After Eight Consecutive Podium Finishes Nicky Hayden Leads MotoGP Points As Teams Head To Le Mans

After Eight Consecutive Podium Finishes Nicky Hayden Leads MotoGP Points As Teams Head To Le Mans

© 2006, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Hot on the heels of an action-packed race in China, the MotoGP teams and riders head back to Europe this week for the Alice Grand Prix de France. The fifth date on the World Championship calendar, this weekend’s race could prove to be the turning point of the season, with the next seven races taking place in just ten weeks, and six of them on the same continent. American Nicky Hayden heads the overall classification, and finds himself on a run of eight consecutive podium finishes. The Repsol Honda rider was second in Shanghai, but his main worry is that the top step of the podium is proving elusive to him. Kentucky’s finest has a thirteen point advantage that he will be looking to extend in Le Mans with his first victory since his maiden win at Laguna Seca last year. Ducati Marlboro’s Loris Capirossi is the nearest rival in terms of points for Hayden, finishing off the podium in China but still adding valuable points to his tally. However Hayden’s eyes will be looking towards an adversary closer to home than the Italian. With his first victory in the premier class, his team-mate Dani Pedrosa heads to France on a high, having become the joint second-youngest winner ever of a MotoGP race. The star of last Sunday’s thrilling contest, the Spaniard is now third overall in the standings, and travels to Le Mans with a certifiable pedigree, having won there in all of his last three visits, including last year’s 250cc race. Despite an inauspicious start to the 2006 season, the victory in Turkey pushed Marco Melandri up the standings, however there was more disappointment to follow after he came home seventh in China. The 2005 season’s second placed rider, Melandri still has serious title aspirations. Meanwhile rookie sensation Casey Stoner has shown incredible form since his jump to MotoGP and trails Hayden by just twenty points. The Australian rounds off a tight top five on the leaderboard having never finished outside the top six in the premier class so far. Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi lies in sixth overall, having missed out on the opportunity of earning valuable points at both Jerez and China. A damaged tyre curtailed his race last weekend, and the French date will be the chance for redemption for the charismatic Italian, who won there last season in a classic battle with Sete Gibernau. Although yet to place on the podium this season, Toni Elias has had a strong start in the World Championship. Fortuna Honda’s Spanish rider continues racking up points, part of a second trailing pack of riders. Le Mans is the home of some rather unhappy memories for Elias, as last year he suffered a injury during tests at the circuit which kept him out of the following three Grands Prix. With his first podium of 2006 in China, Colin Edwards was boosted up the standings. The ‘Texas Tornado’ commented before the race that the chattering problems suffered thus far depended heavily on the circuit, so will be hoping that Le Mans’ tight downhill braking zones are kind to the M1. Shinya Nakano and Sete Gibernau complete the top ten in the overall classification. In the BMW M Award, the prize given to the rider with the fastest qualifying times throughout the season, Nicky Hayden currently lies ahead of nearest rival Colin Edwards by just under one and a half seconds. Australian Chris Vermeulen lies in third, over another second off the two Americans. 250CC In 250cc, Andrea Dovizioso continues to lead the series. Despite still not having a win to his name in the quarter litre category, Humangest Honda’s Italian star has shown his consistency so far this season to head the standings. There is no room to breathe for Dovizioso however, as Hector Barbera’s is just three points behind after victory in Shanghai with Jorge Lorenzo and Hiroshi Aoyama’s close attendance also increasing the pressure on the top two. 125CC With only four races gone, Alvaro Bautista looks unstoppable in 125cc. The Master MVA Aspar rider is thirty points ahead of nearest challenger Mika Kallio, despite the Finn being victorious last weekend. Bautista completed his fourth consecutive podium finish of the season at Shanghai, and will be hoping to better his best finish of ninth at the French track, whilst Kallio will draw on the experience of his third place there last year. Built in 1965 around the existing 24-Hour track, the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix race circuit lies 5km south of the city of Le Mans and 200km south-west of Paris. The venue has hosted Grand Prix intermittently since the late sixties. Now the host of the French GP consistently since 2000, Le Mans is a tight track dominated by first gear corners that places the emphasis on late braking and hard acceleration, whilst rear end traction is also a key area. With the capacity to comfortably accommodate up to 100,000 spectators, the Bugatti circuit is always a thrilling occasion for racefans.

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