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R13,
SEP
10, 2006 - MALAYSIA SEPANG
RACE (TOP
OF PAGE)
YAMAHA RACE REPORT (TOP
OF PAGE)
- Camel Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi moved
another step closer to the summit of the MotoGP World Championship
today thanks to a breathtaking victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
After starting from pole position the Italian was part of an entertaining
battle for positions over the first half of the race before breaking
clear alongside compatriot Loris Capirossi (Ducati). Just as they
have done on so many occasions in the past, the pair became embroiled
in a cat and mouse chase that had the 43,182 spectators on their
feet until the very last lap.
- With half a lap of the Sepang circuit remaining
Rossi dived past Capirossi for the final time, opening out a crucial
advantage within the next two corners and denying his rival the
opportunity to make a last-gasp pass in the final hairpin. Dani
Pedrosa (Honda) clinched the final podium position in third place
despite riding with an injured knee. Rossi's victory moves him up
to third in the championship, four points behind the Spaniard and
26 adrift of series leader Nicky Hayden (Honda), who finished fourth.
- Colin Edwards managed a top ten finish despite
struggling all weekend to find the appropriate set-up for his YZR-M1
machine at this track. The Texan was up against it as he started
out from eleventh on the grid after yesterday's decision to base
the qualifying positions on aggregate free practice times and he
struggled to make an impression after losing touch with the leading
pack. The series now moves on to Australia for the second of three
races in as many weekends before returning to Europe for a tantalizing
double header in Portugal and Spain.
- Valentino Rossi (1st;
43'07.829) "That was another legendary battle between myself
and Loris - very hard but also very fair. At Brno he escaped
but today I was able to hang on to him. When both our bikes are
working well it is always spectacular because his performs better
in some sections and mine in others so it makes for a beautiful
fight. I enjoy racing with him so much because there is a lot of
respect between us and a great trust - he is probably the hardest
rival I have ever had but also one of my best friends in the paddock.
At one point I thought I'd got away but then he appeared again and
I knew it was going to be a battle to the end. He tried to break
free but I stayed with him and I think we passed each other about
ten times in the last few laps, it was amazing. I want to say a
huge 'thank you' to everybody at Yamaha because they virtually cancelled
their summer holidays to get this bike working at the maximum again
and I was able to push at 100% today.I also need to say another
big 'thank you' to Michelin, who have worked really hard to help
us to get back to this level of competitiveness. For the two Honda
riders to finish third and fourth is not ideal but all I can do
is keep winning races so that is what I will try to do."
- Colin Edwards (10th;
+19.909) "We've had the same problems since Mugello - I don't
have enough rear grip and I can't push the bike as hard as I need
to. This weekend we turned it upside down but still couldn't find
that little bit of grip we need. We've been following Valentino
a little with the setting and today I had virtually the same as
him. I don't know how he does it, but somehow he does and today
I couldn't. It's always tough starting from so far down the grid
and I tried to make up the ground but from mid-race I was basically
riding on my own, trying to cut down the gap to Melandri but without
much success. Luckily we have another race in seven days at a place
I love so hopefully we can move onwards and upwards in Australia."
- Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director "What
an incredible day! Another great race from Valentino and from our
part all I can say is that we really enjoyed the show but we're
enjoying the 25 points even more! Valentino never gives up and his
performance today was typical of him, I think that says it all.
All our staff, from Japan to Italy and here in the paddock, have
been working incredibly hard and this is their reward.Colin had
a difficult weekend - he improved this morning but it wasn't enough.
We're pleased that we have another race in seven days' time at a
circuit both our riders like so all we can do is keep our heads
down, stay focused and do our best to hold on to this championship
in the four rounds that remain."
DUCATI RACE REPORT (TOP
OF PAGE)
- Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi scored
a thrilling second-place finish in today's searing-hot Marlboro
Malaysian Grand Prix after a spectacular duel with World Champion
Valentino Rossi. Team-mate Sete Gibernau completed a great day for
the team, finishing fifth in his first race for seven weeks.
- Capirossi's stunning ride was his sixth top-three
finish of the year and moved him to fourth in the title chase, 43
points behind leader Nicky Hayden. Starting from the front row of
the grid after two days of hard work, the Italian was third after
the first lap, moved into the lead on lap three and then settled
into an enthralling contest with Rossi, the pair swapping places
time and again, the lead changing for the last time on the last
lap. Capirossi ended the race 0.849 seconds down on Rossi, having
established a new lap record on lap ten.
- Gibernau hadn't raced since undergoing further
surgery in late July to the left collarbone he broke in June. He
came back in fine style, qualifying sixth and finishing just nine
seconds behind the race winner.
- LORIS CAPIROSSI, finished
2nd, 4th overall (171 points) "The whole weekend has
been great for us. At the start I overtook a few guys, took the
lead and tried to go away but realised I couldn't. When Valentino
overtook me the first time, then Dani, it was because I'd opened
the gas too early and lost some grip. But I wasn't worried because
I knew my rhythm was good. The battle with Valentino was great,
we overtook each other many times but always in a correct manner.
It was easy to win or lose this race, no one could say who was going
to win before the last corner, but I think a battle like this is
so good for the sport. My problem wasn't the last corner, it was
the one before where I had a bit too much spin on the exit. Now
I am ready for the last four races, I know the bike and tyres are
good and I know I am strong enough to fight with Valentino. But
I'm not thinking about the championship, I will just do my best
and then we will count the points. I am really looking forward to
Phillip Island, though yesterday it was only eight degrees there..."
- SETE GIBERNAU, finished
5th, 11th overall (69 points) "That was a perfect return.
Once again I'd like to thank everyone for an outstanding job, without
them I could never have done what I did today. The team, the guys
back home and Bridgestone gave me a great bike and great support,
making my life as easy as it could be coming back from an injury.
I wasn't as aggressive as I should've been during the first laps,
just because I've been back home for two months, but I think we
needed to do a race like this to come back. I'm very pleased because
I regained a good feeling with the bike and I was up there with
the guys who are fighting for the championship, that's what we needed.
I was a bit worried about the injury, I was thinking ‘oh man,
what's going to happen?' but it reacted well. I think the bone is
pretty good shape, so all credit to my physical trainer Dani Sune
and to the doctors back home. The only thing I don't have right
now is full strength. Now I'm looking forward to Phillip Island."
- LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project manager
"That was a great race! We must be happy because Loris rode
brilliantly and Sete made a fantastic comeback, finishing very close
to the leaders. The bike worked very well here, the tyres too, so
thanks to Bridgestone, and also to Shell Advance whose input is
especially vital in the extreme conditions we experience here."
HONDA RACE REPORT (TOP
OF PAGE)
- In another enthralling encounter as a vintage
World Championship season reaches boiling point, the Malaysian Grand
Prix, played out in front of 43,000 hardcore fans, provided yet
another high octane duel won by Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) from the
reliably combative Loris Capirossi (Ducati), with red-hot rookie
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V) third.
- After the monsoon-aborted qualifying session,
this 21-lap dice got underway in a 33-degree heat haze with the
track at a steamy 49-degrees. With just four rounds to go after
this critical encounter, the stakes were high, and it was inevitable
that the lap record set by Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda
RC211V) last year would tumble.
- The American’s 2m 02.993s time was bested
by Capirossi as early as the fourth lap, the Italian setting a 2.02.376s
time as Rossi, overhauled the holeshotter Pedrosa on lap one to
make the early running from the Spaniard with Capirossi third, Hayden
fourth and Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) in fifth.
- Toni Elias (Fortuna Honda RC211V) made a lightning
start from 14th on the grid to hold seventh place on the opening
lap. And on the next tour of this demanding 5.548km track, the genial
Spaniard was up to fifth. Capirossi meanwhile was working on Rossi,
and by lap three he stole underneath him at the final turn to lead.
- The Italian made some headway until his compatriot
Rossi retook the lead and the Ducati man was then passed by the
injured Pedrosa for second. Dani was carrying a broken toe and a
badly cut right knee, but these injuries did nothing to dampen his
desire, although they may have sapped his stamina.
- By mid-race distance Rossi held a 0.755 second
advantage over Capirossi who had by then relegated Dani to third.
The mercurial Elias had slipped to ninth before falling and ending
his race, while Hayden was holding fourth place ahead of Gibernau.
Rossi and Capirossi would then steal away from their pursuers to
dispute the victory among themselves.
- By lap 16 the leading duo had pulled out nearly
two seconds on Dani who held a 1.4 second advantage over his team-mate
Hayden. In the closing laps the dice for the lead was as furious
as anything seen on the sweeping curves of Sepang.
- On the penultimate lap Capirossi grabbed the lead
into turn one until Rossi snatched it back moments later to set
up a gripping finale. Capirossi engaged in the final lap with a
0.6 second lead over Rossi. The pair almost clashing fairings on
the high-speed back section as Rossi seized the lead again.
- At the final turn on the final lap on the back
chute Rossi ran wide offering Capirossi a chance to pounce, but
the hard-charger also ran wide allowing the Yamaha man to clinch
the win and revitalise his World Championship aspirations. Dani
completed the podium postions with Hayden just behind in fourth
place.
- As the points tally now stands Hayden still tops
the table with 214 points to Dani’s 192, with Rossi on 188,
Capirossi on 171 and Melandri with 168.
Honda heads the Constructors’ Championship with 276 to Yamaha’s
226 with Ducati lying third on 180 points.
- Dani said, “In the end I got the result
, that’s the important thing. Also I was lucky that
the qualifying practice was cancelled , to start from fifth
on the grid was really, really important for me today. I have to
say thank you to all the guys in the Clinica Mobile because they
worked very hard for me and made me believe I could race. They took
so much care of me , it was a very special job. Thank you
to everybody and I will not forget this day.”
- His team-mate Nicky said, “I felt like I
rode my hardest and for that I’m proud, but at this level
sometimes that isn’t good enough. I’ve got no excuses
, the bike, the set-up and the tyres were pretty good, yet
we couldn’t quite go at their speed. It didn’t feel
great just being off the back that little bit. We’ll keep
fighting though , there are four races to go and some tracks
I really like coming up. We’re still in it, and we’ll
keep working hard.”
- Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR211V), who finished seventh,
said, “I got a bad start , just didn’t get off
the line well, and that put me in a bad place for the entire race.
I was overshooting a lot of these slow corners trying to be aggressive.
It took me a while to smooth out and by the time I did, I was where
I was at.”
- Stoner, eighth at the flag, said, “I think
I had a chance at the podium, especially when I was right on Hayden’s
butt early in the race. Then Nicky braked early into the final corner
and I nearly hit him, he pulled a gap, and five laps later I was
worn out. I was really struggling into the corners under braking,
I had to use my upper body too much. The problem started when I
jinked my back as the bike wobbled under the brakes, up until then
I was gaining on the guys in front.”
- Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V), ninth,
said, “It was a very difficult weekend , we didn’t
manage to solve the problems with the front-end at all. I tried
to give my best in the race, but I did not feel comfortable on the
bike and so I did not risk too much and decided to just claim some
points that could prove important in the Championship. I am disappointed
as I don’t like battling for ninth place, but I hope I will
be able to do better in Australia.”
- Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V), who
managed 14th place, said, “The tyre choice was not good and
the front was finished after three laps.
That made it a really hard race for me. I like Phillip Island and
I must finish well there and try to find good rhythm for Motegi.”
- “I made a good start, my best of the season,
and quickly found a good rhythm,” said Elias, who fell on
lap ten, and failed to finish the race. “I lapped with the
lead group and felt comfortable, but when I tried to push harder
as we were entering the first corner on lap 16, I braked a bit too
late and lost the front end. It’s a shame because we fell
when we were riding a good race and I feel sorry for the team.”
QUALIFYING (TOP
OF PAGE)
- QUALIFYING WASHED OUT
- GRID BASED ON PRACTICE TIMES
- Qualifying washed out - Rossi on pole
GRID, SEP 9, 2006  |
1 V Rossi
(It) Yamaha 2:00.605
2 N Hayden (US) Honda 2:01.043
3 L Capirossi (It) Ducati
4 K Roberts Jr (US) Team Roberts
5 D Pedrosa (Sp) Ducati
6 S Gibernau (Sp) Ducati
7 R de Puniet (Fr) Kawasaki
8 J Hopkins (US) Suzuki
9 M Melandri (It) Honda
10 C Stoner (Aus) Honda |
250cc
1 H Barbera (Sp) Aprilia 2:08.266
2 J Lorenzo (Sp) Aprilia
3 H Oayama (Jpn) KTM
125cc
1 A Bautista (Sp) Aprilia 2:12.846
2 M Kallio (Fin) KTM
3 M Passini (It) Aprilia |
QUALIFYING REPORT - HONDA (TOP
OF PAGE)
- The timed MotoGP qualifying session was cancelled
due to torrential rain here in Malaysia and the grid for tomorrow’s
will be formed from the order riders finished in the three free
training sessions. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) will start from pole,
with second fastest man Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) alongside
him and Loris Capirossi (Ducati) completing the front row.
- The rain lashing the Sepang track was so heavy
that even this circuit’s vast drainage ditches couldn’t
cope with the deluge. Rivers of rainwater spumed across the asphalt
and race control deemed it impossible to run the session in these
conditions. The final 125cc and 250cc sessions were also cancelled,
the first timed sessions in those classes deciding the grid order.
- The most significant event besides the cancellation
that deprived improving riders of elevating their grid positions
is perhaps the injury sustained by Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V)
on Friday when he high-sided his machine and injured his right knee.
- Dani fell at turn 13 when he lost the front-end
of his RC211V and then hit his knee on the kerb triggering a high-side
that resulted in a visit to the medical centre for four stitches
in the knee. But he is expected to ride tomorrow and will start
from the second row of the grid as fifth fastest qualifier.
- Nicky’s hard work paid off in what was to
prove the last MotoGP qualifying session when he hoisted himself
from 11th to what looked like a provisional second and what proved
to be an eventual second when the elements conspired to finalise
the provisional standings.
- Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR211V) has sustained the
fine form he and the Honda-powered Roberts machine have shown since
Catalunya way back in June.
He lines up on the second row as fourth fastest man here, albeit
1.293 seconds shy of Rossi’s pole time of 2m 00.605 seconds.
- Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V) starts from
row three as ninth fastest man. The Italian title contender fell
without injury in free training and will start the race knowing
he has to keep the riders ahead if him in sight with a rapid getaway
if he is to make the most of a race where he needs a podium at the
very least to keep his Championship hopes alive.
- Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) starts from the
fourth row in tenth, while Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V)
qualified 13th and Toni Elias (Fortuna Honda RC211V) 14th.
- Nicky Hayden, Repsol
Honda: 2nd. “I felt a lot better today than yesterday
, we made some changes overnight that really helped. Hopefully
we can continue in that direction tomorrow and be strong in the
race. It’s good to be on the front row, especially if it rains.
I think maybe the grid should have been decided on championship
points , no I’m joking. If I’d have been ninth
I’m sure I wouldn’t have been so happy but perhaps we
have to come up with something in the rule book to make things clear
in this situation. Hopefully tomorrow we can make it up to the fans
and put on a good show for them because there were some die-hard
fans who waited around all day and got teased a few times when the
bikes would fire up only for the session to be cancelled at 4.15.
We’ve still got a little work to do to be on the pace tomorrow,
but we’ll use the warm up and give it all we’ve got
in the race.”
- Kenny Roberts Jnr, KR
Honda: 4th. “I’ve been testing qualifying tyres
in free practice for some time … everybody does. I did two
laps on mine, though they’re only supposed to do one. But
I don’t care where I start. Anywhere from the third row up
is okay for me. There was nothing special this morning. We expected
to have another session, so nothing really came out of it. We’re
going to race the same bike I was third on yesterday afternoon,
on race tyres. I went to the safety meeting, and everybody said
it was too dangerous. I didn’t go out in the safety car, but
everybody’s pretty intelligent round here, and you could see
the spray from the car how much water there was. I think they are
going to work on the drainage tonight. It doesn’t look like
it’s working at the top part of the track, where the water
is running across the track. They were pulling mud out from there.
A torrential downpour is one thing, but after it’s over and
it’s postponed for 15 minutes, then those rivers should stop.
The rest of the track is quite dry now. That’s just one more
thing that we need to learn from this, in the riders’ Safety
Commission, and from the organisation side … that the first
thing you do at any circuit is clean the drains out.”
- Kenny Roberts Senior, team owner. “We’ve
been trying qualifying tyres in free practice ever since we started
qualifying good. Before that we’d put them on at the end of
the qualifying session and the bike would chatter so bad it was
slower than on race tyres. You need to get the bike working on qualifiers
before the final session. Because we did that, Junior qualified
well today.”
- Dani Pedrosa, Repsol
Honda: 5th. “This afternoon I think for the first time
in my career the rain has brought me luck! I couldn’t have
imagined starting from fifth position if it had been a dry qualifying
session, so that was a big present for me. This morning I was just
testing my performance on the bike , for sure it wasn’t
100 per cent but I was able to ride and change gear ok. It felt
so-so , not really bad, but not so good either. I don’t
know about my race pace. I think the bike set-up is about ready
although I haven’t had time to test all the race tyres I would
have liked to. Tomorrow morning I will have to practice the start
because I have some pain in both legs, and also I’m very small
which won’t help. Tomorrow I will see how I feel to make a
decision if I have to have any painkillers before the race. I’ll
do my best. I have to say thank you to everybody because I have
received a lot of help, especially in the Clinica Mobile because
they are taking good care of me, and my team has worked very hard
too.”
- Marco Melandri, Fortuna
Honda: 9th. “It was a strange day. I’m disappointed
because during the three practice sessions we worked in preparation
of the race using always race tyres. I would have preferred to decide
my grid position on track, that’s why I have suggested to
extend of 10 minutes tomorrow the warm up so that we could have
done warm up and qualifying. I respect the Race Direction’s
decision but I have been penalized because I didn’t use the
qualifying tyres this morning”.
- Casey Stoner, LCR Honda:
10th. “This is an unfair decision. It’s ridiculous
that I am starting tenth when I never finished tenth in any session.
This morning riders in front of me used a qualifying tyre and I
was sixth until they went faster. So now I’m starting on the
fourth row when I should be on the second row -- I was fifth at
the end of Friday when everyone was on race tyres. It has been frustrating,
as we did not have a base setting for this track and took some sideways
steps with the set-up, rather than forwards. I had some leg cramps
yesterday but I used my upper body more in practice today, so hopefully
that will help in the race.”
- Makoto Tamada, Konica Minolta Honda: 13th. “I’m
sorry the qualifying session was cancelled I wanted to run wet or
dry, I was really tired waiting to start. This morning we tried
new tyres from Michelin and on my second lap I was already running
a 2m 03s lap, I was amazed how quick I was. On the third lap I decided
to go for my time attack but at the uphill
T11 I crashed. Before that my time was very good. I then had to
take my spare bike out but the swinging-arm is different and that
gives the bike a completely different feeling. I want the race to
be dry tomorrow, if it is I will get a good result.”
- Toni Elias, Fortuna Honda: 14th. “This morning
we did a good job focusing on suspensions and chassis. Unfortunately
this afternoon we couldn’t confirm our work. I’m sorry
because without the afternoon practices I couldn’t improve
my grid position. Tomorrow I will start from the fifth row which
makes my race very difficult. I’m sorry but I will do my best
to get a good result”.
QUALIFYING REPORT - DUCATI (TOP
OF PAGE)
- Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and
Sete Gibernau will start tomorrow's Marlboro Malaysian Grand Prix
from the first and second rows of the grid. Their qualifying positions
were taken from the first three practice sessions after this afternoon's
qualifying session was cancelled following a monumental tropical
monsoon. The session was delayed while track workers tried to clear
standing water from the track but at 4.15pm the decision was taken
to call off the outing for safety reasons.
- Despite the interruption to their usual race preparation
schedule, Capirossi and Gibernau are quietly confident about tomorrow's
race. Capirossi clocked his quickest lap this morning, confirming
his impressive race pace with a lightning-fast run. Gibernau, ready
for his first race in seven weeks, also rode his best lap this morning
and also completed a consistently fast run.
- LORIS CAPIROSSI, 3rd
, 2m 01.167s "The Race Direction took the correct decision
to cancel qualifying because the conditions were too bad. Although
the track was dry in some places, the water was deep in other areas
of the track where the ground was so waterlogged that it couldn't
absorb the rain. We do over 300km/h at this circuit, so to ride
in these conditions would have been too dangerous. Anyway, I'm happy
because I ran a consistently fast pace on race tyres this morning,
including 12 consecutive laps inside last year lap record. I have
a very good package for the dry and if it's raining it will be the
same for everyone. I haven't had any problems in the rain so far
this year, so I don't see why we should have any worries here."
- SETE GIBERNAU, 6th
, 2m 02.181s "That was a really tough qualifying session, I'm
totally beat! But seriously, this morning wasn't so bad, we were
in the leading pack until a few guys threw in qualifiers, but I
didn't use one. The race is going to be physically hard, because
I'm a little out of shape and I can't really stress the bone. I've
not been able to ride a bike for a couple of months, so I need all
the sessions I could get because riding is my training! My goal
is to try and finish the race, I can do four or five laps not so
bad, then I start struggling."
| FRI
PRAC, SEP 8, 2006 |
1. Loris Capirossi I Marlboro
Ducati 2:01.711
2. Dani Pedrosa E Repsol Honda +0.310
3. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts +0.852
4. John Hopkins USA Team Suzuki MotoGP
5. Casey Stoner AUS LCR Honda
6. Makoto Tamada J Konica Minolta Honda
7. Valentino Rossi I Camel Yamaha
8. Sete Gibernau E Marlboro Ducati
9. Marco Melandri I Fortuna Honda
10. Shinya Nakano J Kawasaki Racing Team
11. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda
12. Colin Edwards USA Camel Yamaha
13. Randy De Puniet F Kawasaki Racing Team
14. Chris Vermeulen AUS Team Suzuki MotoGP
15. Carlos Checa E Tech 3 Yamaha |
FRIDAY REPORT - DUCATI (TOP
OF PAGE)
- Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi has
started the Marlboro Malaysian Grand Prix the way he means to carry
on, setting a blazing pace to lead both of today's practice sessions,
run in typically steamy hot conditions. Following his dominant victory
in last month's Czech GP, Capirossi is aiming to take another bite
out the points leaders this weekend to put himself right back in
the hunt for the 2006 MotoGP crown.
- Meanwhile team-mate Sete Gibernau is making an
impressive comeback following further surgery to the collarbone
he broke in June's Catalan GP. The Spaniard first returned to action
at July's German GP but the plate screwed to his broken left collarbone
later cracked, forcing him to undergo another operation which meant
he had to miss the Czech GP. He last rode a bike at the US GP on
July 23.
- LORIS CAPIROSSI,
‘provisional pole', 2m 01.711s "We started with one bike
using a set-up based on what we used at Brno, the other with a set-up
similar to what we ran here during winter tests. I preferred some
characters of each, so we are working to create the best combination.
Halfway through the afternoon session we did encounter some problems
but my guys are working really well, so we quickly found the right
way again. We are working well together and getting the results
we deserve but we have to stay united and focused because our target
is to stay in front of the others. Today I went faster than I managed
on qualifiers last year though partly because it's cooler now. I
don't think it will be possible to go much faster than today but
we will keep working to allow me to be more natural on the bike.
Even though Friday results aren't so important I want to dedicate
today to my manager Carlo Pernat who isn't here because of a family
bereavement. He will be here tomorrow which is great news because
I miss having him with me."
- SETE GIBERNAU,
8th, 2m 02.981s "I'm quite happy with how things are going,
though I'm not fully physically fit yet. On the bike I get tired
quite quickly because I've not been riding for a long time but mentally
I'm okay. I should probably never have raced at Laguna but I was
there and I wanted to do my best. That weekend the plate over my
collarbone was broken so it was pinching every nerve and every muscle,
so I couldn't use the arm. The arm is still weak now, though only
because I've not been able to follow my usual training programme.
The bone is much better. It's going to take time, so for me to be
close to the top guys on the first day here gives a lot of credit
to Ducati and to Bridgestone who are doing a great job. The guys
in the team are helping me out a lot once again, so I want to thank
Ducati for all the support they've given me before I came here and
now that I am here. My congratulations also to Loris who is already
really fast."
FRIDAY REPORT - HONDA (TOP
OF PAGE)
- The Repsol Honda Team were back on track at the
splendid Sepang circuit today as the first day of practice took
place for Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Nicky Hayden and
Dani Pedrosa had challenging days for different reasons, with Hayden
finishing in 11th position and Pedrosa impressively fast in second
place, before a fall ended his afternoon session early.
- Hayden, who arrives at Sepang with a 25-point
lead in the world championship, spent the day working on the settings
for his evolution Honda RC211V. Although he didn’t make the
set-up gains he’d expected, the rapid 25-year-old American
remained confident of further improvements in tomorrow’s two
one-hour sessions.
- Rookie Dani Pedrosa was immediately fast today
on a track he knows from winter testing. The reigning 250cc World
Champion was third fastest in the morning session and was lying
fastest in the afternoon when a strange crash forced him to sit
out the rest of the session. A slide from the front in the fast
right-hand Turn 13 caused Pedrosa’s right knee to impact on
the high inside kerb, triggering a high-side. The tough young Spaniard
walked away but was treated in the Clinica Mobile where he received
four stitches in his right knee. Tomorrow morning he will decide
with the doctors whether he can take part in the practice session
ahead of the afternoon’s qualifying shoot-out.
- Nicky Hayden 11th
, 2m 03.174s “It wasn’t as positive as we’d have
liked it to be today. If we were just a few tenths faster we’d
be a lot further up because it’s close just ahead of me ,
although a few guys up front are really fast so we’ve definitely
got some work to do. We were using the new chassis that we tested
on the two days after the Brno race. It worked really well there
but hasn’t helped us so much here. Also the clutch issue has
come back a little bit today. Tomorrow we’ve got two more
hours of practice to come , so we’ll definitely try to find
a good race tyre and get the bike working a little better.”
- Dani Pedrosa 2nd ,
2m 02.021s “Today things were going pretty well. I had a good
feeling from the bike and felt comfortable with the pace I was running.
But then I had a crash in Turn 13 and landed heavily. It started
with a small slide from the front tyre and the bike dropped a little
which made my right knee hit the kerb. I’m pretty sure it’s
this impact that caused my injury. I can remember the whole crash,
which is a good I suppose, and I was able to walk away, although
it was quite painful. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow and
decide if I can take part in the morning session , I really hope
so.”
- Makoto Tanaka - Team Manager “Honestly today
became quite a difficult situation for us. Dani’s pace was
very good from the start , he was improving even quicker than usual,
but then he was caught out by a trap. Usually a rider is ok if he
loses the front, but when it’s a high-side he lands very heavily
and unfortunately Dani hurt his knee. He walked away from the accident
which is a good sign, and we’ll wait and see if he can ride
tomorrow morning. We had a few set-up issues on Nicky’s machine
today and he wasn’t able to improve his time this afternoon,
so we need to work on the set-up of his chassis. We have quite a
lot of work to do for tomorrow but provided we can concentrate hard,
we’ll find the best solution.”
FRIDAY REPORT - YAMAHA (TOP
OF PAGE)
- Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin
Edwards completed a hard day's work with their Yamaha YZR-M1 machines
today, as preparations got underway for the Malaysian Grand Prix
with two free practice sessions. Both riders were eager to test
the performance of their bikes at this circuit after a positive
recent test in the Czech Republic, however it quickly emerged that
the setting the team found at Brno was not as well suited to this
layout or track temperatures in excess of 45ºC, which put the
tyres under extreme stress.
- After making dramatic changes to the bike for
the afternoon session, reigning World Champion Rossi was able to
knock almost a full second off his time within the first six laps,
giving him renewed confidence after a disappointing morning when
he could only manage the eleventh fastest time. Edwards suffered
similar problems but was unable to solve them in time for an assault
on the top positions today. The American is hoping to find a quick
solution in tomorrow morning's final free practice before qualifying
takes place in the afternoon.
- Last year's winner Loris Capirossi (Ducati) set
the pace today, dipping under pole record time with a lap of 2'01.711.
There was bad news, however, for fellow title candidate Dani Pedrosa
(Honda), who suffered a knee injury in a high-speed crash this afternoon.
- Valentino Rossi 6th
- 2'02.970; 41 laps) "It's been a difficult first day
- more so in the morning than the afternoon, which means we are
working in the right way. I was confident after the Brno test, especially
about the tyres and the way they are working now with our M1. Unfortunately
in the conditions we have found here that setting doesn't work so
well and we had a few problems with tyre life. So in the afternoon
basically we adapted the setting using the data we gathered in the
January tests, when I was very fast, and things improved a lot.
Tomorrow we'll move even closer to that setting and I'm very confident
we can make a big improvement again. Loris was very fast today and
it looks like it will be a tough challenge to beat him, but we have
good base data for this circuit and I'm sure we can get back to
the pace I know I am capable of here."
- Colin Edwards 12th
- 2'03.355; 41 laps) "That was a really hard day and not what
we were hoping for at all. I'm pretty disappointed after the good
test we had at Brno because I expected to be in good shape from
the start here. I couldn't find the right set-up today and there
was no way for me to ride the bike properly. We're going to have
to work in a completely different direction tomorrow and try to
sort the situation out before qualifying. Valentino seems to have
improved by going back towards the settings from January, despite
the fact that the bike we have now is very different from the one
we had then, so maybe this is the way to work. We will have a think
about things tonight and start again tomorrow!"
- Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director "Today
everyone has had to work very hard! Both riders have been testing
different things and now we have to put it all altogether to find
the right package and make sure we are competitive both in tomorrow
afternoon's qualifying session and Sunday's race. Valentino is very
close to the top and I think with a little bit more work he can
be in good shape tomorrow. Colin is struggling a little at the moment
but hopefully he too can improve in the morning. Tomorrow the weather
might change things but we hope that it stays dry so that we can
continue to make progress."
PREVIEW (TOP
OF PAGE)
YAMAHA PREVIEW
- One of the closest MotoGP World Championships
in history heads into its final stage this weekend as the series
heads out to Malaysia for the first of a five-race spell across
three continents. Races at Sepang, Phillip Island (Australia), Motegi
(Japan), Estoril (Portugal) and Valencia (Spain), will decide the
destiny of a title which for the past five seasons has been lifted
by Yamaha superstar Valentino Rossi. For the Italian to retain that
honour he must turn around a 38-point deficit to current leader
Nicky Hayden (Honda), although no fewer than nine riders still have
the mathematical odds to take the honours.
- Rossi's chances were given a huge boost at the
last round three weeks ago in Brno, where a second place finish
combined with ninth for Hayden saw the gap between the pair slashed
by thirteen points. That race went down as the closest top-15 finish
of all time in the sport, strengthening this season's reputation
as one of the toughest ever and highlighting the number of points
to be won and lost over the remaining five events.
- Brno also witnessed Rossi's 87th appearance on
the podium in the premier class and another top-three finish in
Malaysia would equal Giacomo Agostini's tally of 88 - a record bettered
only by Mick Doohan. Rossi has finished on the podium at Sepang
for the last five years, including a memorable victory for Yamaha
in 2004 and a title-clinching second place behind Loris Capirossi
(Ducati) last season.
- Colin Edwards says that his target for the remaining
five races is to assist Rossi's title quest in any way he can whilst
turning a consistent run of points-scoring finishes into at least
a string of podiums. Tenth place in the last round at Brno was the
33rd successive race at which he has scored points - a MotoGP record
again bettered only by Doohan on 37 - but the Texan's goal is a
return to the potentially winning form he showed earlier in the
season.
- Valentino Rossi: One of my favourites
Valentino Rossi is predicting a repeat of last year's tough battle
with fellow Italian Loris Capirossi this weekend as he looks to
get one over on his compatriot after another memorable duel between
the pair at Brno. The Yamaha man cites Sepang as one of his favourite
tracks and he is hopeful that recent developments with the 990cc
M1 machine will make it equally inclined towards the Malaysian venue.
- "As everyone knows, Sepang is one of my favourite
tracks and it's always great fun to ride the M1 there," says
Rossi. "We made some really good progress in Brno so hopefully
everything will work well from Friday morning and we can fight at
the top all weekend. Last year Loris was incredibly strong in Sepang,
similar to how he was two weeks ago in Brno and I am sure that this
will be the case again this time!
- "This year I can't win the title in Malaysia
so our aim once again is to finish on the podium and take as many
points as possible in order to stay in the fight. These three races
in a row are going be very important and at the end of them the
championship could be much clearer. It's always hard work, with
a lot of flying and time changes in a short amount of time, but
we will stay focused and do the best we can!"
- Colin Edwards: No looking back
Colin Edwards, who lives in his hometown of Conroe, Texas, is used
to long haul trips and is therefore undaunted by the demands of
three 'flyaway' races in as many weekends. The 32 year old insists
that thoughts of a poor run of form over the summer are now firmly
behind him as he simply concentrates on a grandstand finish to his
season over the final five races.
- "Things really haven't gone to plan lately
and I think it's fair to say that I hoped to be in a better situation
going into the final run of races," admits Edwards. "But
there's no point dwelling on the past - we made some positive steps
at the test in Brno so we'll see if that helps. We discovered last
year that what works in Brno doesn't necessarily work everywhere
else but we definitely understand the bike better after that test
so hopefully we will be in a better position come Friday morning
in Sepang.
- "I really like the Sepang track and then
Phillip Island is one of my all-time favourites, so I am definitely
looking forward to these races. We have two aims - one is to keep
working with the team to find the best bike in order to give Valentino
the tools to win the title, and the other is to get some good results
and get on the podium. Having three 'flyaway' races in a row is
always intense, but I am feeling ready for the challenge!"
- Davide Brivio: The final push
Camel Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio is asking for one final
effort from his team over the next two months as they cling on to
the possibility of defending the crown they have won with Rossi
for the past two seasons. The complicated logistics of five races
across three continents always puts a further burden on every member
of staff but Brivio is confident their extra exertions will once
again be rewarded by results on the track.
- "After a very long and hard season, this
is the start of the final 'push' for everyone and I know that the
riders, the team and everyone involved will give 100% through these
final two months," explains Brivio. "After Brno we did
two days testing, and these were extremely important for the final
few races. We tried a lot of new things and made some big steps
forward with the setting and we got some very important information
from our riders, which we hope will help us to remain at a competitive
level until the end of the season.
- "Our number one aim now is to give Valentino
the means to stay in the running for the championship title, and
then we will see what the situation is in Valencia. We hope that
the Brno test has also given Colin plenty of confidence and we hope
to see him getting some good results now and ending the season on
a high. Sepang and Phillip Island especially are favourite tracks
of both riders so hopefully these races will be good to us!"
Technically speaking: Sepang according to Jeremy Burgess Sepang
is one of the widest tracks on the calendar, measuring 16 metres
across in some areas, and always features high track temperatures
in the tropical climate. Races can be won and lost due to the ability
of machinery to hold a line during turn-in at several points of
hard braking. With four major hairpins and some fast and frequent
changes of direction in its 5542m layout, Sepang provides a stern
workout for the entire bike set-up and its largely predictable,
if demanding, climate makes it the ideal winter testing venue.
- "With the exception of Brno we have been
to some tight and fiddly tracks recently but I would call Sepang
a 'real' Grand Prix circuit," explains Jeremy Burgess, Valentino
Rossi's Crew Chief. "Sepang is a great test track because it
has a bit of everything - from two points that are fast enough for
the riders to take in sixth gear to some tight and twisty first
gear corners. As far as the corners are concerned there are some
you accelerate through, some you stop at, areas where you are braking
from high speeds - basically every area of the bike gets a workout.
- "Last year we got caught out on tyres but
we put a lot of laps in during the winter tests and over the last
couple of races this is an area we have focused on. A good front-end
set-up is also crucial at Sepang because there are lots of points
where the riders are braking at full lean, so they need full confidence
to know that the front won't tuck. The heat is also an important
factor and the rider must be careful not to push the tyres too early."
HONDA PREVIEW (TOP
OF PAGE)
- MotoGP continues to deliver racing of the highest
calibre and it’s no surprise that among the men fighting tooth
and nail for the biggest prize in motorcycle sport are Repsol Honda
men Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol
Honda RC211V).
- With only five races left to run in this gruelling
17-race season, the points spread among the top five contenders
for the World Championship is just 50. And with 125 points still
up for grabs, this season-end could well turn out to be one of the
tightest struggles seen for a long while.
- The form-book suggests that Loris Capirossi (Ducati),
who currently lies fifth in the World standings, 50 points behind
leader Hayden, could be the man to beat here in Malaysia. The Italian
rider won here last year and he arrives at Sepang off the back of
a win at Brno in August.
- But Nicky holds the lap record here and is eager
to add to his tally of two race wins so far this season. And the
Kentucky Kid is experienced enough to know that he still needs to
race for wins while maintaining his enviable record of podium-finishing
consistency.
- Dani won here on a 250cc machine on the way to
his first World title in that class in 2004 and as his inaugural
season in the premier class draws to a conclusion, the diminutive
Spaniard gets stronger and stronger. He lies only 25 points behind
Hayden and there is no steelier competitor when it comes to riding
under World title pressure.
- Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V) sits fourth
in the overall points table and this tough rider from Ravenna in
Italy is eager to hoist himself higher in the table as his fourth
season on a 990cc machine unfolds. Marco needs another win to add
his tally of two this season if he is to give himself a springboard
to launch a title assault in these closing races.
- And it will take a huge effort from any rider
to win here at Sepang. Track temperatures are high in Malaysia at
around the 45 to 50 degree mark, with ambient temperatures nudging
the high thirties. And there is invariably around 80% humidity.
This can often prove more debilitating to riders than sheer heat.
- The 5.548km Sepang track has two long straights,
fast open turns, one left/right flick, and a tight left turn onto
the start/finish straight.
Hard braking at the end of the two straights requires a stable set-up
while sheer power and a high top speed are at a premium too. The
wide (25m) track offers plenty of overtaking opportunities through
its ten right-hand turns and five lefts.
- Nicky said, “I’m looking forward to
these three back-to-back races because it’s a fun period of
the season. Sepang is a track we know well from testing and I like
it , in fact there are a few tracks coming up that I like.
I’ll pretty well approach these races like I have all year
, try to be smart and consistent and fight for the best result
each weekend. I believe in myself and I’ve got good guys around
me in this team. So I’m looking forward to it and I’m
going to try to enjoy it.”
- His team-mate Dani said, “We’ve already
tested at Sepang. I’ve done many laps and this will give us
a better starting point for the weekend. I think Capirossi will
be very strong here , it was a good track for him last year
, and also Hayden, Rossi and Melandri will be up there too.
The heat and humidity at Sepang are really high and this is something
you have to take into account. It’s not really a problem though,
because you expect it and can prepare for it.”
- Melandri said, “We’ve got three very
contrasting circuits coming up but I like them all and I can’t
wait to get on my RC211V. Last year I arrived in Sepang with 35
stitches in my foot so I wasn’t in the right physical shape.
Now I’m feeling confident because we have a good base set-up
for the bike which will help me to be more consistent at each of
the remaining tracks.
Tyre choice at Sepang will be another of the main keys to success.”
- Kenny Roberts Jnr (Roberts KR211V), a winner here
in 1999 and 2000, is achieving consistent results on the RC211V-powered
Roberts machine and said, “We’ve done a lot of testing
here and now that we’re making progress at other tracks we
have a chance to really step up here and try to get on terms with
the podium finishers again. I know what it takes to win here and
we’ll be going all out to try to achieve that.”
- Melandri’s team-mate Toni Elias (Fortuna
Honda RC211V) said, “The two day test in the Czech Republic
was crucial. We worked a lot on weight distribution under braking
and we know we are on the right lines and that the hard work will
bear fruit soon. I like Sepang because it’s a technical track
which has some really hard braking areas too. We’re working
very hard with my team and I hope to get a good result starting
from this race.”
- Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) said, “I’m
trying to keep the front-end of the bike a bit more upright and
we’re doing some fine tuning on the front set-up. I’ll
adapt my style a little like I did at Brno and even though I haven’t
finished some races I’ve been up the front racing for the
podium.
It’ll be close this weekend and I should be up there again.”
- “I like the Sepang track,” said Makoto
Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V). “I’ll reach it
motivated, as usual. I hope to be able to get good results not only
for me but for my team and everybody supporting me as well. After
the Brno race, I stayed in Japan for a couple of weeks of preparation.
I’m aware of the necessity to obtain good results and I also
know that the end of the season is quickly approaching.”
DUCATI PREVIEW (TOP
OF PAGE)
- After Loris Capirossi's spectacular win in the
Czech GP and with the return of Sete Gibernau, who was forced to
miss the Brno race, the Ducati Marlboro Team is now back to full
strength again and ready to face up to the Malaysian GP at the Sepang
circuit.
- The Italian squad is enthusiastically heading
east for this crucial phase of the MotoGP championship, which will
see three races on consecutive weekends in Malaysia, Australia and
Japan.
- Loris Capirossi's astonishing runaway win at August's
Czech Grand Prix, his fourth in the last 12 months and fifth with
Ducati, has put the Italian back in the title hunt with just five
races to go. Capirossi, who has just renewed his contract with the
Italian squad for another year, is now 50 points behind series leader
Nicky Hayden and 25 behind the second, Daniel Pedrosa, so on September
10 the hard-riding Italian will be aiming to repeat his superb 2005
Malaysian GP victory and further boost his championship aspirations.
- Last year's Sepang event was the Ducati Marlboro
Team's best-ever race result, Capirossi taking victory and team-mate
Carlos Checa finishing third. It is thus significant that Capirossi's
2006 team-mate Sete Gibernau returns to action at Sepang following
further surgery to the left collarbone he broke at June's Catalan
GP. Gibernau will be keen to make an impressive comeback at a circuit
that suits the Desmosedici and its Bridgestone tyres. On Wednesday
30th August the Catalan rider went to see the two doctors, Xavier
Mir and Ignacio Ginebreda, who have been following him in his recovery
from injury. Various X-ray tests and examinations at the Dexeus
University clinic showed that he is recovering well and both doctors
confirmed that Sete can take part in the Malaysian GP.
- The next few weeks and months will be a fascinating
time for the Ducati Marlboro Team as it has one eye on this year's
final 990cc MotoGP crown and the other on MotoGP's new 800cc era.
The day after his Brno win Capirossi had his first ride on Ducati's
800cc GP7 and was very impressed. Meanwhile Vittoriano Guareschi
will continue the testing and development work with the new machine.
- LORIS CAPIROSSI, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 5th
overall, 151 points
"Sepang is going to be another big weekend for us. Everyone
is talking about the championship but I don't want to talk about
it yet. All I can say is that I will do my best at these last five
races and then we will see what happens. Like Brno, Sepang is another
good track for us and for Bridgestone. We had a great weekend there
last year - pole position and the race win - so we will try very
hard to do the same again. I like Sepang very much, it's a great
layout, very wide and with some fast corners, so it's a lovely circuit
to ride and great for fighting. Of course, the weather is very hot
but I don't mind riding in the heat, that's what why we train so
hard. The big thing at Sepang is working to find the best race tyres.
The heat and the track layout make it quite tough for tyres, so
we will have to work very hard with Bridgestone to find the right
combination for the race. The next few weeks will be very exciting
for me and for everyone involved with the team. And I am already
very excited about 2007 when I will be continuing with Ducati! I
have already ridden the new GP7 at Brno and my first impression
was positive. The bike was very enjoyable to ride and makes a great
noise, but of course we still have a lot of work to do."
- SETE GIBERNAU, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 14th
overall, 58 points
"All the tests I had to undergo have given positive results
and we found the cause of the problem with the lack of strength
in my left arm which was suffering after the first operation. It
seems that there was a problem with the nerve, but there is no injury
and we will resolve it with physiotherapy in that area for a complete
recovery and by working with the team to find the best possible
position for the handlebar. I am very happy to race in the next
GP and I'm going to Malaysia in the best possible frame of mind,
and for this I'd like to thank the team for being close to me at
every moment. We were in Sepang for the pre-season tests and that
might help us, but also Loris won here last year and after the win
in Brno the team spirit is sky-high and I'm very happy to join up
with them again. I just can't wait to get back in action!"
- LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project manager
"We were obviously very, very happy with Loris' Brno win, especially
because it takes us into the last five races with huge enthusiasm.
Loris rode an unbelievable race and the bike and the tyres were
also very impressive. Now we go to Sepang and then Phillip Island
and Motegi, which were all good tracks for us last year. We will
focus all our energies into repeating the strong performances we
showed at these events last year. Everyone involved in this project
never stops working to make things better, so even though we won
at Brno, Bridgestone gave us some new tyres to test the day after
which give us yet more confidence. We will also have Sete with us
once again, which is great for the team as a whole. We hope that
his injury will cause him no further problems and that he can make
a great comeback at Sepang and go on to complete the season on strong
form".
- THE TRACK
Sepang is the longest racetrack in MotoGP, now that Assen has been
shortened. And the Malaysian venue isn't just MotoGP's longest circuit,
it's also one of the widest tracks in the world, putting riders
and machines to the test with an excellent variety of corners and
high-speed straights. Withering heat and humidity are further challenges,
not only for riders and machines, but also for technicians and everyone
else working in pit lane.
- Sepang hosted its first Grand Prix in April 1999
and was an instant hit with riders and teams. The state-of-the-art
complex, carved out of the jungle adjacent to Kuala Lumpur's international
airport, took circuit and infrastructure design to a new level,
combining a fast, safe track layout with ultra-impressive pit, media
and corporate facilities. The venue replaced Malaysia's original
GP tracks at Shah Alam and Johor
SUZUKI PREVIEW (TOP
OF PAGE)
- Rizla Suzuki MotoGP gets back into action this
coming weekend for round 13 of the MotoGP World Championship at
Sepang in Malaysia, the first of three races in successive weekends.
- John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen will both be
looking to get back into the groove again after a tough last race
at Brno. Hopkins continued his run of top 10 finishes - that now
stretches to seven successive races, his best ever sequence in MotoGP
, in the Czech Republic and will be looking to keep that run
going at Sepang.
- Hopkins qualified on the front row for last years
Malaysian Grand Prix and the Anglo-American star will be looking
to at least emulate or improve on that this weekend. The 5.5km Sepang
International Circuit is one of Suzuki’s winter test tracks
and both riders have completed many laps there. The circuit features
two long straights interlinked by a variety of corners including
some very fast and testing sweepers. The oppressive heat of Sepang
will take its toll on the riders as the high temperatures and humidity
will mean that fitness and stamina of the racers is as important
as the set-up of the bikes.
- The Sepang track is situated approximately 50km
south of Kuala Lumpur and very near to the International Airport.
The track is one of the newest on the MotoGP calendar and has fantastic
facilities along with some of the best architecture at any racetrack
in the world.
- Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will begin its assault on
Friday when it takes to the track for two free practice sessions.
This is followed on Saturday by a further free practice session
and the hour-long qualifying in the afternoon to determine the all-important
grid positions. Sunday’s 21-lap race will get underway at
15.00hrs local time (07.00hrs GMT).
- Paul Denning , Team Manager:
“With only one race over the last month and a half it’s
great to be getting back into action again, and these three back
to back races throw the MotoGP teams right in at the deep end. Sepang
is a circuit the riders know well, we know what to expect there
in terms of conditions and we should have a good base set-up from
where to start the weekend. We struggled a bit at Brno but the race
itself saw both riders deliver strong performances and gain in confidence.
- “John and Chris are extremely fit and should
be in the best possible condition for the strength sapping heat
of Sepang. John goes particularly well there, and we are hoping
for big things from him and Chris over these fly-away races as the
tracks should suit the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R and the Bridgestone tyres.
Suzuki keeps pushing things forward race by race, and we hope to
compete to our full potential over the next three weekends, starting
in Malaysia."
(TOP
OF PAGE) |
|
V Rossi, Yamaha | 2 
L Capirossi, Ducati | 3 
D Pedrosa, Honda
