On June 6, 2004, the MotoGP riders lined up on the starting grid for only 12 minutes; but what minutes. The Mugello circuit is already legendary. In the heart of Tuscany, he has been thrilling fans since the end of the 1970s. A new idol is here to satisfy fans: Valentino Rossi.
“The Doctor” has however swapped his Honda Repsol for an official Yamaha but nothing works. From the first Grand Prix in South Africa, he won on the YZR-M1, thumbing his nose at his rival Max Biaggi. Despite this achievement, Rossi was a little behind in the following rounds at Jerez and Le Mans.
Sete Gibernau won in Andalusia, and even repeated in Sarthe. The Honda Gresini driver displays an impressive level, just like Biaggi, second overall without leaving the podium. Rossi is third after two consecutive fourth places despite a pole at Jerez and his resounding victory at Welkom. These were the positions upon landing in Italy.
Rossi hit the mark in a single race during the 2004 season.
On Saturday, the loud encouragement from the fans was not enough; Sete Gibernau continues his march forward and snatches pole position. But Rossi is a Sunday man, and there is no doubt that both Sete and Max know that the task will be difficult. While the Brothers of Italy resounded in honor of Roberto Locatelli's victory in 125cc, Valentino Rossi also knows that he will have to do hard to beat the Hondas, who are generally more efficient than his Iwata machine.
As soon as the lights go out, the drivers don't have fun on the field. Sete Gibernau starts strong, and takes the fastest lap in the race very early. As the loops pass, a group forms at the front. It is made up of the two Honda Pons (sponsored by Camel) driven by Max Biaggi et Makoto Tamada, Sete Gibernau and its RC211V Gresini financed by Movistar, and of course, Valentino Rossi.
The battle is fierce, the pilots fight blow for blow with a very large Tamada – it must be emphasized. No one wants to give up; the quartet offers us a sensational joust. Sometimes Rossi is unhooked, sometimes he comes back and leads. Impossible to predict who will win. At the same time, the whole world is shocked by Shinya Nakano's accident on Kawasaki. On the main straight, he fell at high speed but miraculously recovered.
Then, 17 laps after the start, the red flags were raised. Odd. Rain is forecast; rare in Tuscany, it nevertheless already disrupted the plateau a few years ago. However, on the screen, it is difficult to distinguish the few drops. We are far from the severe South Asian storm, rest assured.
Gibernau behind the forgotten Makoto Tamada, in 2004.
But everyone obeys the rules, raises their hands, and cuts. The race management announces a new start, for six laps only! Drivers will start in the positions they held at the time of the red flag. As a result, Valentino Rossi is the new “poleman” of this Sprint ahead of his time.
In the stands, agitation reigns. Do we put on the slicks, or rather rain tires? Certainly, the drizzle hits the circuit but the track looks dry, only a little greasy. From then on, several strategies are put in place, knowing that the drivers will benefit from two warm-up laps and the possibility of changing tires on the grid. “The Doctor” and Max Biaggi remain on slicks, while Sete Gibernau opts for intermediates.
After trying the track, all those who had chosen the grooved track reconsider their decision; smooth tires are required. During the second departure, we witness the emergence of a pack led by good old Norrick Abe, Tech3 pilot. Then, it is the Ducati satellite of Rubén Xaus which takes the lead.
Weird. But not as much as the rhythm of Troy Bayliss, on the official Desmosedici, who gives the impression of flying on the track! In Savelli, he reminds Rubén Xaus why he is a factory driver and not him. As the drizzle increases in intensity, the “Baylisstic” missile escapes. But unfortunately for him, Mother Nature stops all the drizzle. The Australian loses the advantage, while Valentino Rossi, like a hero, removes all the competition as the track dries.
In the space of a few turns, the already five-time world champion takes off. Sete Gibernau wakes up, but late. The two crossed the line in that order, and stuck to Max Biaggi, third, by more than a second. In total, all this only lasted 12 minutes! Bayliss, remarkable, is fourth.
Mugello, an exceptional circuit where exceptional champions are crowned.
This race is important in several ways. Beyond the simple victory at home, this is the first time that Valentino Rossi beat Sete Gibernau head to head during this 2004 season. This led to the creation of a positive dynamic, because Rossi followed up with two other successes in Catalonia and the Netherlands. Gibernau, each time, was second, i.e. his overall ranking at the end of the year.
The Honda boys couldn't do anything about it; Rossi was the strongest, and he became six-time world champion after an end of the year marked by a consistency of which only he had the secret. Did you know the history of the 2004 Italian Grand Prix? Tell me in the comments!
