Mies, April 5 Meeting between the FIM and MSMA Mr Zerbi meets Mr Kanazawa In a meeting held today at the FIM headquarters in Mies, near Geneva, FIM President Francesco Zerbi and FIM Chief Executive Officer Guy Maitre welcomed the new Chairman of the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers’ Association (MSMA), Mr Suguru Kanazawa, who was accompanied by MSMA General Secretary Takanao Tsubouchi. It is the first meeting since Mr Kanazawa was indicated as MSMA Chairman in February. Mr Kanazawa reconfirmed the willingness of MSMA to collaborate together with the FIM for the development of the FIM Championships and motorcycle sport, for which the manufacturers provide the most important tool: the motorcycle itself. Mr Zerbi stated: “I am very happy to see that the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers’ Association is willing to collaborate intensively in the development of the motorcycle sport together with the FIM. Our wish is also to collaborate actively and to reach agreements with MSMA regarding political as well as technical aspects of the motorcycling sport”.

JOE ROCKET HONDA LAUNCHES SERIES OPENER WITH A ONE, TWO, THREE Leaving all traces of last year’s horrific injuries behind, Joe Rocket Honda’s Josh Brookes was in a class of his own this past weekend at round one of the Australian Superbike Championships. Brookes skillfully launched this season’s 600cc class with an overall win after taking pole position with a laptime of 1:38.7, subsequently obliterating the competition in each of the three races. After rain cancelled out the third Oz SBK race, Brooksey also claimed the win in the class on points, taking him to round two as outright leader in both championships, a superb accomplishment for the young man whose future was looking unclear after a careerthreatening accident in round four of last year’s series. In Supersport, Adam ‘Krusty’ Fergusson – who also shone in the Superbike class – stayed close by but couldn’t close the gap on his team mate. Through three steady, consistent outings, Krusty nailed second position for the weekend primarily battling with Honda’s junior development team rider Jason O’Halloran (Rocket Racing) who kept the veteran at bay in the first two races for as long as possible. From the front row of the start grid, all three factory riders led the 32 strong field in race one and two with Mark Aitchison and Robbie Baird keeping them honest early on, however the Yamaha riders couldn’t get any distance on the Honda men and their latest release CBR600RR’s. On his win, Brookes said he is “feeling great and I’m really happy with the new bike.” “We had some time to test a lot of different set ups prior to the first round here at the Island so that was well worth the effort.” Brooke’s right hand man and Team Technician Garry House noted however that the motorcycle is still in its development stage having only arrived in the country two months ago. “I think we’ll see even more performance out of the 600 as the year goes on,” House said. Commenting on his results, last year’s Champ Fergusson said that they “played around with the suspension a little for the second Supersport race but I still wasn’t getting quite as much grip as I would have liked so I didn’t push the envelope to catch Josh.” Race three was a blueprint of the earlier outings for Joe Rocket’s two top guns, however young Rocket racer O’Halloran had to settle for seventh after a shaky start in the wet. With a third overall for the day, the Wollongong teenager was thrilled. “I’m happy to be on the podium after all the problems I had last year with my foot and ankle. It’s a good start to 2005 for me.” The Team had equal success in the Superbike class with Brookes finishing first and third in the two races that did run as planned. “I actually didn’t get the best start in race one but I managed to get up to the front fairly quickly,” Josh noted. The ‘master of slide’ put on a spectacular show for the remainder, eventually taking the win by 3.4 seconds in front of Kawasaki’s Jamie Stauffer. 2004 Champion Fergusson took the honours in race two after muscling by Shawn Giles (Suzuki) on more than one occasion, keeping the crowds highly entertained with some world-class racing. After finishing near the back of the pack in race one due to a technical problem, Adam came in at 7th for the day. In his matter of fact manner, Adam explained the day. “Superbike race two was under control, no problems whatsoever. Unfortunately I didn’t pick up points in the first race due to a tyre issue. That was just one of those things. I spun it a bit on the start line and it got unbalanced which is never good for a tyre on a race track. Prior to that I was having a good race.” That he was. Krusty clocked the fastest lap for race one with a 1 minute 35.5 seconds. The fourth member of the factory Honda crew, Judd Greedy, unfortunately had to sit by the sidelines and watch due to a multiple vertebrae injury sustained during testing last month. “The latest doctor’s orders are that I need to rest for a couple of months,” Greedy said. “All going to plan, I should be able to race at round three.” With a smile on his face, Team Manager Paul Free was clearly pleased about his Team’s first foray into 2005. “There are always a lot of eyes watching the Championship winning team when a new season starts so I think we’ve shown here today that we have the machinery and the talent to keep the ball rolling, I’m really pleased that Josh is starting right back where he left off before he was taken out last year in West Australia. In fact, JB will be going to Suzuka in the next couple of weeks to test for the 8 Hour which is a fantastic opportunity for him. Krusty and Jason were also in form today. I’m particularly happy to see Jason up on the podium where he belongs. He is an incredible young talent who has a bright future.” The Joe Rocket Honda and Rocket Racing Teams will compete in the next round of the Australian Superbike Championships to be held on April 28 to May 1 at Eastern Creek, NSW. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Australia: Australian Superbike Championship Round 1 Phillip Island. Kawasaki Racing Team enjoy a successful first round of the Australian Superbike Championship. The Kawasaki Racing Team enjoyed their first hit out of the 2005 season with a new domestic Superbike lap record and some very competitive riding being the highlights. The flowing nature of Phillip Island always allows riders to show their potential and this first round of the ASC provided some sparkling racing. “Overall we had a pretty good weekend”, said Kawasaki’s senior team co-ordinator Scott Breedin. “Jamie Stauffer set a new Australian Superbike lap record of 1 minute 35.247 seconds in the first of the two Superbike races and proved the Ninja ZX-10R to be an extremely competitive package. Josh Waters improved throughout the weekend and showed us all his tenacity. He’s still getting used to the new ZX-6RR and the Michelin tyres and although he can take a little while to wind up, his natural ability allows him to be more than competitive as his confidence builds.” Jamie Stauffer was also happy with his weekend. “Qualifying soon showed us that we were up to speed and although I qualified 4th, it was pretty tight at the top and a front row start was important. I really enjoyed the first race even though I rode alone for much of it, I was dicing at the beginning with Shawn Giles and Adam Fergusson and took a while to get past both of them. In the meantime Josh Brookes had got a break on us and I set about catching him. Unfortunately I didn’t quite get there, but it was a great race anyway. “The second race was also shaping up well, with Shawn and me dicing for the lead. “Krusty (Adam Fergusson) made a dive under Shawn while I was trying to go around the outside as we went into Honda corner for the second time. Shawn sat his bike up and ran wide; unfortunately I had nowhere to go and ran off. I re-entered the race in 14th or 15th and set about catching up. The bike was handling really well and the new Michelins let me really push things. Unfortunately it was only a five lap race and although I got up to 9th, it would have be nice to have had a longer race and overtake a few more people. Then they cancelled the third race due to weather and bad light so I didn’t get the chance to fight for an overall podium spot”¦ a pity, but 4th overall is a reasonable start even if it doesn’t show what we can really do.” Josh Waters was full of confidence and felt he and the team achieved a lot throughout the weekend. “Qualifying was tough as I had very little dry track time prior to the qualifying session. I dropped two and a half seconds from the first qualifier to the second, which was a good improvement, giving me 7th on the grid. “I got a great start in race one, and was 5th after the first lap, gradually building up and eventually finishing 4th. The bike’s really quick and holds its own with anything out there, so I’m happy with the power and top speed. As the weekend progressed we worked hard on the settings and achieved a lot and the Michelin tyres proved themselves by hanging on well all weekend. In the second short race I used a tyre that had done more than 20 laps in qualifying and it worked really well as I had to make my way through the field to finish 7th after a shocking start when I got boxed in and dropped to 11th or so on the first lap. “I didn’t do so well in the third race, finishing 8th. The track was damp in places and I took a while to get used to the conditions. I fell back through the field to about 14th or 15th but then gradually got a feel for it and again started to work back towards the front. As I get more and more used to the bike I’m sure I will improve more and I’m really looking forward to Eastern Creek. I worked hard to be consistent and give the team good feedback and I think we achieved a lot. I’m pretty happy.” With the next round just four weeks away, Scott Breedin was also in a positive mood. “We got a lot done down here even if the results are not a true reflection of just how competitive we are. Jamie proved himself and the ZX-10R to be a front runner and with some better luck, at Eastern Creek we’ll be in a position to show just how much we have achieved. The bike is very good, the rider is riding extremely well and the new Michelin slicks are fantastic. I’m expecting podium positions and with any luck at all a win or two. “Josh also had a good weekend down here and as he adjusts to the bike he’ll continue his momentum and get some good results. He’s a fast learner and has the ability to be consistently fast, and I’ve no doubt at all that he’ll shine this year. Kawasaki Racing Team’s manager, Murray Sayle, was pleased with his team’s weekend’s work. “With both riders 4th overall, we’ve had a reasonable start and I feel sure we’ll build on it”¦ I’m really happy with the team, everybody’s working well together and it’ll show in future results.” The Kawasaki Racing Team will be competing in Round Two or the Australian Superbike Championship at Eastern Creek on 29, 30 April and 1st May 2005. See you there. Superbike Championship Pointscore Round 1 Position Rider/Team Pole Position Race 1 Race 2 Overall Pointscore 1 Joshua BROOKES / Joe Rocket Honda 0 25 20 45 2 Shawn GILES / Team Suzuki 1 20 22 43 3 Daniel STAUFFER / Yamaha Racing Team 0 18 18 36 4 Jamie STAUFFER / Kawasaki Racing Team 0 22 12 34 5 Scott CHARLTON / BTX Motorcycles 0 16 16 32 6 Shannon JOHNSON / Yamaha Racing Team 0 15 15 30 7 Adam FERGUSSON / Joe Rocket Honda 0 0 25 25 8 Shaun GERONIMI / Sydney Mesh & Steel 0 11 13 24 9 Tony REES (NZ) 0 12 11 23 10 Glenn ALLERTON / Team Suzuki 0 13 10 23 Supersport Championship Pointscore Round 1 Pos Name Pole Position Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Total 1 Joshua BROOKES / Joe Rocket Honda 1 25 25 25 76 2 Adam FERGUSSON / Joe Rocket Honda 0 22 22 22 66 3 Jason O’HALLORAN / Rocket Racing 0 20 20 14 54 4 Joshua WATERS / Kawasaki Racing Team 0 18 14 13 45 5 Jordan COOTE / Yamaha GYTR / Valter Moto 0 15 12 16 43 6 Jeremy CROWE / Rapid Bikes Magazine 0 14 11 15 40 7 Jarradd CURRAN / MSC Products 0 12 9 18 39 8 Robbie BAIRD / Yamaha Racing Team 0 0 16 20 36 9 Caleb STALDER / John Holland 0 13 15 8 36 10 Mark AITCHISON / Fraser Motorcycle Yamaha Team 0 16 18 0 34 More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: DEBUT 2ND FOR NEW GSX-R1000 Team Suzuki’s Shawn Giles raced his new GSX-R1000 into second overall at the weekend’s opening round of the Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. An all-new model, the 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 is at the beginning of its development phase, indicating that there is more speed to be drawn out of the machine and giving series rivals much cause for concern. The three-time Australian Superbike Champion claimed pole position in convincing fashion and dipped below the previous race lap record set by him in 2003. Said Giles: “This new GSX-R1000 Superbike is amazing; to be this fast straight out of the box is fantastic for Suzuki and it’s certainly a promising start to the season.” The year’s first Australian Superbike race saw Giles launch off the line and retain his advantage through turn one. He continued to hold the lead withstanding fierce challenges until midway through lap two. Struggling with a lack of grip, he slid back to fourth place before re-claiming third place from reigning Superbike Champion Adam Fergusson on lap eight of 10. Stepping up to the national Superbike class, Giles’ team mate Glenn Allerton made an impressive five-position gain during lap one, moving up into ninth place. Allerton ultimately managed to defend his well-earned ninth place after being engaged in a series of battles throughout the race, including Anthony Gobert, whose disqualification from race one saw Allerton elevated to eighth. Saturday afternoon’s second race saw Giles again rocket away from the start line for the five-lap contest. On the second lap, he came under intense pressure from Fergusson with the pair swapping backwards and forwards for the lead over the ensuing laps as Josh Brookes joined the fray in third place. The thrilling three-way battle eventually saw Giles greet the chequered flag in second place; the leading pair separated by a mere .044 seconds followed by Brookes a further .211 seconds down. Again starting from 14th, Allerton made massive gains in his lap times and despite being caught up with traffic in the mid-pack, the young New South Welshman moved forward to seal 11th place. Due to inclement weather conditions, the weekend’s third and final Australian Superbike race was cancelled for safety reasons. Said Allerton: “For my first on-track session with Team Suzuki, I was more conservative than usual throughout qualifying so I had my work cut out for me in both races. “My times improved by nearly 1.5 seconds per lap in race two so I’m pleased with my progress at this early stage of the season. “This is a great start to the season for the Suzuki team. We had some hard, close racing here this weekend and the new bike was absolutely brilliant. I’m really looking forward to the next round in Sydney where we should be very strong again,” he added. Team Suzuki Team Manager Phil Tainton said: “The new GSX-R1000 is an incredible piece of engineering and has already achieved so much success globally. At this early stage in development we’re all very pleased with its performance here this weekend.” The 2005 Australian Superbike Championship will continue later in the month with round two at Eastern Creek International Raceway on 29 April 1 May. TEAM SUZUKI RESULTS ROUND 1: QUALIFYING: 1st: Shawn Giles – 1:11.448 14th: Glenn Allerton – 1:10.998 RACE 1: 3rd: Shawn Giles (Fastest Lap 1:36.286) 8th: Glenn Allerton (Fastest Lap 1:38.657) RACE 2: 2nd: Shawn Giles (Fastest Lap 1:35.431) 11th: Glenn Allerton (Fastest Lap 1:37.299) CURRENT POINTS: 1 Josh Bro okes (Honda) 45 points 2 Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 43 points 3 Daniel Stauffer (Yamaha) 36 points 4 Jamie Stauffer (Kawasaki) 34 points 5 Scott Charlton (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 32 points 6 Shannon Johnson (Yamaha) 30 points 7 Adam Fergusson (Honda) 25 points 8 Shaun Geronimi (Yamaha) 24 points 9 Tony Rees (Yamaha) 23 points 10 Glenn Allerton (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 23 points

MotoGP returns for 2005 with Gran Premio Marlboro de España The MotoGP World Championship returns with a bang this weekend as the Gran Premio Marlboro de España heralds the start of another season of top class racing action. Just over five long months since the final round of Valentino Rossi’s title-winning debut season with Yamaha at Valencia, the world’s premier motorcycling racing series is back in Spain to open the season on European soil for the first time in almost two decades. It is familiar territory for the 21 riders who will line up in this season’s championship after three days of official tests at the Andalusian circuit just over a week ago. The tests heralded a potential new dawn for MotoGP, with a host of talented young riders staking their claim for honours against the established old guard of Rossi, Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi, the top three riders in the championship for the past two seasons. Nicky Hayden, Marco Melandri and John Hopkins, who are all under the age of 23, were fastest three riders at the test, with Hayden lapping almost a full second inside Rossi’s pole position record from last season. In fact, the top seven riders at the test were inside that record and it promises to be a thrilling confrontation when the action gets underway on Friday morning, with the added excitement of a new qualifying practice format for 2005 which will see three free practice sessions (two on Friday and one on Saturday morning) followed by a single qualifying practice on the eve of Sunday’s race. Rossi begins his title defence at a circuit where he boasts a stronger record than any other rider, having taken five previous wins there on 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP machinery. Despite the form of his young rivals, it is expected to be Gibernau who once again poses the biggest threat to the Italian, both for victory on Sunday and for the title. The Spaniard will count on the support of Jerez’s famously passionate local fans, 125,000 of who roared him to race victory in torrential rain last season, as he guns for home glory. As well as the familiar opposition of Gibernau and Biaggi, both entering their third season with Honda, Rossi will also be challenged by several new combinations this year after the winter merry-go-round threw up some interesting changes. Alongside him in the Yamaha garage Colin Edwards returns to the factory that gave him his professional race debut in the Daytona 250 race back in 1992, whilst young Spanish pair Toni Elías and Rubén Xaus also join the Japanese factory in the satellite team run by Hervé Poncharal. Troy Bayliss switches to Honda to partner Alex Barros after two MotoGP seasons with Ducati, whilst former Yamaha rider Carlos Checa joins the Italian factory in place of Bayliss as team-mate to Loris Capirossi. Former 250cc riders Roberto Rolfo and Franco Battaini will make their MotoGP debuts this weekend riding for D’Antin Ducati and Blata WCM respectively, whilst Shane Byrne will pilot the KTM-powered Team Roberts machine in its first competitive appearance. Dani Pedrosa also faces several new challenges as he wears the number one plate in defence of the 250cc World Championship. The Spaniard, who swept to the title in his rookie campaign in 2004, has been challenged for dominance of the winter tests by his main rival from last season, Sebastián Porto, but the arrival of 125cc World Champion Andrea Dovizioso and exciting youngsters Jorge Lorenzo, Hector Barberá and Yuki Takahashi to the HRC ranks, as well as the strength in depth of a factory Aprilia line-up which includes Alex de Angelis, Roberto Locatelli, Randy de Puniet and Casey Stoner, is sure to add an extra competitive edge to the category this time around. With the top five riders from last year’s 125cc World Championship having moved up to 250cc, the minor category promises to be another open affair and there is certainly no shortage on quality. Returning former World Champion Manuel Poggiali and experienced campaigners Pablo Nieto and Gabor Talmacsi are obvious contenders for the crown, although promising youngsters such as Mattia Pasini, Thomas Luthi, Marco Simoncelli, Mika Kallio, Álvaro Bautista and Lukas Pesek have all established their title credentials during the entertaining preseason tests. Whilst the action gets underway with the first 125cc Free Practice 1 at the normal time of 09.00 on Friday morning, there are some slight changes to the race-day programme for 2005. Both the 125cc and 250cc races will start 15 minutes earlier than usual (now 11.00 and 12.15 respectively) to allow extra time before the MotoGP race, which gets underway at the traditional time of 14.00. More, from a press release issued by BMW: MotoGP Jerez 8/9/10 April 2005 BMW CAR PRESENTATION FOR 2005 MotoGP SEASON As the eagerly awaited MotoGP season kicks off in Spain this weekend, so will *BMW’s* involvement with the most exciting motorsports championship in the world. The Munich premier car maker continues for the seventh season as the *Official Car of MotoGP* in supplying a plethora of high performance cars for series organisers Dorna and IRTA officials to utilise throughout the 17 race season. The presentation of the cars will take place at *16.30hrs *on* Friday 8^th April* on the Jerez circuit grid, right after the very first practice sessions for the weekend’s season opening Grand Prix. There will be a photo opportunity for all Press as the BMWs will be handed over. Heading the MotoGP BMW fleet will be the much written about BMW *M5* which with its V10 engine and 507bhp whilst a powerful 6 Series will accompany the M5 to make a duo of rapid response vehicles. Race Director Paul Butler will have a *750i *at his disposal, the Medical Car will be in the shape of a *330i Touring* together with a *545i Touring* for the Safety Officer, former 500cc World Champion Franco Uncini. The Race Stewards will have the usage of a *X5 4.4i*. Astride the front of each Grand Prix grid throughout 2005 will be two *BMW K 1200 R* Power Cup Bikes as Safety Bikes. These new machines will be the basis for the new* BMW Motorrad Power Cup 2005* that starts a seven race European campaign at Le Mans on May 15^th and finishing at Valencia on November 6^th . BMW representatives will be at the presentation on the grid at 16.30 hrs on Friday for any further enquiries. More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Yamaha: GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM READY TO DEFEND MOTOGP TITLE IN 50th ANNIVERSARY YEAR The Gauloises Yamaha Team returns to the Jerez circuit in Spain this week to begin its defence of the MotoGP World Championship title after an intense winter of tests, which concluded at the Spanish circuit just eight days ago. In the year of Yamaha’s 50th anniversary, current World Champion Valentino Rossi and his new team-mate Colin Edwards will be challenging for victory on the new, improved version of the impressive YZR-M1 machine, that swept to the title in Rossi’s prodigious hands in 2004. It’s been a busy winter for the Italian, which began with an historic journey to Yamaha’s head office in Iwata, Japan, to receive the certificate of ownership for his title-winning YZR-M1. The bike was given to Rossi as a personal ‘thank you’ from the company’s president, Mr Toru Hasegawa, last November. Since then Yamaha’s engineers and Rossi have worked extensively on the 2005 version of the machine at in-depth test sessions in Malaysia, Australia and Spain, where he has been joined by his new Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Edwards. The new pairing have a similar riding style and, having previously worked closely together at the Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance race, have forged a close relationship that has helped accelerate development of the 2005 version YZR-M1. The 990cc, 220+hp machine is a far cry from Yamaha Motor Company’s first race motorcycle, the 5hp YA-1, which enjoyed a winning debut at the Mount Fuji Ascent Race in 1955. That historic victory made the YA-1 officially the fastest motorcycle in Japan and the philosophy behind its creation is what has driven Yamaha to building the championship-winning motorcycle. Fifty years ago, Yamaha’s then-President Genichi Kawakami challenged his team to “achieve the greatest possible results within the given conditions by making thorough preparations, checking operations for completeness and practising in actual race conditions”. Rossi and Edwards worked precisely to that end during three days of IRTA tests at Jerez last week and are now itching to reap the fruits of their labour in this weekend’s opening Grand Prix. Traditionally the first European race of the season, Jerez this year opens the championship for the first time and is sure to welcome a capacity crowd. The 2004 event attracted record weekend attendances in excess of 206,000 people, with almost 125,000 turning out on race day, despite torrential rainstorms, to maintain the unique atmosphere that has become synonymous with one of MotoGP’s most prestigious events. VALENTINO ROSSI: RARING TO RACE Valentino Rossi admits he is relishing the opportunity to go racing again after a long winter of public appearances and tests. In recent weeks the World Champion has worked intensively on the chassis setting of his 2005 YZR-M1 in order to make it as agile as last year’s machine and, after experiencing some initial problems, the Jerez tests confirmed his rapid progress as he steadily worked towards a succession of highly-promising lap times on race tyres. “I’m happy at last to have finished testing and to be going racing,” says Rossi. “We’ve done so many kilometres with the bike and on planes that it already feels like the middle of the season! We’ve got a new bike and some things are very different to the old M1 so we’ve needed this development time. We’ve made some mistakes along the way but overall we’ve done some good work and I think we are ready to race now. I’m confident about the first race.” Rossi has a stronger record at Jerez than any other rider, winning here on no fewer than five occasions in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP classes. However, the Italian admits he has a score to settle after a disappointing race last year, when heavy rain hindered his chances of finishing any higher than fourth place after qualifying in pole position. “Jerez is one of my favourite tracks. It suits my riding style well; it’s technical and difficult, with long, fast corners where the line is very important, and hard braking. I made a lot of kilometres here on the 125 and 250 bikes when I was younger and I almost always have a good race here. However after last year I have an account to settle with the circuit! I was very fast in the dry, with pole position, but then the rain ruined it on race day – I hope this year it will stay dry.” After taking the title in his first season with Yamaha, Rossi is now faced with perhaps the even bigger challenge of defending his crown with his rivals knowing exactly what to expect from the first race. “For sure this will be a very hard fight this year,” he admits. “Last year we surprised everyone and they didn’t expect us to win immediately. This year everyone will be trying to arrive in front of us from the first race. I think that Gibernau will be my closest competitor again but there are a lot of fast riders and it will be a big battle! “To start the championship in Jerez is great for the fans and for sure there will be a big, big party for everyone. The fans that come here are amazing and I also hope for them that it doesn’t rain!” COLIN EDWARDS: MAKING HIMSELF AT HOME Colin Edwards is also looking forward to getting back to competitive action in what will be his debut year for Yamaha in MotoGP. The American actually began his top-level career with the factory, clinching his first professional win on a Yamaha 250 at Daytona in 1992 before starting his World Superbike career with the factory three years later, and he has quickly felt at home with both the team and the YZR-M1. Edwards, a specialist tyre tester, has worked extensively with Michelin and new Crew Chief Daniele Romagnoli over the pre-season. The Gauloises Yamaha Team rookie’s swift adaptation to the demands of the YZR-M1 has allowed him to focus on specific areas of development, such as engine mapping, to help create a competitive overall package. “I am happy with how I’ve rounded off the end of the preseason testing and I was really glad to do some good work on race tyres during the IRTA Test in Jerez,” says Edwards. “It was useful to have a test at the same circuit as the first race and during all our hard work there we found a really good base set-up. I hope that when we get to Jerez on Friday we’ll be able to start working straight away at the level we were at during the last test. Obviously it rained during the race last year, which wasn’t good for me, but we had a good test in the wet during the IRTA test and I’m confident that we’re ready for that, too. “After so much flying this year, eight tests since Valencia and so many track miles already ridden, I’m really happy that we’re going racing at last! After the last tests I’m pleased with the bike and quite excited about the good package that we’ve got to start the season with. I feel like I’ve come a long way since I first sat on the Yamaha last November. The tests have been hard work but there’s no denying it’s good to get so many laps under my belt.” Having only ridden at Jerez for the first time on his arrival to MotoGP two seasons ago, Edwards doesn’t have the same history there as Rossi and can only boast a best finish of seventh at the circuit. However, the Texan built on his knowledge at last week’s IRTA tests and says he’s ready to challenge for the podium in any conditions. “I rode a MotoGP bike for the very first time at Jerez and I’ve always liked the track. However I haven’t had very much luck there since then and I’m looking to turn that around this year on the Yamaha! “I’m determined to do well at the first race, I won’t be happy with anything less than the top step of the podium. I feel good about the forthcoming season and I hope that I will be fighting for the championship from this very first GP. The track has a good layout and it’s definitely a rider’s track. I’m looking forward to seeing all the crazy fans as usual and I think it will be a good place to kick off the new season!” DAVIDE BRIVIO: CALM AND CONFIDENT Gauloises Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio is as keen to get back to racing as the riders, having worked equally hard over the winter to make sure the YZR-M1 is as competitive in 2005 as it was in 2004. Having won the team title as well as the riders’ title last season, Brivio admits there is more pressure on his staff this time around but expressed his confidence in the diligence of their preseason preparations. “After a long winter, during which we’ve done a lot of testing, it’s really good to be finally going racing,” commented Brivio, who has worked previously with Edwards during his time in the World Superbike series. “We’re very interested to see the level of our bike against all the others; during testing everybody has been very aggressive but also everybody tends to try to hide some things about their bikes! “We want to see where we really are against the others and this is the first real chance. We’re feeling a little bit different to this time last year; this time everyone is looking at us and expecting us to be in front. Despite this added pressure we’re really excited about it! “With Valentino and Colin we’ve had some ups and downs throughout the winter, but it’s generally been positive and we’ve concluded testing on a good note. Valentino was not bad during the Barcelona test and he set some good times in Jerez last week. There are still a few problems to solve on the new bike, but nothing big and I’m confident that we’re ready for the first race. I am sure that the mechanics and engineers will be able to fix these things during the two days of practice before the race. “Colin has spent the winter working hard to adapt to a new bike and a new team. We were pleased with his progress at the Jerez test and now we’re looking forward to seeing how he does at the first race. I think he has a good chance to stay in the top group; this is our target for the first race. I hope that we can see both our riders on the podium together often during this season; this is our dream!” BLAST FROM THE PAST: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF YAMAHA GLORY Almost two decades have passed since Yamaha’s first success at the Jerez circuit, when Eddie Lawson clinched victory in what was actually then called the ‘Portuguese Grand Prix’ in 1988. It was only the second race to be held at Jerez and Yamaha was completely dominant, filling the podium with new boys Wayne Rainey and Kevin Magee taking second and third places respectively behind Lawson. The victory signalled a return to form for ‘Steady Eddie’, who had lost his title to Wayne Gardner in 1987 after two consecutive 500cc World Championship-winning campaigns for Yamaha. It also triggered a run of results that would see the Californian reclaim his throne for the third time, as he went on to win the next round at Imola and take four further victories from the remaining ten races. “That race feels like 100 years ago now but it was a really important victory for myself and Yamaha,” remembers Lawson, who ended his illustrious Grand Prix career in 1992. “To be honest there were so many close races that season against guys like Rainey, Gardner, Magee and Mamola that it’s hard to remember the details, but one thing that always stands out in your mind from Jerez is the atmosphere. The sport had been made huge there at that time by guys like Angel Nieto and I guess the tradition has continued from there.” Before Valentino Rossi’s historic title triumph last season for Yamaha, Lawson was the only rider ever to have won the premier-class for different manufacturers in successive seasons. It is a feat he admits he expected to be repeated much sooner and says that Rossi is a special talent. “Records are there to be broken and to be honest I was sure mine would fall much quicker than it did. I suppose if there is anybody out there who had to do it, it would be Valentino. From what I have seen he is in another league to the other riders, he is very impressive. “Above all I was pleased to see Yamaha win the title again. I’ve still got a lot of friends there and I’m delighted to see them enjoying the success they definitely deserve.” TECHNICALLY SPEAKING The 4.423km Jerez circuit features five left and eight right hand corners, a surprising degree of elevation and some camber changes on what, to the casual observer, is a largely flat track layout. Exactness of line makes precise chassis set-up a must, and to make the most of the squirts between corners a clean and predictable throttle response is needed throughout the rev-range. With only a 600m main straight, absolute horsepower comes into play relatively infrequently, the most important factor being set-up for predictable performance through the regular changes of direction. Some heavy braking points around the track make that aspect of performance vital to a good race result, while the surface is neither the slickest nor most abrasive on the calendar. With Jerez a well-known quantity, particularly after the three days of IRTA tests there just a week ago, the riders should find the right set-up for their bikes relatively quickly. The fight for pole position is sure to be a close affair, with seven riders having lapped inside Rossi’s pole record at that final pre-season session. Excitement in qualifying will be even higher this season, as MotoGP now features three free practice sessions and just one qualifying practice, which will be held on the eve of the race. VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION Age: 26 Lives: London, UK Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 GP victories: 68 (29 X MotoGP, 13 X 500cc, 14 X 250cc, 12 X 125cc) First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc) First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc) GP starts: 140 (48 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) GP Pole positions: 35 World Championships 6 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 3 x MotoGP) Jerez 2004 results (Yamaha): Grid: 1st, Race: 4th COLIN EDWARDS: INFORMATION Age: 31 Lives: Conroe, Texas Bike: Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 GP victories: – 0 First GP: Japan, 2002 (MotoGP) GP starts: 32 (MotoGP) GP Pole positions: – 0 World Championships 2 World Superbike Jerez 2004 results (Honda): Grid: 8th, Race: 7th Jerez MotoGP lap record: Valentino Rossi (Honda), 1m 42.788s – 2003; Circuit best lap: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 1m 40.818s 2004.

Jerez de la Frontera April 5th, 2005 Spanish Grand Prix Preview More grip and better controllability: Bridgestone riders ready to race As the 2005 motorcycle Grand Prix season kicks off this weekend in Jerez, Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone presents itself as a proud technical sponsor of three excellent MotoGP teams, Ducati Corse Team (riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa), Team Suzuki MotoGP (riders Kenny Roberts and John Hopkins), and Kawasaki Racing Team (riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann). With this powerful and exciting line-up, Bridgestone continues its relentless pursuit of a world championship title. After a busy pre-season which saw the Bridgestone teams travel as far as Malaysia, Australia and Qatar for extensive tyre testing, the championship starts in the very heart of motorcycle passion in Southern Europe. Previously known for the exquisite produce of its more than 100 sherry wineries, Jerez has turned into the mecca of racing enthusiasts when the 4.423 kilometre circuit was first opened in 1986. The track consists of five right and eight left hand turns and a longest straight of 600 metres, but its main feature are the packed grandstands and green hills that host up to 150,000 ecstatic fans, who celebrate their racing heroes during the days, and party the nights away in the main Avenida of Jerez or in the nearby seaside town of Puerto de Santa Maria. The fiesta at last year’s race was somewhat disturbed by torrential rain on race day. To the consolation of all freezing Spanish fans under umbrellas and plastic sheets, local hero Sete Gibernau won the race thanks to his determination in front of his home crowd, and to his extraordinary riding skills in the wet. Due to the difficult and unpredictable weather conditions on that weekend, the true confirmation of the qualities of the Bridgestone tyres was postponed until the recent, official MotoGP test in March this year, which saw Bridgestone riders from different teams and manufacturers conquering remarkable positions on all three days. Suzuki-star John Hopkins surprised his competitors with a best time on day one; on the rain-interrupted second day, Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano moved to the top of the list, heroicly ignoring some wet patches around the track. On the third and final day, John Hopkins left his mark again with third position, closely followed by Ducati’s hero Loris Capirossi in fifth place. The lap times confirmed Bridgestone’s rapid development, with both Hopkins (1.40,418 minutes) and Capirossi (1.40,559) riding well inside of Valentino Rossi’s unofficial track record of 1.40,818 from last year’s Grand Prix qualifying. Modified constructions and new compounds lead to a remarkable increase in overall performance, handling and braking stability as much as corner grip, traction and endurance. To make sure of sufficient choice for all six riders under all possible conditions, approximately 700 tyres have been shipped to Spain from the factory in Tokyo. Hiroshi Yamada – Motorcycle Racing Manager Bridgestone Motorsport “Since last year’s final Grand Prix, the development of our MotoGP tyres has progressed at a rapid pace as we looked into the shape, construction, and compounds of both front and rear tyres. In the off-season test sessions in February and March, it seemed that the MotoGP motorcycles have mainly increased in terms of corner speed. We have seen lap times cut by 0.8 to 1 seconds compared to last year, which means increased stress on the sides of the tyres. To match this, we have improved mainly the grip level and controllability of our tyres, and we are confident that we’ve been moving in the right direction for the start of this season. We know our competitors have also made progress during the pre-season testing period, but we are ready to face the real challenge, and look forward to the first race this weekend with excitement. With a total of 17 races this season – one more than last year – we hope to achieve good results from the start, and to continue our challenge up the steep hill towards our goal, a MotoGP championship!”

Foggy PETRONAS Racing Experiences www.moto-events.info Moto GP and World Superbike race meetings offer an experience you do not forget one that you talk about for weeks, months and years later with your friends. Of course, along with millions of others, you probably see most races on television. The usual shouts and judgements are made as you watch the action unfold and afterwards, you talk about it with your friends, swapping biased opinions and theories about how, when, what could and what should have been done. All good fun, but not the same as actually ‘being there’ and Moto-Events are the people to take you there. It is now possible for World Superbike enthusiasts to enjoy unprecedented levels of behind the scenes access with the Foggy PETRONAS Racing Team. Moto-Events have announced an exclusive partnership with Foggy PETRONAS Racing which provides fans with three great new experiences. The Foggy PETRONAS Race Experience Exclusive behind the scenes team access and superb race event hospitality, available with or without weekend accommodation package. The Foggy PETRONAS Team Testing Experience Join the team for a weekend’s testing session at Lausitzring on 20/21st July 2005, including 3 Nights Superb Hotel Accommodation and circuit transfers. The Foggy PETRONAS Factory visit Tour their state of the art facilities, meet the team and experience at first hand, their commitment to racing excellence. Or as Carl Fogarty puts it:- ‘In teaming up with Moto-Events to provide a genuine behind the scenes racing experience, we’re offering the Superbike enthusiast an opportunity to get closer to the action than ever before. As a professional team, it is imperative that our partners reflect our values of professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication to the sport. We believe that Moto-Events do this better than anyone else. They offer a superb range of services and their customer understanding is unrivalled. This is why we’ve chosen to work exclusively with Moto-Events.’ For further details see www.moto-events.info

CCS Florida and Southeast Regions and USGPRU East Coast Region at Jennings GP, Jennings, Florida, April 3 By Lisa Theobald Trey Yonce won the Unlimited Grand Prix race at Jennings GP Sunday during the CCS Florida/Southeast Regional event on his Yamaha YZF-R6. In the process, Yonce set a lap record for a CCS event with a record time of 1:17.09 on the two mile track (The former record of 1:17.101 was set by Frank Trombino one year earlier on his Yamaha R1). The CCS event at Jennings GP was run in conjunction with the USGPRU East Coast season opener. Racers came from all areas of the USA to compete with both clubs reporting record number entries at this second ever combined event. CCS reported over 600 pre entries and 64 competitors showed up for the USGPRU 125cc GP and 250cc GP races. Amateur Florida racer Josh Day qualified fastest on both his Honda RS125 and Yamaha TZ250 to win the pole position for both USGPRU races. In fact, his consistent lap times in the 1:18s during 250cc GP qualifying put him only two seconds away from the track’s official record setting pace of 1:16.61. Day pulled out early leads in both USGPRU classes on race day and led all 12 laps of each race, putting both machines on top of the podium. Yonce was the breakout star of the CCS races as he and his Yamaha were undefeatable. He made the podium for all five events he ran, winning GTU, Middleweight Supersport, Middleweight Superbike, Middleweight Grand Prix, and beating out all the big bikes in the Unlimited Grand Prix race. On the podium, Yonce said, “Everything worked out for the best. I actually got the best start all day in that race. I came out like third or fourth and ran up pretty quick. Got behind Dave and I said, ‘Well, it’s still early. It’s the first lap. Well, go for it now.’ And, I put my head down and got a little gap and got out front. I got around him and he showed me a wheel back and then we settled back down and I just drove my own race.” Second place Dave McEnery commented, “Trey ran awesome all weekend. I knew he was coming. I told him before the race, ‘I’m going to try to hold you off, but if you get by, I’m coming.’ I heard him right back there going through the infield and I knew exactly where he was getting me because we talked yesterday about where I’m having trouble, which is right where he got me. And, I just tried to stick with him and ran the best race I rode all day. I got the holeshot, which helped.” Third place Shootout finisher Melka said, “Everything worked out pretty well. I was really, really surprised, honestly, to be running third lap-after-lap. I had lots of fast guys coming by throughout the day, and I looked back at the end of the race and they were a little ways back. I was really surprised. But, I’m really happy to be up here with my teammate, Dave McEnery. Trey rode great all day.”

Track: Barber Motorsports Park, Leeds, Alabama Event date: April 22-24 Promoter Practice: Yes Contact: 205-967-4745 Track: California Speedway, Fontana, California Event date: April 29-May 1 Promoter Practice: No Contact: 909-429-5000 Track: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California Event date: May 13-15 Promoter Practice: Yes Contact: 800-870-RACE Track: Pikes Peak International Raceway, Fountain, Colorado Event date: May 21-22 Promoter Practice: No Contact: 888-306-7223 Track: Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin Event date: June 3-5 Promoter Practice: Yes Contact: 800-365-RACE Track: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California Event date: July 8-10 Promoter Practice: No Contact: 831-648-5111 Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio Event date: July 22-24 Promoter Practice: Yes, 1/2-day Contact: 614-793-4600 Track: Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Virginia Event date: August 26-28 Promoter Practice: Yes Contact: 434-822-7700 Track: Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia Event date: September 2-4 Promoter Practice: Yes Contact: 770-967-6143