From a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda:

A NEW TRACK

GP OF QATAR – PREVIEW

The first ever Middle Eastern Motorcycle Race will be held on the Losail International of Qatar on October 2nd .

Built in record time, the circuit was inaugurated on July 9th of this year. During the twelve months necessary for the realization of the structure, between 800 to 1000 people where busy making this project happen. The cost of the facilities was about 52 million dollars. The structure is in fact of a first class making as are the security measures. Both on the inside and outside of the track there are three meters of artificial grass, both for the visual impact as much as for helping keep the track clean from the dust.

The track is 5400 meters long and 14 meters wide. The straightaway is 1060 meters, 20 meters longer than the Catalonian track, and it is to date the second longest straight in the GP Championship.

The track is very particular: it is a mixed circuit with semi quick corners, nice braking points and different areas where overtaking is possible. There are a total of 16 corners, the last of which is surely the most interesting; this is the typical track where the race can be decided at the last corner.

The tarmac used for the paving of the track has been especially studied to resist very high temperatures.

Situated 10 km from the capital, Doha, the track is found in a desert region. The sand that surrounds the track, according to the organizers, should not disturb the riders as they say there should not be wind able to carry it onto the track.

The main incognitos are how much grip will be available as it is a new track, the high temperatures (even if it is a dry type of heat) and the wind which might deposit sand onto the track.

THE COMMENT OF THE RIDERS

SETE GIBERNAU: “It is a track that we all know only by design. It is in fact new and none of us, except Randy Mamola, has ridden on it. There are many corners similar to those on some of the European tracks but it still remains a mystery until we will be able to ride during the first free session and understand the real situation. The high temperatures will definitely be a problem for the tyres and the engine but our biggest worry is the sand being brought onto the track.

“Concerning the Championship, after the Japanese GP the gap with Valentino is increased but I don’t give up, I will continue fighting. We are going through a difficult moment, maybe the most difficult of the season but we are not lost, we know the cause of the problems we had in the past two races and we will work to return competitive”.

COLIN EDWARDS: “Despite the unlucky race at Motegi I arrive confident in Qatar because at Motegi I found a very good setting and thanks to the new chassis I have a very good feeling with the bike. Qatar is a completely new track, no one has data so we are arrive all fresh, we all start from zero, it’s a good occasion that we can use positively”.


More, from a reader:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

You might want to give folks the link to the Qatar GP website, they did a good job on it, that’s for sure.

http://www.qatargp.net/

Mike Hughes
Rockford, Illinois

Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

A few other points:

1. There were a number of interesting points raised in the discussion of potential errors related to the measurement of the elapsed time through a speed trap via airplane. I believe one of the most critical factors is the reaction time of the person taking the measurement. Most people at a dragstrip will rarely be under 1/2 a second from the time the light goes from yellow to green until they start, and probably higher. Those who do it professionally get accustomed to the time interval between the ‘christmas tree lights’ and can be under 1/3 second reaction time, but this comes with significant practice. Anticipating when a person will past a line running at over 150 mph can easily be off one side or another, either being early or late, which affect the total time.

2. If, indeed, the rider was accelerating, then assuming the timing was accurate, the rider was probably initially going 150 mph at the start of the quarter mile, and 250 mph at the end of the quarter mile in order to average 205 mph for the 1/4 mile. Therefore the ticket should have been for 250 mph (his highest rate of speed at the end of the quarter mile) not 205 mph.

3. However, the riders absolute speed is closer to 35,000 mph, when you factor in the speed of the earth’s rotation, the speed of the earth’s orbit around the sun, the speed of the solar system around our galaxy, and the speed of the milky way galaxy moving through space. Remember that it is all relative to your own viewpoint and speed. Thus, if two bikes are both going 60 mph in the same direction next to each other, it appears that both are either not moving at all, or moving at the same speed to each other, when in reality they are moving 60 mph to a stationary observer.

4. One final point to ponder:
You need to factor in the speed of light, which is approximately 186,000 miles per second. So, the instant the rider crosses either the start or finish line, there is some delay until the light reaches the pilot. So, when the pilot actuals ‘sees’ the rider cross the line, a few micro or nano seconds have elapsed, and the rider is actually passed the line when the observer ‘sees’ it, assuming instantaneous reaction time of the pilot.

I wonder what kind of tires he was using, and whether they were rated for the supposed speed he was running.. I guess RC51s are a lot faster than we thought.

Fred Ege
Chicago, Illinois



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

In all actuality, everyone is still missing the big picture… Regardless of parallax or human/State Trooper error, all of this attention is making this alleged 205-mph, modified (or not) Honda RC51 riding fool into a national folk hero–which he is not!

Officer Michael Oakvik #91
Brooklyn Park Police Department
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
2003 Honda CBR954RR



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

All these PhD’s and they still don’t have it right. The guy was actually doing more like 225 mph but all the donut sugar on the stopwatch made the button stick so the time was actually faster than reported.

Gordon Lunde
Milwaukee, Wisconsin



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I completely agree with the reader who said that anything over 160 mph on public roads is ridiculous. However, this shouldn’t stop us from questioning the accuracy of the speed reading. The reason we should be concerned about this is a PR issue for motorcyclists. The difference between a 3-figure speed starting with a “1” and one that starts with a “2” is dramatic in the minds of the non-motorcycling public. I’d bet that a speed that’s 6% lower (199 mph) would have resulted in far more than 6% fewer articles in mainstream media. In fact, I reckon that a ticket for 199 mph would have resulted in at least 25% fewer articles.

Unfortunately the damage is done and even if it turns out that the guy was doing less than 200 it won’t alter the perceptions of non-motorcyclists who dismiss us all as hooligans.

Neil Smith
San Francisco, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Not missing the point:

Jesse Johnson makes a good point that the rider was going too fast whether he was going 160 mph or 205 mph. I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that but the point is that this was made into a huge issue because it’s alleged that he was going 205 mph. If he had been clocked at 160 or so mph, that would not have been that extraordinary. At best it would have made page 4 of the local paper and maybe a personal website. Parallax, Plavix or whatever, the real issue is that the likelihood of an RC51 with mods reaching any speed to warrant the media attention (and negative perception of the non-riding public) that it has is clearly suspect. I for one think that efforts to dispute the validity of the timing is in the interests of anyone who throws a leg over as I fear it won’t be long before some lawmaker tries to build his or her political career around suspect information.

Adrian Chapman
Not a Ph.D. but certainly a rider.
Atlanta, Georgia



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

1st: If that RC will do 205 mph I will buy it. I’ll pay the kid’s fine and ship the bike out here to Oregon to race it. Of course, I’m sure I’m not alone in that sentiment and the bidding will probably drive it out of my price range.

2nd: A great deal of noise has been made about possible “human error” or inaccuracies caused by the physics of observation. A few have rightfully pointed out the seeming irrelevance of the exact speed figure based on the “well, he sure as heck was going too fast anyway” argument. I personally feel both miss the silent and more critical point. The officer’s observations are valued based on his impartiality, his experience and his training. All these factors will determine whether his testimony of his observations can be trusted on any level. If the officer has a sworn statement that the kid flew the 1/4 mile 8 inches off the ground, would we waste the breath on an argument that it may have actually been 6 inches off the ground? Would we condemn the kid for the stupidity of flying in a flight restricted zone? Or more likely, would we come to the conclusion that the observation is suspect of being flawed by observer bias. Clearly the officer thinks the bike can go 205 mph, or he would not have written the ticket. His belief prevents him from checking himself from holding whatever bias he has in his observations, and the kid gets a ticket for something he couldn’t have done. The subsequent stop revealed the lack of a motorcycle license, but would he have been stopped without the claim of having been doing 205 mph? The infractions developed from the eventual stop depend on the viability of the premise for the stop; they might just as well have called the bike in for illegal crop dusting.

I expect that this case will eventually be tossed, if not in the lower court then possibly on appeal. That is, unless daddy makes a deal with the judge, to settle on a more realistic charge, to teach Jr. some respect for the law and its repercussions.

No I don’t condone such behavior. Not from either party.

Bill Cismar
OMRRA #7
Vancouver, Washington



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Perhaps Dr. Gaudino should learn how the American court system works. In traffic court (where the ticket would be fought) reasonable doubt is not the standard for disproving the state – that is reserved for criminal cases. In traffic court the defendant must show a preponderance of evidence against the state. Of course it’s all up to the judge, but most traffic court judges could care less about reasonable doubt and will still uphold the ticket. All of Dr. Gaudino’s “human error” arguments would not qualify for a preponderance of evidence and is not a good defense.

Jeff Lind
Portland, Oregon



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

A couple of items on the story.

The cop in the plane said he was going about half the speed of the bike and the bike was pulling away from him. So it was accelerating away from him at roughly 100 mph.

I called a couple of the TV stations that aired the story (second item on the evening news). I asked them if they were interested in hearing from someone who races 1000cc bikes why it was very unlikely that this speed was correct. One just wanted to argue and hung up on me when I said “why let relevant facts and physics get in the way of a sensational story?” That was the CBS affiliate. The other asked if it was possible. i told him “yes, it’s possible, but extremely difficult to do under ideal conditions.” He jsut wanted to hear that it was possible. Told me he would call back. They didn’t. Hard to counter bad press when you can’t get a voice.

Basically it’s just a campaign against bikes by the highway patrol. The kid they stopped wasn’t arrested, just ticketed. The reason he wasn’t arrested (and I have never heard of anyone not getting arrested for that type of speed) was that there was a motorcycle run called the Flood Run. It goes up the river from Wisconsin to the Twin Cities. The organizers never say which side of the river to keep the cops guessing, so they wait on both sides of the river. The kid didn’t get arrested cause they didn’t want to lose the manpower when accosting the rest of the bikers.

Marc Chiodo
Minneapolis, Minnesota



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

No, I did NOT suggest that parallax would cause a 1 second timing error. That is a statement taken completely out of context. I showed how a half second or 1 second timing error could explain much more reasonable speeds. Then I suggest that parallax can contribute to that timing error.

Ok, I will admit from rereading my original post that I do suggest that Parallax is responsible. But closer inspection of my ENTIRE post will reveal that while I may have misspoken and pointed the focus of the post to parallax, that I spend as much time talking about other factors that could induce timing inaccuracies as I do talking about parallax. Why hasn’t anyone mentioned any of those other factors?

For this I apologize. I do see from the opening of my post that it would be possible to infer that I am suggesting that parallax is the only possible explanation. But its apparent that no one paid any attention to any of the other details I discuss that could have contributed to the error that caused the inaccuracy of the calculated speed.

I mention the effect perspective changes might have on the judging of when to time by suggesting that if the motorcycle were climbing or descending a hill it could also affect the ability to judge when to start or stop the stop watch, depending on the angle the motorcycle is being viewed from while it goes up or down that hill.

I also mention discrepancies in the speeds of the 2 vehicles, which would increase the distance between the plane and motorcycle due to the acceleration of the motorcycle away from the plane occurring at a rate “twice that of the plane” according to the officer interviewed. As the motorcycle accelerated away from the plane by a factor of 2 (according to the officer) the officer timing the event would be even more hard pressed to get the watch stopped at the precise moment. Thus adding more error.

All these could contribute to a timing error. An error that would arise from the officer trying to “get it just right” and maybe “anticipating the crossing of the line”. The real intent of the post was to show how all these factors could cause a significant error from the HUMAN stand point, and how ridiculous the 205 mph citation was. Which is not all that far removed from some of the responses you have been getting. And yes, I do realize that because of the way I started the post, that I’ve asked for the responses I’m getting. However, those same people should review the post in its entirety to see that there are a number of factors mentioned ALL of which could contribute to the error in timing. Just as Dr. Koch’s suggestion that a more likely

“explanation for the error (I don’t believe the guy was doing 205 mph either) is the pilot trying to “time” his reactions to the bike passing either or both markers.”

That’s all I was trying to point out. And once again instead of proving that parallax has NO contribution to the potential timing error, it was shown that it could contribute, albeit in a small way, along with the other factors I mention, to increased human error in the timing event.

I hope that this post will help clarify my original posting. Once again I apologize for sending out a post that was not written clearly enough to express my complete thought process.

Reginald J. Gaudino, Ph.D.
Oceanside, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Now that I know that it was an RC51 and not the CBR1000RR, which I think most of us made the mistake assuming it was (thanks to lack of information in the news article), I withdraw all my previous comments.

We all know for sure that an RC51 is the completely correct platform for turbocharging and nitrous oxide induction, and whose cases will routinely withstand 300hp. Therefore I concede that the speed measured by the police officer was indeed correct, and my arguments about timing inaccuracies introduced due to human error based on visual “guesswork” are all out in left field.

My sincere apologies.

(Yes, this is indeed sarcasm.)

Reggie Gaudino, Ph.D.
Oceanside, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I think Officer Michael Oakvik #91 is the one missing the big picture. I think many readers have been victimized by an officer of the law who for whatever reason puts down a speed on the ticket that is just plain wrong. I won’t go so far as to say these officers are intentionally misconstruing the truth, but I think they routinely record the speed to the high side in order to make sure the errant rider learns a lesson.

In some cases, when the violation occurs far from home, the rider simply pays the ticket, and deals with the associated insurance hassles. In other cases, the rider may actually have to appear in court at least once, and in at least one case I have specific information on, the arresting officer never showed up and the case was dismissed.

If these officers would simply do their job instead of trying to teach us all a lesson and sensationalizing this in the first place, with tickets written for 205 mph for example, this folk-hero business could be avoided as well.

Bob Setbacken
Santa Barbara, California

If the involved cop hadn’t gone grandstanding in the media, there would be no discussion of the kid wrongly becoming a folk hero, because he wouldn’t have been all over the evening news…Editor.



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I haven’t read all the BS on this, but let me help in the headline department:

“Man Clocked Doing 205 Mph on RC51 While Migratory Swine Fly South For The Winter!”

Tony D’Augusta
WSMC #99
San Diego, California

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

As you may already know, West Palm Beach is in the “bullseye” for a direct hit from hurricane Jeanne (a category 3 storm) on Saturday and Sunday.

CCS/Florida has a race scheduled for Moroso Motorsports Park next weekend (10/2-3).

I have just spoke to management there and they tell me the event will be in jeopardy if they lose power again. That, because the pumps that keep the water table down in the park, would then be out. The area is already flooded around the facility from Hurricane Francis two weeks ago. And if the pumps are out, the park will almost certainly flood!

Please tell all concerned to stay tuned. We will see where we stand after the storm moves through. I will try to communicate from my home but when the power goes, so do the phones. And cel phones also are not reliable. My home has already been heavily damaged but I’m going to stick it out. God help us all!

Henry DeGouw
CCS/Florida
Loxahatchee, Florida

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

SUZUKI OPTIMISTIC FOR IMOLA RACE

Katsuaki Fujiwara and Stephane Chambon have finished first and second at Imola in the past two years and are hoping for a turn of their 2004 season luck at this weekend’s ninth and penultimate World Supersport Championship round.

Fujiwara, currently ninth in the championship, has won and Chambon has finished second on two occasions, so Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra are determined to finish the season on a high note.

The 4.933 kilometre track is a one of the fastest in the calendar, despite speed-slowing chicanes, and is a favourite amongst riders and fans alike.

Katsuaki Fujiwara:

“I always like riding at Imola but I think I would prefer it without the chicanes! I have had two wins – in 2002 and 2003 – and I would like to think I could get a podium this year, but it will not be so easy. It has been a difficult season for me because I expected so much more. I really thought I would be a championship contender before the season started, but it has not turned out that way. We have all worked so hard but the results just have not come our way. I hope we can end the last two races with some good results.”

Stephane Chambon:

“I have had two seconds and one fourth in the last three years, so Imola has been a good circuit for me. This year is not going to be easy but I would like to think we can get something out of it and then also do well in the last round at Magny Cours, my home race! Like Kats, I expected much more this year but it has been a bit disappointing at times and I do not think we have showed our true potential. Sometimes racing is like that, but I want to end the season on a positive note and I will be trying my hardest as usual.”

Vittorio Iannuzzo:

“If Kats and Stef are disappointed, then I am even more so. I have had too many crashes this year and sometimes I have not known why! Unfortunately I cannot really explain what has happened many times and that has been a big disappointment and has also affected my confidence. Imola is a home race for me, so I want to do really well in front of my fans. Last year I was not on a Supersport bike so once again I will be learning in the first practice. I have got just two chances left of getting a good result this season and I hope I can get a good finish at Imola.”

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

TOSELAND AND LACONI (DUCATI FILA) CONTINUE FOUR-WAY TITLE THRILLER AT IMOLA

Imola (Italy), 23 September 2004: World Superbikes return to Imola’s Enzo & Dino Ferrari circuit this weekend for the latest chapter in this exciting and unpredictable championship season. Two years ago eternal rivals Ducati and Honda slugged it out over two extraordinary races at Imola; this time the circuit is the venue for the penultimate round of the championship but it promises to be another thriller because four riders, again representing Ducati and Honda, are still in with a chance of writing their name in the record-books as this year’s champion.

James Toseland (Ducati Fila) bounced back to the top of the points table with his second win of the year and a second place on his Ducati 999 at Assen, but the Honda threat from Chris Vermeulen, just three points behind, is not to be underestimated. Ten points adrift of Toseland is Ducati Fila team-mate Regis Laconi, winner of five rounds this year, but not since Oschersleben at the end of May has the Frenchman stood on the top rung of the podium. Not to be discounted either is this year’s other five-time race winner, Noriyuki Haga from Japan, who currently lies fourth on a 999 of the satellite Renegade Ducati squad, a further four points behind.

“We’re coming off a good result at Assen and we’re confident of having another result like that” declared the 23-year-old from Sheffield. “I know the pressure’s on but it’s on everybody and it’s a question of who’s going to cope with it best. If we can come away with 45 points from each of the last two rounds, like at Assen, then I’m sure we can lift the title, but it’s easier said than done.

“Imola has a lot of undulation, it’s quite a technical track actually” he added. “I had a torrid time last year, my gear lever fell off in the first race and I had a massive crash in the second but we were actually quite fast round there and I’m confident I can be competitive this weekend”.

29-year-old Frenchman Laconi has an excellent record at the Imola circuit, finishing first, second and third in his four appearances there.

“Imola is a racetrack that I really like and it has some very fast sections before the Villeneuve and the Piratella curves. I’ve always had good results there and I hope it will be the same this year with the factory Ducati” says Laconi.

“For sure Assen was not very easy, I wasn’t entirely happy with the bike so I did the best I could. We tested a lot of things at Magny-Cours afterwards and we found something that made the bike a bit better at the front so now I feel that we are ready for the last races”.

PARADE OF DUCATIS: The full house of Ducatisti expected at Imola for the Italian manufacturer’s home race will also be entertained by the spectacular sight of a Ducati parade on Sunday raceday. More than thirty Ducati dealers and DOC Owners Club presidents will complete a couple of laps of the Imola circuit on the 2005 version of the Ducati 999 streetbike. The initiative, organised by Ducati Motor Holding in collaboration with WSBK promoters FGSport, will promote the launch of the new model, which will be available for a test-ride at official Ducati dealers and stores throughout Italy during a 999 Open Weekend on October 2/3.

The 999 MY05 was launched to international media at Mugello two weeks ago and to the general public at Munich’s Intermot trade fair. Imola therefore becomes an ideal opportunity to present the new bike to racing fans, with the exceptional support of those who help to spread the passion for Ducati – the dealers and DOC club presidents.

POINTS (after 9 of 11 rounds); (Riders) 1. Toseland 255; 2. Vermeulen 252; 3. Laconi 245; 4. Haga 241; 5. Chili 213; 6. McCoy 163; etc.

(Manufacturers) 1. Ducati 430 (champions); 2. Honda 259; 3. Petronas 173 ; 4. Kawasaki 106 ; 5. Suzuki 84 ; 6. Yamaha 60.

CIRCUIT INFO
Name: Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari.
Length: 4.933 km.
Pole Position: Left.
Corners Left/Right: 10/6.
Finish Line Length: 358 m.

STATISTICS:
Best lap: Edwards (Honda), 1:48.336 (2002).
Lap record: Bayliss (Ducati), 1:48.389 (2002). Superpole: Corser (Aprilia), 1:48.694 (2001). Race Distance: 2 x 21 laps/103.593 km.

2003 RESULTS:
Race 1: 1. Xaus (Ducati); 2. Hodgson (Ducati); 3. Laconi (Ducati).

Race 2: 1. Xaus; 2. Laconi; 3. Lavilla (Suzuki).

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Seems to me that Hopper has once more demonstrated a level of maturity beyond his years; the FIM owes Hopper an apology for the injustice of suspending him last year.

Lester Hardy
St. Helena, California

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN HEAD INTO THE UNKNOWN

The Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix is a history-making event – the first race in the 55-year history of the sport to be held in the Middle East. That is why Ducati Marlboro Team men Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss and their MotoGP rivals head into the unknown at Losail, the first of a gruelling series of three GPs on back-to-back weekends. None of the riders have ridden the impressive new track, which means they will all start from zero when practice commences on Thursday. Capirossi and Bayliss hope that this new beginning will help them leave behind the atrocious luck that has dogged them for much of this season. The pair have been fast at the last few races but ill luck has consistently prevented them from scoring the results the whole team deserves.

“There’s no doubt that our bikes are now competitive and much, much better than they were earlier in the season,” says Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “But in recent months we have lacked the luck to prove that, I’m sure we would already have scored a few podiums if we had been a little more fortunate. At Motegi we really thought we might have our best results of the season, even though we had a tough time there the previous year. Loris was very fast in practice and warm-up and Troy was fast in the race, but it all came to nothing. Despite that we are confident of going well at Losail. It’s a new circuit for everyone, so we’ll all start from the same level. We know we have good bikes and riders – sooner or later the luck must arrive.”

Only one man in the MotoGP paddock had ridden Losail before the MotoGP circus arrived for the historic event. Randy Mamola, winner of 13 500 GPs, who retired from racing at the end of 1992, rode the Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici two-seater bike at the track opening ceremony on July 9th, giving local VIPs and dignitaries some all-action outings on the bike.

“It’s amazing how much everyone in Qatar seems to be into the idea of having World Championship bike racing in their country,” says Mamola. “They’ve made an incredible effort with the track. It’s wide, born with safety in mind and it’s got lots of interesting corners to keep riders busy. The straight is fast – the bikes should do over 320kmh – and there’s plenty of great turns.”

CAPIROSSI FIGHTS FOR FITNESS

Loris Capirossi is battling to be fully fit for the Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix. A multiple pile-up at the first corner of the recent Japanese GP left the Italian with a fractured bone in his right foot, the foot he uses to control rear-wheel braking aboard his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4.

“I have been undergoing plenty of therapy for the foot, so hopefully it won’t be a problem in Qatar,” said Capirossi. “Anyway, it’s going to be an interesting weekend for everyone because none of us knows anything about the track. Also, it’s our first GP in the desert, so we know the heat will make it a tough race. But the fact that it’s a brand-new circuit isn’t a concern – one hour is usually enough to learn somewhere new. These three back-to-back races aren’t a problem because we’re getting used to doing so much riding in a short time. The only worry is picking up an injury that might slow you at the next two races or even force you to miss them.”

BAYLISS AIMS TO MAKE AMENDS

Troy Bayliss is also hoping for a strong ride in Qatar after running out of luck at Motegi a fortnight back. The Australian was enjoying a furious ride through the pack – after losing time in the first-corner melee that claimed his team-mate – and had worked his way up to fifth when he slid off without injury.

“That crash was a real shame, because I know I was riding well,” said the Ducati Marlboro Team man. “I’d got held up when all those guys went down at the first turn and was working my way forward when I just slid off. Since then I’ve been training like mad to make sure I make up for it at Qatar. I’ve no real idea what Losail will be like but the map makes it look like it’s a flowing track, which is good. And it’s nice for me to go somewhere that no one else knows; since I started MotoGP I’ve been racing at loads of places I don’t really know, while the other guys have been racing them for years. Hopefully the track won’t be too sandy.”

THE TRACK

Losail is the only new venue on this year’s 16-race MotoGP World Championship calendar. The circuit was created after the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation reached an agreement with MotoGP rights holders Dorna in the summer of last year, the actual construction undertaken in a matter of months. The Qatar designers have done their utmost to design a safe track, even lining either side of circuit with artificial grass to prevent sand getting onto the surface. Dominated by a 1.1km straight, the remainder of Losail’s 5.4km is a sinuous high-speed switchback, with most corners leading into one another, rather than separated by shorter straights. This should make it the kind of circuit that rewards riding talent rather than engine horsepower. High ambient and track temperatures will ask much from riders, bikes and tyres, as well as the teams working hard in the high-tech pit-lane.

All bikes will race on Shell in Qatar. Our technical partner Shell has been integral in the development of the track surface material at the new Losail International Racetrack. As Abdi Kalamati, Shell’s bitumen Business Manager for Middle East, explains: “Race tracks must be ladi to incredibly tight tolerances, much tighter then on roads or even airport runways, they have to withstand extreme shear forces due to acceleration and braking and they are often in areas which experience climatic extremes. Shell Bitumen han been instrumental in developing ‘Polymer Modified Bitumen’ to withstand the demands of MotoGP racing in high temperature environment, and in fact we delivered 410 metric tons of our ‘Cariphalte’ Modified Bitumen to Losail”. So next weekend the Ducati Marlboro Team will be lubricated by Shell Advance, powered by Shell and racing on Shell!

LOSAIL DATA
Track length: 5.40km/3.35 miles
New circuit, no records

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS
LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 31 (April 4, 1973)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4
GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
GP starts: 212 (42xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125)
Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)

TROY BAYLISS
Age: 35 (March 30, 1969)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4
First GP: Australia, 1997 (250)
GP starts: 29 (28xMotoGP, 1×250)
World Superbike victories: 22
World Championships: 1 (Superbike: 2001)

From a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

IMOLA THE PENULTIMATE HURDLE FOR MUGGERIDGE AND CO

As the perennially tough and ever-popular World Supersport Championship enters its last two rounds, at Imola this coming weekend and Magny Cours in France one weekend later, one rider in particular has a keen sense of anticipation of what may happen at the end of the 21-lap race. Karl Muggeridge (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) has stamped his name indelibly on the championship already this year, to the extent that any result equal to or better than fourth will deliver him his first World Supersport Championship. Any such success would also be the third straight rider’s championship for both Honda and the Ten Kate team. Muggeridge’s only championship rival, Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha) is 38 points adrift of the leading score of 157 points, with only 50 points available to any one rider from the last two races.

Imola is one of the most dramatic circuits on the Supersport calendar, the 4.933km track featuring a tarmac rollercoaster of undulating high-speed corners, interspersed with relatively fast chicanes. A magnificent venue for riders and spectators alike, Imola already has special significance for Muggeridge, who scored the second of his three season ending victories in 2003 at the city centre track.

Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) will happily take a race win from Muggeridge, should the chance arise, but Muggeridge’s team-mate fully understands the importance of the circumstances surrounding the Imola race. The 21-year-old Aussie, still looking for his first win in World Supersport, is based in Italy during the season, and under no illusions of what it means to race on the hallowed tarmac of the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit.

One rider with Parkes firmly in his sights is Sebastien Charpentier (Team Klaffi Honda CBR600RR). With two no scores at exactly the same rounds as Parkes experienced his unwanted double, Charpentier has scored two second places in the last events, nestling only seven points from Parkes’ third place overall.

At the opposite end of the experience spectrum Max Neukirchner (Team Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) will find Imola yet another new challenge, despite attending last year’s race with the Klaffi team as a guest. Currently tenth overall, the 21-year-old has scored as high as fifth place in his impressive rookie season, as he goes for a personal best of fourth place or more.

Team Italia Megabike Honda rider Alessio Corradi (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) will miss the Imola race with the wrist injury he picked up at Assen in round 8, and thus regular rider Denis Sacchetti, will be teamed up with former European Superstock Champion and recent MotoGP competitor, Michel Fabrizio.

In the overall championship battle, Muggeridge will be going out to win the title if possible, by sticking to the game plan which has already earned him five wins from eight attempts. “I’m not trying to think in any other way than to have a normal race weekend and see what happens,” said Muggeridge. “It’s not easy but I’m trying to treat it like every other race – Friday is still Friday and Saturday is just another Saturday. If we get those days right then we’ll be ready for Sunday. We need to find a good race set-up on the bike and then see how it goes.”

Parkes has a fire in his belly once more, after feeling disappointed by the previous Assen round. “Normally I have a good result at Imola so I’m hoping for that once again,” said the 22-year-old Aussie. “Assen wasn’t very good so I think I could have a much better result this weekend. I think now that Karl’s pretty much won the championship so I can concentrate on myself. I will be going for the best possible result. I need one before the end of the year. Imola is good for passing in a lot of places. It’s a riders’ track, pretty technical and it always sorts out the best riders.”

Charpentier sees a link between the Imola track and another of his favourites, Brands Hatch. “Imola is a fantastic track, similar to Brands Hatch,” stated Charpentier. “It goes up and down and has some really fast corners. For me it is one of the finest tracks of all. Last year I was in the front row and finished fifth. Like normal, I will try for the podium. Maybe this weekend is my best opportunity for a win because Karl may be under big pressure – he can win the World Championship this weekend. I will push him all the way but he is a great rider on a very fast bike. I think I need to win a race before the end of the season, it will be very important for me to do so.”

Neukirchner looks forward to the penultimate challenge of his season with the enthusiasm of youth. “Both of the last two races will take place at new circuits for me,” said Max. “I was here with the Klaffi team last year, in the pit garage, so I got to look at the track first hand. It’s a fast track and very nice. Even the paddock and the town seem very good places to be. I hope to learn the track layout fast and have the best possible result on raceday.”

For Sacchetti, Imola will be his third home race of the year, the pleasure and pressure balancing each other out. “Last year in Imola I took some points as a wild card. On Sunday I will run on a track that I know, fortunately. With this bike all things are possible but I know that it will be hard to run in front because in Imola many riders go fast. I want to return home with more points for the championship and I know only that I will push hard to take my target.”

Fabrizio’s first World Supersport experience could well be a good one, but the young Roman understands the examination he is about to undertake. “I had my first test of the Honda CBR600RR at Mugello and I enjoyed it very much,” said the 2003 European Superstock Champion. “The Team Italia Megabike Honda is too fast to be a 600 and the team, from Rome just like myself, is fantastic. The most difficult thing for me is that I must to learn to open the gas before the exit of the corner – that’s different from MotoGP or Superstock, with more power on tap. My target for Imola? I don’t know. I will know something after the first two sessions of Friday, when I fight with the others riders. They are many strong and fantastic riders, especially Muggeridge”.

After the dust has settled at Imola, the WSS circus heads west, to the contemporary setting of the Magny Cours circuit in central France, for the final race of the year on 3 October.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

LANZI (DUCATI BREIL) AIMS FOR POSITIVE RESULT ON HOME TURF AT IMOLA

Imola (Italy), 23 September 2004: Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Breil) approaches this weekend’s penultimate round of the World Supersport championship with the aim of finishing the season on a high note.

The 22-year-old from Cesena, just down the road, will be back racing his regular Breil-sponsored Ducati 749R Supersport after hurricane ‘Ivan’ postponed his Superbike debut in the AMA category two weeks ago.

Lanzi, who currently lies sixth overall in the standings with two fourths as season best results, is determined to put in another positive performance this weekend at Imola in front of his numerous home fans.

“We know that for us Imola is quite a difficult track but I am ready to give 100% and get a good result on my home circuit. We did the Italian championship race here a few months ago and although it rained, we were able to find a good starting base” declared Lanzi.

“The greatest difficulties for us at Imola are in acceleration out of the chicanes and in the uphill sections, where we tend to suffer a bit.

“I am sixth in the championship but there are four riders all within a few points of each other so it’s quite easy to drop down to ninth. I could have done without that no-score at Assen but we’re going to try and hold on to sixth place in the final two rounds at Imola and Magny-Cours”.

POINTS (after 8 of 10 rounds) : (Riders) 1. Muggeridge 157; 2. VD Goorbergh 119; 3. Parkes 95; 4. Charpentier 88; 5. Curtain 69; 6. Lanzi & Chambon 56; etc.

(Manufacturers) 1. Honda 162 ; 2. Yamaha 154 ; 3. Suzuki 88; 4. Ducati 69; 5. Kawasaki 34; 6. Triumph 4.

STATISTICS:
Best lap: Muggeridge (Honda), 1:51.592 (2003). Lap record: Curtain (Yamaha), 1:53.122 (2003). Race Distance: 21 laps/103.593 km.

2003 RESULT: 1. Muggeridge (Honda); 2. Vermeulen (Honda); 3. VD Goorbergh (Yamaha).