From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE – LE MANS
13TH MAY 2004 – EVENT PREVIEW

NEW TRACK SURFACE PROMISES FASTER LAP TIMES AT LE MANS

The world famous Bugatti circuit in Le Mans plays host to the third round of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship this weekend, and after enduring a rain lashed outing at Jerez two weeks ago, Fuchs Kawasaki’s Alex Hofmann and Shinya Nakano are both hoping for a dry race on Sunday.

Le Mans, home of the world renowned 24 Heures de Mans car and motorcycle endurance races, has undergone a transformation over the winter months, with resurfacing work removing the variations in track surface that proved so problematical for riders in the past.

Comprising nine right-hand and four left-hand corners, with only one long straight, the stop and start nature of the Bugatti circuit makes machine set-up extremely tricky. Mainly slow corners linked by short straights necessitate hard acceleration out of the turns, but into the corners the bike must be stable on the brakes and capable of being turned in quickly. Not an easy combination to achieve, especially in the limited track time available to Hofmann and Nakano prior to Sunday’s 28 lap MotoGP race.

But achieve it they must if the success enjoyed by the Fuchs Kawasaki team in the opening two rounds of the season, at Welkom and Jerez, is to continue this weekend in France.

The man responsible for providing Alex Hofmann with the best possible package for Sunday’s race is his Crew Chief, Christophe Bourguignon. Known by everyone in the paddock as ‘Beefy’, the 35-year-old Belgian joined the team at the end of 2003 and has already forged a close relationship with his rider. A crash in South Africa, and the rain at Jerez, means that Hofmann has not had a chance to realise his potential so far this season; a situation he is keen to rectify at Le Mans this weekend, both for himself and for his hardworking crew.

Having spent four years riding for a French team Shinya Nakano enjoys a loyal following amongst the thousands of race fans who will turn out for Sunday’s French Grand Prix, with the result that the 26-year-old Fuchs Kawasaki rider regards this event as being like a second home race. Nakano arrives at Le Mans in determined mood, after giving the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team their first top ten finish of the season last time out at Jerez.

Alex Hofmann: No.66
“I tested here last year, but I haven’t raced at Le Mans since 2001 and the track has changed considerably since then. This circuit is also very different to the two tracks we’ve raced on already this year, so it will be interesting to see how well the Ninja ZX-RR suits the stop and start nature of the layout, especially now that the whole track has been resurfaced. We haven’t tested at this circuit with the new bike, so finding a good set-up could prove difficult, but I’ve every confidence in my crew and their ability to provide a bike for Sunday’s race that will work well around here.”

Shinya Nakano: No.56
“Having ridden for a French team for such a long time, the French Grand Prix is like a second home race for me. I just hope that the French fans who gave me so much support in the past will continue to do so now I’ve switched teams for this year. The track surface here used to be extremely slippery, especially in the wet, but I went out for a look at the new surface when I arrived here and it definitely seems to be a big improvement. I’ve been told that the new surface means there is a lot more grip to be had, so I just hope it stays dry this weekend so that we can test it out for ourselves. It’s a difficult track to set a bike up for, but I’m confident that we’ll be able to find a good package for the race on Sunday.”



More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

LACONI AND TOSELAND (DUCATI FILA) LINE UP FOR MONZA SLIPSTREAMING ACTION

Monza (Italy), 13 May 2004: The second of two back-to-back World Superbike races in Italy sees the championship regulars head to the legendary Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on the outskirts of Milan, for the usual bout of high-speed slipstreaming action.

Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila) took a major step forward in his title challenge at Misano with a win and a second place in difficult conditions. The 28 year-old Frenchman, third in the table on 70 points, 27 adrift of leader Chili (PSG Ducati), went well at Monza last year, finishing second in race 1 and fourth in race 2, setting fastest lap along the way.

“I feel much happier after Misano than before because I did a couple of good races in difficult conditions” declared Laconi. “Now I feel I’m going in the right direction. I’m looking forward to Monza because I want to do the same there and get more points in the championship.

“I’ve had some good races at Monza. It’s a great place to race, there are very big fights all the time. For sure it’s only long straights, hard braking and the chicanes but it’s a track I like a lot.

“We have been working very well since the start of the season and I’ve got a good feeling with the 999. I think that if it’s dry we can be very fast at Monza. I have everything, a fast bike and a great team, so we should be competitive.”

James Toseland salvaged some points from a difficult Misano weekend with a tenth and sixth place from a row 5 start, but the 23 year-old from Sheffield feels there is a lot more to come following last week’s testing at the Monza track.

“I can’t wait to get back on my 999 after we turned the bike upside-down during last week’s Monza test” declared James. “Basically it seemed to suit Valencia and wasn’t dialled in at all for Phillip Island and Misano, but now we know the right direction to go in.

“I have some good memories of Monza, it’s a great circuit. I’ve always been fast there, it’s just that I’ve never had good results. Last year I was rubbing shoulders with Laconi and Hodgson and eventually finished fourth and fifth. I don’t mind all the slipstreaming and fairing-bashing that goes on at Monza!

“As the podium at Monza over the track is one of the most amazing in the world, I really want to be standing on it on Sunday!”

POINTS (after 3 of 11 rounds): (Riders) 1. Chili 97; 2. Toseland 77; 3. Laconi & Vermeulen 70; 5. Haga 69; 6. McCoy 55; etc. (Manufacturers) 1. Ducati 150; 2. Petronas 71; 3. Honda 70; 4. Kawasaki 36; 5. Suzuki 32; 6. Yamaha 16.

CIRCUIT INFO Name: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. Length: 5.793 km. Pole Position: left. Corners Left/Right: 5/8. Finish Line Length: 1.195 km.

STATISTICS Best lap: Hodgson (Ducati), 1’46.981 (2003). Lap record: Bayliss (Ducati), 1’47.434 (2002). Superpole: Hodgson (Ducati), 1’46.981 (2003). Race Distance: 2 x 18 laps/104.256 km.

2003 RESULTS Race 1: 1. Hodgson (Ducati); 2. Laconi (Ducati); 3. Lavilla (Suzuki). Race 2: 1. Hodgson; 2. Lavilla; 3. Chili (Ducati)


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Straight-talking for Foggy PETRONAS Racing at Monza!

Foggy PETRONAS Racing is aiming to consolidate on its eye-opening start to the World Superbike championship when the fast straights of Monza pose a different challenge this weekend.

Having already posted two podium finishes on the more favourable circuits of Valencia and Misano, with Chris Walker’s third place at the opening round being followed by Troy Corser’s second place last month, team owner Carl Fogarty’s expectations for the fourth round of the championship are realistic.

Carl said: “I think this could be a difficult race for us as it is the fastest circuit and we do not have the fastest bike yet. It might be down to the riders and maybe the conditions if we are to get both riders into the top ten. It’s a case of trying to keep our feet on the ground although it will be interesting to see if the improved cooling of the bike will close the gap between the top speed of the FP1 and that of a factory Ducati.”

The stresses placed on a new engine were apparent at last season’s corresponding round when Troy’s 13th place in the first race was all the team could muster, with both bikes being black-flagged in the second race when the old-style silencers caught fire under the intense heat generated by the engine down the long straights at the historic Italian circuit.

However, along with the PETRONAS engine development team, strides forward have been made in temperature management and a new specification engine will be used in the FP1 this weekend. The focus for this stage of development has been to improve reliability and consistency of the engine, and an increased power output is not expected until the next stage of development is available later in the season.

The latest development to the engine incorporates two main features: a revised sealing strategy to prevent oil, water and combustion gas leakages; and new ports, cams and combustion chambers to improve driveability, running temperature, reliability and fuel consumption. Following tests at Bruntingthorpe and Valencia during the last month a revised engine map has been developed in order to optimise the performance of this new engine configuration.

Chris said: “I really enjoy the Monza round because of the nostalgia of the place. But we know it is going to be tough for us here and an immediate test of the work the PETRONAS engine development team have been doing. The key will be to try and qualify well so that we can get off with the leading pack and get a tow down the straights.”

Troy said: “Monza isn’t actually my favourite circuit as it’s not much of a rider’s track. It is purely just a horsepower track. It will be a different kind of race to the last three because of all the drafting. The left hand side of the tyre doesn’t get used much here and stays cold. So you have to be careful at the last chicane before coming onto the back straight because, if you get on the gas too early, you can lose the back end easily.”


Circuit information: Monza, Italy

Best lap: Neil Hodgson, 1:46.981 (Superpole, 2003)
Lap record (race): Troy Bayliss 1:47.434.913 (2002)
Pole position: Left
Circuit length: 5.793km
Corners: 5 left, 8 right
Corner radius: 610m maximum, 12.5m minimum
Maximum slope: 2.4 per cent

Points (after 3 of 11 rounds)

Riders: 1 Chili 97; 2 Toseland 77; 3 Laconi 70; 4 Vermeulen 70; 5 Haga 69; 6 McCoy 55; 7 Martin 54; 8 Walker (Foggy PETRONAS Racing) 52; 9 Borciani 49; 10 Corser (Foggy PETRONAS Racing) 48