Final MotoGP Race Results: 1. Alex BARROS, Honda, 28 laps, 47:14.053 2. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, -2.771 seconds 3. Max BIAGGI, Honda, -6.071 seconds 4. Marco MELANDRI, Honda, -29.546 seconds 5. Carlos CHECA, Ducati, -29.774 seconds 6. Colin EDWARDS, Yamaha, -44.216 seconds, crashed 7. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, -57.121 seconds 8. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, -59.847 seconds 9. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, -67.718 seconds 10. Ruben XAUS, Yamaha, -82.431 seconds 11. Troy BAYLISS, Honda, -93.529 seconds, crashed 12. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, -94.051 seconds 13. Roberto ROLFO, Ducati, -95.956 seconds 14. Toni ELIAS, Yamaha, -96.492 seconds 15. James ELLISON, Blata WCM, -2 laps 16. Shane BYRNE, KTM Proton KR, -4 laps 17. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, -12 laps, DNF, crashed 18. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, -12 laps, DNF, crashed 19. Franco BATTAINI, Blata WCM, -20 laps, DNF, mechanical More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team: NAKANO EIGHTH IN RAIN HIT PORTUGUESE GRAND PRIX Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano rode a perfectly judged race on a slippery track to finish eighth in today’s rain hit Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril. On the back of his fifth place finish last week in Spain, Nakano is now sixth in the championship with 19 points after two rounds. The 28-lap Grand Prix was a huge test of skill and bravery for riders in the changeable weather conditions, with rain falling on some fast sections of track in the second half of the race. Under the new flag-to-flag MotoGP rules the race is no longer stopped for rain, and pit stops for wet weather tyres must be made under green-light race conditions. Today the rain was not heavy enough to justify a pit stop, but Nakano rode a mistake-free race to keep control of his Ninja ZX-RR fitted with slick race tyres. The heaviest rain fell over the final ten laps, mainly from the end of the main straight and through turns one to six. Nakano started tenth but dropped to 11th on the long run to the first corner, overtaken by Troy Bayliss. Unable to make an impression on the lead group Nakano held 11th for 16th laps, before moving into the top ten and then riding superbly over the final laps to clinch eighth. A numbers of riders fell in the tricky conditions including Bayliss, Sete Gibernau and Colin Edwards. Nakano’s performance consolidated Kawasaki’s third position in the constructor’s championship, two points ahead of Ducati and 13 points in front of Suzuki. Nakano will ride again at Estoril tomorrow afternoon, in a test session to continue the engine development programme for the Ninja ZX-RR. Shinya Nakano: #56 – Eighth “That was not an easy race, especially with rain on some fast sections of the course. It was very difficult to see if the track was wet, so I had to keep checking my visor and windscreen for water. It is very difficult to ride a MotoGP bike on slick tyres on a wet track. My lap times were what I expected, but the front group seemed to be able to go faster than in practice and I couldn’t stay with them from the start. I got some good points today, but I’m never happy to be eighth, we need to keep working on engine performance.” Ichiro Yoda: Technical Director “I am happy for the points from this race in these very difficult conditions. This weekend was a good opportunity for us to analyse our weak points and the areas in which we need to catch up, and quickly. Clearly the main area is engine development and engine management systems. Our chassis and Bridgestone tyres are performing well.” Harald Eckl: Team Manager “I’m satisfied for the result in the prevailing weather conditions, which were not easy for the riders. Shinya didn’t have the best start, but he did a very good job with constant lap times, to score some very valuable points for the team in the championship.” More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Yamaha: ROSSI INCREASES CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AFTER TRICKY RACE IN ESTORIL Valentino Rossi finished second in the Portuguese Grand Prix today after a difficult race with changing weather conditions in Estoril. His Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards showed a marked improvement in his performance but made a small mistake on the slippery track and slipped off from fourth position four laps from the end. He remounted and finished sixth, taking ten points in the process and helping the Yamaha Factory Team to move to the top of the Team Championship standings. Starting from fourth, Rossi kept his grid position until he passed Max Biaggi (Honda) on lap four and moved into third place. He had to work hard to keep in front of his fellow Italian and was unable to keep pace with eventual winner Alex Barros (Honda) and Sete Gibernau (Honda) as they opened up a gap over the rest of the field. Meanwhile Edwards was engaged in a close struggle with Marco Melandri, the pair changing position several times with neither able to make the pass stick. With 20 laps to go and the rainfall heavier, white flags were displayed due to a new MotoGP rule whereby Race Direction can grant the riders permission to make a pit stop and change bikes if they choose to. Since the rain never became much more than a gentle drizzle, all riders chose to continue to race on slick tyres. The difficult track conditions took their toll however when race leader Gibernau crashed out on lap 17, elevating Rossi and Edwards to second and fifth respectively. On lap 20 Edwards passed Melandri and was finally starting to open up a gap on the Honda rider, when he was caught off-guard by the slippery track at turn one and slid off. Luckily he was unhurt and remounted immediately, while Rossi stuck behind Barros and eventually finished 2.771 seconds behind the Brazilian, with Biaggi in third. VALENTINO ROSSI, 2nd (Race time – 47’16.824; Fastest lap 1’39.142) “That was a really difficult race for me. The conditions were so strange, with patches of rain here and there. In the beginning it was light rain, then it got worse and worse so that the first part of the track was very wet. It was a horrible feeling to ride with slicks in the wet. Anyway, I’m very happy to have finished in second place because we’re now 20 points ahead, and this was a very important race for us in terms of the championship. The bike still has a few problems and we have a lot of work to do. Today was a bit of miracle really, there was quite a lot of luck involved! “I gradually got used to the conditions during the race but it’s not ideal to ride like that. The new wet race rules are better for TV but it’s not entirely safe, although it’s clearer now for all the riders when the race has been declared as wet. I think it’s impossible in our sport though to find a perfect rule for that.” COLIN EDWARDS, 6th (Race time 47’58.269; Fastest lap 1’39.584) “That was a good race although of course I am disappointed about falling. The bike felt completely different from the Jerez race and I felt like I could have kept pace with Rossi and Barros quite easily. Unfortunately I was fighting with Melandri and for the first half of the race I just couldn’t make the pass stick on him; gradually the leaders just edged away. Finally I got away from him and I was pushing in order to keep a space between us, but I hit that slippery patch at turn one and went down, it just caught me off guard! Everywhere else on the track was okay and you could get the bike fully leaned over, but turn one was just like ice. It was my mistake and I’m annoyed but the rest of the race was really encouraging and a big improvement.” DAVIDE BRIVIO TEAM DIRECTOR “That was a race in very difficult conditions with the change from the dry to the wet. Congratulations to all the riders who finished the race. It was a good race for Yamaha, with Valentino we’ve scored 20 important points. It would have been easy to make a mistake so he did very well to keep pushing and finish in second without any problems. For Colin this was a big improvement from the last race, we fixed some problems after the last test in Jerez and he quickly found a good base here. He made a small mistake but he was able to recover and finish still in a good position. It was an encouraging race for him and I hope this is the start of a good season.” More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: Barros completes perfect weekend with Estoril win Alex Barros went from pole position to victory to cap a perfect weekend for the Brazilian, having dominated every session of the betandwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal. In unpredictable cloudy and cool conditions at the Estoril circuit, Barros chased early leader Sete Gibernau over the opening stages before the Spaniard crashed out on the seventeenth lap. As light drizzle began to fall, the teams prepared the riders’ second machines in case they needed to come in and change to wet tyres. However, despite a precarious final three laps and a huge rear slide on the last of them, Barros held his nerve to clinch his first win in over two years. “I’m really happy because I had been quickest in every session this weekend but this was the only one that really counted,” smiled Barros, who last tasted podium champagne at Valencia at the end of the 2002 season. “Sete got away well and I didn’t get a good start, but once I was up to second place I just tried to put pressure on him. In the end he crashed and it was a hard race mentally from that point on to keep my focus and stay on the bike.” Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi did their best to cut down the gap to Barros in the closing stages but wisely decided not to take any risks as they sealed podium finishes. Second place for Rossi extended his advantage at the top of the overall standings to seven points, with Barros now moving up to second in the championship, whilst third place for Biaggi represented a welcome first podium of the season for the factory HRC team. Marco Melandri continued his excellent start to the season, following up third place in the opening round at Jerez with fourth place today after an entertaining battle throughout the race with Colin Edwards. With the American crashing five laps from the end, Carlos Checa took advantage to clinch fifth place on the Ducati after starting from the front row whilst Edwards returned to the track to bring his Yamaha home in sixth. Nicky Hayden recovered from a bad start to take seventh after crashes for both John Hopkins and Troy Bayliss in that position, with Shinya Nakano and Loris Capirossi also making the top ten. Bayliss recovered to take twelfth behind Ruben Xaus, with Kenny Roberts, Roberto Rolfo, Toni Elias and James Ellison completing the points. Casey Stoner took victory in a thrilling 250cc race after an audacious last lap pass on Randy de Puniet. In a packed front group which also featured Andrea Dovizioso, Dani Pedrosa and Alex de Angelis, Stoner made his move around the outside of De Puniet as the Frenchman blocked the inside line in the famous ‘Parabolica Interior’ corner, before holding on to take his first win in the class. Dovizioso then mugged De Puniet in the chicane to snatch second place, with Pedrosa happy to take fourth ahead of De Angelis. Sebastián Porto had made an electric start to the race but was swallowed up by the pack in the second half as he seemed to suffer a technical problem, eventually crossing the line in ninth place. Mika Kallio became the first Finnish rider in 30 years to take a Grand Prix victory with his debut win in the 125cc class. Kallio held off a late attack from Spaniard Hector Faubel by just 0.008 seconds after the pair had dominated the race. Swiss rider Thomas Luthi completed the podium. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: Hopkins goes down fighting as Roberts Jr scores points Team SUZUKI MotoGP racer John Hopkins was fighting hard for a top five position at today’s Portuguese Grand Prix when a brief shower caused him to crash whilst challenging for a higher position. The 21-year-old made a fantastic start from the fourth row of the grid and by the end of lap one was in seventh place. He held onto this position and regularly challenged the two riders in front of him until on lap 17 disaster struck and the Anglo-American crashed out. He said: “I am gutted to have crashed. I got a good start and was chasing Colin Edwards and Marco Melandri all the time. “I tipped into the corner and guess it was wetter than it looked, from then on I was just along for the ride. “I’m really disappointed for me, the team and Bridgestone because I know I could have been on for my best ever MotoGP finish – but I’m encouraged by our potential.” Hopkins posted consistently quick lap-times and recorded the sixth fastest lap of the race, that was eventually won by Brazilian Alex Barros on a Honda. The Estoril circuit was under constant threat of rain and only 26,121 spectators braved the conditions after an overnight downpour had left the track damp. The likelihood of frequent sharp showers meant that circuit conditions were far from perfect. New regulations that saw the white flag shown – allowing riders to enter the pits and change their machines – were used for the first time during the race. Despite frantic pit preparations by all teams no riders came in to swap their bikes, which the new rules allow riders to do if conditions alter after the race has started. Team SUZUKI MotoGP racer Kenny Roberts Jr finished the second round of the MotoGP World Championship in a points scoring 12th place. Roberts Jr completed his first race of the season following a long battle with Yamaha’s Tony Elias and the Ducati of Roberto Rolfo, which eventually saw the former World Champion come out on top. Roberts Jr said: “It was pretty dangerous out there and we just never knew what the weather was doing. I couldn’t make the bike do what I wanted it to, so we still have some issues to address before the next race. We are testing tomorrow, so I hope that will help us to find the solutions. “It’s good to get my first race finish – I was disappointed with last week’s result and although I wasn’t where I wanted to be in today’s race, it’s still important to score points.” Team Manager Paul Denning was frustrated with the result but able to take many positives from the race. Denning commented: “It was good to see John up there with Colin and Marco and pulling away from the Hondas of Troy Bayliss and Nicky Hayden. “John was riding the bike to its absolute limits and beyond, and was very unlucky not to get a great result. I am very unhappy with the result, but very happy with the effort and potential John displayed. “Kenny had a difficult weekend and to see him score points after a race with other riders showed his commitment to try and overcome all the setbacks that have hampered him here in Portugal.” Team SUZUKI MotoGP now travels to Shanghai in China for the third round of the MotoGP World Championship. This will be the first time that Roberts Jr and Hopkins race at the circuit because the event on May 1st is the first ever Chinese MotoGP. Portuguese Grand Prix (Round 2) – Result: 1. Alex Barros (Honda) 47’14.053: 2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +2.771: 3. Max Biaggi (Honda) +6.071: 4. Marco Melandri (Honda) +29.546: 5. Carlos Checa (Ducati) +29.774: 6. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) +44.216: 7. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 57.121: 8. Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) +59.847: 9. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) +1’07.718: 10. Ruben Xaus (Yamaha) 1’22.431. 12. KENNY ROBERTS JR (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1’34.051: DNF. JOHN HOPKINS (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) Championship Points (after two rounds): 1. Rossi 45: 2. Barros 38: 3. Melandri 29: 4. Biaggi 25: 5 Sete Gibernau (Honda) 20: 6. Nakano 19: 7. Checa 17: 8. Edwards 17: 9. Troy Bayliss (Honda) 15: 10. Capirossi 10: 16. KENNY ROBERTS JR 4: 18. JOHN HOPKINS 2: More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse: CHECA TOP FIVE ON CHANGEABLE ESTORIL TRACK Ducati Marlboro Team riders Carlos Checa and Loris Capirossi each scored top ten finishes after an eventful 28-lap Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, with Checa an eventual fifth after a difficult opening few laps. Starting from the front row, he dropped down the order until his rear tyre started to work on the cool track conditions and despite wet sections on the track for long periods, he progressed to the top five. With 20 laps remaining the white flag, signifying rain on the track surface and allowing riders to come in and change to machines with a pre-arranged wet set-up, was shown. All riders nonetheless persevered, with Checa making up ground in the tricky conditions and Capirossi battling against the pain of his ankle injury. Ducati MotoGP Project Manager Livio Suppo stated: “So finally we saw how the new flag-to-flag rules were in a race. That was a typical situation in which it was difficult to make a decision, as it was tough to see how hard the rain was coming but in the end it all worked out. If they had stopped the race I think it would not have been any different. In terms of the result we are more or less happy. Considering everything Carlos had a good fight and he took fifth place from really nothing. Loris, we have to remember, is still injured. So both riders finished with points, both in the top ten. Thanks to all our technical partners, especially Shell Advance and Bridgestone.” CHECA OVERCOMES TRICKY CONDITIONS FOR FIFTH The Ducati Marlboro Team rider made a terrific start to the race, capitalising on his front row start, but dropped back, recovering at the finish. “When you consider the things we had to carry into this weekend, with my shoulder injury and so on, to finish fifth is a positive result. With more side grip in the later laps my suspension started working better and I regained confidence. Then I was able to establish my pace. Fourth was possible but I braked quite hard passing Melandri and ran wide. The most difficult thing today was to see the flags signalling rain when I was on slicks at 300kmph. That was really scary!” CAPIROSSI TOUGHS IT OUT FOR A TOP TEN FINISH The Ducati Marlboro Team man had an especially difficult race, in pain from his ankle and having to ride carefully to even finish. “Overall I’m happy it’s finished because I am not suffering too much pain anymore. Now with a free weekend I will be able to continue my therapy. The track conditions were really unbelievable. Some places it was wet, other places dry and no one stopped in the pits, because it would have been pointless. Luckily only a few riders fell and none fell down in the last three or four laps, when it began raining even more heavily. I tried to be careful and to finish so I brought home some points. The bike has improved and we are working on it very well so I’m confident for next races, when I’ll be 100%”. More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha: ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN THE LEARNING PROCESS The Portuguese GP will be remembered for a long time for the difficult and changeable weather conditions which struck during the race, and which complicated matters for all the riders out on track. The FORTUNA YAMAHA riders had a tough weekend in Estoril. Fortunately though, they both managed to bring their bikes home in this second race of the year; mission accomplished in this learning phase for the team – Xaus to the bike, and ElÃas to the category. After the first two races of the year, the third event in China will hopefully see another chunk of progress for the duo at this early stage of the season. Ruben Xaus (11): -Warm-Up: 1.53.569, 6th – 9 laps. -Race: 10th, +1’22.431/ fastest lap – 1.41.397 -Championship: 13th – 6 points, 39 behind 1st. “Throughout the weekend I was improving my rhythm steadily and so when I saw there was rain this morning I felt bad. I started on the fourth row, but in the first couple of laps I struggled and lost ground and was forced to fight my way back up the field. It was difficult to finish the race, but we did it and that is the most important thing. For most of the race I was lapping on my own and that was hard, especially on slicks in the rain. I think the Gods set us a tough challenge, but we got through it and that’s what it is about. Toni ElÃas (24): -Warm-Up: 1.53.634, 7th – 9 laps. -Race: 14th, +1’36.492/fastest lap -1.41.228 -Championship: 14th – 6 points, 39 behind 1st. “It was a very difficult weekend. Physically I wasn’t in great shape because of the pain from my knee after my fall yesterday. In the race the conditions were changing all the time, and that meant I had to take decisions on the hop. I believe I have gathered some important experience from this race, though, and we must keep trying to improve from race to race.” Hervé Poncharal, Fortuna Yamaha Team Manager: “I’m really happy with the work we have done here, because this has been a difficult GP, and in the end both riders have performed well. The important thing is picking up the points, which can be so valuable later on. I’m particularly satisfied with Ruben, who has been able to do himself justice and get the best out. Toni meanwhile had a great first day of practice, then after crashes yesterday and with the weather as it was, his confidence took a bit of a knock. However today he showed that he knows how to perform, with a great race.” More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone: All-weather hero Carlos Checa: Third in practice, fifth in the race Ducati star Carlos Checa was Bridgestone’s man for all weather conditions in this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix. With a flawless practice performance in sunny, windy conditions on Saturday, the Spaniard conquered his first front row start of the season, finally overcoming the shoulder injury that had slowed him in the season-opening race in Jerez. In cool and drizzly weather conditions on race day, Checa bounced back from initial engine problems and an initial lack of feel for the rear tyre, to take an eventual fifth place with a steady and calculated ride. Still handicapped by an ankle injury, Checa’s team-mate Loris Capirossi cautiously rode the second Marlboro Ducati home to ninth, one place behind Kawasaki star Shinya Nakano, who had opted for a softer tyre compound than the two Ducati riders. Shinya Nakano’s team-mate Alex Hofmann resigned from the start after an unlucky crash during a bike show in downtown Estoril on Wednesday. The low-speed incident left the 24-year-old German with a broken scaphoid bone in his left wrist. Hofmann rushed back to Germany for immediate treatment, but will be out of action for several weeks. “My first race in Jerez was good, and I really was looking forward to race here, so I’m devastated. But it would be unwise to return before I am fully fit again”, Hofmann said. After a string of fast opening laps, Suzuki’s young hope John Hopkins paid tribute to the adverse conditions and crashed. His team-mate Kenny Roberts finished in 12th position. Carlos Checa Ducati Marlboro Team 5th position “I am happy with our achievements this weekend. We’ve been able to improve the bike, and with the help of Bridgestone, we’ve made good progress in terms of tyre performance. Of course we were aiming a little higher after our third place in practice, especially since my practice runs on race tyres were also fast and consistent. But considering the circumstances, fifth place in the race is a positive result. I had a good start, but then my engine didn’t respond very well, it was as if I had clicked into a high gear. In the cool conditions, the tyres also needed some time to build up their full performance. With more side grip in the later laps my suspension started working better and I regained confidence. The rain drizzle affected all of us and went on for the whole race. I saw Sete crash, and this reminded me to stay calm and to remain careful!” Shinya Nakano Kawasaki Racing Team 8th position “We decided to go for a softer tyre compound, and I had a good feeling for my Bridgestone tyres even though you are always on a fine line when you have to ride on slick tyres in wet conditions. It was not easy to see where the track was wet, so I judged by the water drops on my visor and my windscreen how much rain was coming down. My lap times were consistent and within the range I expected, but the front group still seemed to pull away. I’m happy that I got some more points today, but we need to keep working on engine performance!” Hiroshi Yamada – Motorcycle Racing Manager Bridgestone Motorsport “The drizzle made the race very difficult for all of the MotoGP riders today. Checa’s fifth place is a good result considering the conditions, and we are very happy that four of our riders took points, with Nakano in eighth, Capirossi in ninth and Roberts in 12th position. Obviously the result is still not as good as expected; we all were very confident after the qualifying practice, as Checa had done very consistent fast laps on race tyres. But the main thing is that Ducati made a big step forward with the set-up and overall balance of the bike. This improvement boosts our confidence, and we are looking forward to the next race in China!” Temperature Track Air Weather Afternoon 19 C 17 C Overcast, drizzles More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda: SETE ENDS A HARD GRAND PRIX WITH ANOTHER CRASH The Spaniard had a clear lead when he crashed on lap 16 as Melandri took a satisfactory fourth place GP DE PORTUGAL – MOTOGP RACE The Movistar Honda MotoGP saw both sides of the coin at the Portuguese Grand Prix today. Sete Gibernau rode courageously through his shoulder injury, aggravated by a crash yesterday, and made a perfect start to the race. The World Championship runner-up underwent a painkilling injection before the race and blasted off from the line as he looked to avoid the kind of combative race his physical condition would not permit. Gibernau was in control of the race when it began to rain on the eighth lap and, eight laps later, he was unable to prevent his crash at the end of the straight. At that point his advantage over Barros was over a second and eleven seconds clear of Valentino Rossi. Marco Melandri got a good start and held on to fourth position despite the pressure from veteran rivals Colin Edwards and Carlos Checa. The Italian set a good pace throughout the race and only a visor problem prevented him from pushing h! arder. The result moves Melandri up to third in the championship. SETE GIBERNAU (crash): “The only mistake I made was to lead from the start. It was a very tough race and it was important to judge the marshals’ flags properly because that was the only reference I had of how much water was on the track. Wherever there was a flag I slowed down and where there wasn’t one I sped up. I didn’t go mad, I was in control of the race and I was even slower at the end of the straight than usual, but it wasn’t enough. The weekend was a lot tougher for me than people might expect, but once again we worked perfectly. I tried to get away and avoid contact with any other riders but the crash was unavoidable. In the end we’ve paid for it because the other riders saw the crash and dropped their pace by three seconds. On another day it will be somebody else but in these situations the person at the front is at a disadvantage. Now I just want to get ! home to Switzerland, continue my recuperation with my physical trainer and get a good rest before China”. MARCO MELANDRI (4th): “I’m very satisfied with this result. We went out with a hard tyre and it was tough at the beginning. As the race went on I got a good rhythm together and it allowed me to stick it out with Edwards and Checa. I had a lot of confidence in the tyres and that gave me more stability. I was trying out a new helmet and it steamed up, so I had to do the last 8 laps with my visor open. It meant I couldn’t go any harder at the end but I am happy.” More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda: Alex Barros dominates in Portugal: pole, fastest lap and victory To steal a football phrase, it would be termed a hat-trick, the work of a magician. That’s the magic Camel Honda’s Alex Barros worked this weekend, finishing top in all four practice sessions, taking pole position, setting the fastest lap in the race and ultimately claiming victory in the Portuguese Grand Prix. All this in a virtual home race for the Brazilian rider, son of Antonio; Portuguese. He was unable to claim the official circuit record by just a few thousandths of a second, but he was undoubtedly the top man out on track today. The track conditions were insidious, on lap nine the first spots of rain moved the race director to bring out the white flags to signal that a bike change was allowed, then on the twenty-third lap the Camel Honda mechanics warmed up the spare bike, ready for anything, but Alex didn’t come in. Later he would say that it hadn’t even crossed his mind, but those same conditions betrayed his team-mate Troy Bayliss, who got a great start from the fifth row, moving up to seventh as he put on a great show. However the Australian was caught out on the twentieth lap, but he managed to pick up his machine, get back into the race and even move a couple of positions back up the order to snatch eleventh place, picking up five useful points. Sito Pons Camel Honda “I’m delighted! For Alex and for the team. Alex deserved this result because he rode as both myself and all the team know he can. His motivation and determination are only equated by the faith we have in him. That’s what you need to be able to give your best. We will be alongside him in the fifteen races that remain, and we will be aiming for more results like this one. Once more, congratulations to him and the Camel Honda team and all our supporters. It’s a shame about Troy’s crash, because he was having a great race and was fighting back strongly. If he hadn’t have crashed I think he would have got into the top five. Nevertheless he had the courage to get back on board, get involved once more and come home eleventh. He’s getting more and more confident with the bike, and his time will come.” Alex Barros Camel Honda 1st place “I made a strike today, I’m unbelievably happy, this has been a perfect weekend. I have to thank both the team and Michelin, they have given me great things to work with. We’ve taken every session here, pole position and victory too. I also want to thank my sponsor Camel, who have filled me with confidence. This morning the conditions were difficult, and in the warm-up we went out on wet tyres but the track wasn’t that damp. The race was even more complicated. The track was virtually dry at the beginning but then there were a few drops. There was a moment when Sete took a bit of an advantage, then he slowed and I caught him up. I began to push and push, trying to put pressure on him, even though I could feel the raindrops on my helmet and on the bike. Then he lost the front end and crashed out, he was at the limit. They put out the white flag, but I didn’t think about coming in for one moment, it wasn’t raining enough for that, and it wasn’t even worth putting on intermediate tyres. It was a tough race, the track was in difficult conditions, but the satisfaction is enormous. Valentino pushed me hard at the end, and though I tried to respond, I lost a few seconds on the last laps, but only because I was preparing my celebrations!” Troy Bayliss Camel Honda 11th place “It might seem strange, but I’m quite happy with my race. I was starting down the order a bit, but I managed to get a good start. I got to seventh, and was having a good battle with Hayden, pushing to the limit, when I crashed out. The bike stalled, and automatically thinking about last year’s bike I thought my race was over, that I wouldn’t be able to start it again. I tried it anyway and it started up again. I got going again and even though the handlebars were all twisted I picked up some points by bringing the bike home. It will go better next time. Congratulations to Alex, he was great today, I’m happy for him and for the team.” More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing information: BARROS DOMINATES RAIN-HIT CONTEST IN PORTUGAL Veteran Alex Barros (Camel Honda RC211V), riding in his 212th premier class Grand Prix, was in a class of his own all weekend and won in the wet from Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) in second with Max Biaggi (Repsol Honda RC211V) third. The weather was typically unpredictable on the Atlantic coast and although the race started in the dry, rain fell on lap nine of this 28-lapper. And with the new option available to riders of entering the pits to change bikes, many might have been tempted had the rain been heavier. Conditions were at their worst at turn one, and the right-hander at the end of the start/finish straight claimed race leader Sete Gibernau (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) on lap 16 when he held a 1.1 second advantage over Barros. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) was another faller there on lap 23, although he remounted to finish sixth. Gibernau led from the lights with Barros, Biaggi and Rossi right on him and Marco Melandri (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) in fifth. By lap four Rossi had squeezed past Max, who had to ride his number two machine after problems with his number one bike this morning. On a cold track at 17-degrees and with heavy moisture in the air, riders were well aware of the possibility of rain and with Gibernau leading Barros by 1.3 seconds and Rossi in turn just over two seconds adrift of Barros, the first spots of rain fell. With a change of bike taking up too much time in conditions that did not warrant full wet tyres, riders had to cope with the slippy surface on slick tyres – and it proved too much for six riders, the most high profile faller being Gibernau. Melandri eventually finished fourth, just ahead of Carlos Checa (Ducati) in fifth – another strong performance on the RC211V. The Italian is making up for his troubled two years at Yamaha and looks in good shape as he settles into the Movistar Team. Troy Bayliss (Camel Honda RC211V) fell and remounted to finish 11th, while Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) sat this race out after injuring his right hand in a crash during qualifying yesterday afternoon. He should be fit to ride in China in two weeks time. Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) finished seventh after qualifying ninth – he never properly got to grips with Estoril, and the awkward conditions hampered him in the race more than they did the less inexperienced riders in the class. Barros, who was the fastest man in every session this weekend, said, “Thanks to the team my RC211V has been good all weekend. It was a tricky race. Sete pushed to make a gap and he made his mistake when I was trying to catch him. I had an advantage but I knew Valentino was pushing too – very tough.” Max was happier than in Jerez. “We’ve improved a lot and our struggles with the electronics look to be over. The team is so experienced and we’ll improve even more now. The rain made things hard, but even my number two bike felt good in these conditions.” Melandri said, “I’m very happy with that result. I chose hard compound tyres, which made things difficult at the start, but as the race went on I could battle with Colin and Checa. But I had trouble with my visor misting up and I rode the last eight laps with it open.” “I’m not happy at all with the race or the whole weekend,” said Nicky Hayden. “We didn’t seem to click and I never felt confident on the bike. I got good drive from the start but then lost some places into turn one. When the track was good I made progress, but then things went off and I went backwards.” Troy Bayliss said, “I’m content with the race. I started at the back but got a few places back. I was pushing hard racing with Hayden, but then I crashed. The engine stopped and I was thinking it wouldn’t start, but it’s a Honda so it did. And even though a handlebar was bent I managed to get some points.” Sete was in measured mood about his fate today. “A real pity because I was leading with a good gap,” he said. “I wanted to avoid a physical battle. But when it rained I had no reference in front of me – there was no flag to warn me. With this new rule it makes it hard on the race leader.” With the inaugural Grand Prix of China in two weeks time, the World Championship points table looks like this: Rossi on 45, Barros on 38, Melandri with 29, Max on 25 and Sete with 20 after two races. Casey Stoner (Aprilia) won an enthralling 250cc race by just 0.4 seconds from Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Racing Team Honda RS250RW) with Randy de Puniet (Aprilia) third. This is Dovi’s first podium finish in only his second 250cc event. Sebastian Porto (Aprilia) made the running as he led the pack into turn one from the off, but although the Argentine built up a substantial early-race lead of up to four and a half seconds by lap four, he could not sustain it. Dani Pedrosa (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) was his chief pursuer, closely followed by Dovi and de Puniet, Stoner and Alex de Angelis (Aprilia). As the damp track dried out fully by mid-race, the pack had caught Porto. Dani now led lap 12 of this 26-lap contest, followed by Dovi, then Porto and Stoner, who would soon dispose of the Argentine. Porto now dropped back to finish a distant ninth at the flag. A five rider group was now fighting it out and as the closing laps loomed Dani did not look comfortable and fell to the tail of the group headed alternately by Dovi, Stoner and de Puniet. On the final lap it was Stoner in front, but de Puniet then snatched the lead going into turn one before Stoner took the initiative again. Dovi dived underneath de Puniet at the chicane to take second spot but had no answer to Stoner. “My set-up was perfect, although I would have preferred a dry race” said Dovi. “I tried to stay in second place to be able to make a move on the final lap, but the Aprilias were very fast on the straight. I managed to outbrake de Puniet but I just couldn’t catch Stoner.” Dani said, “I had rear tyre trouble from the start of the race. It looked like other riders were in trouble too, but it seemed worse for me. Then my visor misted up and I had to keep lifting it up to clear it and I lost ground.” Hiroshi Aoyama (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) finished sixth and rookie Yuki Takahashi (Scot Racing Team Honda RS250RW) seventh after a race-long duel between the two Japanese riders who have clashed before in their domestic series. Dani still leads the overall points standings with 38 points, Dovi lies second on 33 with Porto third on 27. Mika Kallio (KTM) won his first ever 125cc Grand Prix from Hector Faubel (Aprilia) who scored his first ever rostrum finish in second. Kallio won by just three thousandths of a second while Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) deprived Fabrizio Lai (Kopron Racing World Honda RS125RW) of third place by a mere four hundredths. The 23-lap race got underway in dry conditions and it was pole-sitter Kallio who made it out of turn one in the lead. He was shadowed by his team-mate Gabor Talmacsi with Luthi right in contention – until Talmacsi fell on lap three. The Hungarian rider’s fall caused Luthi to lose eight places as the Swiss tried to avoid the stricken rider. Luthi clipped his helmet, but Talmacsi was lucky to emerge unscathed from the incident. Luthi was now 11th, but he fought back to 9th by the end of the lap and then set fastest laps in the low 1m 47 second bracket to get back on terms with the leaders. By lap seven Luthi was fourth, but there was a four second gap to the leading pair of Kallio and Faubel. Although Luthi managed to reduce it to 2.5 seconds with one lap to go, he would finish third by 2.9 seconds at the flag. “It feels good to be on a podium again,” said the 18-year-old Luthi. “The race was tough for me after Talmacsi crashed and I had to push really hard to get back near the front. So I’m happy with third under the circumstances.” Honda riders showed strongly in the top ten with Tomoyoshi Koyama (Ajo Motorsport Honda RS125R) in sixth just ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Seedorf Racing Honda RS125RW) in seventh, while Mike Di Meglio (Kopron Racing World Honda RS125R) was 11th after running as high as sixth mid-race. Lai’s fourth place puts him third equal in the overall points standings with Faubel. Kallio heads the order with 45 to Marco Simoncelli’s 31. HONDA TEAM QUOTES: MotoGP: Alex Barros, Camel Honda, 1st: “I made a strike today, I’m unbelievably happy, this has been a perfect weekend. I have to thank both the team and Michelin, they have given me great things to work with. We’ve taken every session here, pole position and victory too. I also want to thank my sponsor Camel, who have filled me with confidence. This morning the conditions were difficult, and in the warm-up we went out on wet tyres but the track wasn’t that damp. The race was even more complicated. The track was virtually dry at the beginning but then there were a few drops. There was a moment when Sete took a bit of an advantage, then he slowed and I caught him up. I began to push and push, trying to put pressure on him, even though I could feel the raindrops on my helmet and on the bike. Then he lost the front end and crashed out, he was at the limit. They put out the white flag, but I didn’t think about coming in for one moment, it wasn’t raining enough for that, and it wasn’t even worth putting on intermediate tyres. It was a tough race, the track was in difficult conditions, but the satisfaction is enormous. Valentino pushed me hard at the end, and though I tried to respond, I lost a few seconds on the last laps, but only because I was preparing my celebrations!” Max Biaggi, Repsol Honda Team, 3rd:”Someone has certainly said that today Max Biaggi is there. Let me tell you: Max Biaggi has always been there. But today we also had a good bike. Even if we can do much, much better. HRC’s potential is far higher than that. Unfortunately I had to race with the second bike because bike No.1, the machine I had the better feeling with, had a technical problem. Definitely, today’s third place leaves us satisfied. I’m happy for me and especially for my team: finally I saw them smiling and I thank them all. This podium was really needed to recharge our batteries on the way to China’s GP. Our job is not done yet, but we are on the right way: the answer I was looking for is in the electronics.” Marco Melandri, Movistar Honda: 4th: “I’m very satisfied with this result. We went out with a hard tyre and it was tough at the beginning. As the race went on I got a good rhythm together and it allowed me to stick it out with Edwards and Checa. I had a lot of confidence in the tyres and that gave me more stability. I was trying out a new helmet and it steamed up, so I had to do the last 8 laps with my visor open. It meant I couldn’t go any harder at the end but I am happy.” Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda Team, 7th: “I’m not very happy about the race at all or the way the whole weekend went really. We didn’t seem to click all weekend and I never felt 100% comfortable on the bike. I got good drive at the start but lost places on the first turn. During the first few laps, when the tyres and the track was good, I was making progress. Then things just seemed to go off and I went backwards. It’s difficult to describe how wet the track was in parts. I just wanted to hang on, get some experience and get some points. There are a lotta’ races left and we’ve gotta’ lot of racing left to do.” Troy Bayliss, Camel Honda, 11th: “It might seem strange, but I’m quite happy with my race. I was starting down the order a bit, but I managed to get a good start. I got to seventh, and was having a good battle with Hayden, pushing to the limit, when I crashed out. The bike stalled, and automatically thinking about last year’s bike I thought my race was over, that I wouldn’t be able to start it again. I tried it anyway and it started up again. I got going again and even though the handlebars were all twisted I picked up some points by bringing the bike home. It will go better next time. Congratulations to Alex, he was great today, I’m happy for him and for the team.” Sete Gibernau, Movistar Honda: dnf “The only mistake I made was to lead from the start. It was a very tough race and it was important to judge the marshals’ flags properly because that was the only reference I had of how much water was on the track. Wherever there was a flag I slowed down and where there wasn’t one I sped up. I didn’t go mad, I was in control of the race and I was even slower at the end of the straight than usual, but it wasn’t enough. The weekend was a lot tougher for me than people might expect, but once again we worked perfectly. I tried to get away and avoid contact with any other riders but the crash was unavoidable. In the end we’ve paid for it because the other riders saw the crash and dropped their pace by three seconds. On another day it will be somebody else but in these situations the person at the front is at a disadvantage. Now I just want to get home to Switzerland, continue my recuperation with my physical trainer and get a good rest before China”. Luca Montiron, Konica Minolta Honda Team Manager: “The hope is that after Makoto’s injuries, bad luck will definitely abandon us. As Makoto could have a potential problem to the right wrist, it doesn’t have any sense to risk anything and let him participate in the Grand Prix. The season has just begun and we have to concentrate on how to recover our rider as quick as possible. For this we’ll begin to prepare ourselves for the Grand Prix of China, where we’ll absolutely have to be back at our level. Makoto really care to compete on the circuit of Shangai, since that is one of the few Grand Prix which will be in Asiatic land. Tomorrow, obviously, we’ll not take part to the test session programmed here at the Estoril.” Dott. Mattioli, Mobile Clinic: “Makoto has a lot of pain. After the first few exams we suspected a fracture close to the scaphoid. The rider cannot completely move his right hand and he will not be able to participate to today’s race. We’ll understand what the injury is exactly about only after the CAT scan which the rider will have in the next few days. At the moment we have applied a Scotchcast to restrict the movement of the injured wrist.” 250cc: Andrea Dovizioso, Scot Racing Honda 250: 2nd: At the beginning it was a hard race due to the slick tyres because the track was wet and there was not a clean line round the circuit. I didn’t want to take risk and so I waited till the end of the race staying in the first group and saving the tyres for the final laps. In the closing laps I tried to be very fast in the turns in order to overtake the Aprilia, which was very fast on the straights. At the beginning of the season I thought to be less competitive than the most expert riders but during this race I was sure I would be on the podium. If I had risked more I could have overtaken Stoner. I learned a lot following Dani (Pedrosa) today. In my opinion Pedrosa is the best 250cc rider.” Dani Pedrosa, MoviStar Honda 250:4th: “Halfway through the race the rear tyre began to slide and I thought it would be the same for the other riders, but I dropped to the back of the group and realised I had more problems than them. I was losing a lot of ground in the final series of right handers because they are so long. Then twelve laps from the end my visor started to steam up on the left hand side and I had to open and close it on the straight. With all that going on and the uncertainty over the weather fourth place isn’t bad, although I would have liked to be on the podium.” Hiroshi Aoyama, MoviStar Honda 250: 6th: “It was a tough race but it was also very positive for me. It was very difficult to choose the tyre in the morning and the bike set-up because of the uncertainty over the weather but I think we made the right choice. I made a good start and I was able to follow the lead group at the beginning, but I made a small mistake and lost touch with them. After that I just concentrated on my pit board and catching Porto. I’m happy with the result”. Yuki Takahashi, Scot Racing Honda 250: 7th: “I’m very happy with this result and for these important points. In the beginning I had hoped to race in the first group but then I realised it was not possible for me and I decided to stay with Aoyama in the second group. Now I’m waiting for China, a new track for all riders.” Jorge Lorenzo, Fortuna Honda: 10: “Before the race I was very worried because of the wet track, that’s why my rivals left me at the start the surface was difficult, almost impossible to ride on. When I was able to up my pace I as lapping at the same time as the second group, then later close to the times of the leaders. Each time I ride the bike I feel like a 250cc racer, not a 125 rider.” Hector Barbera, Fortuna Honda: 11th: “My result was due to the conditions off the track, I am not used to riding this bike in these conditions. The team worked hard and did a good job, the bike was perfect. But I did not ride as well as the team and bike had worked for me.” Jakub Smrz, Molenaar Honda: 12th: “Tyre choice was very easy and we made a small adjustment to the suspension before the race but it was still a difficult race. I got a bad start but I had a dry line to the first corner so made up several places. After that I was racing with Barbera and could stay with him but he was difficult to pass When Lorenzo came passed we could not hold him and at the end Barbera went away a little so I had to take 12th place but I’m happy.” Alex Debon, Wurth Honda BQR: 13th: “My rear tyre was finished after eight laps. I cant understand why because in practice I could run 15 laps before it slid around like it did today. I guess it was the wet – dry- wet patches that caused the problem. This is a race to forget. I had two crashes in practice and not my best race, now we concentrate on Shanghai where no riders have raced before.” Radomil Rous, Wurth Honda BQR: 19th: I ha a problem off the start line, the bike didn’t pick up quickly. I was not in a good position and it was difficult to stay in the slipstream of the group I was with. Today it was not possible for me to finish better than 19th. China will be better, I’m sure.” 125cc: Thomas Luthi, Elit Honda: 3rd: “On the third lap Talmacsi crashed in front me and I tried to go to the right of him but Mika (Kallio) also went right so I had to go to the left but I hit Talmacsi. He’s OK so I’m happy about that. I quickly found my rhythm again and I’m happy with the result. We did not have a problem all weekend, everything was perfect. Luthi is back!” Fabrizio Lai, Kopron racing World Honda: 4th: “I had a big problem with my right arm during the race the muscle in my forearm pumped-up ad it made it very difficult for me to brake hard. The race started on a wet track but he front end was too soft and the bike was weaving under braking. It was impossible for me to respond when Luthi passed me.” Tomoyoshi Koyama, Ajo Motorsport: 6th: “I am satisfied with my race, and because I finished sixth. Next race in the same conditions I will be looking or a higher position. Today, at the beginning of the race the suspension was too hard but the pace was not fast and I could race with no problem.” Alvaro Bautista, Seedorf RC3 Tiempo Holidays Honda: 8th: “I am content with my race. We had some problems on Friday but we changed the front end a lot and my confidence grew. Now every tie I ride the bike I feel more comfortable. In the race I had some rear wheel slides but that was because of the conditions and the fact we have some work to do on the rear end of the bike but that we will fix at China.”. Mike Di Meglio, Kopron racing World Honda: 11th: “I got a good start and tried to stay with Poggiali and Pasini but they were very strong and I could not stay with hem. I was racing with Simon and Simoncelli one of them hit the rear of my bike and broke the body work but I managed to finish 11th. At the beginning of the season I didn’t have a good feeling with the Honda but now every time I ride it I feel more and more comfortable.” Alexis Masbou, Ajo Motorsport: 13th: “I did not get a very good start and stayed in the same position during the race. I had problems with rear wheel chattering, which didn’t help. Racing in the group I was with I did could not take advantage of their slipstream. I am a little disappointed.” Toshihisa Kuzuhara, Angaia Racing Honda: 14th: “My race result was not as good as I expected and wanted it to be. It was very important that I finished the race and that I could see which direction we have to take with bike settings in future. I now understand my potential and I will try very hard in China.” Sandro Cortese, Kiefer Bos Castrol Honda: 25th: “My start was not good and I struggled for the first two laps. I made up a few places but late in the race the engine was running at 70’and it lost power. After that it was difficult to stay in the slipstream of the riders in front of me.
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