Bridgestone have certainly won the tyre battle so far this year, filling the first three places in France. They appear to have adapted to the new tyre regulations better than their great rivals Michelin who will hope to start their fight back on Sunday.
Spaniard
Toni Elias has crashed out of the last two races after finishing second in Turkey while popular American and Rossi’s team-mate
Colin Edwards grabbed his first pole in France but was beset with tyre problems in the race.
German Alex Hofmann rode brilliantly in France to finish a career best fifth, while his Pramac d’Antin Ducati team-mate veteran Alex Barros won the premier class race at Mugello six years ago and is the last rider to beat Rossi on his home soil.
Randy de Puniet will hope to bounce back after his French crash and will be joined in the Kawasaki team by fellow Frenchman Olivier Jacque who returns from injury. Former World Champion
Kenny Roberts will be joined by younger brother Kurtis in their father’s Oxfordshire-based KR Honda team.
Twenty year old
Jorge Lorenzo won the 250cc race last year and is favourite for a repeat performance after winning four of the opening five races this season.
The world champion, riding the Fortuna Aprilia, survived a spectacular qualifying crash in France to win the race and open up a 32 point lead over Italian Honda rider Andre Dovizioso. Former 125cc world champion Roberto Locatelli should receive a great welcome following his very serious practice crash in
Jerez. He practiced and qualified in France but delayed his race return until his home race.
There have been five separate winners in the first five rounds of the 125cc World Championship and that is reflected in the championship table. Lukas Pesek leads the way on the Derbi, just nine points in front of Hungarian Gabor Talmacsi with his Bancaja Aspar Aprilia team-mate Sergio Gadea just a further five points adrift.
