ROSSI WINS ACCIDENT-STREWN MOTOGP RACE
19 June 2006 - Moto GP

Gran Premi Cinzano de Catalunya - June 18th 2006

Valentino Rossi was victorious in Catalunya to further cut the lead in the MotoGP World Championship , although the race will perhaps be better remembered for a first corner crash which left a number of riders out of the restart.

Contact between Ducati team-mates Sete Gibernau and Loris Capirossi caused both riders to hit the deck, taking with them Marco Melandri, John Hopkins and Randy de Puniet all fell, with the former’s condition causing particular concern to onlookers. Melandri, Gibernau and Capirossi were all taken to hospital in Barcelona, where they will undergo tests. First impressions are that all three are not seriously injured, Gibernau suffering a fractured collarbone, Melandri a dislocated acromion and Capirossi abdominal contusions.

Meanwhile the restart was held up because of a problem with Vermeulen''s bike on the grid and it was third time lucky as the race got underway. Rossi started slowly from the blocks on the restart, dropping down to sixth before making his way back up through the field. Once the Doctor took the lead however he set about putting some distance between him and the chasing pack, eventually finishing four and a half seconds ahead of second placed man Nicky Hayden. Rossi’s eighth career victory at the Circuit de Catalunya brings him within 29 points of the American at the top of the classification.

Nicky Hayden continued his impressive record of podium finishes, following on from his third place in Mugello to take second at the Circuit de Catalunya. The Repsol Honda rider was out on his own for the last portion of the race, not quite close enough to challenge Rossi for the win but under no real pressure from the riders behind him.

Kenny Roberts, starting from the front row for the first time since the 2004 German Grand Prix, ended a six year wait for a rostrum finish to complete a fantastic weekend for the American and Team Roberts. Just behind him was his former teammate John Hopkins, who was involved in the first corner incident, and was just edged out by his countryman Roberts on the final laps, forced to settle for fourth. In a particularly successful day for American riders, Camel Yamaha’s Colin Edwards took fifth place.

The Gran Premi Cinzano de Catalunya was the most successful race of the season for Rizla Suzuki, with Chris Vermeulen joining team-mate Hopkins in the top six. The Australian rookie had delayed the second restart after signalling that his bike had stalled on the approach to the grid, and resisted the urge to push beyond mechanical capabilities and risk missing out on valuable points once the race finally got underway.

Makoto Tamada came in seventh, with Carlos Checa, James Ellison, Alex Hofmann and Jose Luis Cardoso the other riders to finish the race.

There was disappointment for home rider Dani Pedrosa, who had to retire after making contact with Kenny Roberts Jr. The Spaniard was joined on the sidelines by Casey Stoner, who slid off the track from second place after having led from the restart. Shinya Nakano was shown the black flag for not restarting from the back of the grid when he changed machines, completing a frustrating day for Kawasaki Racing, the team having already seen their French rider Randy de Puniet crash out.

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