Sachsenring July 28th, 2005 German GP Preview Bridgestone teams confident to rock and roll on twisty Sachsenring With only 3.671 kilometres in length, the Sachsenring is one of the shortest circuits on the European MotoGP calendar. A unique stadium layout with a maze of interlinking twists and bends, the German track offers fantastic views from almost anywhere on the grandstands, and has been rewarded with record-braking audience figures of more than 200000 spectators in last year’s edition. The spectacular corner sections are not only thrilling to watch, but also very demanding on riders, bikes and tyres. Mid-range power, good acceleration and agile handling are more important than sheer top-speed, and good front-end feel, side-grip and traction are the main requirements when it comes to tyre choice especially on the left side. Sachsenring’s track layout should especially help Suzuki, where speed and horsepower have been a concern in the past. The British-based team with its American riders Kenny Roberts and John Hopkins arrives with high hopes and high spirit in Germany, since former World Champion Roberts scored a hard-earned second place in last week’s wet British Grand Prix. “We will have to carry on working with the same drive and enthusiasm we have shown all season, to make sure our step by step improvements continue”, says Suzuki team-manager Paul Denning. Similarly high are the expectations within German-based Kawasaki Racing Team that boasts a three-rider line-up for the Sachsenring Grand Prix. The green force not only has Shinya Nakano and local hero Alex Hofmann to offer, who is always a top-ten contender on his home turf, but also Olivier Jacque. The 31-year-old Frenchman stunned the racing world with a surprise second place in the wet Chinese Grand Prix in May as Hofmann’s replacement rider, and was later on signed up as Kawasaki’s test rider. The odds are strong that Jacque might surprise again: After conquering pole position in 2002, he had battled for victory, before crashing out in the final stages of the race. Ducati celebrated their last podium finish in Mugello, Italy, but have also arrived in good mood at the German venue following their encouraging results in England, with Carlos Checa and Loris Capirossi in fifth and sixth place. “Bridgestone proved they have fully competitive rain tyres that work wherever we go, like in China and in Britain. That’s a positive sign of the company’s capabilities, which is why we are confident we can obtain similarly consistent dry-weather performance”, said Ducati team manager Livio Suppo. “We are already strong in the dry at some tracks like Mugello, and Bridgestone will bring new spec tyres to the Sachsenring, which proves how hard they are working, and makes us very confident for the future.” Hiroshi Yamada – Motorcycle Racing Manager Bridgestone Motorsport In the pouring rain in Donington last week, we were able to score points with 5 of our riders in a field where only 11 riders finished the race. Kenny Roberts stood on the podium and the two Ducati boys were 5 and 6, so our wet tyres have proven its strength. For this week’s GermanGP, we plan to enter a few new dry condition tyres as we are aiming to develop higher performance slicks, and I am hoping for the same type of results with the slicks as we have achieved with the wets.