Loris Capirossi must be a Japanese in his former life.
Otherwise, there is no way to explain his inexplicable and surprising victory at the Moto GP race at Motegi last Sunday.
Capirossi has been struggling mightily throughout the season, and his performance has been overshadowed by his young Australian teammate Casey Stoner (who is and looks so young that he can easily be mistaken as a high school student), who has been in dominating form this season.
Before this season, Capirossi was the only one to have ridden a Ducati in a Moto GP victory (not counting Troy Bayliss' one-off performance at Valencia last year). But this season Stoner has scored eight wins (and counting), while Capirossi has only two podium finishes before Motegi.
And in Motegi, Capirossi finally out-qualified Stoner for the first time this season.
By the way, Capirossi won in Motegi in 2006 AND 2005.
In changing weather condition, Capirossi was among the first riders to switch to dry tyres which drastically improved his lap times. And when the front runners finally pitted halfway through, voila, Capirossi was in a commanding lead at Motegi for the third year running.
Who would have thought Capirossi would win a race this season?
But in truth, Motegi is the most suitable place for him to get a win, isn't it?
And by the way, did I mention Stoner has secured his first ever World Championship by finishing sixth in the race?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Spy-gates
A very interesting day in sports.
In NFL and Formula One, two of the most dominant teams in recent years, the New England Patriots and McLaren respectively, have both been found guilty for "spying," with the former being caught videotaping the signals given out by their opponent coaches in their game against the New York Jets, while the latter for being found in possession of a vital technical dossier of arch-rival Ferrari.
Their penalties:
The Patriots: Forfeiture of a first-round OR second-round plus third-round draft pick next year depending on whether the team goes to the playoff this year. Their coach, the eternally blunt and arrogant Bill Belichick, is fined USD$500,000, while the team itself is slapped with a USD$250,000 fine. (Details can be found here.)
McLaren: Being stripped of all Constructor's points for this season, and an enormous USD$100 million fine. That's right, USD$100 million. Eight zeroes after the digit one. (Details can be found here.)
I have never been a fan of Bill Belichick, who somehow has been universally regarded as a "Genius." However, he was a out and out disaster in his first coaching stint with the Cleveland Browns in the early 90s' (in terms of results AND media relations). While he may have lots of impressive ideas on the football field, the only good thing that he has done is drafting Tom Brady in the sixth-round of the draft in 1999 (you may also argue that luck plays into their hands when Drew Bledsoe's injury paved the way for Brady's truly unexpected stardom). With the outbreak of the scandal, many wonder if the emergence of the Patriots is a result of long-term spying, a crime which he has also been accused of when they visited the Green Bay Packers last year.
Interestingly, the two times their videotaping guy was found and expelled from the field happened when they were the away teams. You just have to wonder if this kind of spying is more widespread at their home field, where they are in charge of the on-field surveillance and security, thus allowing them to film literally whatever they want to.
While Belichick may be a winner even if there is no spying, his reputation will forever be tainted. His frosty relationship with the media doesn't help either and he will now be known as a cheater, just like Barry Bonds has been. Incidentally, ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd found a startling similarity between the two. For a start, their initials are both "BB" ...
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell acted quickly to hand down the penalty. But by not suspending Belichick (or Beli-cheat, as Cowherd puts it) for at least two games, he seems to have let off the Patriots rather lightly.
And my gut feeling is, this is the final season for Belichick as the Patriots' head coach. With the addition of two players with serious character issues (signing Randy Moss and drafting Brandon Meriweather) this off-season, Belichick has deviated from his principle of keeping his hands off players with character issues. That, to me, is a clear signal that he wants to win it all this season, as he knows one way or the other he will not be around next season.
More on McLaren's mess later.
In NFL and Formula One, two of the most dominant teams in recent years, the New England Patriots and McLaren respectively, have both been found guilty for "spying," with the former being caught videotaping the signals given out by their opponent coaches in their game against the New York Jets, while the latter for being found in possession of a vital technical dossier of arch-rival Ferrari.
Their penalties:
The Patriots: Forfeiture of a first-round OR second-round plus third-round draft pick next year depending on whether the team goes to the playoff this year. Their coach, the eternally blunt and arrogant Bill Belichick, is fined USD$500,000, while the team itself is slapped with a USD$250,000 fine. (Details can be found here.)
McLaren: Being stripped of all Constructor's points for this season, and an enormous USD$100 million fine. That's right, USD$100 million. Eight zeroes after the digit one. (Details can be found here.)
I have never been a fan of Bill Belichick, who somehow has been universally regarded as a "Genius." However, he was a out and out disaster in his first coaching stint with the Cleveland Browns in the early 90s' (in terms of results AND media relations). While he may have lots of impressive ideas on the football field, the only good thing that he has done is drafting Tom Brady in the sixth-round of the draft in 1999 (you may also argue that luck plays into their hands when Drew Bledsoe's injury paved the way for Brady's truly unexpected stardom). With the outbreak of the scandal, many wonder if the emergence of the Patriots is a result of long-term spying, a crime which he has also been accused of when they visited the Green Bay Packers last year.
Interestingly, the two times their videotaping guy was found and expelled from the field happened when they were the away teams. You just have to wonder if this kind of spying is more widespread at their home field, where they are in charge of the on-field surveillance and security, thus allowing them to film literally whatever they want to.
While Belichick may be a winner even if there is no spying, his reputation will forever be tainted. His frosty relationship with the media doesn't help either and he will now be known as a cheater, just like Barry Bonds has been. Incidentally, ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd found a startling similarity between the two. For a start, their initials are both "BB" ...
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell acted quickly to hand down the penalty. But by not suspending Belichick (or Beli-cheat, as Cowherd puts it) for at least two games, he seems to have let off the Patriots rather lightly.
And my gut feeling is, this is the final season for Belichick as the Patriots' head coach. With the addition of two players with serious character issues (signing Randy Moss and drafting Brandon Meriweather) this off-season, Belichick has deviated from his principle of keeping his hands off players with character issues. That, to me, is a clear signal that he wants to win it all this season, as he knows one way or the other he will not be around next season.
More on McLaren's mess later.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Fantastic Finale
Still on the topic of Indy Car Series ...
Among the major auto-racing series around the world, the Indy Car Series is the earliest to conclude its season this year, where Dario Franchitti emerged (barely) as the champion.
And what a dramatic finale it was.
With the margin between Scott Dixon and Franchitti being so minimal, whoever finished ahead of the other would be the champion. And at the restart with only two laps to go in the final race at the Chicagoland Speedway, Dixon and Franchitti were running one-two with every other driver at least a lap down.
Franchitti tried very hard to find a way through, but Dixon held on to his nerve and stayed in front. And with only half a lap to go, Dixon was still leading comfortably and Franchitti was all but consigned to defeat.
Then his luck changed.
Dixon and Franchitti last pitted for fuel simultaneously with some 40 laps to go. While Franchitti was still going strong, Dixon, with the chequered flag literally in sight, ran out of fuel.
Franchitti couldn't believe his luck as he drove by Dixon to claim his fourth victory of the season, and most importantly, the championship as well. Meanwhile, the despondent Dixon could only drag his car slowly across the line in second place.
It's been one heck of a season for Franchitti.
In May he won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 (shortened to 412.5 miles due to rain) for the first time. He then added to back-to-back wins in late June, while extending his lead in the championship to over 80 points.
Then luck deserted him, as he suffered two frightening high-speed flips in two separate races, and saw his lead vanish when his teammate Marco Andretti crashed into him at Sonoma.
But then in the final two races, he benefited from the fueling problem of his rivals (Buddy Rice in Detroit, and Dixon in Chicago) and reclaimed the lead he so deserved.
Which is not bad to a guy who's married to a Hollywood star.
Among the major auto-racing series around the world, the Indy Car Series is the earliest to conclude its season this year, where Dario Franchitti emerged (barely) as the champion.
And what a dramatic finale it was.
With the margin between Scott Dixon and Franchitti being so minimal, whoever finished ahead of the other would be the champion. And at the restart with only two laps to go in the final race at the Chicagoland Speedway, Dixon and Franchitti were running one-two with every other driver at least a lap down.
Franchitti tried very hard to find a way through, but Dixon held on to his nerve and stayed in front. And with only half a lap to go, Dixon was still leading comfortably and Franchitti was all but consigned to defeat.
Then his luck changed.
Dixon and Franchitti last pitted for fuel simultaneously with some 40 laps to go. While Franchitti was still going strong, Dixon, with the chequered flag literally in sight, ran out of fuel.
Franchitti couldn't believe his luck as he drove by Dixon to claim his fourth victory of the season, and most importantly, the championship as well. Meanwhile, the despondent Dixon could only drag his car slowly across the line in second place.
It's been one heck of a season for Franchitti.
In May he won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 (shortened to 412.5 miles due to rain) for the first time. He then added to back-to-back wins in late June, while extending his lead in the championship to over 80 points.
Then luck deserted him, as he suffered two frightening high-speed flips in two separate races, and saw his lead vanish when his teammate Marco Andretti crashed into him at Sonoma.
But then in the final two races, he benefited from the fueling problem of his rivals (Buddy Rice in Detroit, and Dixon in Chicago) and reclaimed the lead he so deserved.
Which is not bad to a guy who's married to a Hollywood star.
Friday, September 07, 2007
The New Schumi?
In the heat of the moment, people will do stupid things.
And in the heat of the moment, people tend to think that other people are doing stupid things as well.
Remember Dario Franchitti, our poor old friend who had just lost his lead in the Indy Car Series because his teammate (who also happens to be his boss's son) crashed into him?
At the very next race at Belle Island in Detroit, Franchitti was once again the victim. This time, the culprit was Scott Dixon, the guy who had just overtaken him in the championship.
With just two laps to go in the race (shortened due to the time limit rule), Buddy Rice, Dixon and Franchitti were running a close second, third and fourth respectively behind Tony Kanaan. While it looked as though the race would finish in that order, Rice suddenly ran out of fuel and slowed down approaching turn 13. Dixon, sensing the kill, ducked to the inside and tried to overtake him. But they two collided. Rice, who had his suspension damaged, ran straight into the barriers and had to retire on the spot. Meanwhile, Dixon's car managed to make the turn but continued to spin.
With his car facing the wrong way, Dixon found Franchitti approaching and was ready to overtake him (in the race and the championship standings) through the gap between Dixon's rear and the barriers. Just as Franchitti was ready to pounce, Dixon's car somehow rolled backwards and collected Franchitti. In the end though, Franchitti was able to rejoin the race and was classified sixth, two places above Dixon and is now back to the top of the standings with just one race to go.
It was a most bizarre situation, reminiscent of some of Michael Schumacher's cheapest and dirtiest tricks. Michael Andretti, Franchitti's boss, called Dixon's antics a show of "poor sportsmanship." Kanaan, who would go on to win the race, claimed Dixon "did it on purpose."
However, Franchitti brushed them aside and simply regarded it as a racing accident. And naturally Dixon denied that he had done it on purpose.
Was it a mere accident? Did Dixon intentionally not slam on the brakes and let his car roll into the path of Franchitti?
You can be the judge.
And in the heat of the moment, people tend to think that other people are doing stupid things as well.
Remember Dario Franchitti, our poor old friend who had just lost his lead in the Indy Car Series because his teammate (who also happens to be his boss's son) crashed into him?
At the very next race at Belle Island in Detroit, Franchitti was once again the victim. This time, the culprit was Scott Dixon, the guy who had just overtaken him in the championship.
With just two laps to go in the race (shortened due to the time limit rule), Buddy Rice, Dixon and Franchitti were running a close second, third and fourth respectively behind Tony Kanaan. While it looked as though the race would finish in that order, Rice suddenly ran out of fuel and slowed down approaching turn 13. Dixon, sensing the kill, ducked to the inside and tried to overtake him. But they two collided. Rice, who had his suspension damaged, ran straight into the barriers and had to retire on the spot. Meanwhile, Dixon's car managed to make the turn but continued to spin.
With his car facing the wrong way, Dixon found Franchitti approaching and was ready to overtake him (in the race and the championship standings) through the gap between Dixon's rear and the barriers. Just as Franchitti was ready to pounce, Dixon's car somehow rolled backwards and collected Franchitti. In the end though, Franchitti was able to rejoin the race and was classified sixth, two places above Dixon and is now back to the top of the standings with just one race to go.
It was a most bizarre situation, reminiscent of some of Michael Schumacher's cheapest and dirtiest tricks. Michael Andretti, Franchitti's boss, called Dixon's antics a show of "poor sportsmanship." Kanaan, who would go on to win the race, claimed Dixon "did it on purpose."
However, Franchitti brushed them aside and simply regarded it as a racing accident. And naturally Dixon denied that he had done it on purpose.
Was it a mere accident? Did Dixon intentionally not slam on the brakes and let his car roll into the path of Franchitti?
You can be the judge.
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