rain stops the race?? hope nobody was taping it!
And, unlike riders coasting to a halt with seized engines and blaming an electrical problem to save factory face, this is probably genuine. Kwak engineer, "I know; to prevent people thinking our engine suicide-bombed (again), we'll tell everyone the tyre blew under the stress of doing 340kph." Bridgestone engineer, "Like **** you will, greenie!" Btw, how downright stupid did this look; Rossi on the M1, topped out in sixth at the end of the straight, about to enter the braking zone for turn 1, front wheel in the air...
Doesn't look like it, it was the tyre not the motor according to mcnews.com.au: Gianluca Montiron Camel Honda (Makoto Tamada Team Manager) - Exiting the last bend before the start-finish straight, Makoto noticed a strange vibration in the rear which increased a lot as he went down the straight itself. After a slight off-track moment at the San Donato corner, Makoto decided to shut off the gas and retire from the race because the rear tyre anomaly was becoming worrying. The engineers will now do an exhaustive analysis to find the issue. I have to thank the squad for the competitiveness we showed with our RC211V and Makoto for having given us some unforgettable moments in the battles he had as he became the star of the first part of the race. Makoto Tamada Camel Honda (Bridgestone Tyres) The duel with Rossi was fantastic. Thats how I always want to ride. The bike was perfect and I was riding at the limit. Im so unhappy about having to retire, but the vigorous vibrations from the rear tyre as I came out of the Bucine corner became really worrying as I came down the straight. I knew something not quite right was going on with the rear tyre, and I preferred to stop. Its a real shame, because it was a fantastic Sunday. Maybe not sudh a good day for Bridgestone eh? Thats what Kawasaki are blaming Nakanos crash on too... big
Ahh good, so I wasn't the _only_ one thinking "What The ****???" - I didn't get a good idea of exactly how the track went at the pit lane exit there, but seeing Rossi on the back wheel there was _very_ odd, especially since thats right where Nakanos trye exploded on him. Was it maybe just aerodynamics from sitting up for the braking zone ar 340kmh? Or can he _really_ "get on the gas" hard enough at full speed to lift the front like that? I seem to remember it was while anther bike (Max? Sete?) tried to pass him... big
Beatie commented that rossi may have hit a small bump along that point which at that speed may have given rise to the wheel lift.
oooh yuk that's fearsome!! Notice he was ahead of Capirossi at the time. He must've been doing OK up till then.....
There are many sundry parts for his bike.... he's a sundried Tamada! Clem [very pleased with himself]
