Capirossi's team-mate Sete Gibernau hopes to compete after another operation on the collarbone he injured in the Barcelona accident. The Spaniard has a good record at Brno winning in 2004 and starting from pole last year.
Brno is a big race for 20 year old Australian
Casey Stoner, who’s crashed out, albeit in the morning warm-up in Germany, at the last two races. Despite his problems the LCR Honda rider still lies sixth in the championship as he approaches a very important last six races in his debut
MotoGP season.
American
Colin Edwards did not particularly enjoy the summer break after a crash and then engine problems wrecked his chances of winning the Suzuka 8 Hour race in Japan. The Texan, who is Rossi’s team-mate, is seventh in the championship and coming under real pressure from another American,
Kenny Roberts.
The former 500cc World Champion and his Oxfordshire–based KR team are having a revival of fortunes this season, with the help of Honda power and Michelin tyres. Roberts will probably have a new frame at Brno and is only five points behind Edwards and 12 points behind sixth placed Stoner.
The Rizla Suzuki team faces the last six races with renewed confidence following Chris Vermeulen’s pole position at Laguna Sega. Both Australian Vermeulen and American
John Hopkins have put in some impressive performances this year which have not always been reflected in their results and both are still chasing a debut podium.
The Kawasaki duo of
Shinya Nakano and
Randy de Puniet are both former 250cc winners at Brno and will be seeking a MotoGP change of fortune, while Spaniard Carlos Checa will be looking to at least repeat his seventh place at Laguna riding the Tech 3 Yamaha.
The 250 and 125cc riders return to the fray after a week longer break because they had no races in America.
The 250cc championship is the closest with Spaniard
Jorge Lorenzo grabbing the lead by a single point from Italian Andre Dovizioso after his third place in Germany. The Fortuna Aprilia rider has won five grands prix this season and was a winner of the 125cc race in Brno two years ago. Dovizioso finished on the podium at the first eight races but has slipped off in the last two, while his Humangest Honda Racing Team team-mate Yuki Takahashi who won the last round in Germany, hopes to be fit after breaking his arm practicing for the Suzuka 8 hour race.
Spaniard Alvaro Bautista enjoyed his summer break with a massive 64 point lead over Finn Mika Kallio in the 125cc class. The 21 year old Master-MVA Aspar Aprilia rider has won four grands prix this season. His biggest threat on Sunday may not come from the KTM of Kallio but from his team-mates Mattia Pasini, who won in Germany, Hector Faubel and Sergio Gadea.
