Another new racing season, a whole new outfit. I just feel compelled to match the blog with the blue get-up which I gotta admit hasn't rubbed off on me yet. It just doesn't look like a colour that can go . . . fast. Oh, forgive me Shinya, for I have sinned. The last test of the pre-season at Jerez ended on a familiar note.1. Valentino Rossi ITA Factory Yamaha Team (M) 1min 38.394 secs
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 38.527 secs
3. Colin Edwards USA Factory Yamaha Team (M) 1min 39.300 secs
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 39.556 secs
5. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 39.832 secs
6. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 39.873 secs
7. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 39.887 secs
8. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 40.043 secs
9. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 1min 40.083 secs
10. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 1min 40.100 secs
11. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 40.202 secs
12. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 1min 40.242 secs
13. Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 1min 40.307 secs
14. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 40.396 secs
15. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 40.551 secs
16. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 40.681 secs
17. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 41.038 secs
18. Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 41.805 secs
19. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 1min 42.215 secs
20. Vittoriano Guareschi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 43.008 secs
21. Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor GP (M) 1min 43.026 secs
22. Shinichi Ito JPN Ducati TTT (B) 1min 43.073 secs
23. Jeremy McWilliams GBR Ilmor GP (M) 1min 43.202 secs
Hmm, it looks like an average from a blog ago. But just as before, I'll still cheerfully root for Shinya, come rain, shine, thrills, spills, jumping the gun, internet crashes or that meddling thing called work.
Here's the competition this year. While winning the title this year is as hopeful as it coming true if I write to Mad's Make-a-wish foundation, I'm pretty sure Shinya's gonna want to beat that lil punk De Puniet. Don't give him the chance to say nyeh-nyeeh, you shud've stayed at Kawasaki. Blegh.