Casey and Rossi Head Back to Le Mans

The MotoGP heads to one of the oldest and most-famous race tracks in the world this weekend as Casey Stoner and Valentino continue their rivalry for the Moto Grand Prix World Championship at Le Mans, a venue that has probably had Casey up a few nights since last years debacle that saw Stoner finish 16^th on a track that hasn’t been very friendly to the Australian. This said Casey is surely expecting winning at Le Mans to be his extreme challenge of the MotoGP season, so far, one far beyond the party he had at Jerez at the last MotoGP event. Casey Stoner’s best finish at Le Mans in any class has been a third place podium finish in the 2007 Grand Prix de France, so Le Mans has been a bit of an enigma for Stoner and one he would surely like to bring to an end.

Rossi and Stoner will race at the French track of Le Mans on Sunday

Casey Stoner’s 2008 Le Mans experience was a competition that turned out to be a convoluted and complicated affair for the Australian and the only race while with Ducati that he hasn’t scored points for the team. The race ended in frustration for Stoner who had to change to a second bike with new rubber to deal with rain after his first ride stopped due to mechanical problems.

I’m sure Casey is hoping for a more traditional result on Sunday at Le Mans, one that’s he’s use too, like the confidence-boost his podium finish at Jerez has certainly give him, and I’m sure his confidence is probably high as they head to the fourth race on French soil. Casey Stoner currently is second in the MotoGP point’s race with 54 points, but with a good showing can certainly do a lot to improve his year.  Jerez and Motegi both provided an extreme challenge for Casey and his bike with their tight corners, but he has come through pretty good, and I expect him to challenge Valentino the rest of the way.

Le Mans certainly has a few tight corners that will provide him and his bike with a challenge; his bike isn’t as reactive in the corners as many of the machines, so requires strong handling techniques to drive. Le Mans is a classic stop and go track that requires strong braking techniques, although it’s one where the racers can get some good speed with the right lines out of the corners.

Valentino Rossi on the other hand tends to like any track he races on and is in France early this week for a press conference for his new energy drink sponsor, but come Sunday, expect him to be leading the field again, despite his Eiffel Tower photo opt set up for this week.

“Image: Newscom”