Chinese GP: Michelin race one, two notes

IMMACULATE PEDROSA TAKES FIRST MICHELIN WIN

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) scored his first MotoGP victory in immaculate style at Shanghai today after an enthralling duel with team-mate Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin). Colin Edwards (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) took third place to secure a second consecutive all-Michelin podium. Michelin men also dominate the World Championship standings after the opening four races, with Hayden on top and six of the next seven riders using the French tyres.

"That was a great race for Dani and Nicky," saidMichelin motorcycle racing director Nicolas Goubert. "Their lap times were very, veryimpressive, they were breaking the lap record most laps with Dani setting the record just four laps from the finish. So Dani took pole position, the race win and the record, a great achievement for a rider new to the MotoGP class. We enjoy working with Dani, he gives very precise feedback in the pits, which is a big help to us. He has a very fluid riding style, so he can save his tyres, maybe his style is similar to that of Max [Biaggi, who won 13 premier-class races with Michelin from 1998 to 2004].

"Nicky's performance was also great, he put up a good fight and he has increased his championship points lead. At the moment he is the most consistent rider out there, with two second places and two thirds from the first four races.

"It was good to see Colin b ack on the podium. His team could have been third and fourth if Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) hadn't had a problem. He was doing a good job, aiming for the podium, then he started feeling some vibration that was big enough to bring him into the pits. Unfortunately the vibration was created by the front tyre, which we will take back to France tonight to undergo analysis at Clermont-Ferrand tomorrow morning. It is very strange because he chose exactly the same front as all but one of our nine riders. Only Kenny Roberts Junior (Team Roberts KR211V-Michelin) chose a different front, a slightly harder compound and construction." Michelin's other top-scoring riders today were Casey Stoner (Honda LCR RC211V-Michelin) in fifth place, Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V-Michelin) in sixth and Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V-Michelin) in seventh.

-michelin