MotoGP stars Rossi and Lorenzo take battle to Gran Turismo 5
The 2011 MotoGP season may have ended, but two top motorcycle racers are continuing their racing rivalry via Gran Turismo 5 during the break.
Valentino Rossi endured a tough first season riding for Ducati, failing to record a single victory for the first time in his 15-year career, so was possibly trying to boost his morale when he issued a Gran Turismo 5 challenge via Twitter. “I’m issuing a challenge: Gran Turismo 5. Nurburgrïng. Driving the Zonda R. A lap time of 6.14.211. Can anyone beat that?”, and clarifying the rules with “Simulation mode, not driver aids except traction control at level 5. With the steering wheel.”
Given than he has almost 250,000 followers he was probably expecting a challenge, but possibly not from Yamaha MotoGP star Jorge Lorenzo, whose title challenge had ended after he was forced to miss the Phillip Island round of the championship due to injury. After asking “That was a warm-up lap, right”, Lorenzo followed it with photographic evidence of a 5:58.2 lap, which he has since dropped to 5:48.7. Rossi took the response in good humour, responding “5:58.2 Jorge? Nice lap. I have to practice!”
Valentino Rossi has famously raced in various rallies, including the Rally GB, and tested Formula 1 cars with times comparable to many of the permanent F1 drivers at the time. But Capcom are probably wondering why they chose to battle via Gran Turismo 5 rather than MotoGP 10/11!
Incidentally, if you wanted to take up the challenge and don’t have a wheel, don’t forget we reviewed the awesome Thrustmaster T500 RS, which is the officially licensed GT5 wheel and pedal set. And with Christmas almost here, it’s not too late to drop a few hints to anyone who might buy it for you! Or to potentially pick up a bargain on ebay at the moment.
MotoGP 10/11 release video
MotoGP at Laguna Seca this weekend
The MotoGP championship hits America this weeked with the race at Laguna Seca in California.
Sadly the American round will miss the 125cc and Moto2 classes, as they never make the Atlantic trip, which is a real shame with the current level of excitement and drama in Moto2. Then again,the prospect of 40 completely unpredictable lunatics from Moto2 all arriving at the Corkscrew at the same time fills me with dread.
For the reason why, go back to 1998 and Akira Yanagawa being skittled by the already-fallen Doug Chandler and the resulting carnage.
On a lighter note, it seems like the constantly-improving Marco Simoncelli has prepared for his first visit to the circuit in a way familiar to most of us:
‘now we go to a circuit that I only know from playing Gran Turismo on the games console. I’ve never been there before so I am curious so see how it is, also we will get an electronic upgrade in America so there will be a few new things to get used to‘
Don’t be surprised to see a PS3 joypad glued to the bars of Simoncelli’s Gresini Honda on Sunday – the only question is whether anyone told him that bike racing games are also available?
Tomizawa wins first Moto2 race – RWRR
Shoya Tomizawa, the 19-year-old Japanese rider, has made racing history by winning the first ever Moto2 race in Qatar.
A total of 41 riders made up a packed grid for the race, which replaces the 250cc GP class for the first time in 2010, and the decision to switch seemed to be justified by the action which continued throughout the race. At the start pole-sitter Toni Elias made it away with front-runners Alex Debon, Jules Cluzel, Tomizawa and Yuki Takahashi, as Alex De Angeles ran into problems in the second turn and crashed out, taking Stefan Bradl with him.
Elias, riding injured, came under pressure from Debon, Cluzel and Takahashi, with Debon and Elias touching at various points during the race. Takahashi eventually ruled himself out of contention when he lost the front midway through the race and crashed out.
In all the position-changing, it was Tomizawa who eventually managed to hit the front and through luck and skill, was able to build a small lead. Elias looked likely to close the gap with Cluzel in tow, but his tyres and injuries seemed to end his charge, leaving Cluzel to fight with Debon for second, with Debon coming out on top. Elias claimed fourth in front of a resurgent Roberto Rolfo, ahead of Pasini, Luthi, Corsi, Talmacsi and Gadea.
Britain’s Scott Redding eventually finished 23rd, whilst American Kenny Noyes moved from 30th up to 11th before dropping back to finish 18th. And to give a measure of the class, former champions and race winners such as Andrea Iannone finished 19th, Mike Di Meglio 16th, Joan Olive 32nd, and Julian Simon retired with mechanical problems, as the riders got used to entirely new machinery.
Qatar 125cc race:
In the 125cc GP class it was an all-Spanish affair as Nicolas Terol won after coming through a battling group including Efren Vazquez in second, Marc Marquez third and Pol Espargaro fourth. Sandro Cortese was top non-Spaniard in fifth. Vazquez, Marquez and Espargaro in particular swapped the lead throughout the race.
Britian’s Bradley Smith finished 8th – the former championship runner-up appeared to be down on power on the long Qatar straight. Fellow Brit Danny Webb finished in 11th, a respectable place for the first race of the season. Surprisngly for the 125cc class, only 3 riders failed to finish – Lorenzo Savadori, and the two Lambretta machines of Marco Ravaioli and Luis Salom which both retired with technical problems.
MotoGP:
Will be updated after the race.
World Superbikes:
Leon Haslam has won his second race of the season, heading Max Biaggi and a fine third place for James Toseland. The early lead went to Troy Coser as polesitter Cal Crutchlow got demoted to 7th at the start. Carlos Checa ran off the track after losing the front and saving it with his knee, leaving Haslam to take the lead from Corser.
In the lead group of five, Leon Camier crashed out, taking Sylvain Guintoli off the track, and the Frenchman returning at the bottom of the top 15. Other retirements already included Michel Fabrizio and Shane Byrne.
Noriyuki Haga took victory in the second race at Valencia on aggregate times, following a stoppage due to a big accident involving Simon Andrews and Vittorio Iannuzzo – thankfully both riders weren’t seriously hurt.
As the race restarted, Carlos Checa had a 0.658 second from Jonathan Rea, with Max Biaggi, Sylvain Guintoli, Haga and Leon Haslam. At the restart Biaggi was away first, followed by Leon Camier, who then moved into the lead and moved up on aggregate time with a clear track ahead. Camier crashed out on lap 12, allowing Biaggi and Checa to move ahead. Haga meanwhile started a massive recovery, eventually winning from Checa, Biaggi, and a British/British Superbike pack of Leon Haslam, Shane Byrne, Jonathan Rea, Tames Toseland, Sylvain Guintoli and Cal Crutchlow.
Le Mans:
Audi win as Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Dindo Cappello take the win at Paul Ricard, as the pace-setting Oreca-Matmut Peugeot 908 HDi encountered an air jack problem and suffered an 18-minute pitstop.
Former F1 star Jean Alesi was able to take third in the GT2 class with Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander
