Stoner tries to carry momentum

From Marlboro Ducati

The Ducati Marlboro Team is ready to start the final sprint towards 2008 MotoGP World Championship glory, starting off with this weekend's classic appointment at Brno, in the Czech Republic, before a run of six crucial races across Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

Casey Stoner, who found himself down in fourth place overall, 50 points behind series leader Valentino Rossi after the Catalunya GP just over two months ago, has put together an incredible run of form to haul himself back into contention. Three wins and a second place from four races make him the form rider in the championship, lifting him to second in the standings, 25 points adrift of the Italian.

The World Champion returns from a three-week holiday in his native Australia aiming to reproduce that kind of form at the Czech circuit, which has been completely resurfaced for this year's race.

Stoner took a clean sweep of pole, fastest lap and victory at Brno in 2007, adding to a 250cc podium there in 2005.

Marco Melandri is also hopeful of a good result after spending the break with his family, who helped him to enjoy his 26th birthday celebrations on Aug. 7. The Italian has celebrated victory at Brno on three occasions in the smaller classes, including back-to-back 125cc wins in 1998 and 1999 followed by 250cc victory in 2002.

Over the past two rounds the man from Ravenna has shown good progress during practice, although bad luck has prevented him from turning that into race results.

"Brno has always been a track where our bike has been very much at home," said Livio Suppo, MotoGP project director. "Over the past two seasons, thanks also to the optimum performance of Bridgestone tires, we have taken victory - in 2006 with Loris [Capirossi] and last year with Casey. The track has been resurfaced and that creates something of an unknown for all of us. We just hope that grip is as good as it was last year and that the weather is stable over the three days so that we can prepare properly for the race."

The Brno circuit snakes its way around the hills that border the Czech Republic's second city and is one of the jewels in the crown of motorcycle racing. Built in 1987 to replace the old and dangerous road circuit that had previously hosted Grand Prix racing, the 'new' track retains some of the original characteristics and for this reason it is much to the liking of the riders.

With track width reaching 15m in some places, its fast and mixed layout features fast direction changes, chicanes and elevation changes. The extra width rewards a precise racing line and those continual elevations changes, with several downhill braking areas, require a perfect bike set-up, a talented rider and good tire life.

Engine performance is also an important factor, with the long straights giving the MotoGP machines the chance to really stretch their legs.