There's Scott Russell, is that Grimini behind him still?
He's dropped off the pace, Scott Russell has done most of the work but isn't quite there yet.
Now then, Neil Hodgson, bike number five here, can still pick up a couple of places if he's got something left
because in front of him are the two Hondas.
Edwards seems to have shot his bolt and he's drifted back into the grip of Aaron Sleight
and then of course there is Neil Hodgson.
So if the Hondas are now going off the pace, perhaps Hodgson can pick up their places.
He appears to be staying there with the two factory Hondas comfortably,
and I use that word ill-advisedly at the moment, as we look at the two leading Ducattis
and Frankie clearly passed his lap again last time around.
He's a, he's a, he's a great boy isn't he that man?
What a wonder for better praise.
Described by Andy Kershaw as bad as a meat axe to his face,
something lost something in the translation.
Frankie was confused.
Yes, me too.
Lap 12 of 20, the reduced race distance down from 26 to 20.
La Vía looks over his shoulder and who does he see?
It's that man, Pierre-Francois Keeley who is now right with him.
And Keeley I would suggest is going to just go drifting straight past La Vía
at the first opportunity he gets because he has caught La Vía with ease.
He has indeed two big gaps that Frankie's jumped to get up to the front of this.
Well this is going to be good stuff because as you said, for both of these two guys
championships doesn't matter, only wins matter.
So La Vía's not going to give it to him and he's given no choice.
But of course it does matter to the point that Harga, if he doesn't win races
and is right down in the points, he's far rather seen lower leaderboard men
finish first, second and third than some of the top guys.
So I think that these two are going to make the championship even closer at the top of the field.
Where's Frankie, about sixth in the championship, he's certainly not in the top five.
La Vía nowhere in the championship, so this is suiting Norrie.
Oh, that was a mistake from La Vía.
Here comes Keeley.
La Vía blocks him.
Carl Fogarty still in ninth place then.
Number two, Carl Fogarty picking up really minor points.
He's doing his third place in the championship, no good at all.
Harga though, the series leader is behind him so he will close in on Harga.
Yeah, it's Corsa who's going to do well out of this.
Here comes Frankie.
No he doesn't.
Oh, that's really close there.
So, Keeley then took a look at it.
La Vía decided not this time mate.
Yeah, not giving it to him.
So the idea that Frankie could freeze past him and then disavow to that one.
Going to find somewhere else to do it.
La Vía is twice a Spanish champion, sport production and super sports in 1993 and 1994.
No bug as you'll have gathered, front row qualifier at Donington.
Now then, he looks over his shoulder again and Keeley, Keeley this time goes through.
Got good drive out of that right-hander and blasted past La Vía.
Now La Vía, that might have been a sensible move from Gregorio.
Yeah, he looked at me almost, he waved in fast.
Well, he took a long look at him as he went past and I think La Vía will be happy to be tow trucked by Keeley.
The question is, can he keep up with Keeley because Keeley really is putting in some very, very fast laps here.
It'll be a shame to see Gregorio La Vía mess this up and end up in the straw bale.
It would do indeed. Troy Corsa just coming into your back of your picture in third place, number 11.
Ducati 1, 2, 3, it's just like the old days.
Definitely deja vu to a couple of years ago that.
Keeley La Vía, Corsa.
That's a big gap now, back to Aaron Slyte, two and a half seconds.
Kicking single bike terms anyway.
Well of course Aaron Slyte has got in front of Colin Edwards, that's a significant maneuver as well because Slyte is behind Edwards in the championship.
Hodgson is still in second place, he's on stage seven.
Grimini is eight.
Grimini has dropped off the base, Russell's got in front of Grimini now. Foggy stays nine, thirty seconds or so behind the race leader.
Ninety-seven points for that, Carl.
Now then, well I think if La Vía did let Keeley pass, it was a wise move.
Well for the championship we've got to watch this man, Corsa. If he gets past Grimini, that gives him what, an extra four points.
That's La Vía, gives him an extra four points, yes.
And he is, what, five points behind Harga in the championship before this race.
So Corsa is going to lead anyway if he stays in third.
Yeah, for sure. So twenty-five points for a race win, twenty for second, sixteen for where Corsa is at the moment.
And with five only being the difference between him and Harga, with Harga on tenth.
Which scores him five points.
That's right. That's nine. Well there you go, work it out for yourselves.
Yep, four point lead for Troy Corsa.
Back on board with James Whittam, looking forward.
Now then, is that Harga?
Yes it is.
There it is, forty-one, Ariyuki Harga.
Oh dear me.
Eight, James Whittam.
That's a little bit of an entertaining duo.
Yes, what a pair. Absolutely. If you want drama and excitement, these two I would suggest are probably your best exponents at that.
I'm not sure that's his, look at Harga sideways, yep, just like the dry.
The other thing of course is Dunlop tyres. It is said this year that the Mitchell, oh James Whittam, it's said that the Mitchell is working better than the Dunlops in the wet in 1998.
We are now.
We are indeed. Although I haven't said that, Harga wasn't bad at Donington when it was qualifying time.
Yep, Russell closing in on Hodgson and the Hondas. Scott Russell really getting close now, has he got time to make up.
And there he is, number forty-four, on the other half, he's on the case, Keane.
He's underneath Hodgson, I think he got him then, yes he did.
Give him a shove maybe as well.
He was already underneath him, Neil Hodgson didn't have any choice before.
And Scott Russell, who's had such a dreadful start to the season, will want to push past those two Hondas just as quickly.
It's forty-four we're talking about.
Forty-five was his ex-teammate of last year, Colin Edwards.
Another good reason to push past.
Well yeah, but I don't think there was a lot of animosity.
Oh no he didn't.
Freddie Protat then, bike twenty-seven, here's your back marker.
He's back to Aaron Sleightstein, he's got to be careful here because there's still three riders behind him that all want his scout.
I think Scott Russell is the, oh Scott Erodeo!
Wow, how many times have we seen Scott out of the seat?
And that is a classic Scott Russell example, good for Scott Russell, he held onto it yet again, he must have reactions as quick as lightning.
And he didn't lose a place to Neil Hobson, astounding stuff from Scott Russell, well we expect that from Scott Russell.
Now then, Corsa.
Yeah right with LaVea to my money there, looked like LaVea.
Was it LaVea or a back marker, watch number forty-four.
Oh there he goes, he loses his touch, when you step the floor quite hard like that you lose all your toenails you know.
Oh that's horrible.
And you were right, it was Corsa and a back marker, not Corsa and LaVea.
So twenty-seven is a back marker.
That's Freddy Crota who you ID'd earlier.
That's the guy in the black oversuit going through your picture now, then it's Corsa, then it's Edwards, then it's a slightly chastened Scott Russell and Neil Hobson.
When the truth spins out of control.
Oh my times up.
Time to thank your lucky star.
The only thing you can trust are your memories.
Oh my God!
Cassandra!
The line between what is real.
They're taking her!
And what is imagined.
It was staged.
Has vanished.
Get on the clock, you're under arrest.
Don't miss the stunning conclusion.
All new X-Files, Wednesday on 10.
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111 Aaron Slyte, 45 his teammate Colin Edwards.
Those are the two Hondas rolling round in fourth and fifth place.
There's some serious activity to come in the closing four laps, I feel.
There's some serious activity to come in the closing four laps, I feel.
In this group.
I think that's not a prediction that he's two way with it.
Not a difficult one to make that one.
44 Scott Russell.
Looks to me like he has regained that composure that he had up until that Slyte profile a little earlier.
If he had got a decent start off second spot on the grid, he'd be right up there.
Yeah, he must be thinking the same thing, but race two, of course, could be a different matter altogether.
We're talking about Scott Russell, fight 44, the Yamaha.
And he's had such a nightmare.
Oh, here we go.
Good drive there.
Well, Scott, he's got some drive.
So Yamaha working real well.
I think he's got under Edwards.
Well, certainly has now.
Yes, here I am.
So Scott Russell moves up.
Next is Aaron Slyte in his sights.
Good stuff.
We're on with Winter looking at Hargar.
Yes, and Hargar loses that traction.
Absolutely.
Well, we wondered if he'd be dramatic.
And I think that's just answered it.
Hargar down in 10th place.
Making that wheel spin.
And the top three holding station with a decent gap between all of them now.
Keely Levea caught up with your picture.
Two seconds gap between all of them.
The dice is all about fourth place.
Scott Russell snaking the Yamaha into turn one.
And fourth place, of course, in the championship because Aaron Slyte was behind.
In fifth place, fourth place with his teammate Colin Edwards.
And I think that now that Edwards has dropped behind, Scott Russell.
Oh, Russell's out.
He had his hand in the air.
Was it a visor wipe or was it an out?
No, that was a hand right out in the air.
Now, did he see a red flag?
That's the question.
Well, that was an unusual sign.
I think the camera angle got us there, Keith.
I hope you're right.
It got me, for sure.
Because he's going at the same pace now.
Yeah, I think that was a visor wipe or something.
Just clearing it.
Here we go again.
Hargis.
Yes, about to spin that rear wheel.
Not on this corner, he's not.
No, this is as they are.
And through goes Edwards on Russell.
Russell has gone back a place.
Well, maybe Russell is suffering from not being able to see.
Let's take a look into his visor if we can.
Well, we can see him.
Yeah, can he see us?
Yeah.
And Scott's not looking at this.
Not normal behavior from Scott Russell.
Neil Hodgson is showing signs of interest in that position now.
Well, I wonder if his bike's giving a bit of problems.
He's got a bit of an intermittent problem there.
Let's take another look at the lockers.
Well, that would be a good weather in the electrics problem,
wouldn't it?
Something cutting out intermittently.
Yeah, it would be unusual for bikes of this standard and this age.
True, but it has to be said as well that the Yamaha and especially
the Suzuki's are very, very difficult Peaky motors to ride at the
best of times, have provided this weather.
Race leader, seven, Keely, the VIA, secure in second place.
I don't think Corsa has got anything to answer the VIA's pace in
second place.
Aaron Sleight is still fourth.
Well, I think Troy Corsa has done his normal thinking job, hasn't he?
No more risks need be taken.
I'm going to get the championship lead and another roster finish.
Number 11 we're talking about.
That's a back marker lap again.
That's our Slovenian chump.
And it's Aaron Sleight there on 111, but Keely, with less than two laps
to go, is looking superbly well and in control.
What a race it's been for him.
He didn't make the start.
He came from miles behind.
He caught all the world's best riders and passed them in atrocious
conditions.
Even the local hotshot, the man who qualified in pole position before
SuperPole, Gregorio Lovia, had no answer to Keely's pace.
Troy Corsa, 96 world champion.
He can only manage third.
He'll be happy with that for sure, especially considering how much
whining he was doing in the week.
Not at all happy with the way things have been going.
There's been some works quality whinging going on.
There really has.
Troy Corsa not happy with the setup of his bike, qualified in tenth
place before SuperPole.
So Corsa, we wouldn't expect to be there.
I think his talent is being shown in there true light now.
Again, as always with Troy, it's a real thinking race.
He really does use the gray matter and work out the best tactics.
Whatever his problems were, he seems to have overcome them in these wet
conditions here at Albacete.
Keely is the man that has overcome every single problem.
Number 10, Andy Stroud, the New Zealander.
Stroud, he hopefully won't get in the way of anybody.
He looks over his shoulder and sees Gregorio Lovia in second place.
What are we saying about Corsa settling for third?
What a load of rubbish.
Wrong again, folks.
Troy Corsa then, he's got a lap to go.
He just heard us accusing him of whinging, didn't he?
Sorry to rub the pom-pom with my disposal again.
He's on the case of Gregorio Lovia.
He has.
Look at the timing, two laps to go.
Typical Corsa.
Just over a lap to go effectively now.
Corsa will be looking at where he might be able to put the pass on Gregorio.
But Gregorio may just fight back.
Well, he did against Keely, took Keely a couple of goes to get him.
It will be an expensive mistake if Gregorio fights back and has Corsa in the sand pit.
Well, that's the decision Troy Corsa has to make, isn't it?
It is, absolutely.
With respect, who says you're the most beautiful?
Well, thanks, Glenn.
My mum gets around, doesn't she?
She does, she's feeding some coupons.
Who's woggy is 25 people on this end.
There's a toss-up between me and Chopper Reed at some point.
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Still foggy at night, Harga still 10.
They're sticking where they are.
Whitham in 11.
One thing's for certain, Troy Corsa is a racer.
Yeah, all his instincts will be saying go for it, go for it, go past him.
That's absolutely right.
Well, I have to say that our racers in the studio, that was their opinion that despite the conditions, you should just go for it.
Yes, and those two lads, it's true to their form as well.
Oh, look at Harga Sam going sideways again.
Harga in front of James Whitham.
Look at the view he gets.
Terrible.
And his advisor as well with water on it to take into account.
Not just a windscreen, of course.
They're looking through the windscreen.
That is for certain.
Come on, Julian, they don't make them like they used to.
Avon Farring.
One for the oldies there.
Now then, Keely.
Coming to the line.
Francesco Keely then on his last lap.
Behind him, Gregorio Lovia.
Then it is Troy Corsa.
Corsa is going to go for second place.
I'm almost certain of that.
If Gregorio Lovia leaves the gap, Corsa will go through.
There's the gap.
He does, neatly done.
No drama there.
So Corsa hits second.
20 points now for Corsa.
Even bigger championship lead.
Look at him dragging away from the local man.
Good stuff, Troy Corsa.
He's not going to give Lovia a chance.
I'm sure that Lovia would have bitten straight back, Keith,
if he'd been left the option.
He hasn't been.
I think Gregorio is going to have to settle for the glory
of a podium finish in his own round.
I'd like to see the faces on the two girls back in pit lane now.
Sam Davies and Mrs Keely.
They are going to be covering their eyes, I would suggest,
at this point of the race.
Oh, Jim.
He's going to quit with the big sideways on there,
as the camera points in the wrong direction.
Yeah, it looks like Lovia has said third will do for me.
Not that I think he could do anything about, Troy Corsa.
He wants to play the buzz.
Look at Janagawa languishing down there in 12th place.
That's ridiculous, isn't it?
What's he doing down there?
Antempion Goddard, 13th to 14th.
That Suzuki must be impossible in the wet.
Ask James Hayden about that.
He'll tell you it's wonderful.
So Keely Leck takes a long, lingering look over his shoulder.
He knows he hasn't got to work too hard on this last lap.
He's done it all in the preceding 19.
He has been absolutely outstanding.
He's just checking that he's got plenty in hand
and hasn't got someone sneaking up on him
to pinch it on the last couple of turns.
Keely has another long, long look.
Well, what a boy he has been.
A true veteran of all classes, Grand Prix,
and now SuperPike up on the peg and takes the checkered flag.
Yay!
Superman.
Troy Corser, a superb second.
And Gregorio Lovia celebrates better than all of them with third.
Fourth place will go to Aaron Sleight on number 111.
That's Ducati's in the top three.
Lovia's happy enough.
He's happy enough with a loss from Franky,
who's doing his Valentino Rossi impersonation there,
coming down the start-finish straight.
The seventh career SuperPike win for everyone his favourite,
Franky Keely.
Keely and Corser, teammates.
Well, that'll put Viginio Ferrari in a good mood, won't it?
One and two, his team finishing today.
Absolutely.
Edwards, Russell Hodgson, fifth, sixth, seventh.
Grimini gets eighth.
Not a bad ride from him.
Some of his very soggy-looking fans with big banners in the crowd.
Now then, where's Foggy?
Over the line in ninth place is the answer.
Yeah, not good points for Kyle.
He won't be happy with that.
But, of course, the man who leads the series is intent.
So Harga really has a disaster on his hands here in race one at Alversetti.
First and third in the championship.
Harga and Foggy are bad days so far.
Second in the championship, Corser.
Absolutely wonderful day.
He'll go to the top of the points standings.
And, of course, Keely closes in as well.
Keely jumps up the leaderboard.
We can take a look now.
119 points to go to Corser.
So Corser does indeed confirm there very briefly
as the top dog after a very wet race.
But the man who took the race wins.
There it is.
Look at that. Harga dropped to second.
Foggy stays third.
I'm amazed.
Yeah, Edwards is fourth and stays in fourth place.
Keely jumped up to fifth.
Slightly slipped to sixth.
So Keely has moved up to fifth place now.
Only six points behind Edwards in the championship.
And he is only five points behind Foggy in the championship,
who is only seven points behind Harga,
who is only nine behind Corser.
Incredible stuff.
And as the caption showed you, I had to check with facts there.
Troy Corser leads the championship.
He hasn't won a race yet this season.
Still to come, possibly.
Livia is in 11th place.
That is race one, Alba Setti.
And you can see there, well, the wind has blown and changed
very slightly here.
So the track didn't, as predicted,
it didn't dry out anywhere.
There was not a dry line anywhere around this track.
As the marshals, no doubt, drip dry for the next 15 minutes.
There is your race winner, followed by Alessandro Grimini.
That was a great ride from him as well.
Well, there is the race order.
Keely, Corser, Livia, slight.
Edwards stayed there for fifth.
Russell hung on, literally, for sixth place.
Hodson could only finish seventh after leading earlier.
It was a good ride.
Grimini eighth, Carl Foggy ninth, and Harga in tenth place.
Well, they all stayed on, didn't they?
Wittom in 11th, Bon Tempi 12th,
Janne Gower languishing in 13th, Bon Tempi pinching 12th
off him in the closing stages.
Well, that's certainly race one.
Remember, of course, and it's raining still.
Look at that.
The rain is still coming down at Alba Setti.
What a miserable day.
Well, we've raced two for you, of course, at 2.30 this afternoon.
That'll be live and uninterrupted.
Exactly the same thing.
The weather seems to be sticking with us
as James Wittom heads for the park firm, eh?
Relieved man.
No doubt a hot air dryer somewhere.
Relieved man, I should think to stay on after.
And look at, there's the Brits in the crowd.
Yes, they're used to it.
Spot the old fireman's trousers, the old yellow PBT trousers in the cloud.
Colly Edwards there.
Day Globe standing by the side of his machine.
Two wins in to Ducati, two wins to Honda, but still three to Yamaha.
So despite the fact that Ducati are on top of the Manufacturers' Championship,
Julian's favourite championship of the race,
Honda are only second, but Yamaha, despite being third, have had three wins.
They need more out there, Julian.
They do indeed.
And Ducati, of course, one, two, three here in the first race, Keith,
has extended the lead over Honda quite dramatically.
Great joy in Bologna, if nowhere else, over that.
Thank you. Congratulations. Fantastic race.
How were you able to lap so quickly?
So much quicker than the other riders.
I don't know.
I just see it.
I faked for the beginning because everybody wanted to pass it.
I nearly took the first corner because two riders closed my bike
and touched my brakes.
I'm really lucky to stay up.
And after I tried to take it easy at the beginning of the race,
just looking, and when I see Colin doesn't go, I said, OK, now I can go.
But the bike have a little problem about carburation, blah, blah, blah, blah,
like that, and I must pass everybody in the braking.
And after La Vila make a good job, give me away, I can go.
Same again, race two?