With seven races left on the MotoGP calendar, and 25 points separating leader Valentino Rossi and second place Casey Stoner going into this weekend’s Brno contest, it is definitely crunch time, particularly for the defending champ Stoner.
With five additional points given to the winner versus the second place finisher in each race, Stoner effectively controls his destiny. If he can win the remaining races (a tall order), the championship will be his regardless of where Rossi finishes behind him.
The two riders who have shown the speed necessary to mix it up with Rossi and Stoner are coming back from injury (i.e., Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa). Pedrosa still has a mathematical shot at the title, but Lorenzo is effectively out after his DNF at Laguna Seca. Nevertheless, if Pedrosa and Lorenzo can get in between Rossi and Stoner, they could certainly impact the outcome of the championship. Pedrosa is 41 points behind Rossi, and it would take not only great riding by him during the remainder of the series, but some bad luck for Rossi or Stoner, or both, for him to win the title.
