Sebastián Porto takes victory in Mugello after an intense figth in the 250.
Pablo Nieto, sixth in the 125, watches how victory slips away in the last lap; Barros finishes sixth and Rubén Xaus, fifth in his best MotoGP performance so far.
Sun, rain, crashes, interrupted races& The 2004 Italian Grand Prix will go down in history as one of the most spectacular, intense and exciting events of recent times. 80,000 tifosi witnessed how their idols fought for the victory in two of the three classes, 125 GP and MotoGP.
In the 250 GP, the race was up to a Spaniard, Pedrosa, a Frenchman, De Puniest, and an Argentinean, Sebastian Porto. The Repsol rider was finally able to pay off the old score, pending since the first race in South Africa and has proven today, that he is a firm candidate for the final victory.
In the MotoGP, the race looked more like the screenplay of an intrigue and action film. Equality, riders touching each other in the lead, spectacular crashes and the surprising rain six laps before the end of the race. The plans of most of the protagonists were changed by the sudden rainfall, turning the race, which initially was supposed to last 24 laps into a short 6-lap-race. With six laps to go, while Rossi and Gibernau were fighting for the victory, Biaggi third farther in the back, and Barros fourth remounting a bit over one second behind the Italian, it began to drizzle in Mugello and the race direction decided to stop the race, just the same moment when Valentino Rossi, who was leading the race, lifted his hand requesting red flags on the track. When that happened, Nicky Hayden was already out of the race. A crash in lap seven, while he was fighting for the sixth place with Melandri forced him to go to his garage, although the young Repsol rider had tried to continue in the race for some laps. Regulation in hand, including the new changes, after the first part of the race had been suspended; a new race was started consisting of six laps, i.e. the laps that remained for the end of the first part. The second race, the only valid race for the final result, was filled with very rapid leader changes lap after lap. The delicate track conditions, with rain in some sections and dry asphalt in others, allowed for riders with less powerful machines to fight against the official machines. That was the case of Rubén Xaus, who surprised the more than 80,000 spectators taking the lead of the race in the second lap. Behind him, Bayliss, Rossi, Barros, Gibernau, Biaggi and Abe were trying to keep the pace set by Xaus. One lap later, the third of the total six, the more powerful bikes set the Repsol rider back to the fifth position, the place in which he finally took the chequered flag. With no doubt an excellent result for Luis DAntíns pupil. The race winner was local idol Valentino Rossi, while Barros, who had been in the fight for the podium during the six laps, finally had to settle for the sixth final place.
Sebastián Portos victory in the 250 GP finally confirms him in the class as one of the most serious candidates for the World Championship title, allowing him at the same time to get of the pressure of not having won a single Grand Prix this season. The race was very intense, with Porto, Pedrosa and De Puniet setting an incredibly fast pace from the first lap, thus opening gaps and creating two groups, the first one made up by the three riders and the second, some seconds behind, made up by Fonsi Nieto, Battaini, Rolfo, Elias and Poggiali. The development of the race had no big secrets; Pedrosa, Porto and De Puniet spent the time watching each other, at the same time watching the following group in order not to let them get closer than one second. Battaini and Rolfo stayed behind while Poggiali, Elias and Nieto were fighting hard to keep the lead of the group. Hostilities began with five laps to go; Porto took the lead, increased the pace and only De Puniet was able to follow the Argentinean Repsol rider, while Dani Pedrosa settled for the third step of the podium, letting the other two escape. During the final fight between Porto and De Puniet, the latter tried to get close enough to the Argentinean in order to pass him, but he not only did not succeed but also suffered a mechanical failure with his bike just when he had already the chequered flan in sight forcing him to give up his place on the podium, finishing fourth behind Porto, Pedrosa and Poggiali. Fonsi Nieto, after passing Elias on the finish line, took the chequered flag in fifth place. After this result, Porto is third in the overall standings 23 points behind the leader, De Puniet, and Fonsi Nieto is fifth 28 points behind.
A typical 125 GP race was held today at the Italian track, with a lot of excitement, in extremis overtakings, fairings touching and a very equal finish, with the top six riders separated by less than one second. After the first laps, a group of seven outstanding riders was quickly set up, including Pablo Nieto, who after making a good start from the twelfth position of the grid, managed to contact the lead of the race. Lap after lap the group of seven, with Locatelli, Stoner, Barberá, Dovizioso, Pasini, Jenkner and Nieto was reduced to a group of six, after the retirement of Pasini and Jenkner, who stayed behind, and the inclusion of Giansanti. Pablo Nieto prepared the end of the race very well; he first tried to escape after taking the lead, but once he realised that it wasnt possible he decided to stay in the middle of the group. With four laps to go, the show reached its highlight; riders and fairings touching each other repeatedly, incredible braking manoeuvres and Pablo Nieto trying to keep the lead or overtake Locatelli, who swapped places with the Spaniard in the leading spot. During the last lap and with the Italian in the lead, Nieto tried to overtake him some corners before the end, and while he tried, both riders touch each other, with bad result for Nieto who lost the race line and all options to get a place on the podium. He was passed by the rest of the pack and finally crossed the finish line in sixth place. Nieto is now seventh in the overall standings with 37 points less than the leader, the Italian Andrea Dovizioso. The victory was taken by local rider Roberto Locatelli. Sergio Gadea, teammate to Pablo Nieto, suffered a crash in the first lap with three other riders. Despite the crashed Gadea rejoined the race and crossed the finish line in twenty-third place.
