Stoner's championship lead continues

On the weekend that Jack Findlay, Suzuki's first premier-class winner died, another Aussie scored the company's first MotoGP win. Chris Vermeulen said he made some mistakes today but he was the only one who noticed them. His team gave him the perfect wet weather set up and when the field came in to change bikes he rode perfectly, held off a challenge from Marco Melandri and took his first win in the top class. It was Suzuki's first Grand Prix win since Sete Gibernau's victory at Valencia in 2001.

Le Mans weather is always unpredictable and this time heavy rain arrived ten minutes into the race. Everyone except Roberts (he went for the "Lawson Gamble") started on slicks and some were more willing than others to take risks: Frenchmen Guintoli and De Puniet both led, to the delight of the crowd, until both crashed. Rossi had a hard job missing the Dunlop Yamaha rider.

Pole man Colin Edwards had no grip from the start and never figured, Nicky Hayden was looking better than at any point in the season, passed Pedrosa and Rossi then lost it braking from flat out in fifth and took a bang to the ribs. He's been X-rayed, thankfully nothing is broken.

That was the hint for the field to start heading for pitlane to change bikes. This has only happened once before, in Australia last year. Thankfully the Le Mans pitlane is much wider and longer than the Aussie track's and everyone got in and out without incident. It was then a matter of survival. Those who had taken tyres that could cope with the conditions getting really wet—Melandri, Vermeulen—could go for the win, those that had gone for a safe, hard compound that would last the distance whatever happened just had to survive— Stoner, Rossi.

Pole man Colin Edwards had no grip from the start and never figured, Nicky Hayden was looking better than at any point in the season, passed Pedrosa and Rossi then lost it braking from flat out in fifth and took a bang to the ribs. He's been X-rayed, thankfully nothing is broken.

So Casey Stoner, despite never being in the hunt for the win, got on the rostrum and extended his championship lead. Next stop Mugello!