British Grand Prix polesitter Valentino Rossi has slammed the condition of the Donington Park circuit, accusing the track management of neglecting the MotoGP event as it focuses on the arrival of Formula 1 in 2010.
Rossi said he had been disappointed by the state of the track throughout the weekend.
“I have to say that in general the condition of the track is poor,” he said. “When you are on the track you understand that it is the last time [MotoGP is racing here].
“It is the worst track for general condition in the season. Usually the asphalt is clean and you know it is ready for the start. Here it looks like they cleaned it a little bit and go for the last time, then it looks like on Monday they will start the work for the Formula 1 so they don’t stay to paint the kerbs or clean it.”
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Italian Valentino Rossi won a monumental battle with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo to triumph in the Catalan’s home MotoGP race.The riders are now tied on 106 points at the summit of the World Championship standings alongside Ducati’s Casey Stoner, who finished third in Sunday’s race.
Lorenzo, who had snatched a last-gasp pole from six-times champion Rossi, led for long stretches before the lead swapped several times on the final three laps.
There were several occasions where the two Yamahas almost touched as the fans - who were supporting FC Barcelona fan Lorenzo, but had a huge soft spot for Rossi - blared airhorns and bellowed them on.
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For the first nine laps of Sunday’s Grand Prix of Catalunya, Casey Stoner matched the Fiat Yamahas of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo blow-for-blow at the front of the field.
Some changes to the set-up of the young Australian’s Desmosedici had helped turn around a mixed Saturday, but the 2007 world champion’s physical condition was heading dramatically downwards.
“On Saturday we really struggled with the bike, we were away too far off the pace to even be competitive. Then before the race we changed a few things and made a big improvement,” explained a visibly exhausted Stoner.
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MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi powered from fourth on the starting grid to take his first victory of the season in Spain on Sunday and open an 11-point lead at the top of the overall standings.
The Yamaha rider slipped past early leader Dani Pedrosa with 10 laps left in front of the 120,000 crowd at the Jerez circuit and pulled away to finish the 27-lap race 2.7 seconds clear of the Spaniard’s Honda.
Australian Casey Stoner was third for Ducati, his first appearance on the podium in Spain.
Victory for Rossi sent the Italian top of the championship standings with 65 points after three rounds. Stoner is second on 54 and Pedrosa tied for third with compatriot and Rossi’s team mate Jorge Lorenzo on 41.
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This is the Doctor’s shows..
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Valentino Rossi will need to work hard if he is to extinguish team-mate Jorge Lorenzo’s fast growing momentum after the Spaniard followed up his first win of the season with his first pole position of ‘09, in front of his home fans at Jerez on Saturday.
Lorenzo raised eyebrows by catching and passing his fellow Fiat Yamaha rider for victory last weekend in Motegi, a result that also gave him the championship lead by one point over Rossi.
Rossi is still searching for his first win of the season after also finishing runner-up to Casey Stoner in Qatar, but managed just fourth place in Saturday’s qualifying session with a best lap time 0.709sec slower than the #99 - and The Doctor isn’t happy with his race set-up either.
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Having finished fifth at the Losail International Circuit last year Valentino Rossi was pleased to have started the 2009 season - and his MotoGP title defence - with an improved second place in Qatar.
World Champion Valentino Rossi was unable to prevent Casey Stoner running away with a third consecutive season-opening victory at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, but the brilliant Italian typically took the positives from his second place finish in the Arabian desert in Monday’s re-scheduled MotoGP race.
Rossi was amongst those who had stated after Sunday night’s rainfall that it was important to stay on at the floodlit Losail track to put on a show for the fans on Monday evening, and whilst he was unable to catch Stoner at the front of the race he did his level best at trying to hunt down the Ducati Marlboro poleman.
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