MOTO GP Round 4 & 5

The race pretty much followed these expectations, but Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) made sure Casey Stoner earned his win this time around, harassing the young Aussie throughout. Rossi secured pole with a 1'58.424 lap, smashing the previous circuit record. John Hopkins (Rizla Suzuki), who had been quick in all practice sessions, and Colin Edwards (Fiat Yamaha) completed the front row.

Hopkins took the holeshot, while Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda) had his race shot on the first lap when he was knocked off line by a falling Toni Elias (Gresini Honda). Stoner started from fourth on the grid, but had taken the lead by the end of the first lap. Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda), made an early move into second place, but Rossi combined late braking moves with fast corner speeds to keep in touch with Stoner's Ducati, and eventually took the lead on lap 7. But eight laps later, Rossi overshot the circuit's back hairpin, allowing Stoner back into the lead, and Hopkins into second. The Aussie held the lead to the chequered flag. Rossi recovered to reel in Hopkins with five laps to go. Hopkins couldn't get the position back and had to be content with the final podium place - his first in MotoGP competition. Hayden recovered to eventually finish twelfth, while Chris Vermeulen, suffering from damaged toes at the previous round, circulated in mid-pack, finishing seventh.

MotoGP - Rd. 4
1. C. Stoner Ducati 44'12.891
2. V. Rossi Yamaha +3.036
3. J. Hopkins Suzuki +6.663
4. D. Pedrosa Honda +14.090
5. M. Melandri Honda +17.276
6. L. Capirossi Ducati +26.256
7. C. Vermeulen Suzuki +26.591
8. R. de Puniet Kawasaki +27.025
9. A. Hofmann Ducati +28.108
10. C. Checa Honda +32.957

250cc
Jorge Lorenzo broke his Chinese hoodoo to take victory, adding the Shanghai circuit to his 'Lorenzo Land' empire - an ongoing stunt that is starting to rival some of Rossi's post-race antics. Lorenzo had run wide at the start and let five riders get ahead of him on lap one, but quickly redressed the balance to finish virtually unchallenged. Behind him, 2006 125cc champion, Alvaro Bautista muscled out Andrea Dovizioso on the final corner. Alex de Angelis finished fourth to retain second in the championship behind Lorenzo.

125cc
Lukas Pesek finally took his first 125cc victory, but had a hard job on his hands in what was one of the closest races of the season so far. The lead swung between Pesek, Hector Faubel and Esteve Rabat, the dogfight between the trio lasting to the chequered flag.

MOTO GP
Rd.5 - Le Mans
The last time there was a wet race, Australia's Chris Vermeulen (Rizla Suzuki) showed his mastery of the slippery conditions. In almost torrential conditions this time round at Le Mans, Vermeulen again came to the fore to record his breakthrough win in MotoGP competition.
Another 'first' was recorded in qualifying when Colin Edwards (Fiat Yamaha) secured his maiden MotoGP pole position. All the Texan's hard work counted for naught in the race, however, as he was swamped off the line, Stoner grabbing the holeshot. The rain was already falling before the race started, and in damp conditions, Rossi successfully gapped the field, but only for a few laps, as the French riders, Randy de Puniet (Team Kawasaki) and Sylvain Guintoli (Tech 3 Yamaha) took their turn at the lead in front of an ecstatic home crowd. As the rain continued to fall, the gamble on when to change bikes would prove to be crucial. This time around, the cards fell the way of riders who chose to pit earlier, like Vermeulen. With Rossi clearly struggling in the increasingly wet conditions, and other riders crashing out of contention, the race turned into a two-way battle between Vermeulen and Melandri, the Aussie holding off the Italian until the chequered flag. Behind them, Stoner worked his way up to third place, while a strong fourth place finish from Hayden evaporated when ythe current champion crashed out with two laps remaining.

MotoGP - Rd. 5
1. C. Vermeulen Suzuki 50'58.752
2. M. Melandri Hinda +12.599
3. C. Stoner Ducati +27.347
4. D. Pedrosa Honda +37.328
5. A. Hofmann Ducati +49.166
6. V. Rossi Yamaha +53.563
7. J. Hopkins Suzuki +1'1.073
8. L. Capirossi Ducati +1'21.24
9. M. Tamada Yamaha + 1 lap
10. S. Guintoli Yamaha + 1 lap

Championship Points - after 5 rounds.
1. Stoner - 102, 2. Rossi - 81, 3. Pedrosa - 62, 4. Melandri - 61, 5. Vermeulen - 55, 6. Hopkins - 48, 7. Capirossi - 38, 8. Edwards - 35, 9. Elias - 35, 10. Hayden - 30.

250cc
Reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo made it four wins from five starts at Le Mans,but the 'Chuppa Chup Kid' had challenges all the way to the finish. On the opening laps he had to contend with 125cc World Champions Alvaro Bautista and Thomas Luthi, the latter having tasted victory in France in the 125cc class in '05 and '06. Neither were quite up to the task of following in the Aprilia rider's footsteps, with both running off-track when trying to challenge Lorenzo. One man who has proven that he can hang with the champion is Andrea Dovizioso, the only other rider to have won a 250cc race this season. The Italian led the way during a tense battle that also involved Alex de Angelis, although eventually Lorenzo played his trump card on the fast first section to power away from the duo, who completed the podium spots.
Anthony West started well down the field, but had put the Team Sicilia Aprilia into the top ten dring the course of the race. A late carge from Bautista after his early off, relegated the Aussie to 10th at the finish.

125cc
In a day of firsts in MotoGP, Sergio Gadea took his opening victory in the 125cc class. The 22 year old has been something of the forgotten man in the Aspar Aprilia team so far this season, having struggled early on whilst team-mates Gabor Talmacsi and Hector Faubel were winning races, but the Spaniard showed great poise in France as he kept his cool at the head of the field.
Gadea had only really been troubled by poleman Mattia Pasini at the front, and the almost inevitable sight of the Italian pulling his bike off to the side of the track with mechanical problems - as had happened on three previous occasions - gifted the Spaniard a slight cushion on his rivals.
Almost immediately after Pasini's retirement, 125cc World Championship leader Lukas Pesek kicked into gear and moved up into second for the first time. The Czech rider held onto the position to extend his championship lead over Gabor Talmacsi to nine points.