Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thursday’s Provisional MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Ruben XAUS, Ducati, 2:01.309
2. Colin EDWARDS, Honda, 2:01.617
3. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 2:01.882
4. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 2:02.744
5. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 2:03.054
6. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 2:03.274
7. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 2:03.274
8. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 2:03.301
9. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, 2:03.356
10. Neil HODGSON, Ducati, 2:03.380
11. Alex BARROS, Honda, 2:03.422
12. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 2:03.615
13. Alex HOFMANN, Kawasaki, 2:03.621
14. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 2:03.919
15. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 2:04.005
16. Marco MELANDRI, Yamaha, 2:04.265
17. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 2:04.991
18. Yukio KAGAYAMA, Suzuki, 2:05.062
19. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Aprilia, 2:05.442
20. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 2:05.969
21. James HAYDON, Proton, 2:06.651
22. James ELLISON, Harris WCM, 2:07.859

Not qualified (Out 107%) 2:09.800

23. Youichi UI, Harris WCM, 2:10.611


More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Xaus takes first provisional pole in Qatar

Ruben Xaus took the first ever provisional MotoGP pole position in Qatar and the first of his career in an exciting first qualifying practice at the Losail International Circuit this afternoon. The Spanish rookie, who has had to learn several new circuits already this season, took advantage of the fact that all of his rivals were riding here for the first time and clocked a best lap of 2:01.309 to top the time sheets.

“This result just goes to show that I can learn tracks quickly and can compete with the best riders in this class when we are on a level playing field,” said Xaus. “It’s not that I necessarily have an advantage here, but I don’t have a disadvantage. We have had a lot of problems at other tracks this season but things are going well here from the start. There is still a long way to go yet this weekend and there are no points won yet, so I will just keep giving my maximum and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

Colin Edwards also adapted quickly to the new circuit, lapping fastest in the morning free practice and setting the second quickest time in the afternoon. The American’s Honda team-mate Sete Gibernau, who trails Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi by 39-points at the top of the championship, was third fastest and completes the provisional front row.

Rossi ran off track on several occasions but avoided crashing and joined the second row with his final lap after languishing down in thirteenth place. The Italian, who ended up 1.965 seconds down on Xaus’ best time, advanced to sixth place behind Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi, who were fourth and fifth respectively.

Nicky Hayden equalled Rossi’s time but finds himself in seventh place, with compatriot John Hopkins battling through the pain of broken ribs to qualify in eighth. Shinya Nakano joins the American pair on the provisional third row in ninth place. Neil Hodgson, team-mate to pole man Xaus, also flirted with the top positions but was caught out in the final push for times and slid back to tenth.

Sebastián Porto led an all-Aprilia provisional front row in the 250cc class but was head and shoulders above his factory colleagues as he tackled the new surroundings with unerring confidence. The Argentinean rider was over a second faster than his closest challenger Randy de Puniet, clocking a lap of 2:05.096 to confirm his dominance on the first day of action.

Fonsi Nieto seemed to be boosted by the fresh slate offered to the riders in Qatar, qualifying third fastest to join his team-mate Porto on the provisional front row. Alex de Angelis clinched fourth to complete an almost perfect day for the Italian factory, whose joy was tempered by the news that Manuel Poggiali will not be racing this weekend.

The current World Champion faces two weeks on the sidelines after badly gashing his leg in a freak accident, having fallen through a glass partition playing squash on Wednesday evening. Series leader Dani Pedrosa was the fastest Honda rider, qualifying fifth fastest ahead of his factory colleagues Toni Elías and Hiroshi Aoyama.

Andrea Dovizioso became the first man ever to clinch a Grand Prix pole position in Qatar, albeit provisionally, in the 125cc class. The current series leader dominated the opening afternoon session virtually from start to finish, setting a time of 2:13.907 on his final lap to dislodge Roberto Locatelli, just seconds after his compatriot had set the best time of the afternoon. Dovizioso’s team-mate Simone Corsi, continued with his impressive run of form and set the third fastest time, with Marco Simoncelli making it an all-Italian provisional front row in fourth.


More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha:

CHECA AND ROSSI COMFORTABLE IN QATAR WITH PROVISIONAL SECOND ROW

The first ever MotoGP qualifying session at the all-new Losail Circuit near Doha in Qatar produced a fascinating contest this afternoon. The session ended with Spaniard Carlos Checa (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha) snatching a provisional start at the head of the second row after setting the fourth fastest time. Team-mate Valentino Rossi was sixth fastest to also put him on the provisional second row. Unsurprisingly lap times have continued to tumble at the impressive new facility with the provisional pole time from this afternoon’s hour almost six seconds faster than this morning’s best. In 37ºc heat there were some less familiar names vying for the top of the time sheets as the riders battled to find the best lines around the 5.4km, 16-turn circuit situated 20kms north of Doha. Spaniard Ruben Xaus (Ducati) pipped American Colin Edwards (Honda) to the provisional pole, the pair having dominated the session. A flurry of final flying laps saw Championship-contender Sete Gibernau (Honda) take the last spot on the provisional front row with Checa and Rossi sandwiching Max Biaggi (Honda) behind. Uncharacteristically, World Championship points leader Rossi had a couple of off-track excursions during the session but neither resulted in a fall.

Unusually the Qatar MotoGP race will be run on Saturday at the local time of 3pm (2pm CET). The starting grid for the race will be decided during tomorrow afternoon’s final qualifying session when lap times are expected to improve even further.

CARLOS CHECA (4th, 2:02.744)

“The track was quite slippery and the rumble strips aren’t quite in the right position so in many corners it’s easy to touch the grass. The track needs to be cleaner for us to get more grip but I think the organisers are doing the best they can. Considering that it is all new and it is surrounded by sand I don’t think we could expect anything more. On the whole I quite like the layout. This morning was terrible for me but this afternoon has been much better. The thing now is to make small changes to the bike, especially to make us faster in mid-turn speed.”

VALENTINO ROSSI (6th, 2:03.274)

“That was a really strange day. I really like this track in terms of the layout and design. It is wide and technical with no bumps. There are some difficult parts and some fast corners where you really need to know how to ride. The problem is there is no grip because of the dust. This morning it was like riding in the wet but it was obviously a lot better this afternoon. The interesting thing will be to see how it is tomorrow morning. If sand blows on again tonight then we’ll start again and it will be hard to go faster.

“We have a few problems here. Mostly with the front setting and grip and I couldn’t go as fast as I wanted. I went off the track as I was trying to find the braking points and they were difficult to find. In the end I didn’t use qualifying tyres and so I think my time was OK. Xaus and Edwards were very fast but anyway, I am sixth which is not so bad and I think my championship rivals are in a similar position to me.”

ANTONIO JIMENEZ – CARLOS CHECA’S CREW CHIEF

“Today was a bit of a gamble at the new track but we weren’t in any different position to anybody else. Carlos felt OK on the track from the start of the session this afternoon and improved by six seconds from this morning. For sure we’ll be able to improve the times again tomorrow. We have been trying to find a direction on tyres for the race and at the end I was satisfied as he made a few laps at a good pace.

“It’s interesting to see the different riders up front here. Everyone has a chance to show what they can do in relatively equal conditions.”


More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

NAKANO AND HOFMANN ON THE PACE FOR DOHA DESERT RACE

A desert heat wave greeted Fuchs Kawasaki MotoGP riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, as they headed out on track at the start of today’s first qualifying session for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix.

Track temperatures topped 50 degrees at the new Losail Circuit on the outskirts of Doha, as the MotoGP riders continued with learning the characteristics of the track ahead of the historic first MotoGP race in the Middle East.

At the end of the one hour session Nakano had secured ninth place on the provisional grid, with Hofmann just 0.3s behind in 13th position.

It was a day of fast learning on the 16 turn, 5.4 km circuit, with riders undertaking a track sweeping role in morning free practice because of dust and sand that had blown onto the racing surface.

However, grip levels improved dramatically for qualifying, with lap times dropping by six seconds as a clean racing line became evident and rubber was laid down on the billiard table smooth surface.

That produced a racing line that was only about three metres wide, leaving little room for error.

Caution was the order of the day on the slippery surface, with Nakano and Hofmann preferring to adapt their riding styles and the Ninja ZX-RR set-up to a circuit with constantly improving grip levels.

Carrying on his impressive form from last week’s Japanese GP, Nakano was in the top ten throughout the qualifying session and was as high as second place after 15 minutes.

Nakano is confident that he has more to come, especially from his own riding, as he explores the limits of braking performance and front end grip.

And Hofmann is also confident he left some speed behind with a mistake in the third sector on his fastest lap, costing him valuable time.

A strong tail wind blew along the main straight in the afternoon, with only marginal discomfort on other parts of the circuit which features just one first gear corner.

Both Nakano and Hofmann expressed their delight with the Losail layout, which happily avoids the use of tight, flip-flop chicanes in its design.

Shinya Nakano: 9th (2’03.356)
“Overall I’m happy because I was always in the top ten. Today was a case of concentrating on learning the track and finding a set-up for the race. For sure we have to improve a lot, but I think a lot of that is down to my riding, especially in the fast corners. I’m lacking some feeling and confidence with the front end. I’m sure that as the grip levels improve all riders will be able to brake much deeper into the corners. I really like the layout, but the dust is the main problem and it will be difficult to overtake away from the racing line. For this reason, it will be important to have a good qualifying position.”

Alex Hofmann: 13th (2’03.621)
“I’m enjoying the track very much, but it is obvious everyone is struggling with the grip level, although it is improving virtually every lap as we sweep the track clean. However, the racing line is narrow and it would be verging on suicide to stray off it; the grip level drops dramatically away from the clean part of the surface. The section of track coming off turn ten is perfect for a MotoGP bike, as it accelerates sideways from second up to fifth gear: Fantastic. On my fast lap I had a good run behind Biaggi, but made a mistake in the third sector so I’m not real happy about that, but I’m learning every lap.”

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
“The Losail facilities are a fantastic addition to the MotoGP calendar, and it is clear everyone has made a big effort to stage this race. The whole set-up is a step forward for our sport, especially things like the air-conditioned garages. I hope that all the teams can stage a race that is worthy of this investment. The track is new for everyone and both Alex and Shinya were careful today as they build-up their track knowledge. Both riders did an excellent job, and the early indications are that the Ninja ZX-RR and our Bridgestone tyres will be well suited to this circuit.”


More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda/Gresini Racing:

GOOD START IN QATAR

1st OFFICIAL MOTOGP QUALIFYING PRACTICE

The Grand Prix of Qatar will probably be the toughest of the year because of the intense heat at the circuit. The MotoGP riders had to put up with ambient temperatures of 41ºC in today’s first qualifying session, with 55ºC on the track. Despite that the Telefónica MoviStar Honda MotoGP made a very positive start to the weekend, with both riders qualifying on the provisional front row. Colin Edwards, fastest in the morning free practice, finished in second place in the afternoon, three tenths of a second off the provisional pole time set by Rubén Xaus, whilst Sete Gibernau was third.

COLIN EDWARDS (2nd, 2:01.617): “I knew that the fact we were riding at a completely new circuit would be beneficial to me becuase I am used to having to learn circuits in a short space of time. This morning we tried out different tyres and set-up combinations and I felt good. The circuit is quite slippery but it improved a little in the after! noon. I think we’re working well and I’m sure we can knock a good second off the time”.

SETE GIBERNAU (3rd, 2:01.882): “It’s a new track for everybody, we don’t have any previous data, but I am very satisfied with this result on the first day. I think we are back on the right lines with a base setting which allows us to work calmly and Michelin is helping us a lot from that point of view. Tomorrow we will keep working to refine the set-up of the bike but I’m already very hopeful about Saturday.”

FAUSTO GRESINI (team manager): “This is a new track for all of us and this will be a demanding Grand Prix because of the conditions. The first day of qualifying was very positive for both riders, who are both on the front row, and tomorrow we can continue improving.”


More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:

MotoGP debuts in Qatar. Max Biaggi fifth fastest and on provisional second row. Makoto Tamada fourteenth

MotoGP’s debut in Losail, Qatar. On the new, modern circuit barely 20 kilometres from the capital of Doha the yellow RC211V of the Camel Honda team took the first steps towards the Qatar GP which will be run on Saturday on the 5,380 metres of brand new asphalt. In the morning free, the riders were cautious, as they gauged how much sand and dust was on the track, affecting both performance and safety. Later the surface began to offer better grip and the battle for the top time breathed life into the exciting qualifying session.


Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)

“A fact-finding day at a frankly interesting track where the MotoGP riders today made their first laps. Preparations for this GP have begun on a track with very little grip, but after a few laps, it began to get better, as proved by the lap times which decreased notably since the morning free practice. There’s still lots of work to do, but it looks promising for us, and our hopes will increase with the pace of our riders as their grip improves gradually.”


Max Biaggi – Camel Honda (Michelin Tyres) – 5th – 2:03.054

“We went out with a set-up based on a computer simulation, which seemed to go okay until the rhythm picked up a little bit more. Then, towards the end of the official session, we tried to make some modifications which came off straight away. So it seems we’ve found the right direction, even if there wasn’t really the time left to investigate it further. We will have that time tomorrow though, seeing as the sun is almost a guarantee, and we should also have time to set-up the gearbox, which still needs some work. The track is really quite nice, especially the last section where it links together nicely and you get a rhythm going. The grip levels change rapidly, as the asphalt gets cleaner, and we’ll have to take that into account for the set-up tomorrow. I think we can still knock some seconds off today’s times. It’s true that a situation like this could throw a few surprise names into the hat on Saturday, but I will undoubtedly do my hardest to make sure everything is in place to do a good race on my own behalf.”


Giulio Bernardelle – Camel Honda – (Makoto Tamada’s Technical Director)

“Today’s work was focused mainly on getting the right tyres for this track’s characteristics. So with a standard setting on the bike, we haven’t worked on either the geometry or the suspension, whilst we have tried various tyres. We’ve picked out both a front and rear tyre which seem to be efficient in these track conditions and this temperature, quite similar to Sepang in fact. There’s a big margin for improvement though, because the grip has improved notably lap by lap, and also after this first phase of work on the tyres, we will now work on the bike’s settings.”


Makoto Tamada – Camel Honda (Bridgestone tyres) – 14th – 2:03.919

“From this morning the grip improved considerably, especially on the racing line. Off the perfect line things are a little bit more difficult and so you have to be careful. Tyre choice will be crucial, especially with one eye on the temperatures, with the heat more than even at Sepang, and also looking at the grip levels which are improving continually. I like the track, the best lines are easy to find and the whole circuit is great to ride. Now we have to refine the set-up and tomorrow we will see if the grip can improve even more.”


More, from a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON KR PAIR TAKE ON THE HEAT AT QATAR

Round 13, Qatar GP, Doha First Qualifying:
Thursday, September 30, 2004

Nobuatsu Aoki: 20th, 2:05.969
James Haydon: 21st, 2:06.651


Proton Team KR riders Nobuatsu Aoki and James Haydon both qualified for Saturday’s inaugural Qatar GP today, overcoming blazing heat and a treacherously slippery brand-new race track that had several fancied riders taking to the gravel traps.

Aoki, aiming for a fourth consecutive points finish, spent the day not only learning the new 5.380km track, but also running through new Dunlop tyres, in the search for the best possible grip from the dusty and “green” surface.

Haydon had more to learn. The British rider, fresh from fourth overall in the British Superbike series, sat on the 990cc MotoGP prototype Proton KR V5 for the first time today. Haydon last rode a GP bike eight years ago, when the top class ran 500cc two-strokes.

Haydon is taking the place of injured team regular Kurtis Roberts, who is expected to be fit to race next weekend at Sepang in the Malaysian GP.

Today’s heat was a fierce 90°F (37°C) but the greater problem came from the previously unused surface of the brand-new circuit, in the desert outside the Qatar capital, Doha. Times dropped by six seconds from morning to afternoon, as rubber was laid on the racing line and the dust cleared. The difficulty is the lack of grip off-line, where there is no fresh rubber, making overtaking a major challenge.

There is one more day of practice before Saturday’s race, the first ever GP in the Middle East. Times are likely to drop still further tomorrow, as the surface continues to improve.

NOBUATSU AOKI
Things are going okay so far, though we are all struggling with the slippery surface. It got better in the afternoon, but off-line it is very bad … the same as at Welkom in ’99. We have some new tyres here, and I was able to try some of them. We went for a harder construction because of the heat, and that seemed suitable. I’m sure it will be a race of survival, so I will keep my concentration and try to be one of the survivors.

JAMES HAYDEN
The Proton KR V5 is a lovely piece of kit, and the fastest bike I have ever ridden. I was impressed when they started the engine, and I thought: That thing sounds a bit evil! I’m in at the deep end, and it’s difficult because of the lack of grip. These are very strange conditions. But it has such a linear power delivery I was surprised at how easy it is to ride, though it gets a bit harder when you try and get the last bits out of it. I’m struggling with the front end grip, which is very limited. Every time I tried to push I would nearly lose the front. But these are such great guys and such a professional team. We’ll sit down now and go through everything, and change both bikes tomorrow to get the front working better for me. It was easy to make mistakes today, but for my first day I went carefully to build up some experience.

CHUCK AKSLAND – Team Manager
We’re all reacting to the changing grip level, and that will continue tomorrow. We have a lot of tyres to go through, to chase that grip, and I expect we’ll pick up time, like all the others. Nobu is working hard as usual. James is doing just what we wanted of him, making progress all the time. Every time he goes out he does a better lap time.


More, from a press release issued by MS Aprilia:


McWilliams 19th as MotoGP hits Qatar

MS Aprilia Racing’s Jeremy McWiliams claimed the 19th fastest time in first qualifying at the new Losail International Racetrack – venue for Saturday’s historic Qatar MotoGP.

Today marked a new chapter in world championship racing history, with a MotoGP event staged in the Middle East for the first time. The 5.4km circuit, located a short drive outside of Doha, provided McWilliams and the MotoGP field with a unique challenge, not least because temperatures soared to an energy-sapping 37 degrees during this afternoon’s opening qualifying session. McWilliams and his MS Aprilia team started from zero with none of the riders have ridden at the impressive Losail circuit, built at a cost of just over 45 million Euros. Main pre-event concerns centred on grip levels, with worries about sand and dust blown on from the surrounding desert terrain likely to provide the toughest test of rider skill. Grip levels dramatically improved after this morning’s opening session though, evident in the lap times that were some six seconds faster this afternoon.

McWilliams, who clocked a best time of 2.05.969s, said: “The circuit is very technical with a lot of direction changes. One of the problems I’m having is the weight transfer. The bike is just sitting on the rear and pushing the front, so we changed the rear shock spring rate halfway through the session and that is pretty unusual. We should be able to improve tomorrow because I don’t think there’s going to be any rain. I’m also having trouble getting front tyres to last. We’ve already had to go for a harder front tyre than normal when there is no grip anyway. I made a mistake when I had qualifiers on and lost time in T3 and T4 which cost me a better time.”

McWilliams added the searing heat had not been as bad as he’d feared before flying to Doha, and he added: “It is hot but I expected it to be worse. I might think differently after 27 laps on Sunday though. I think next week in Malaysia will be worse because of the humidity. It is so bad in Sepang that you struggle to breathe. It’s still not pleasant here and this morning I thought my radiator had broken because the sun just beating down on the arms makes it feel like you are burning.”

McWilliams is the lone Aprilia entry this weekend with team-mate Shane Byrne recuperating in Europe after a successful operation on his damaged left wrist that will force him to miss the rest of the season.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:


Ducati Marlboro men get to grips with the desert

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss were 12th and 15th fastest in this afternoon’s opening qualifying session for Saturday’s Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix.

In withering 38-degree heat the pair spent the day trying to get to grips with a track that is so far offering minimal traction, due to sand blown onto the circuit from the surrounding desert. Most riders likened this morning’s session, when the surface was at its worst, to riding in the rain. But grip is steadily increasing – the pace this afternoon was already six seconds quicker than this morning.

“The circuit is very slippery at the moment, so there’s no point taking big risks because it’s only day one,” said Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “We saw plenty of riders running off the track in both sessions, which proves how little grip there is out there. We just hope that the situation improves over the next two days as the bikes lay down some rubber. The heat is also intense, but we like to see this as a great test for ourselves and for our technical partners, Michelin and Shell Advance!”

This weekend’s race – round 13 of the 16-race MotoGP season – is the Middle East’s first-ever motorcycle GP. The event is being held at a brand-new $58 million dollar racetrack constructed outside the Qatari capital Doha, just a few kilometres from the Persian Gulf.

Capirossi searches for grip

Loris Capirossi ended day one at Qatar in 12th spot and looking forward to improving during tomorrow’s crucial final qualifying session when the Losail track should provide much-improved grip and traction. In the meantime the Ducati Marlboro Team rider, still suffering from the right-foot injury he sustained at Motegi two weeks ago, is employing all his riding experience to find some grip.

“When a track has so little grip you need to use a lot of pressure on the outside footpeg to increase traction, so it’s not easy for me in the left turns,” explained the Italian. “The track wasn’t too bad this afternoon, though I thought it looked faster when I rode around on a scooter yesterday. The sand is a real problem, especially when you get off the racing line because there is even less grip out there. But the track is improving and so is the bike, so things should be better tomorrow.”

Bayliss reasonably happy so far

Troy Bayliss might have finished today much higher up the order if he hadn’t run out of grip and made a mistake in the last lap of his final qualifying run this afternoon. So even though the Ducati Marlboro Team man is only 15th, he is confident of a stronger showing over the next two days.

“At least I don’t have to worry about it raining for final qualifying!” grinned Bayliss, who is debuting a new Suomy helmet featuring a “more Australian” design. “This morning it was like riding in the rain, you had to really tiptoe around, but it was a lot better this afternoon, though still not good. I’m reasonably happy so far, but I lost 1.5 seconds in the last split of my good lap. It’s hot here but bearable. I’m feeling okay – you just have to make sure you drink loads.”


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:


Hopkins challenges for front row at Qatar

Team Suzuki MotoGP rider John Hopkins overcame injury problems to mount a strong challenge for a front row start in Saturday’s first-ever Qatar GP, placing third overall with only minutes to go in the session. But the Anglo-American admitted later “I mistimed it”, and by the end of the session five riders had run faster laps on the rapidly improving track, putting “Hopper” eighth overall.

New temporary team-mate Yukio Kagayama was 18th fastest, in his first ever ride on the latest Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP prototype. It was the Japanese star of British Superbike racing’s first time also on Bridgestone tyres.

Hopkins’s injuries – three broken ribs and a gash on his buttocks – were incurred a two weeks ago at the Japanese GP at Motegi, when he was one of five innocent first-corner victims of a crashing Loris Capirossi, who was also eliminated from the race. Hopkins bravely elected to race this weekend in spite of the obvious pain.

Team-mate Kenny Roberts Jr. was involved in the same crash, and suffered more serious injuries, including fractures and ligament damage when his left elbow was dislocated. Roberts will be out for this and the next two races, and Kagayama is replacing him here and at next weekend’s Malaysian GP at Sepang. Two weeks ago Kagayama secured third overall in the highly competitive British Superbike series, and had been scheduled to return home to Japan for corrective surgery before the call came to join the MotoGP team. Kagayama sustained serious pelvic injuries in the British Superbike series last year.

The Qatar GP is the first ever Middle-Eastern GP, and the first race also on the brand-new 5.380km Losail circuit, outside the capital Doha. The unused surface made for problems for all riders. Dusty and very slippery in the morning’s free practice, it had improved enough for lap times to be cut by a full six seconds in the timed afternoon session. The much-improved grip was only on the racing line, however, where fresh rubber had been laid down – and straying off that narrow line was precarious. Both Suzuki riders had minor off-track excursions during the afternoon – but were put in the shade by defending champion Valentino Rossi, with three high-speed runs across the extensive gravel-traps.

Today’s practice took place in blazing heat. One more day of qualifying remains before Saturday’s GP, with the expectation that lap times will get faster again as the track improves.


John Hopkins – Eighth Position, 2:03.301

It’s going pretty well so far, though the track is so dirty, and slippery that it’s going to be a big problem for a bike that doesn’t have the best speed. If we get passed on the straight there’s nowhere to get anyone back – overtaking is virtually impossible, and I don’t see that changing. The grip built up on line in the afternoon, but it’s still so slippery off line that if you tried to go underneath somebody you’d both crash. I had a small engine problem in the middle of the session that cost me some time, when I wanted to put the laps in to test race tyres. But I love the layout of the track, and I’m having fun round it. My ribs are bothering me a little on the bike, but while riding through pain is a hindrance, it doesn’t really bother me. Nor does the heat. I have high hopes, so we’ll go on taking it day by day. One thing I don’t want to see is dust storms overnight, making the track slippery again tomorrow morning.


Yukio Kagayama – 18th Position, 2:05.062

I tried my best, but the position is not enough so far. But I am getting a lot of information on my technique and on settings for the bike. It’s the first time this year I have ridden the GSV-R, and it feels very different to last year’s machine. The performance is very high, compared with my Superbike. Also I never rode on Bridgestones before, but the track conditions mean I can’t really say much about them now. This morning there was no grip, though it was a little better in the afternoon. I don’t mind the heat . it’s just