Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi is looking forward to returning to action during tomorrow’s first practice sessions for Saturday’s Dutch TT. The Italian has been undergoing physio from Clinica Mobile staff following the battering and bruising he sustained in last Sunday’s turn-one accident at Catalunya. Meanwhile team-mate Sete Gibernau is recuperating from the operation he underwent yesterday in Barcelona to plate the left collarbone he fractured in the multiple pile-up. It is expected he will have to wait between three and five weeks before he can ride again. The Ducati Marlboro Team has chosen D’Antin Ducati’s Alex Hofmann as his substitute for the Dutch TT. LORIS CAPIROSSI, 2nd overall, 99 points “It was a bad accident at Catalunya but that kind of thing can happen in racing. I’m not feeling too bad, though the left part of my chest is still very sore, so it’s difficult to breathe normally. Anyway, I am happy to be at Assen and I’m looking forward to getting on the bike tomorrow. I definitely want to race here because this championship is so important to me. Ducati consulted me when they were considering substitutes for Sete, I told them I am happy to have Alex riding alongside me. It’s strange, because when I got injured in 2002 while riding for Honda, Alex was my substitute.” SETE GIBERNAU, 11th overall, 44 points “I’ve not see the accident and I don’t want to see it. People have told me it was a really bad one, so I think I am very lucky. I’d like to say a big thank you to Arai and Spidi because they gave me perfect protection. I’d also like to thank the media and my fans because I am receiving so many messages of encouragement. This will be the first time in ten years that I have missed a race, so knowing that I will miss Assen and Donington is a very strange feeling. The accident happened at a bad time, with so many races over a few weekends, but there’s never a good time to have an accident. Now all I am thinking about is getting fit again so that I can return to racing in the strongest way possible.” ALEX HOFMANN, 17th overall, 12 points “I am very proud to have been chosen to be Sete’s substitute and very happy to be able to race the factory Ducati. Without doubt this is the best bike/tyre package I have ever had for a race and I will do my best to help Loris, especially on tyre choice. I am really looking forward the weekend and I’m not feeling any pressure. All I want to do is do my best for the team. My thanks to everyone: Ducati, Pramac, Luis d’Antin and Paolo Campinoti for the trust they’ve shown in me. I hope to repay them by giving them by best. And special wishes to Sete for a speedy recovery.” DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 33 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6 GP starts: 238 (68xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) GP victories: 26 (4xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) Pole positions: 40 (7xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Assen 2005 results: Grid: 7th. Race: 10th ALEX HOFMANN Age: 26 (born May 25, 1980) Lives: Richterswill – Switzerland Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6 GP starts: 85 (38xMotoGP, 4×500, 41×250, 1×125)) GP victories: – First GP: Germany, 1997 (125) Pole positions: – Assen 2005 results: Grid: 10th . Race: DNF