MCNEWS.COM.AU - The ultimate in motorcycle news MotoGP 2005 - Round 9 - Donington
Team Roberts Race Report
July 24th, 2005

 MCNEWS.COM.AU - The ultimate in motorcycle news

Defending champion Valentino Rossi conquered drenching rain and a treacherously slippery surface to hand his surviving rivals a total drubbing at today’s British GP, ninth round of the GP season.

The Gauloises Yamaha rider watched as early leader Sete Gibernau (MoviStar Honda) crashed out after four laps, one of 11 riders to lose touch with the slender surface grip of the 4.023km Donington Park circuit, outside Derby. Then John Hopkins had a brief spell up front, before dropping back and also falling.

After that, Rossi held his place in a group of four front runners, trailing long-time leader Alex Barros’s Camel Honda, and holding his own against his own team-mate Colin Edwards and Suzuki-mounted Kenny Roberts Jr.

With eight laps to go, Rossi pulled the pin, picking his way firmly to second, pouncing on Barros, then pulling out a gap of more than eight seconds in just five laps. He could slack off at the finish, and still win by more than three seconds.

“Today was more like driving a boat than riding a motorcycle,” he said. “That was one of the most difficult races of my career.”

Roberts, son of Team Roberts principal Kenny and World Champion in 2000, waited until the last lap before mounting a successful attack on Barros. Second place was his best finish and his first rostrum since 2002.

Barros was a close third, celebrating his 250th GP start; Edwards lost touch at the finish, but was still safe in fourth.

The win extended Rossi’s points lead over Marco Melandri to more than 100 points, 211 to 107. Melandri was one of the several fallers today, claiming zero points.

Team Roberts rider Shane Byrne was another to fall, bringing by far his best race with the team to a premature close after a strong ride. “Shakey” had qualified the KTM-powered Proton KR 18th, but was up to seventh after a storming first lap. After three more laps he had gained another place … but it all came to an end on the short straight after the chicane on the fifth lap.

“I’m really disappointed,” said the unhurt rider.

“I don’t really know how it happened. I’d fumbled through the first few laps, in the wrong gear for some corners, and nearly crashing. I had some close moments because I kept locking the front under braking at a couple of corners.

“All the same, I was getting a good rhythm and starting to feel comfortable, in spite of a few slides and scary moments.

“I’d decided to try to brake earlier and not so hard, and just settle in and try and stay in sixth. After the Esses, over the crest, I just brushed to brake to start slowing gently, but I must have been leant too far over, and it went straight down.

“It’s really frustrating. I was hoping to stay where I was, and get my first good result of the year when it happened,” he said.

The next round is the German GP at the Sachsenring next weekend.

 

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