2005 MotoGP - CHINA 250 / 125 GP

2005 MotoGP : R3 of 17: MAY 1, 2005, SHANGHAI CHINA

CIRCUIT:

• Circuit opened in 2004 ; also used for Formula 1 GP
• Track length: 5.451 km ; 14m wide
• 1.202 km long straight ; two 360-degree turns

250cc RACE:

WINNER, STONER: “I was ready for a dry race but in the warm up session this morning I did not get the right feeling in the wet. The team made a great work to set up the bike and my Aprilia was very fast. Unfortunately my start was bad buy I was able to catch the front group in the second lap. I decided to keep the lead of the race cause I had a good pace. Dovizioso was behind me for the whole race and knew that he could pass me in the last lap. But in the final laps it started to rain again but I knew I could keep the pace avoiding any mistake. I am very happy for this victory and want to thank the team”.

MAY 1, 2005:

• 1 Casey Stoner (AUS), Aprilia 21 laps
• 2 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Honda
  “The bad weather and Pedrosa behind advised me to stay in touch with Stoner and in case trying to overtake him at the end of the race. But during the last 6, 7 laps the rain was getting heavier and many invisible puddles could have threatened the grip of the ground. I preferred to not take any risk. With about three laps to go I saw that Stoner had some problems with visor but then I thought to the standing and I was first anyway! Pedrosa remains my rider of reference: very clever and with experience. But the next races are on tracks I like very much and I can ride very well. Aprilia has more engine power but is slower in the corners: there will be great fights! I’ve never thought a so great season beginning!”.
• 3 Hisroshi Aoyama (JPN) Honda
  “To come to a completely new circuit and make the podium was always going to be tough, it was unthinkable yesterday, but I think I had a good race. At the start I didn’t feel too comfortable with the pace of the second group but when I saw that the gap was getting smaller I gathered more confidence. That gave me the strength to move to the front of the group, with Stoner and Dovizioso out of sight. It’s my first podium this season and now we’re going to Le Mans, a circuit I really like.”
• 4 Alex De Angelis (SPA) Aprilia
• 5 Sebastian Porto (ARG) Aprilia
• 6 Daniel Pedrosa (SPA) Honda
  “I’ve always found it difficult to ride in the rain but I think sixth place is good for me; it’s my best result in the wet. I tried as well as I could to follow the pace of the second group because Stoner and Dovizioso were really fast, but I had a gearbox problem. Sixth gear was too short for this circuit and I was losing a lot of time in the straight but I didn’t want to break the engine. Even though I was a bit behind at the end I spent the majority of the race lapping with riders who are good in the wet and that’s positive for me.”
• 7 H. Barbera Honda ESP
  8 S. Corsi Aprilia ITA
  9 J. Lorenzo Honda ESP
  10 Y. Takahashi Honda JPN
  11 A. Debon Honda ESP
  12 S. Guintoli Aprilia FRA
  13 A. Baldolini Aprilia ITA
  14 J. Smrz Honda CZE
  15 D. Heidolf Honda GER
  16 R. Locatelli Aprilia ITA

250cc QUALIFYING:

GRID, APR 30, 2005:

• 1 Casey Stoner (AUS), Aprilia 2m 6.1
• 2 Daniel Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 2m 6.2
• 3 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Honda 2m 6.4
• 4 Lorenzo
• 5 Aoyama
• 6 Barbera
• 8 Porto
• 9 Corsi
• 10 Takahashi 11 De Angelis 12 Locatelli 13 Davies 14 Debon 15 Guintoli

FRI QUAL, APR 29, 2005:

• 1 Casey Stoner , Aprilia 2m 9.2
• 2 Dovizioso 2m 9.4
• 3 Porto
• 4 Pedrosa
• 5 Lorenzo
• 6 Aoyama
• 7 Debon
• 8 De Angelis
• 9 Guintoli
• 10 Barbera

125cc RACE:

• 1. Mattia Pasini (Ita) Aprilia
• 2. Fabrizio Lai (Ita) Honda
  “The duel with Mattia was really exciting. It is a pity for the mistake at the last corner probably because of the worn-out tyres. There was a contact with Mattia but in 125 class it is normal, the races are always hard fought competition: at Jerez all the race was full of contacts. During the race I decided to overtake him when I saw the other riders recover positions. I always thought to the standing, looking the position of Kallio (8) and of the other rivals on the big screen. …I regret a bit not to being able to catch the victory!”.
• 3 Gabor Talmacsi (Hun) KTM
• 4. Thomas Luthi Honda
• 5. Tomoyoshi Koyama Honda
• 6. Marco Simoncelli Aprilia

125cc QUALIFYING:

GRID, APR 30, 2005:

• 1 Mika Kallio (FIN) KTM 2m 13.5
• 2 Simoncelli 2m 13.6
• 3 Talmacsi 2m 14.2
• 4 Luthi
• 5 Simon
• 6 Lai
• 7 Pesek
• 8 Koyama
• 9 Kuzihara
• 10 Faubel

FRI QUAL, APR 29, 2005:

• 1 Fabrizio Lai (ITA) Honda 2m 25.31
• 2 Talmacsi
• 3 Espargaro
• 4 Simon
• 5 Pasini
• 6 Hernandez