Biaggi wins 'fun' Gibernau duel.
Honda riders Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau were locked together for no less than 22 of the 32 lap US Grand Prix, with the Roman Repsol Honda rider finally winning their personal duel for fourth by a slim 0.0262secs at the chequered flag.
Biaggi had made a fantastic start from the third row of the grid and was placed third at the end of the first lap - and looked like a potential podium contender. He would dive ahead of Troy Bayliss for third at turn six on lap four, but prompty ran wide and lost three places in the run-up to the corkscrew.
Honda riders Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau were locked together for no less than 22 of the 32 lap US Grand Prix, with the Roman Repsol Honda rider finally winning their personal duel for fourth by a slim 0.0262secs at the chequered flag.
Biaggi had made a fantastic start from the third row of the grid and was placed third at the end of the first lap - and looked like a potential podium contender. He would dive ahead of Troy Bayliss for third at turn six on lap four, but prompty ran wide and lost three places in the run-up to the corkscrew.
Gibernau was one of the riders who moved ahead of the #3 in that encounter, but Biaggi recovered and repassed the Spaniard - who then pressured Biaggi right to the finish.
"It was a good race," declared Max, whose team-mate Nicky Hayden took victory. "Surely, we could have stepped on the podium this time, but it took me too long to pass Bayliss, who was slowing me down, and then I had my hands full with Gibernau. So I lost the touch with the head of the race. I'm sorry, because I did a good start, from seventh to fourth place, but I liked the duel with Gibernau, tough but always fair. Well, I had fun."
For Gibernau, who had qualified just 13th, the race was even more impressive - and he would later state that it was his best of the season.
"I think that was one of my best races of the season, if not the best, even though the result might not reflect that," said Sete. "We found a better set-up than we had all weekend in the morning warm-up and I went out to give everything, even though I knew it would be tough starting so far back.
"We were able to maintain a high rhythm, the same as the guys at the front, and stayed consistent throughout the race. It hasn't been an ideal weekend. When we go well in qualifying we don't seem able to finish it off in the race and vice versa. I'm confident that when we manage to put three good days together again we'll be back to winning races," he added.
Biaggi remains third in the championship, but just 7-points behind Marco Melandri, while Gibernau holds fourth, 5-points behind the Roman.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
