take away the wake, but Hector was probably so fast that it was already there next. I am sure that Simoncelli has not suitable ".

Do not believe it necessary to establish a rule to avoid these episodes?
"We have already spoken: maybe we should make a rule prohibiting any change in trajectory straight. Need a rule clear: we must go straight ahead, point. But if the penalty is disqualification, I fear that in 125 arriverebbero eight pilots to target…. "


Thx trossik, very interesting to read Vale`s opinion about that.

P.S. The police didn`t allow him to trow the helmet in the crowd ???

Thank you for the interview and translation Trossik - always interesting to hear what he has to say.

I am not surprised he had been asked not to throw his helmet to the crowd. For one thing, I know that motorsport is dangerous but flying helmets is not one of the usual hazards, but also because I think there was a bit of fighting over it last year.

My pleasure Jackie!

I saw a Vale interview on MotoGP and he said just that! That he was feeling the presure of not winning there becuase he didn't want to disapoint his crowd!

Thanks for the article Trossik!

Amonqk, I don't have a bike either but I'm thinking on buying that helmet... seriously!

Gi