MotoGP: Yamaha dominate in Ducati's back yard

It was difficult to find a redeeming feature of the Indianapolis race: it was dull - not because it was a procession but simply because so much of the result would be down to luck. Watching Rossi crash out for no reason except poor track design does nothing for the reputation of a sports series which is absolutely at the top of its game - and at the top of pretty much any form of sport's game.

True, some of the shine has gone off as Stoner has surrendered to the inevitable and taken time off to clear whatever virus it is that's troubling him. But Pedrosa is putting pressure on at the front so that Rossi and Lorenzo don't have it all their own way.

In the San Marino GP in Misano, Rossi came back from the fall in the USA to demonstrate that he is not going to surrender his championship lead willingly.

As in Indianapolis, Rossi sat behind his team-mate Lorenzo and waited to pounce. He did so and, as we have seen so many times before, pushed his bike to limits that are seemingly beyond the power of mere mortals. As he pushed on from his fourth place after the first corner, to lead after just a few laps, he gave one of those performances that is almost theatrical. The trouble with Rossi, though, is that he makes it look really easy: it's when others try to emulate him that his abilities become easier to identify.

Lorenzo has been a bit of a girl in recent weeks: he's been whining that he should be number one, that if he didn't get better treatment and much more money, he would leave. Rossi on the other hand simply built up a points advantage that put Lorenzo in his place. And that place, yesterday as so often, is second.

There are no bikes that are really in a position to challenge their Yamahas. And Lorenzo knows it. Being number one in a slower team is not going to get him any nearer to his plot to grab Rossi's crown. And although Lorenzo says he has had an offer from Ducati, he decided to stay with Rossi.

Rossi says that the Yamaha is not the fasted bike. Italy's Sporting Gazette quotes him as saying that his bike is the "one with the best balance and speed in turns." That much was obvious in Indianapolis as both Rossi and Lorenzo took the tight infield bends tipped so far over their rims were almost touching the floor, and because of the nature of the track, flicked from what appeared to be 60% left lean to 60% right lean in a fraction of a second.

And if the past three seasons have proved anything it's that if you are not Casey Stoner, you can't get the best out of a Ducati.

And so both Rossi and Lorenzo - in that order - have signed for another year with Yamaha.

It may be Rossi's last. He's not said anything but in recent races Rossi has begun to look human. At the end of the races, he has looked very tired, even when jubilant. Whisper it quietly: he's begun to look old. He's still winning and he's having a lot of fun. And now he looks reasonably on-track for this year's title to add to his already very impressive collection, he may think he's got one more championship left in his after this.

The Honda pairing of Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso have also signed contracts for next year.