Six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin will ride his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 at the annual Dunlop tire test in December 2005 at Daytona International Speedway, but he will not ride a GSX-R600 in the Daytona 200 AMA Formula Xtreme race next March. In an online column he wrote in September, Mladin stated that he hoped not to test at Daytona this winter, that it did not make sense to him to test for three days at a track that only hosted one, 15-lap race. He instead hoped to test with his team privately at California Speedway in November, but his recovery from off-season surgery to his left ankle will force him to miss that date. “I will be at the Daytona test because I will not be attending the Fontana testing in November so my foot/ankle has more time to heal,” Mladin wrote in an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com October 31. “I was hoping to do the November testing, but we have decided I need more time. So I will be at Daytona to get some time on the bike.” In his e-mail, Mladin wrote that the 90-minute, September 9 procedure to repair bone fractures and remove floating bone fragments from his left ankle (injured in a crash during testing at Daytona in January 2005) and to repair old damage suffered in an ultra-light airplane crash in 1995 went well. He stated that he already has more range of motion than he has had since the airplane crash. Mladin is currently undergoing physical therapy in Australia and will continue physical therapy upon returning to the United States with Dr. Thomas Bryan, the orthopedic surgeon who performed Mladin’s surgery, at the Athletic Rehabilitation Center in Chino, California In his e-mail, Mladin also put an end to speculation on the Internet by stating that he will not ride a GSX-R600 in the Daytona 200 AMA Formula Xtreme race.

MotoGP set-up report – Valencia Circuit: Valencia Country: Spain Track length: 4005 m Opened: 1999 Fastest Lap Ever: 1:32.478 (Valentino Rossi, 2003) MotoGP lap record: 1:33.317 (Valentino Rossi, 2003) Last year MotoGP winner: Valentino Rossi 2004 MotoGP race summary At Valencia Valentino Rossi secured his ninth and final win of his world championship winning first season with Yamaha. Down in sixth after a tricky start he used his improving pace to good effect, winning 0.425 seconds ahead of second-placed rider Max Biaggi (Honda) and final podium finisher, Troy Bayliss (Ducati). After a difficult start, when Rossi did not get the drive he wanted, he immediately set about reducing the margin of advantage enjoyed by early leader Makoto Tamada (Honda), and on lap six he made a determined inside pass to lead the race for the first time. A gritty duel between the pairing saw Tamada pass on turn one of lap seven, leading the ranks ahead of Rossi, Nicky Hayden (Honda) and Biaggi. To the rapture of the 122,000-strong crowd, Rossi went back into a final leading position with a pass on the entrance to the last chicane. Colin Edwards had a less rewarding time at Valencia only finishing in eight position, still this was enough to secure a very commendable fourth position in the final 2004 standings. 2005 set-up report YZR-M1 Valencia is a circuit that offers a slightly undulating layout with good camber combined and an abrasive surface. It has many stop-and-go 90-degree corners, bumps and a tight design which has claimed many of victims losing the front-end. This is especially the case with the faster and heavier MotoGP machines. For this reason riders will be chasing security on this very point, followed by stability under brakes, while still offering the agility to deal with a circuit that is more suited to a 250 than a 240Hp MotoGP four-stroke. The latest spec YZR-M1 offers all the traits that a winning MotoGP bike should have; agility, drivability off slow and medium speed turns, enough horsepower to survive on the straights and all of this offered consistently throughout an entire race. The linear character of the ‘big-bang’ YZR-M1 power plant is supported by state-of-the art electronic engine management systems that offer a much more rider and tyre friendly delivery – making it easier to get on the power earlier in the turn and with more confidence. This is essential in the final turn – the run onto the front straight and the start/finish line. With all of these qualities secured, the main challenge will be to set-up the bike giving enough front-end confidence on corner entry in order to not fall victim to a low side crash. Regarding the geometry and suspension set-up, the Yamaha will have a front-end lifted slightly, compared to most other circuits, and the rear lowered. Combined with the right front spring rates and preload, all controlled by the rebound, this will allow for improved stability under brakes and a planted front-end. With good camber, except for the penultimate sweeping turn, the ability to leap the M1 hard off the turns is essential. Especially with the high corner speeds Rossi likes to carry. To ensure this the rear suspension preload will be set to prevent an excessive amount of rear-end squat – reducing understeer – while still offering a plush enough ride to provide good, consistent traction.

VALENCIA, ONE MORE GOAL TO REACH On Sunday, 6th November a packed “stadium” will salute the last appointment of the 2005 season, a championship of breathtaking races which saw the riders of the team Movistar Honda amongst the absolute protagonists. Marco Melandri, fresh with his victory in Turkey where he won his first MotoGP race, brought himself back to second place in the championship with 9 points between him and the American Nicky Hayden. The Italian rider will do everything possible to defend this position. The title of Vice World Champion would not only confirm the already excellent results obtained until now, but add value to an excellent rider and reconfirm the excellence of a team who in the last years imposed himself amongst some of the best teams in the MotoGP world. Thanks to the two Vice World Champion titles obtained by the other team rider, Sete Gibernau in 2003 and 2004, the team lead by Fausto Gresini once again reconfirms itself at the top of the Championship standing. There is a lot of suspense surrounding Sete Gibernau as he is aiming to close this difficult and complicated season with a fantastic result. A season in which the Spanish rider couldn’t demonstrate his full potential. In front of his fans, Sete is ready to put on a breathtaking and spectacular race, and we bet that we won’t be let down. SETE GIBERNAU- THE FEELING OF BEING AT HOME “Valencia has a completely unique atmosphere as it is the last race of the season. We all arrive here tired, but with a lot of desire to give to our Spanish fans a great result” comments Sete Gibernau, who conquered on this track his first victory in MotoGP in 2001. “It is a strange little track where the tyres become extra important as you are in and out of turns all the time. You need to setup the bike thinking of the entire lap because there aren’t really quick areas which can make the difference. The track requires a clean ride, every single corner becomes important to gain important tenths of a second and these tenths all put together can really make a difference. The front tyre is a key element to take on the sequence of tight corners which characterize this Ricardo Tormo track. On the straight you are back on the gas in order to take advantage of the 876 meters which launche you onto the next corner. Here the traction which you can get from your rear tyre is essential. There are different areas where you can overtake, the best one I think is the entry of the second corner while my favourite part is the last corner. As in every track, here the package is complete: you need a rideable engine, well-balanced suspension and plenty of grip and traction.” After an expectant, which didn’t produce the awaited results, the Spanish rider of the team Movistar Honda, always quick, wasn’t able to pick up the desired points. Sete looks with optimism to his home race, on a track which he is particularly fond of. On this track in fact, Sete conquered his first victory in 500cc, the last victory for a Spanish rider in this category. “After a very difficult season, in which I learned a lot, I would like to end this championship with a good result and I am happy to do this in Valencia, a home track where I will have all the support of my fans. To race the last round of the season in Spain is an extra motivation. I would like to give a gift to all those fans who follow my races and in particular to my fan club who always stood by me, even during this particularly difficult year. A gift to my team as well, who always did a fantastic job and who I would like to thank with a great finale.” MARCO MELANDRI – READY FOR THE CHALLENGE His first dream came true two Sundays ago on the track of Istanbul where Marco conquered his first MotoGP victory. Author of a perfect race, where he! rode impeccably the entire time, he cut the finish line 1 and a half seconds before the world champion, Valentino Rossi. Marco now has one more goal to complete. With 5 podiums and one victory Marco has now re-secured his second place standing in the championship and he hopes to confirm this in Valencia. “The title of Vice World Champion was only a dream at the beginning of the season, now it is a real goal to reach” comments Melandri the day after his triumph in Istanbul. The verdict will arrive in Valencia, a track which Marco likes and where he has already won in 2002, the year he won the championship title in 250cc. “Valencia is a beautiful track, not very quick but all to ride. I already had the chance to ride on this track with my RC211V last year during a test at the end of November. I immediately found a good feeling with the bike and with the track. This allowed me to find a quick pace right from the start. Now we get to V! alencia in very different conditions. After a year of experience on the Honda RC211V, 5 podiums and 1 win, a second place standing in the championship is a tangible goal to reach. I now believe in the possibility of being Vice World Champion. It would be a dream come true at the end of a great season, the best possible way to thank Fausto Gresini who believed in me, for the team who followed me in everything, for Honda and Michelin. I need to think about the championship during this Valencia GP.” THE MAN OF RECORDSMarco Melandri was born in Ravenna on June 7th 1982. He starts to race at the tender age of eight. Honda test rider in ’95 and in ’97 he debuts in 125. The youngest winner ever at only 15 years and 324 days, he wins in Assen in 1998 in the 125 class. World Champion again in 250 cc class in 2002 and once again the youngest ever and 20 years and 74 days (until the win of Pedrosa). In 2003 he debuts in MotoGp. With 23 years under his belt he ! can already boast 120 gp’s, 18 victories, 50 podiums and 9 pole positions. Marco can also boast the fact he is one of the few riders who have won in all three classes, 125, 250 and MotoGP. The others are: Valentino Rossi, Loris Capirossi, Luca Cadalora, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read and Chas Mortimer. THE TRACK Circuit: Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Built: 1999 Last modified: 1999 Length: 4.005 meters Width: 12 meters Pole position: right Right corners: 5 Left corners: 9 Longest straight: 876 meters RECORD: Track record: 2003 Rossi (Honda) 1’33″317 Pole position: 2003 Rossi (Honda) 1’32″478 2004 Race: 1° Rossi (Yamaha) 2° Biaggi (Honda) 3° Bayliss (Ducati)

MotoGP curtain to fall with Spanish fiesta at Gran Premio betandwin.com de la Comunitat Valenciana The MotoGP season reaches a fitting climax in the frenzied atmosphere of the Gran Premio betandwin.com de la Comunitat Valenciana at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Spain on Sunday. A weekend crowd of over 200,000 will pack the grandstands around the track on the outskirts of Valencia to witness the continuing battle between World Champion Valentino Rossi and the pretenders to his crown, Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden. Rossi has won for the last two years in Valencia on both Honda and Yamaha machinery and he seeks a hat-trick of victories to equal Mick Doohan’s all-time record of twelve wins in a season. The Italian knows it will not be easy with Melandri, who won the 2002 250cc race in Valencia, thirsting for a repeat of his historic first MotoGP win in Turkey at the last round. Melandri’s win has given him an eight-point lead over Hayden in their battle for second place in the championship after the American finished third at Istanbul. Mathematically Colin Edwards could finish second but Rossi’s Yamaha team-mate would have to win his first MotoGP race to have any chance. Max Biaggi, who holds the lap record at Valencia, looks likely to end a disappointing season in fifth place, thirteen points in front of an equally dejected Sete Gibernau. The Spaniard has yet to win this season and he will be aiming to repeat his emotional debut victory of four years ago before a likely move to Ducati at the end of the season. Loris Capirossi makes a welcome return to the Italian factory team after missing the last two races because of injury. Capirossi was given the all clear after a scan on his damaged lung on Saturday and will be hoping to hit the form that brought him victories in both Japan and Malaysia two months ago. His team-mate Carlos Checa makes his last appearance for the Ducati team and will seeking to end on a high note after an impressive finish to the season. Dani Pedrosa bows out of the 250cc World Championship after dominating the series for the last two years. Pedrosa, who took victory at Valencia last season, joins MotoGP next year with Repsol Honda and he will want to celebrate his 2005 title in front of his home crowd with a repeat success on Sunday. Casey Stoner could well spoil the party after winning three of the last four races. The Australian is in tremendous form and could also be heading for a MotoGP ride, whilst Randy De Puniet also makes his final 250cc appearance after signing a contract with Kawasaki to move up to the premier class next year. Thomas Lüthi is on the verge of capturing the 125cc World Championship in the final round. The Swiss teenager holds a 23-point lead over Mika Kallio and only has to finish thirteenth to ensure his first title even if the Finnish rider wins the race. For Kallio to win the championship he must take victory and hope Lüthi scores no more than two points.

HOFMANN AND NAKANO READY FOR FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON Germany’s Alex Hofmann will return to the Kawasaki line-up for this Sunday’s Valencia Grand Prix, the final event of a marathon, 17 race, MotoGP World Championship season. Out of action for seven weeks because of injury, Hofmann will race alongside Kawasaki’s MotoGP stalwart, Shinya Nakano, who is currently in tenth place in the championship points. The Valencia race comes seven months after the championship also opened in Spain, with the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. That race produced an outstanding performance by Nakano, his best qualifying and race result of the season. After qualifying fifth on the grid, Nakano finished an impressive fifth in the race. Nakano is aiming for a similarly strong end to the season on the compact, stadium-style Ricardo Tormo circuit, which squeezes 14 turns into a lap distance of 4.005 km. Nakano was seventh in this race last year, on a track of primarily left turns (nine) and short straights – the longest being 876 metres. This will be Hofmann’s final race appearance aboard a Ninja ZX-RR, with Kawasaki recently confirming that MotoGP rookie, French rider Randy de Puniet, will be Nakano’s partner for the 2006 season. Over the past six weeks Hofmann has undergone an intense programme of rehabilitation and physiotherapy – between four and six hours per day – in a bid to be fit for Valencia. Hofmann had 16 screws and two plates inserted to correct eight fractures to his left ankle and foot, following a crash in the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi in September. The full extent of Hofmann’s injury was not discovered until he returned to Germany and was treated by specialist, Dr Walther, in a Munich clinic. Having missed seven races in an injury-hit season, Hofmann is eager to return to race action for the season-closing Valencia Grand Prix, and work with his Kawasaki team mechanics for the final time. Shinya Nakano: #56 “I would like to finish the season with the same, or better, result than in Jerez. Valencia is a technical track and I like it, but it is difficult to overtake, so this makes qualifying very important. I remember that our tyre supplier, Bridgestone, had pole position here last year. A good grid position, and a fast start, are critical at this track. Overall I have enjoyed the season and, despite a couple of long flights, it seems to have gone very fast; it feels like I started racing just a couple of months ago. My goal was to finish better than tenth in the championship, but at the moment this is the reality for the Kawasaki team – with factory bikes from Honda, Yamaha and Ducati ahead in the points. For sure next year we need to take a big step forward, but I’m positive about this, it is one of the reasons I have stayed with Kawasaki for 2006, to continue with the ZX-RR project.” Alex Hofmann: #66 “I can’t wait to be back, I have watched far too many races on TV this season. I reckon I’ve got more screws in my ankle than the mechanics have in their toolboxes! I really must thank Dr Walther in Munich and everyone who has helped me in the rehabilitation – even if they thought I was joking when I said I wanted to race in Valencia. The Motegi crash was the worst I’ve had in terms of injuries, but that is behind me. I want a positive finish to the season in my final race with Kawasaki and to work with my mechanics again – they have been a great team. The physiotherapy and training have not been easy, but I have done everything possible to be as close to 100% fit, and I’ll do the best job that my body will allow. I’ve done a couple of tours on my Z-1000, to put some weight on my ankle, however the other riders have done the best training – they have been racing MotoGP.”

Suzuki set for season finale at Valencia Team SUZUKI MotoGP will be in Spain this weekend as the 2005 MotoGP World Championship draws to a close with the G.P.betandwin.com De La Comunitat Valencia. The Circuito Ricardo Tormo traditionally stages the last round of the season and a huge crowd will be expected to fill the only stadium track on the MotoGP calendar. The 4.005Km long circuit consists of 14 turns that are all important to a quick lap because there are no super-fast sections where time can be made up. The abrasive surface and the high amount of edge grip required will mean that the correct choice of Bridgestone tyres will be all important to the performance of the Suzuki GSV-R. John Hopkins will be starting his 17th race of the year although Germany did need a re-start following his spectacular high-side – and when he lines up for Sunday’s race it will be the first time the Anglo-American has competed in every race during a MotoGP season. He will certainly be looking to get the points to give him his highest-ever overall position and is still eager to get that podium he is so desperate for. Hopkins will be joined at Valencia by test team rider Nobuatsu Aoki, who is replacing the injured Kenny Roberts Jr. Team SUZUKI MotoGP take to the track on Friday 4th November for two free practice sessions, this will be followed by another free session on Saturday morning. During Saturday afternoon Hopkins and Aoki will be going all out to secure the best starting positions for Sunday throughout and hour-long qualifying session, Sunday’s race will begin at 14.00CET. Both Suzuki racers will be staying on for further testing at Valencia next week where they will be joined by new signing Chris Vermeulen, he will be riding the GSV-R for the first time on Wednesday 9th November. Paul Denning Team Manager: “This weekend will see the season draw to a close as far as racing is concerned, but we still have a lot of work to do as we start to prepare for 2006. Chris will be joining the team after the race and will ride the GSV-R for the first time next week, so it will give him an early chance to work with his new crew and get acquainted to the way Team SUZUKI MotoGP operates. “We are looking forward to the race as we know the bike can go well around here Kenny proved that last year by setting the fastest time on the first day. The track has a lot of helpful cambers, but the uneven surface and the tight layout of the circuit will be a test for all concerned. It is good to have two riders again this weekend and I’m sure that Nobu’s knowledge and experience will be a great benefit not only to John but the whole team. “Valencia is a quite unique event, with the closeness of the spectators and the stunning fireworks that are set off at the end of every race make this an event not to be missed. I hope that we can put on an equally good display to keep all Suzuki fans happy over the winter!”