From a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda/Gresini Racing:

Jerez de la Frontera: First European round of the 2004 Championship

GP OF SPAIN: Preview

After the South African GP, the World Road Racing Championship flew back to the old continent for the first European round to be held at Jerez de la Frontera on Sunday, May the 2nd.

The racetrack was built in 1986 and hosted the first edition of MotoGP the following year, in 1987. Since the 1st edition, the Spanish venue is one of the favourite events of the season because of his public and the layout of the track, a technical and balanced track that offers a good variety of short, medium and long turns as well as uphill and downhill braking.

Thanks to his location and the favourable weather conditions, Jerez is one of the most popular venue for testing for bikes and cars. All in all Jerez has hosted 7 editions of F1 championships and 16 editions of MotoGP.

Jerez has two alternative tracks of 4,423 and 4,428 m) and a motocross track of 1,877m built in 1992.

In 2002 the track was renewed, the safety measures were improved (new run off areas and resurfacing of the tarmac) and the facilities – the press room, the control tower and the pit garages – were renovated.

The hills that surround the Andalusian racetrack build a natural amphitheatre that offers an incredible view of the track. With a capacity of 50 thousands seats for a total of 250 thousands spectators, Jerez is one of the best tracks in the world for public facilities. The atmosphere you can experience at Jerez is unique: a hug of more than 200 thousands aficionados packed on the grandstands and the natural hills.

At night the show goes on in town where the fans can show their ability at riding in extempore competitions in the alleys of the town.

The Track

Venue of the World Road Racing Championship since 1987, Jerez de la Frontera is one of the most beloved events of the season: 4,423 m lapped for 25 times in a packed racetrack where more than 200,000 aficionados crowded the grandstands and the public areas of the track for three days.

Jerez in fact has a very good reputation both for his public and the layout of the track. It’s a very balanced racetrack with a little bit of everything – a good selection of short, medium and long turns plus uphill braking and downhill braking – which is why the Spanish venue is so popular for testing.

Sete Gibernau comments for us the Spanish racetrack:

“Firstly I’d like to say that because of the features of this track, it’s very important to find the right setting and a good balance of the bike.

“The front tyre is very important at Jerez, you need the front to turn well and to have a good feeling. The two most important sections of the track are the two last fast rights and right-hander onto the back straight, through there the front needs to do a lot of turning at the same lean angle. The rear tyre is obviously hugely important as well because the big thing is with these bikes is how fast you get on throttle out of corners, to use all that power.

“For me the best overtaking points are the first and the last corner after the back straight, whereas it’s difficult to be fast in the infield (the part of the track that follows the back straight).

“My favourite part of the track is the two last, fast rights. You can always feel when you get them right because the revs are really high and you may touch the rev limiter before the final hairpin. If you do that, and the rest of the lap was good, you know that it’s going to be a fast one.”

Sete Gibernau: A CHANCE OF REVENGE AT THE HOME GP

Sete Gibernau did not disappoint the expectations and at the first round of the 2004 championship he scored the third place of the podium after a spectacular and hard-fought race. Despite some problems at the setting of the bike, Gibernau fought with the first riders lapping at a very high rhythm of 1’33” for two third of the race finishing third.

“I’m satisfied with the result of the South African GP. Fighting for the podium without having found the right setting of the bike, for me it’s like a victory.

“With my team I will try to solve the problems we had at Welkom in order to be very competitive. I have a great confidence in myself and I believe that if we find the right setting I can ride for the win. I have matured a lot At a personal level.

“For a Spanish rider it’s very important to score a good result at the Spanish GP: Jerez is very special, it’s one of the best racetracks in the world not only for the layout of the track. The public there is unique, it’s a home GP I’d like to give a big satisfaction to Spanish aficionados and to all the spectators that come to Jerez for the race”.

COLIN EDWARDS : “MOVE ON TO JEREZ”

“Let’s move on to Jerez”, Colin Edwards looks forward to the race at Jerez where he is determined to do well and to show all his talent.

His first race with Telefonica MoviStar Honda MotoGP colours, was below expectations if we consider the lap time he recorded during the practices on Friday and Saturday at Welkom, where he lapped at a very high rhythm without particularly problems of setting or chattering. During the race instead a problem he had a big problem of chattering and he He just finished seventh, but he couldn’t explain why. Rather, he knew there was a front end bounce holding him back, but he had no idea where it had come from.

“On Saturday everything was perfect. We changed nothing. Same tyres, same everything, same bike. Morning warm-up was good. We didn’t really have much of a problem, not a chatter, but bumps and rough. But today the chattering started since the first lap and it never stopped, the bike didn’t turn That’s easy. But you look on the computer. Whereas the chatter yesterday would be little bits, today it just started miles before it, lots bigger, and ended miles after it. It’s like you’re not even looking at the same bike. There is no explanation. I will study the problem with my mechanics in order to be competitive at Jerez.”

Colin Edwards flew from South Africa directly to Italy where he is going to move with his wife Alyssia and his the 15 months baby, Gracie. In the week before Jerez he is going to move on the new house, located near the Gresini Racing Racing Dept and near the Misano. I’m happy to live in Italy “near the racing dept, near the beach and with the best food in the world”.

He will spend the week also continuing his physical preparation, training with one of the two supermotard that the team put at his riders’ disposal.

THE TEAM’S COMMENT

Fausto Gresini, team manager:

“If we look back to the South African Grand Prix, I can say that this year the championship will be very demanding for everybody. It’s very important to be very strong and fast at every track.

“The first race was though – Sete was very good, he pushed hard and scored the third place despite we hadn’t found the best setting for the bike. I’m happy with this result, the Spaniard demonstrated to be very competitive and we are confident for the next race.

“Colin suffered from a problem of chatter since the first lap and he couldn’t show his talent and all his potential. All in all, I’m confident because the Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda MotoGP has two top riders and we hope that they can demonstrate soon all their potential.”

The team is confident for the GP of Spain. The data we got during the last test session at Jerez will be important for the setting of the bike. We are motivated to do well, the Team Telefonica MoviStar Honda MotoGP is ready for the next challenge to be held at Jerez on the Sunday the 2nd of May.

The squad will test at Jerez with HRC for a two-day test session.