From a press release issued by Honda Racing Information, in which Valentino Rossi’s win on a Yamaha at Welkom seems to be characterized as “a freak result”:

Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez
May 30, June 1/2 2004

FIRST RACE IN EUROPE KEY TO TITLE AMBITIONS IN ALL CLASSES

Welkom in South Africa, this season’s curtain-raising Grand Prix, is now consigned to the history books, as Jerez looms large this weekend. Many riders believe the World Championship begins for real in Spain at Jerez with round two of this 16-race season. The first race sometimes throws up a freak result due to the unfamiliar nature of Welkom, which is visited only once a year by MotoGP teams (who don’t test there either).

But no matter what the result of the first race, where four Honda RC211Vs came home in the top five, the atmosphere at Jerez when the bikes hit the grid on raceday is seldom matched anywhere in the world for sheer volume and raw energy. More than 150,000 people will pack the Andalucian venue, a natural amphitheatre, for what promises to be one of the high dramas of the 2004 MotoGP series.

Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V) lies second to reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) after a memorable battle with his great rival two weeks ago. The Roman gladiator will be taking the fight to Rossi here in Spain as he tries to close a five point gap on the current points leader with a win.

For Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) Jerez represents a chance to stamp his authority on this year’s title chase. He will want no repeat of last year’s race where he fell, throwing away valuable title points. While Alex Barros (Repsol Honda RC211V) will use his vast experience to put pressure on the three riders ahead of him in the title stakes at this stage.

Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) is now a year wiser and the young American can really get his title challenge on track here and turn up the heat on his rivals as the European rounds gather momentum from here on. And Jerez is a typically European track laid using the natural contours of the area to provide a challenging test.

Built in 1986, Jerez hosted its first Grand Prix the following year and has remained on the World Championship calendar ever since. The track is a true measure of rider talent as much as a test of machine performance. Most of the 4.423km track’s corners merge into each other requiring a neat, flowing style from the riders and a solid all-round performance from the motorcycle.

Jerez is a track with a little bit of everything – short, medium and long turns, uphill braking, and downhill braking. The Spanish track is used by many teams for MotoGP testing precisely because of the all-round demands it makes on machine set-up. And it puts a premium on front tyre grip.

Max Biaggi knows this season is his big chance to lift the premier class crown that has so far eluded him. “I like the Jerez track because it’s technical, fairly difficult and very complete,” he said. “In the sense that there are many different types of corner, from rapid sweeps to medium-slow, with a number of pretty abrupt braking points. There are no particular ups and downs but otherwise there’s everything it takes to ensure plenty of fun. The chassis settings are fundamental on this type of track and we’ll certainly be starting out with the ones we used in Welkom which proved to be very effective.”

Barros is equally upbeat. “I’m looking forward to racing at Jerez. My physical condition is coming better all the time. Welkom was a hard race; the most physical effort I have placed on my shoulder since the operation and it was good. Every day I’m stronger. I will need to be to fight for the World Championship this year. The competition will be very tough and every point will be important. The machine felt good at the tests earlier this month and I look forward to the weekend.”

Nicky Hayden is simply itching to get going. “It was great to be back in a race atmosphere again after what seemed like a long winter break,” he said. “It wasn’t the easiest weekend but we got some points and we have to look forward to the next race. Jerez wasn’t great last year. Qualifying was difficult and the bike broke in the race so I didn’t finish – my only non-finish of last year. We tested there a few weeks back and the 2004 bike felt real good – when we were riding, as the weather was so bad. I’ve just got to get my head down this weekend and focus on getting a good result.”

Makoto Tamada (Camel Honda RC211V) riding on Bridgestone tyres is eager to get his season up and running. “I’m anxiously awaiting the second round of the world championship at Jerez. I’m very pleased with the bike, the 2004 RC211V is much more powerful than last year’s but despite this improvement in performance, it’s still very easy to handle and ride. I love the Jerez de la Frontera circuit and I’m hoping to find the right weather conditions so that I can work well. What we’re aiming for is to get the package of bike-plus-new-tyres really balanced so we can stay out in front and make it up to the podium.”

Colin Edwards (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) is ready to meet the challenge head-on. “This is one of the best racetracks in the world,” said the Texan Tornado. “We’ll solve the problems we had at Welkom, and even then we were fighting for a podium, and I think we’ll be very competitive. I’m confident.”

Which leaves home favourite Sete Gibernau to put Jerez in perspective. “You need balance in the settings but the front end is the most important,” he said. “The bike needs to turn well and give you good feeling. There are the two fast rights before the main straight and the bike needs to turn well at a high lean angle. The other big thing is getting the rear set up so you can get on the throttle early out of the turns.”

The 250 class will see Danny Pedrosa (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW) endeavour to repeat his astonishing performance at Welkom where he won first time out on his graduation to the quarter-litre class.”Winning at Welkom was a special experience for us and a happy result but this is a learning year for me in 250 racing,” he said.

“We don’t yet know what the maximum potential is for us in the 250 class. I did 2,000 kilometres in pre-season testing but have had only one race. The team policy is a step by step approach, no pressure and we will keep to our plan. I’m not yet 100% fit, I can walk but not run. I like racing at Jerez and of course love the atmosphere the fans create, it’s like no other in racing. This year will be special for me because so many fans gave me their support while I was recovering during the winter and I will do my best to thank them at Jerez.”

Pedrosa’s teammate, Hiroshi Aoyama, the reigning All Japan 250 Champion, makes his European debut at Jerez, only his second race outside Japan.
“Welkom was my first GP outside Japan and it was so different to anything in the Japanese championship. The racing was absolutely a different experience for me. I am discovering a lot of new things about GP racing. I am racing a prototype machine and constantly testing and evaluating new parts. That’s sometimes good, sometimes not so good. But I have tested at Jerez so I will not lose a day finding a base set up and my way around the track and that will help me. The team has told me how exciting Jerez can be so I’m looking forward to the race.” Said Aoyama.

Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) is aiming to keep up his astonishing record of consistency, having scored points in every round last season -and so far this season too. “I like racing the Jerez circuit and the bike ran okay at the IRTA test down there,” said the genial Italian. “But we can see from the Welkom result that we have a lot of work to do before we get there. We have to analyse the performance at Welkom and try and find a base to work from. In South Africa we had a lot of front-end problems. The race will be very hard, that’s for sure.”

Tony Elias (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) said, “We have a lot of work to do before we get to Jerez. It’s a track I like very much and I hope to go well there, not just because we are in Spain. I was not happy after my result at Welkom. The bike ran OK at the IRTA test at Jerez but we will have to make it a lot better before we go there to race. I love the spectators who come to Jerez, they are super enthusiastic and they give me extra motivation.”

Alex Debon (Wurth Honda BQR RS250R) is ready to take on all-comers. “I am very motivated for Jerez after the race in South Africa,” he said. “The bike was great at Welkom the kit is so much better than last year. The engine has more pull and both the frame and suspension are really good. We did good work at the IRTA test and I am confident I will do well at Jerez, I have been fast there in the past.”

In the 125cc category, which is so close to Spain’s sporting heart, Andrea Dovizioso (Team Scot Honda RS125R) leads the point’s standings after his storming win at Welkom. “I like Jerez but it’s a track I never ride well,” he said. “Last year I was ninth but didn’t ride as well as I can. Now with the bike running as well as it is and the Showa suspension working really well in the way I need it to, I will go there ‘with a different head on.’ I will race with much more confidence this time.”

Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) is hoping for a big result here. “I have raced at Jerez four times and I like the circuit, it has a good variety of corners and I have always been able to find a good rhythm at that track. After what happened to me at Welkom I will hope to have a much better race. I was 12th in the Jerez race last year and I’m confident I can improve on that.”