From a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:
GIBERNAU DETERMINED TO KEEP TITLE MOMENTUM GOING
The fourth round of the 2004 MotoGP title race takes place in the Tuscan hills of Italy this weekend with a crowd of 70,000 expected at this fast, flowing, circuit. This race will mark the quarter-way stage in this year’s 16-race series and Mugello, as it so often does, will prove to be a pivotal race.
Pivotal for many reasons. Points table leader Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) will be aiming to win his third consecutive race of the season and stamp his authority on the title race at the ‘home’ Grand Prix of his two closest title rivals. Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V) lies ten points behind the Spaniard and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) is only four points in arrears of Biaggi.
But an early advantage in the points table is only part of the story. Mugello will also be a test for Rossi’s Yamaha. The 5.245km track is a ‘power’ circuit with a 1.14km uphill straight. The RC211V’s of Gibernau and Biaggi have never been short of the outright horsepower needed to take advantage of this long, crucial straight, while a question mark hangs over the power quotient of the Yamaha.
But the imposing main chute is by no means the only element of Mugello that poses a challenge. The right-hand turn at the end of the main 206mph straight is a ‘known’ passing place and a baulked run through there can upset a rider’s rhythm for the rest of the lap – and Mugello’s sweeping turns are a test that requires uninterrupted rhythm as much as anything else.
The racing here tends to be close and spectacular with epic slipstreaming battles along the straight and close quarter action through the turns where the adverse cambers and downhill plunges put a high value on machine agility. But without the power to stay in contention on the straight a rider has too much to do to make up ground through the turns in the backfield. This is why power is at a premium here.
The ‘home’ race advantage is key here too. Riders are never slow to point out that backing from a big, partisan crowd is worth a few extra horsepower and both Biaggi and Rossi will have hardcore legions of fans willing them on to title glory.
Sete Gibernau is under no illusions about how hard it will be to prevail here. “For sure it will be a difficult race as the Italian riders will be in front of their public,” he said. “Therefore they will almost have an extra gear as they’ll be even more motivated that usual. Plus Mugello isn’t exactly a circuit I particularly like. Last year on this track we had the worst result of the season, but I will be racing to win. I have lots of Italian fans too and it would be a fantastic gift to win for my Italian mechanics and for my team.”
Max Biaggi cannot wait for the race such is his enthusiasm for the magnificent circuit. Currently holding second place in the points standings Biaggi is in a buoyant mood as the race nears.
“What can you say about Mugello that isn’t something positive? The track would be one of my absolute favourites even if it wasn’t my home circuit and the venue for the Italian GP. The endless front straightaway, the fast bends, the technically-challenging esses, all make this a fantastic track to ride at: with the “Bucine”, the “Arrabbiata” double-apex, the “Casanova-Savelli” where my fan-club always cheers from, as well as all the rest… I love every bit of it. I also like the hilly nature of the track, I’m not a big fan of the flat circuits. The track is very different from Le Mans, it doesn’t have the same hard braking for starters, but the positive work my team has done with the set-up after the last race could allow me to have a good base setting with which to go just as well at this track. I think that the race will be very hard fought, there are a lot of us who want and who are capable of going well, and I’m certain to be amongst those.” Commented the ultra-fast Roman.
Brazilian Alex Barros (Repsol Honda RC211V) currently lies fourth in the overall title standings and sees this race a perfect opportunity to get further on terms with his rivals. “I’m confident that the important work we did after the last race at Le Mans will be of big benefit for next race,” he said. “We struggled in France to find a good balance for the machine. I was not confident with the front end and was having real problems in the turns.
“We worked to find a solution on the day after the race and I was happy with the results where we were able to lap consistently quicker than over the whole race weekend. This work will be important for the set-up for Mugello, which is such a fast and flowing track. We need a good result this weekend to keep in contention in the long race for the championship.”
Colin Edwards (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) needs to get his season on track here too – and feels the time is right after extensive testing. “After the work at the Michelin test track my feeling with the bike is much better,” he said. “We had problems with the front whenever the air temperature rose. We changed the forks and we’ve now resolved these problems. So now I can’t wait to go to Mugello. The Italians are favourites but there won’t only be Rossi and Biaggi, Sete and I will be up there to fight also. Mugello is a special track, full of history, and I like the atmosphere there.”
And Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V), currently lying seventh in the overall standings, also needs to pick up a big points haul here too. “I’m looking forward to Mugello,” said the American. “It’s a really nice track and I like the layout a lot. I never really got up to speed there last year and to be honest had a bit of an off weekend. I want to start this coming important race weekend where we left off from the test at Le Mans after what was really a pretty disappointing race.
“We definitely found some speed in the test and I was lapping a whole lot quicker than I did in the race. The team is working real hard and I so want to get a result for them and all my fans that have been so supportive. I’m under no illusions; it’s going to be hard. I’m racing in the best series in the world with the best riders in the world. I’ve just got to keep chipping away and learning.”
Makoto Tamada (Camel Honda RC211V) riding on Bridgestone tyres said, “I’m delighted to be going to Mugello, because the track is so beautiful. Last year, without any prior testing experience there I felt good straight away. In the race I was nineteenth after the first lap but by the end I had clawed my way up to fourth place. So it was at this race that I showed my ability to battle with the best for the first time, and that I could challenge for the podium. This year we have already shown that we can go fast in testing, and now we only have to get right the life of the rear tyre during the race, but we are getting there. The test after the Le Mans
In the 250cc category series leader Randy de Puniet (Aprilia) knows he will have a fight on his hands from two directions. From Danny Pedrosa (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW), who has now won two races so far in his rookie 250 year. And from Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) who will be aiming to win his home race.
“Mugello is a very difficult track and races are usually very hard,” said Pedrosa. “To find a good setting is very important and to choose the right tyres, also. For me, Mugello is the most technical track in the World Championship and I don’t know quite what to expect because it’s my first time there on a 250. Now, we are doing well, but it will be a very difficult race, I’m sure about that. You really need to concentrate here from the first free session and work hard for the race. A front row start is vital here also.”
Rolfo is set on making up for his calamitous French Grand Prix. “Le Mans was a disaster for me,” he said. “I still don’t really know what caused the crash. We stayed on to test at Le Mans after the race and although I never set fast times in testing we achieved some positive results from the new machine set up we tested. Mugello is an important race for me. I like the track a lot and hope the changes we have made to the bike will be effective here.”
In the 125 arena Mugello represents a chance for series leader Andrea Dovizioso (Team Scot Honda RS125R) to stamp his authority on the title race with a home win – and the Honda standard bearer in this class will be going all out to secure a third win this year.
“I had to stay really focused after Le Mans and concentrate on preparing for Mugello,” he said. “Mugello is good for Aprilia because they test there so much. But I am optimistic, I like Mugello and was involved in a good race there in 2003. I was running second with a lap to go but had a big slide at Casanova-Savelli and finished fourth. At the moment I’m in good psychological and physical shape and the bike is very fast so Mugello could be good for us.”
The other Honda contenders in the 125cc category know they must use Mugello as a chance to get properly into the points reckoning at Aprilia’s home track. The man nearest the front runners in the title chase is Julian Simon (Angaia Racing Honda RS125R) currently on 13 points in 13th place. While one of last year’s rookie revelations, Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R), has yet to score.
“I will be happy to get to Mugello after my experience at Le Mans,” said Luthi. “I really like the track at Mugello, the way the fast corners flow makes it a great place to race. I finished 12th last year and I need to improve on that this year.”
