From a press release issued by MS Aprilia:


Garry McCoy joins Aprilia for last three races

AUSTRALIAN Garry McCoy will join the MS Aprilia Racing team for the final three rounds of the 2004 MotoGP world championship.

McCoy will make his debut on the Cube three-cylinder at next weekend’s Malaysian GP at Sepang, substituting for injured British rider Shane Byrne, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury. McCoy will also appear in front of his home crowd at Phillip Island’s Australian GP on October 17 and at the season’s final race in Valencia, Spain.

Famous for his spectacular sliding riding style, McCoy brings a wealth of world championship experience with him. He won his first premier class GP at the Welkom circuit in South Africa in 2000, and went onto claim two more victories in Estoril and Valencia in the same season. He eventually finished fifth in the overall world 500 championship standings in 2000. He also claimed four other premier class podiums, adding to his two wins in the world 125 championship.

McCoy has spent the 2004 season riding in the World Superbike championship, but with the series reaching its conclusion this weekend in France, McCoy is available to partner Jeremy McWilliams for the rest of the season. McCoy will work with Byrne’s team, led by Giacomo Guidotti.

Aprilia racing chief Jan Witteveen said: “Garry contacted us after Japan and from that moment we were seriously considering him for a ride on the RS Cube. He brings with him great quality, but he is also the only rider who has no contract problems with the World Superbike championship finishing on Sunday. We are looking forward to working with him because we know he is a rider of great talent.”

Byrne underwent a successful two-hour operation yesterday in San Marino to repair ligament and scaphoid bone damage to his left wrist. Byrne damaged the wrist in a crash at the Czech Republic GP back in August, and after finishing 13th at the Twin Ring Motegi GP in Japan last month, further medical checks revealed a broken scaphoid bone and serious ligament damage.

Doctor Soragni and GP Doctor Claudio Costa carried out the operation. Byrne is now beginning a two-month rehabilitation and he will be able to commence an intensive course of physiotherapy in three weeks time in a bid to be fit for winter testing.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Proton Team KR MotoGP racer Kurtis Roberts has ended his management agreement with International Racers, Inc.

According to Roberts, he sent a letter to the management company earlier this week officially ending their relationship.

Roberts has been with International Racers, Inc. for his entire professional racing career.

He said he has not settled on a new manager or management team and is temporarily representing himself.

When asked why he ended the relationship, Roberts told Roadracingworld.com, “There were some things promised to me in this year’s deal that did not come through.”

International Racers, Inc., founded by Gary Howard, also represents Roberts’ father, Kenny Leroy Roberts, Roberts’ brother, Kenny Lee Roberts, and Proton Team KR, among others.

A call by Roadracingworld.com to the Irvine, California offices of International Racers, Inc. was not answered Friday afternoon.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Final MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 1:58.988
2. Alex BARROS, Honda, 1:59.119
3. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 1:59.126
4. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 1:59.187
5. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, 1:59.232
6. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 1:59.281
7. Ruben XAUS, Ducati, 1:59.352
8. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 1:59.494
9. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 1:59.551
10. Colin EDWARDS, Honda, 1:59.582
11. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 1:59.944
12. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 2:00.063
13. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 2:00.638
14. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Aprilia, 2:00.660
15. Neil HODGSON, Ducati, 2:00.826
16. Marco MELANDRI, Yamaha, 2:00.924
17. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 2:01.303
18. Alex HOFMANN, Kawasaki, 2:01.531
19. Yukio KAGAYAMA, Suzuki, 2:02.151
20. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 2:03.281
21. James HAYDON, Proton, 2:03.845
22. James ELLISON, Harris WCM, 2:04.627

Not qualified (Out 107%) 2:07.317

23. Youichi UI, Harris WCM, 2:07.466


More, from a press release issued by Dorna Sports:

Checa clinches historic pole in Qatar

Carlos Checa will make history as the first man ever to start a MotoGP race from pole position in Qatar on Saturday after setting the fastest time in the final qualifying session at the Losail International Circuit this afternoon. The battle for top spot on the grid started as early as the seventh minute of the session, when vastly improved track conditions allowed Sete Gibernau to swiftly dislodge provisional pole holder Ruben Xaus.

Eventually Xaus’ time would be bettered by some 2.4 seconds as a host of riders took their turn at the top of the time sheets, culminating with a series of hot laps at the end of the session from Checa and a decisive pole time of 1’58.988.

“I’ve waited a long time and so I’m going to enjoy it,” said Checa, who last set pole position in Portugal just over a year ago. “I’m confident of a good result especially as we’ve worked very hard on tyre selection. It will be tough in the heat tomorrow and overtaking will be hard because the surface is so slippery off the racing line. Starting from pole is the perfect position to be in.”

Alex Barros pulled a fast time out of the bag on his last lap to gatecrash the front row in second place, relegating Sete Gibernau to third after the Spaniard’s own late pole attack faltered in the final corner. Barros’ effort knocked his team-mate Nicky Hayden off the front row, the American dropping to fourth place ahead of Shinya Nakano and Loris Capirossi.

Despite his early optimism and an improvement of almost two seconds on his provisional time today, Xaus was eventually forced back to the front of the third row in seventh place. He is joined by current World Champion and series leader Valentino Rossi, who was over half a second off the pace of his Yamaha team-mate Checa as he qualified back in eighth.

Troy Bayliss made huge strides to move up to ninth on the grid, knocking 4.5 seconds off his provisional time, whilst Colin Edwards suffered the biggest disappointment of the afternoon as he slipped to tenth despite being the fastest man in the morning practice, when he became the first rider to complete a lap of this circuit in less than two minutes.

Lap times also tumbled in the 250cc class but Sebastián Porto continued his dominance with the fastest time of the session. The Argentinean starts tomorrow’s race from pole position having set the pace in every practice so far this weekend, with the man he is desperately trying to catch at the top of the championship, Dani Pedrosa, alongside him on the front row.

Pedrosa was almost two seconds off Porto yesterday but closed to within just a couple of tenths today in what looks likely to be a direct head-to-head between the pair. Alex de Angelis was third fastest, over a second behind Porto, whilst Randy de Puniet also starts from the front row of the grid in fourth.

Toni Elías, who finished second to Pedrosa at the last round in Japan, faces a battle from the front of the second row in fifth place whilst Hiroshi Aoyama, who took his first podium of the season at his home round, lines up in sixth. Franco Battaini and Fonsi Nieto complete the second row.

Jorge Lorenzo laid down the gauntlet in the 125cc class, clocking the fastest time in both the morning and the afternoon sessions to comfortably take pole position for Saturday’s race. The Derbi youngster was over a second faster than nearest challenger Andrea Dovizioso in the free practice but the series leader closed to within 0.284 seconds in the afternoon, sealing second place on the grid with his last lap on the Honda. Aprilia rider Steve Jenkner also mounted a late assault on the front row, moving up to third place but never really threatening Lorenzo’s pole time, whilst Casey Stoner made it four manufacturers on the front row by sealing fourth on the KTM.

Roberto Locatelli gave himself a good chance of success in tomorrow’s race by sealing the front spot on the second row in fifth place but fellow title challenger Hector Barbera was not so lucky and will start from 14th place. The Aprilia pair trail Dovizioso at the top of the standings by 52 and 45 points respectively.



More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAND PRIX OF QATAR – LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT
1ST OCTOBER 2004 – QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2

NAKANO MAKES PERFECT RUN TO QUALIFY IN FIFTH PLACE

With impeccable timing Fuchs Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano made a dramatic surge to secure fifth on the grid for tomorrow’s inaugural Qatar Grand Prix.

Nakano carved four seconds off his time from first qualifying to go within 0.24s of pole position.

His second row start comes just two weeks after his best race result of the season so far, a third place podium at last weeks Japanese Grand Prix.

With just two seconds remaining of the session, Nakano began his final qualifying lap and produced a superb performance, getting the best out of his Ninja ZX-RR and Bridgestone qualifying tyre.

Start positions will be critical for the 22 lap race, which will be run in heat wave conditions at the sand blown Losail Circuit on the outskirts of Doha.

There is a narrow racing line on the strip of track swept clean by riders, and both Nakano and his Fuchs Kawasaki team-mate, Alex Hofmann, say that overtaking will be extremely difficult.

Hofmann has set himself a massive task for the race by qualifying 18th, after a frustrating session in heat wave conditions with track temperatures officially reaching 58 degrees.

Despite set-up changes to improve rear end grip, Hofmann was unable to go any faster on a soft qualifying tyre than his standard race tyre set-up. His consistent speed on a race set-up is a positive for the race, but not so his starting spot on the sixth row.

Overnight set-up changes to front fork and spring settings produced much improved front end feel on the brakes and turn-in on Nakano’s ZX-RR. The Japanese ace is also more confident with the consistency of his race set-up for the 16 turn Losail track.

This will be Nakano’s third second row start of the season, backing up his fifth place qualifying efforts at Assen and the Sachsenring.

Shinya Nakano: 5th (1’59.232)
“After yesterday I would have been happy to be on third row today, so going to fifth place is much better than my target. I was much more confident with the front end and spent a lot of time trying to understand the conditions; it is like racing on a wet track with just a dry racing line. To make a fast lap here it helps to follow someone, because it is difficult to judge the braking markers. On my final lap I had a very good run behind Alex Barros. I’m very confident with my race set-up, but the start will be the most important part of the race, as trying to overtake here is almost impossible.”

Alex Hofmann: 18th (2’01.531)
“This is not the result I was looking for; 18th on the grid at this track and in these conditions is going to make the race very difficult. Overtaking will be tough, the dust and dirt gives you virtually no grip if you run wide. Today I just couldn’t get any extra speed out of my qualifying tyre compared to race tyres, it is very frustrating and hopefully there is a set-up solution for the race. I was sliding more on the soft qualifier than the race tyre, which probably made for great photos but not a fast time.”

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
“This is a great qualifying performance by Shinya, coming as it has just two weeks after his podium in the Japanese Grand Prix. He did a fantastic job, and from the second row he has an excellent chance in the race with overtaking being so difficult. Alex also has good pace on race tyres, but today he paid the penalty for not maximising the speed from the qualifying tyres – although I think he can join Shinya in the points in the race. It’s going to be tough, but I think we have a good bike and tyre package for these conditions.”

QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2 – COMBINED TIMES
1. Carlos Checa (SPA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha 1’58.988; 2. Alex Barros (BRA) Repsol Honda +0.131; 3. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +0.138; 4. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda +0.199; 5. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.244; 6. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.293; 7. Ruben Xaus (SPA) dAntin Ducati Team +0.364; 8. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +0.506; 9. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.563; 10. Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +0.594; 11. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki Grand Prix Team +0.956; 12. Max Biaggi (ITA) Camel Honda Team +1.075; 18. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +2.543



More, from a press release issued by Team Telefonica Movistar Honda:

2004-10-01
SETE READY FOR THE BATTLE

2nd OFFICIAL MOTOGP QUALIFYING PRACTICE

In one of the most exciting qualifying sessions of the season, intensified by extremely high temperatures (35ºC ambient and 54ºC track) and constant changes at the top of the time sheets, Sete Gibernau managed to seal a valuable front row start in Qatar. The Telefónica MoviStar Honda MotoGP rider is sure of giving his best once again in what promises to be a physically and mentally tortuous race due to the heat and the dirt on the track. Any mistake tomorrow will be paid for dearly. Colin Edwards, perhaps the most consistent rider over the four practice sessions, had to make do with tenth place after making a mistake as he chased a fast time at the end of the session.

SETE GIBERNAU (3rdº, 1’59″126): “There are two really striking things about this Grand Prix – firstly the heat and secondly the dirt on the track. This will require an extra effort from everybody, but apart from that I think this front row is important and we! have done a good job alongside Michelin. After two tough GPs I am enjoying myself again on the bike again and, even though it will be a long, tough race, the rhythm we have should give us a chance of fighting for a good result”.

COLIN EDWARDS (10th, 1’59″582): “We continued working on the set-up today and we found a good rhythm, but unfortunately in the second half of the session we lost a lot of time on my preferred bike and I had to go out on the other one. We weren’t able to make the most of the qualification tyres because I made a small mistake in the final corner and ran off track by half a metre, losing the front. It will be tough tomorrow because to overtake you have to run off the racing line and that is risky”.

FAUSTO GRESINI (team manager): “We have to be ready for a really tough race. What happened to Colin was a shame because he did a good job in qualifying without being able to get a time on the qual! ifying tyre at the end. Sete, on the other hand, will start from the front row and it will be important to get away well at this circuit”.

LAP TIMES
1. Rubén Xaus (Esp/Ducati) 2’01″309
2. Colin Edwards (USA/Honda) + 0″308
3. Sete Gibernau (Esp/Honda) + 0″573
4. Carlos Checa (Esp/Yamaha) + 1″435
5. Max Biaggi (Ita/Honda) + 1″745
6. Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) + 1″965



More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda:

Max and Makoto confident of finding ideal race set-up in tomorrow’s warm-up

Max Biaggi and Makoto Tamada registered the 12th and 13th fastest times in today’s final qualifying session in Qatar. They will start therefore from the fourth and fifth rows of the grid respectively, which means it will be a crucial start to the race for the Camel Honda team duo. So tomorrow’s warm-up will be vital for both riders to find the ideal solution so they can be competitive in the race, where without a doubt the main rival will be the suffocating heat.

Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)
“It’s clear that this track is giving us more problems than we thought it would. Max couldn’t make the most of the qualifying tyres and his position on the grid isn’t ideal. We’re not running at the peak of our capabilities and our rhythm isn’t up with the top guys either; tomorrow’s warm-up will be crucial to try and find more answers so we can be competitive in the race and we will be trying to use all the data we’ve collected on this second day of practice.”

Max Biaggi – Camel Honda (Michelin tyres) – 12th – 2’00.063
“We haven’t made the steps forward that we were expecting, because as the track began to pick up rubber and allowed us to push harder, the chattering problem in the front was accentuated, and we hardly had any issue with that yesterday. It’s a shame, because we were quite optimistic but now whenever I try to brake a bit harder in the turns, the front becomes unstable. I will try to get a good start but as soon as you get off the racing line here it’s a big risk. Furthermore we don’t have a competitive rhythm. Basically I’m expecting a difficult race and that’s a shame because I came here with a lot of confidence after having got the bike in good shape before both the Estoril and Motegi races.”

Giulio Bernardelle – Camel Honda – (Makoto Tamada’s Technical Director)
“We’ve still not got the set-up that we managed at other more difficult circuits, because of the lack of grip at this track. We are working hard to give Makoto confidence in the front which is vital for him to be fast and competitive. There have been improvements, but not enough to be up with our main rivals. There shouldn’t be any problems on the tyre front, especially in terms of their durability, but we haven’t completed all the necessary tests to make that a certainty. Tomorrow’s warm-up will be when we make our final decisions for the race.”

Makoto Tamada – Camel Honda (Bridgestone Tyres) – 13th -2’00.638
“We have so many things to improve, but at the top of the list is the feeling with the front end. This lack of confidence means I’m not as quick in the turns, so the lap time and the rhythm both suffer. By working hard to solve this problem we have left out some other things too, so I’m a little behind at the moment. I’m confident however that in tomorrow’s warm-up we will find the solutions so we can be quicker and more competitive.”



More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:
HONDA RACING INFORMATION

Grand Prix of Qatar, Losail, Friday September 30, October 1, 2, 2004

Final Qualifying October 1

GIBERNAU BACK ON FORM WITH FRONT ROW START

MotoGP final qualifying got underway in oppressive 45 degree heat with track temperature at a stratospheric 58 degrees here in Qatar. Carlos Checa (Yamaha) rode to pole with Alex Barros (Repsol Honda RC211V) second and Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) completing the front row in third.

Conditions were more than punishing. Besides the sky-high temperatures, riders had to contend with a wafer-thin racing line on this virgin tarmac, which was used for the first time yesterday. There is very little rubber ‘laid down’ and grip is very hard to come by if riders deviate from the racing line.

Gibernau, whose reputation as a rider who excels in difficult conditions, reinforced that here with an aggressive, but measured ride to get a vital front row start and rebuild a title challenge that has faded slightly over the past two races. Series points leader Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) start from eighth place on row three.

Gibernau recorded a best lap time of 1m 59.126 seconds – just 0.138 seconds shy of Checa’s pole time. And Barros in second further reinforces his resurgence with a best time only 0.131 seconds adrift of Checa’s mark.

Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) heads the second row after showing what he can do when back to full strength after his recent injuries. His 1m 59.187 second best being a mere two tenths shy of the pole time.

Less than one second covers the top 11 riders and with three Hondas in the top four positions, the RC211V is clearly suited to mastering the tricky turns and reduced grip here at the 5.4km Losail International track.

Colin Edwards (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) had looked in good shape throughout qualifying, but the Texan could only manage tenth place when the pace was upped and the times dipped into the mid 1m 59 second bracket. Edwards was the first rider to lap in less than two minutes during this morning’s free training session.

Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V) and Makoto Tamada (Camel Honda RC211V), the Japanese riding on Bridgestone tyres, could not get to grips with things here and Max starts from row four in 12th with Tamada one row behind in 13th.

Qualifying assumed even more significance than usual here because of the state of the track. A good start will be crucial to any rider’s hopes of a podium – and after the first turn incident at Motegi two weeks ago, the grid will be mindful of avoiding a pile-up, but equally aware that a lack of aggression into turn one, and places lost as a consequence, will be very hard to recover.

“There are two things about this Grand Prix,” said Gibernau. “The heat and the dirt on track. This means a lot of extra effort from everybody. But apart from that the front row is vital here and we’ve done a good job along with Michelin. After two tough races I’m enjoying myself again and although it will be a long, tough race, the rhythm we have should give us a chance.”

Barros said, “Because the track’s in the middle of the desert it’s hard to keep clean, but today it had more grip than yesterday. We saw the times come down with each session. Everything is fine for me and we’ve found the suspension and gearbox settings we need. I’m quite confident about tomorrow.”

Nicky Hayden is ready to race. “We really made some big improvements over yesterday,” he said. “The track’s getting better all the time and we seem to have more grip out there now. The front-end that felt nervous yesterday feels much better today. Fourth might not be so bad because it means I’m on the clean side of the track. The big thing tomorrow will be to not make any mistakes.”

Edwards was disappointed. “We found a good rhythm, but in the second half of the session we lost a lot of time with my preferred bike and I had to take my number two machine out. We couldn’t make the most of the qualifying tyres because I made a small mistake in the final turn and ran off track by half a metre. It’ll be tough tomorrow because to overtake you’ll have to run off the racing line – and that’s risky.”

Max said, “My 12th position is a real shame because I came here full of enthusiasm. I was optimistic yesterday because I thought we were going in the right direction. I’ve got problems at the front end under braking. We can see the problem on the telemetry – but we can’t seem to solve them. I’ll just try to start well and see what happens.”

Tamada is not in great shape either. “There are many things we need to improve,’ said the Japanese. “I’m short of feel from the front-end and with this lack of confidence I can’t be strong in the turns and my rhythm’s no good. We’ve spent so much time trying to solve this that all the other areas need work too. The warm-up tomorrow will be my last chance to sort things out.”

The final hour of 250cc qualifying was Sebastian Porto’s chance to put the heat on his rivals. The Argentine grabbed pole with 2m 02.710s lap, but title chase leader Dani Pedrosa (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW) is in good shape having qualified second.

The other front row men are Alex de Angelis and Randy de Puniet (both Aprilia) while the second row will feature Tony Elias (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) in fifth with Hiroshi Aoyama (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW) lining up next to the Spaniard in sixth.

The best Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) could manage was 16th on row four, while Alex Debon (Würth Honda BQR RS250R) starts from row three in 11th. Eric Bataille (Würth Honda BQR RS250R) is not riding, having decided to take the rest of the season off to recuperate from injuries. His replacement David de Gea qualifed 24th.

“The race will be difficult,” said Dani. “The heat is severe and it’s going to be so hard on tyres. The racing line is really narrow and the dirt, if you get off line, is a real problem. The start will be critical and I just hope to do well and finish.”

The final half-hour of 125cc qualifying ended with Jorge Lorenzo (Derbi) on pole with title race leader Andrea Dovizioso (Team Scot Honda RS125R) next to him on the front row. Steve Jenkner (Aprilia) and Casey Stoner (KTM) complete the front row.

Lorenzo clocked a lap of 2m 9.644 seconds and Dovizioso is a mere 0.284 seconds shy of that pole time. Dovi has been consistently quick here at this new track and is in no mood to let his title challenge lose any momentum. A front row start will be vital here where the racing line is narrow and overtaking will prove to be difficult.

“I couldn’t find anyone to slipstream on the last two laps,” said Dovi. “I had to go it alone. The bike is okay although the engine is running at 65 degrees. I’ve got a small problem with the suspension in turn ten, but aside from that everything’s good. The tactic will be to try and race normally and keep an eye on my rivals.”

The second row comprises Dovi’s main title challenger Roberto Locatelli (Aprilia) in fifth, with Pablo Nieto and Marco Simoncelli (both Aprilia) in sixth and seventh. Julian Simon (Angaia Racing Honda RS125R) lines up on row two in eighth for tomorrow’s 18-lap race.

HONDA TEAM QUOTES:

MotoGP:

Alex Barros, Repsol Honda Team: 2nd: “At my age and at my time in the championships it’s hard to find a new track but I’m happy to be here. They make a great job and I like the track. Congratulations to all who have been involved. Because the track is in the middle of the dessert it is hard to keep clean but today it had much more grip than yesterday. We see the times come down and down today with each practice session. Even now we are not on the limit. Everything for me is fine. The bike goes well. We have just spent the weekend trying to find the good settings for the suspension and the gearbox and which tyres will work best. I am quite confident for tomorrow.”

Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda , 3rd: “There are two really striking things about this Grand Prix – firstly the heat and secondly the dirt on the track. This will require an extra effort from everybody, but apart from that I think this front row is important and we! have done a good job alongside Michelin. After two tough GPs I am enjoying myself again on the bike again and, even though it will be a long, tough race, the rhythm we have should give us a chance of fighting for a good result”.

Nicky Haydon, Repsol Honda Team: 4th: “Pretty good session really. We’ve really made a big improvement over yesterday – the guys have been working real hard. The tracks coming better all the time and we seem to have more grip out there now. The front that felt nervous yesterday feels much better today. Fourth might not be so bad actually – we’re on the good clean side of the track – just point two off pole! The big thing tomorrow will be to make no mistakes. We gotta’ keep out of trouble, get a good start and ride a smart race. The tyre choice will be critical but I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be wild!”

Colin Edwards, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 10th: “We continued working on the set-up today and we found a good rhythm, but unfortunately in the second half of the session we lost a lot of time on my preferred bike and I had to go out on the other one. We weren’t able to make the most of the qualification tyres because I made a small mistake in the final corner and ran off track by half a metre, losing the front. It will be tough tomorrow because to overtake you have to run off the racing line and that is risky.”

Fausto Gresini: (team manager): “We have to be ready for a really tough race. What happened to Colin was a shame because he did a good job in qualifying without being able to get a time on the qualifying tyre at the end. Sete, on the other hand, will start from the front row and it will be important to get away well at this circuit”.

Max Biaggi, Camel Honda (Michelin tyres) , 12th: “We haven’t made the steps forward that we were expecting, because as the track began to pick up rubber and allowed us to push harder, the chattering problem in the front was accentuated, and we hardly had any issue with that yesterday. It’s a shame, because we were quite optimistic but now whenever I try to brake a bit harder in the turns, the front becomes unstable. I will try to get a good start but as soon as you get off the racing line here it’s a big risk. Furthermore we don’t have a competitive rhythm. Basically I’m expecting a difficult race and that’s a shame because I came here with a lot of confidence after having got the bike in good shape before both the Estoril and Motegi races.”

Sito Pons, Camel Honda (Team Principal) : “It’s clear that this track is giving us more problems than we thought it would. Max couldn’t make the most of the qualifying tyres and his position on the grid isn’t ideal. We’re not running at the peak of our capabilities and our rhythm isn’t up with the top guys either; tomorrow’s warm-up will be crucial to try and find more answers so we can be competitive in the race and we will be trying to use all the data we’ve collected on this second day of practice.”

Makoto Tamada, Camel Honda (Bridgestone Tyres), 13th: “We have so many things to improve, but at the top of the list is the feeling with the front end. This lack of confidence means I’m not as quick in the turns, so the lap time and the rhythm both suffer. By working hard to solve this problem we have left out some other things too, so I’m a little behind at the moment. I’m confident however that in tomorrow’s warm-up we will find the solutions so we can be quicker and more competitive.”

Giulio Bernardelle, Camel Honda, (Makoto Tamada’s Technical Director):
“We’ve still not got the set-up that we managed at other more difficult circuits, because of the lack of grip at this track. We are working hard to give Makoto confidence in the front which is vital for him to be fast and competitive. There have been improvements, but not enough to be up with our main rivals. There shouldn’t be any problems on the tyre front, especially in terms of their durability, but we haven’t completed all the necessary tests to make that a certainty. Tomorrow’s warm-up will be when we make our final decisions for the race.”


250c:

Dani Pedrosa, Telefonica MoviStar Honda Jr: 2nd: “It was a tough session because of the heat but we were able to improve over the course of the session and the track also got better. It was difficult to stay on the same line because the track is really shiny and you can’t see too well. But the important thing is that we have done tyre tests and we are pretty clear about what we need for tomorrow. It will be a tough race for everybody and it will last for ever but I hope to leave here with a good result.”

Toni Elías, Fortuna Honda: 5th: “After the two sessions yesterday and having not suffered so many problems this morning, we spent the final session trying out a few things, even when I was pushing for a fast lap we were experimenting. “The tests at least showed us the way forward and a few possible solutions but once we had that in mind i didn’t have time to go out for a fast lap. “I think I could have been on the front row without a doubt if I had time. The race will be tough – not only for the heat but also for tyre wear, especially on the front”.

Hirosi Aoyama, Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 6th: “I am not completely satisfied today because I was hoping to knock more off my time to get more comfortable on the track. I think we’ll have to make a couple of changes in the warm-up and get a good start in the race to get as close as possible to the podium”.

Alberto Puig: (team manager): “Dani has done a good job – a front row start here is important. It will be a really hard race here because of the heat and he will have to be very careful not to get off line into the dirty part of the track. I hope Hiro can get a good start and make up a few positions”.

Alex Debon, Wurth Honda BQR, 11th: “Not so bad, I’m happy with myself. We have some setting points to work on because we had a small problem with the forks and one front tyre. I was in 8-9 place for a while and ended the session 11th. But for the race everything will be good and my shoulder is OK, I will be strong in the race.”

Roberto Rolfo, Fortuna Honda, 16th “Roberto Rolfo (16th): “I am constantly suffering from the same problem on the front end of the bike and even though I worked hard and tried things I hadn’t done yet it was impossible to find a solution. “I am way down the grid but I am confident of improving tomorrow in the race because I started to go better at the end of the session. Tomorrow I’ll go out to try an improve my time and push to the limit to join the front group. “I am a long way back but I will keep working and I won’t throw the towel in.”

Jakub Smrz, Molenaar Honda, 17th:Ï’mreally angry about that session. The bike worked well but I lost 5-6 places when I got blocked on my fast lap. This morning the bike was perfect and I was in 11th place so I know I can be fast in the race. The only question mark will be the tyre performance we just have one type of tyre.”

David de Gea replacement for the injured Eric Bataille, Wurth Honda BQR, 24th: “All weekend I have had a good feeling with the bike until this afternoon when I just could not get comfortable. I just don’t now why. This race is only my second race two-stroke in three years and I hoped to use the event as a build up for the last three races of the year. I ran 2.08.3s this morning and expected more this afternoon but ran exactly the same time. Basically I am not happy with myself and I will have to improve in the race. I have confidence in the bike so I can have a good race.”


125cc:

Andrea Dovizioso, Scot Honda, 2nd: “Basically the bike is very good just a couple of small problems. The engine is running at 65′ and we have a suspension problem in turn 10 but we can fix that in the warm up. I could not find anybody to slipstream in the final session and I set my time running alone so I’m happy with that. My tactics will be to race as normal we want to win but wit

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Practice Times From Qatar:

MotoGP:

1. Colin EDWARDS, Honda, 1:59.527
2. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 2:00.298
3. Alex BARROS, Honda, 2:00.630
4. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 2:00.697
5. Ruben XAUS, Ducati, 2:00.756
6. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 2:00.798
7. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 2:00.999
8. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 2:01.078
9. Marco MELANDRI, Yamaha, 2:01.231
10. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 2:01.299
11. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 2:01.554
12. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 2:01.911
13. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, 2:01.937
14. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Aprilia, 2:02.269
15. Alex HOFMANN, Kawasaki, 2:02.452
16. Neil HODGSON, Ducati, 2:02.818
17. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 2:03.522
18. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 2:03.552
19. Yukio KAGAYAMA, Suzuki, 2:03.969
20. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 2:05.772
21. James HAYDON, Proton, 2:06.064
22. James ELLISON, Harris WCM, 2:06.649
23. Youichi UI, Harris WCM, 2:09.365


250cc GP:

1. Sebastian PORTO, Aprilia, 2:04.421
2. Daniel PEDROSA, Honda, 2:04.436
3. Alex DE ANGELIS, Aprilia, 2:05.048
4. Randy DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 2:05.329
5. Franco BATTAINI, Aprilia, 2:05.795
6. Anthony WEST, Aprilia, 2:05.852
7. Toni ELIAS, Honda, 2:06.482
8. Fonsi NIETO, Aprilia, 2:06.638
9. Sylvain GUINTOLI, Aprilia, 2:06.648
10. Hiroshi AOYAMA, Honda, 2:06.858
11. Jakub SMRZ, Honda, 2:07.367
12. Hector FAUBEL, Aprilia, 2:07.619
13. Erwan NIGON, Aprilia, 2:07.698
14. Alex DEBON, Honda, 2:07.937
15. Roberto ROLFO, Honda, 2:07.983
16. Naoki MATSUDO, Yamaha, 2:08.005
17. Alex BALDOLINI, Aprilia, 2:08.121
18. Johan STIGEFELT, Aprilia, 2:08.199
19. Dirk HEIDOLF, Aprilia, 2:08.282
20. David DE GEA, Honda, 2:08.374

125cc GP:

1. Jorge LORENZO, Derbi, 2:09.973
2. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Honda, 2:11.111
3. Marco SIMONCELLI, Aprilia, 2:11.563
4. Pablo NIETO, Aprilia, 2:11.762
5. Steve JENKNER, Aprilia, 2:11.852
6. Vesa KALLIO, Aprilia, 2:12.083
7. Mika KALLIO, KTM, 2:12.112
8. Casey STONER, KTM, 2:12.120
9. Mirko GIANSANTI, Aprilia, 2:12.357
10. Alvaro BAUTISTA, Aprilia, 2:12.463
11. Roberto LOCATELLI, Aprilia, 2:12.608
12. Simone CORSI, Honda, 2:12.845
13. Sergio GADEA, Aprilia, 2:13.073
14. Andrea BALLERINI, Aprilia, 2:13.148
15. Angel RODRIGUEZ, Derbi, 2:13.246

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

Schwantz withdraws from Reno Supermoto

Aggravates wrist injury in testing


PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 1, 2004) — American Suzuki Motor Corporation has informed AMA Pro Racing that former 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Kevin Schwantz, who was to debut Suzuki’s new RM-Z450 motorcycle in Saturday’s AMA Supermoto Championship event in Reno, Nev., will not compete as previously announced.

According to Pat Alexander, Suzuki’s Sports Promotion Manager, Schwantz aggravated his wrist while testing the new bike in preparation for the race. “Kevin’s wrists have bothered him since his GP days and preparing for this event, coupled with what he went through last month at the Bol d’Or, just proved to be too much. Obviously, we don’t want him to go out at anything less than 100 percent,” said Alexander.

Schwantz competed in the prestigious Bol d’Or 24 Hour Endurance race in September as part of a three-man team.

Alexander confirmed that Suzuki still plans to have Schwantz debut the highly anticipated RM-Z450 at an upcoming round of the AMA Supermoto Championship.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

To all race guys, (my Peeps):

My son had his bike & truck stolen in the Phoenix recently, he posted a message to ROADRACING WORLD to ask for help in tracking the bike and truck down. Via the racing network Ray Hymer saw his bike and after a call to the police Anthony was able to recover both truck & bike, albeit the truck has about $2500 of damage Anthony’s bike, CCS #41, was undamaged.

I would like to thank Ray and ROADRACING WORLD for posting Anthony’s message that resulted in the recovery.

I would encourage all in this situation to use this service and look after each other and with a little help things like a stolen bike can be found. After all, we must all stick together to support every racer and our sport. Without that support, racing in the U.S. would decline.

Anthony will be at the coming track day in Phoenix in October & the CCS meet in November to thank everyone.

Thanks again to Ray and ROADRACING WORLD. I owe you both.

Jim Davies
(Anthony’s father)
Detroit, Michigan
([email protected])

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

MotoGP Top Speeds From Thursday Qualifying:

1. Colin Edwards, Honda, 206.7 mph
2. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 206.0 mph
3. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 205.7 mph
4. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 204.6 mph
5. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, 204.5 mph
6. Max Biaggi, Honda, 204.1 mph
7. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 203.7 mph
8. Alex Barros, Honda, 203.6 mph
9. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 203.3 mph
10. Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, 203.1 mph
11. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 202.8 mph
12. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 202.6 mph
13. Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, 201.9 mph
14. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 201.1 mph
15. Marco Melandri, Yamaha, 200.1 mph
16. Norick Abe, Yamaha, 199.5 mph
17. Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki, 198.8 mph
18. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton, 195.5 mph
19. Jeremy McWilliams, Aprilia, 195.1 mph
20. James Haydon, Proton, 194.3 mph
21. Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, 192.6 mph
22. Youichi Ui, Harris WCM, 191.6 mph
23. James Ellison, Harris WCM, 186.3 mph


As pointed out by a reader who is splitting hairs on 205 versus 205.7 mph:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Wow, this is an amazingly slow list! Only two guys can go faster than Minnesota Rocket Boy?!

Trent Davis
AFM #912
Placerville, California

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Thanks to the help of a member of the CCS/Formula USA fan forum I was able to find and repossess my racebike and truck that were stolen from me this past Monday night.

I would like to thank everyone for their help, in particular Ray Hymer, the gentleman who assisted me with the recovery of said vehicles–he let me know when he saw a racebike on the back of a silver truck at an appartment complex.

Many thanks to Ray for keeping his eyes open and thinking about a fellow racer when he saw something suspicious.

The truck’s ignition is f–ked but the bike is untouched.

Thanks again.

Anthony Davies
CCS Southwest #41
Phoenix, Arizona


See related post:

9/28/2004 Racebike Stolen

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thursday’s Provisional 125cc Grand Prix Qualifying Results:

1. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Honda, 2:13.907
2. Roberto LOCATELLI, Aprilia, 2:14.105
3. Simone CORSI, Honda, 2:14.562
4. Marco SIMONCELLI, Aprilia, 2:14.645
5. Casey STONER, KTM, 2:14.828
6. Mika KALLIO, KTM, 2:14.843
7. Mirko GIANSANTI, Aprilia, 2:15.048
8. Jorge LORENZO, Derbi, 2:15.052
9. Steve JENKNER, Aprilia, 2:15.315
10. Andrea BALLERINI, Aprilia, 2:15.340
11. Pablo NIETO, Aprilia, 2:16.174
12. Julian SIMON, Honda, 2:16.231
13. Hector BARBERA, Aprilia, 2:16.529
14. Gabor TALMACSI, Malaguti, 2:16.668
15. Fabrizio LAI, Gilera, 2:16.684

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thursday’s Provisional MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Ruben XAUS, Ducati, 2:01.309
2. Colin EDWARDS, Honda, 2:01.617
3. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 2:01.882
4. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 2:02.744
5. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 2:03.054
6. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 2:03.274
7. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 2:03.274
8. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 2:03.301
9. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, 2:03.356
10. Neil HODGSON, Ducati, 2:03.380
11. Alex BARROS, Honda, 2:03.422
12. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 2:03.615
13. Alex HOFMANN, Kawasaki, 2:03.621
14. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 2:03.919
15. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 2:04.005
16. Marco MELANDRI, Yamaha, 2:04.265
17. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 2:04.991
18. Yukio KAGAYAMA, Suzuki, 2:05.062
19. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Aprilia, 2:05.442
20. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 2:05.969
21. James HAYDON, Proton, 2:06.651
22. James ELLISON, Harris WCM, 2:07.859

Not qualified (Out 107%) 2:09.800

23. Youichi UI, Harris WCM, 2:10.611


More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Xaus takes first provisional pole in Qatar

Ruben Xaus took the first ever provisional MotoGP pole position in Qatar and the first of his career in an exciting first qualifying practice at the Losail International Circuit this afternoon. The Spanish rookie, who has had to learn several new circuits already this season, took advantage of the fact that all of his rivals were riding here for the first time and clocked a best lap of 2:01.309 to top the time sheets.

“This result just goes to show that I can learn tracks quickly and can compete with the best riders in this class when we are on a level playing field,” said Xaus. “It’s not that I necessarily have an advantage here, but I don’t have a disadvantage. We have had a lot of problems at other tracks this season but things are going well here from the start. There is still a long way to go yet this weekend and there are no points won yet, so I will just keep giving my maximum and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

Colin Edwards also adapted quickly to the new circuit, lapping fastest in the morning free practice and setting the second quickest time in the afternoon. The American’s Honda team-mate Sete Gibernau, who trails Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi by 39-points at the top of the championship, was third fastest and completes the provisional front row.

Rossi ran off track on several occasions but avoided crashing and joined the second row with his final lap after languishing down in thirteenth place. The Italian, who ended up 1.965 seconds down on Xaus’ best time, advanced to sixth place behind Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi, who were fourth and fifth respectively.

Nicky Hayden equalled Rossi’s time but finds himself in seventh place, with compatriot John Hopkins battling through the pain of broken ribs to qualify in eighth. Shinya Nakano joins the American pair on the provisional third row in ninth place. Neil Hodgson, team-mate to pole man Xaus, also flirted with the top positions but was caught out in the final push for times and slid back to tenth.

Sebastián Porto led an all-Aprilia provisional front row in the 250cc class but was head and shoulders above his factory colleagues as he tackled the new surroundings with unerring confidence. The Argentinean rider was over a second faster than his closest challenger Randy de Puniet, clocking a lap of 2:05.096 to confirm his dominance on the first day of action.

Fonsi Nieto seemed to be boosted by the fresh slate offered to the riders in Qatar, qualifying third fastest to join his team-mate Porto on the provisional front row. Alex de Angelis clinched fourth to complete an almost perfect day for the Italian factory, whose joy was tempered by the news that Manuel Poggiali will not be racing this weekend.

The current World Champion faces two weeks on the sidelines after badly gashing his leg in a freak accident, having fallen through a glass partition playing squash on Wednesday evening. Series leader Dani Pedrosa was the fastest Honda rider, qualifying fifth fastest ahead of his factory colleagues Toni Elías and Hiroshi Aoyama.

Andrea Dovizioso became the first man ever to clinch a Grand Prix pole position in Qatar, albeit provisionally, in the 125cc class. The current series leader dominated the opening afternoon session virtually from start to finish, setting a time of 2:13.907 on his final lap to dislodge Roberto Locatelli, just seconds after his compatriot had set the best time of the afternoon. Dovizioso’s team-mate Simone Corsi, continued with his impressive run of form and set the third fastest time, with Marco Simoncelli making it an all-Italian provisional front row in fourth.


More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha:

CHECA AND ROSSI COMFORTABLE IN QATAR WITH PROVISIONAL SECOND ROW

The first ever MotoGP qualifying session at the all-new Losail Circuit near Doha in Qatar produced a fascinating contest this afternoon. The session ended with Spaniard Carlos Checa (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha) snatching a provisional start at the head of the second row after setting the fourth fastest time. Team-mate Valentino Rossi was sixth fastest to also put him on the provisional second row. Unsurprisingly lap times have continued to tumble at the impressive new facility with the provisional pole time from this afternoon’s hour almost six seconds faster than this morning’s best. In 37ºc heat there were some less familiar names vying for the top of the time sheets as the riders battled to find the best lines around the 5.4km, 16-turn circuit situated 20kms north of Doha. Spaniard Ruben Xaus (Ducati) pipped American Colin Edwards (Honda) to the provisional pole, the pair having dominated the session. A flurry of final flying laps saw Championship-contender Sete Gibernau (Honda) take the last spot on the provisional front row with Checa and Rossi sandwiching Max Biaggi (Honda) behind. Uncharacteristically, World Championship points leader Rossi had a couple of off-track excursions during the session but neither resulted in a fall.

Unusually the Qatar MotoGP race will be run on Saturday at the local time of 3pm (2pm CET). The starting grid for the race will be decided during tomorrow afternoon’s final qualifying session when lap times are expected to improve even further.

CARLOS CHECA (4th, 2:02.744)

“The track was quite slippery and the rumble strips aren’t quite in the right position so in many corners it’s easy to touch the grass. The track needs to be cleaner for us to get more grip but I think the organisers are doing the best they can. Considering that it is all new and it is surrounded by sand I don’t think we could expect anything more. On the whole I quite like the layout. This morning was terrible for me but this afternoon has been much better. The thing now is to make small changes to the bike, especially to make us faster in mid-turn speed.”

VALENTINO ROSSI (6th, 2:03.274)

“That was a really strange day. I really like this track in terms of the layout and design. It is wide and technical with no bumps. There are some difficult parts and some fast corners where you really need to know how to ride. The problem is there is no grip because of the dust. This morning it was like riding in the wet but it was obviously a lot better this afternoon. The interesting thing will be to see how it is tomorrow morning. If sand blows on again tonight then we’ll start again and it will be hard to go faster.

“We have a few problems here. Mostly with the front setting and grip and I couldn’t go as fast as I wanted. I went off the track as I was trying to find the braking points and they were difficult to find. In the end I didn’t use qualifying tyres and so I think my time was OK. Xaus and Edwards were very fast but anyway, I am sixth which is not so bad and I think my championship rivals are in a similar position to me.”

ANTONIO JIMENEZ – CARLOS CHECA’S CREW CHIEF

“Today was a bit of a gamble at the new track but we weren’t in any different position to anybody else. Carlos felt OK on the track from the start of the session this afternoon and improved by six seconds from this morning. For sure we’ll be able to improve the times again tomorrow. We have been trying to find a direction on tyres for the race and at the end I was satisfied as he made a few laps at a good pace.

“It’s interesting to see the different riders up front here. Everyone has a chance to show what they can do in relatively equal conditions.”


More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

NAKANO AND HOFMANN ON THE PACE FOR DOHA DESERT RACE

A desert heat wave greeted Fuchs Kawasaki MotoGP riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, as they headed out on track at the start of today’s first qualifying session for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix.

Track temperatures topped 50 degrees at the new Losail Circuit on the outskirts of Doha, as the MotoGP riders continued with learning the characteristics of the track ahead of the historic first MotoGP race in the Middle East.

At the end of the one hour session Nakano had secured ninth place on the provisional grid, with Hofmann just 0.3s behind in 13th position.

It was a day of fast learning on the 16 turn, 5.4 km circuit, with riders undertaking a track sweeping role in morning free practice because of dust and sand that had blown onto the racing surface.

However, grip levels improved dramatically for qualifying, with lap times dropping by six seconds as a clean racing line became evident and rubber was laid down on the billiard table smooth surface.

That produced a racing line that was only about three metres wide, leaving little room for error.

Caution was the order of the day on the slippery surface, with Nakano and Hofmann preferring to adapt their riding styles and the Ninja ZX-RR set-up to a circuit with constantly improving grip levels.

Carrying on his impressive form from last week’s Japanese GP, Nakano was in the top ten throughout the qualifying session and was as high as second place after 15 minutes.

Nakano is confident that he has more to come, especially from his own riding, as he explores the limits of braking performance and front end grip.

And Hofmann is also confident he left some speed behind with a mistake in the third sector on his fastest lap, costing him valuable time.

A strong tail wind blew along the main straight in the afternoon, with only marginal discomfort on other parts of the circuit which features just one first gear corner.

Both Nakano and Hofmann expressed their delight with the Losail layout, which happily avoids the use of tight, flip-flop chicanes in its design.

Shinya Nakano: 9th (2’03.356)
“Overall I’m happy because I was always in the top ten. Today was a case of concentrating on learning the track and finding a set-up for the race. For sure we have to improve a lot, but I think a lot of that is down to my riding, especially in the fast corners. I’m lacking some feeling and confidence with the front end. I’m sure that as the grip levels improve all riders will be able to brake much deeper into the corners. I really like the layout, but the dust is the main problem and it will be difficult to overtake away from the racing line. For this reason, it will be important to have a good qualifying position.”

Alex Hofmann: 13th (2’03.621)
“I’m enjoying the track very much, but it is obvious everyone is struggling with the grip level, although it is improving virtually every lap as we sweep the track clean. However, the racing line is narrow and it would be verging on suicide to stray off it; the grip level drops dramatically away from the clean part of the surface. The section of track coming off turn ten is perfect for a MotoGP bike, as it accelerates sideways from second up to fifth gear: Fantastic. On my fast lap I had a good run behind Biaggi, but made a mistake in the third sector so I’m not real happy about that, but I’m learning every lap.”

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
“The Losail facilities are a fantastic addition to the MotoGP calendar, and it is clear everyone has made a big effort to stage this race. The whole set-up is a step forward for our sport, especially things like the air-conditioned garages. I hope that all the teams can stage a race that is worthy of this investment. The track is new for everyone and both Alex and Shinya were careful today as they build-up their track knowledge. Both riders did an excellent job, and the early indications are that the Ninja ZX-RR and our Bridgestone tyres will be well suited to this circuit.”


More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda/Gresini Racing:

GOOD START IN QATAR

1st OFFICIAL MOTOGP QUALIFYING PRACTICE

The Grand Prix of Qatar will probably be the toughest of the year because of the intense heat at the circuit. The MotoGP riders had to put up with ambient temperatures of 41ºC in today’s first qualifying session, with 55ºC on the track. Despite that the Telefónica MoviStar Honda MotoGP made a very positive start to the weekend, with both riders qualifying on the provisional front row. Colin Edwards, fastest in the morning free practice, finished in second place in the afternoon, three tenths of a second off the provisional pole time set by Rubén Xaus, whilst Sete Gibernau was third.

COLIN EDWARDS (2nd, 2:01.617): “I knew that the fact we were riding at a completely new circuit would be beneficial to me becuase I am used to having to learn circuits in a short space of time. This morning we tried out different tyres and set-up combinations and I felt good. The circuit is quite slippery but it improved a little in the after! noon. I think we’re working well and I’m sure we can knock a good second off the time”.

SETE GIBERNAU (3rd, 2:01.882): “It’s a new track for everybody, we don’t have any previous data, but I am very satisfied with this result on the first day. I think we are back on the right lines with a base setting which allows us to work calmly and Michelin is helping us a lot from that point of view. Tomorrow we will keep working to refine the set-up of the bike but I’m already very hopeful about Saturday.”

FAUSTO GRESINI (team manager): “This is a new track for all of us and this will be a demanding Grand Prix because of the conditions. The first day of qualifying was very positive for both riders, who are both on the front row, and tomorrow we can continue improving.”


More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:

MotoGP debuts in Qatar. Max Biaggi fifth fastest and on provisional second row. Makoto Tamada fourteenth

MotoGP’s debut in Losail, Qatar. On the new, modern circuit barely 20 kilometres from the capital of Doha the yellow RC211V of the Camel Honda team took the first steps towards the Qatar GP which will be run on Saturday on the 5,380 metres of brand new asphalt. In the morning free, the riders were cautious, as they gauged how much sand and dust was on the track, affecting both performance and safety. Later the surface began to offer better grip and the battle for the top time breathed life into the exciting qualifying session.


Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)

“A fact-finding day at a frankly interesting track where the MotoGP riders today made their first laps. Preparations for this GP have begun on a track with very little grip, but after a few laps, it began to get better, as proved by the lap times which decreased notably since the morning free practice. There’s still lots of work to do, but it looks promising for us, and our hopes will increase with the pace of our riders as their grip improves gradually.”


Max Biaggi – Camel Honda (Michelin Tyres) – 5th – 2:03.054

“We went out with a set-up based on a computer simulation, which seemed to go okay until the rhythm picked up a little bit more. Then, towards the end of the official session, we tried to make some modifications which came off straight away. So it seems we’ve found the right direction, even if there wasn’t really the time left to investigate it further. We will have that time tomorrow though, seeing as the sun is almost a guarantee, and we should also have time to set-up the gearbox, which still needs some work. The track is really quite nice, especially the last section where it links together nicely and you get a rhythm going. The grip levels change rapidly, as the asphalt gets cleaner, and we’ll have to take that into account for the set-up tomorrow. I think we can still knock some seconds off today’s times. It’s true that a situation like this could throw a few surprise names into the hat on Saturday, but I will undoubtedly do my hardest to make sure everything is in place to do a good race on my own behalf.”


Giulio Bernardelle – Camel Honda – (Makoto Tamada’s Technical Director)

“Today’s work was focused mainly on getting the right tyres for this track’s characteristics. So with a standard setting on the bike, we haven’t worked on either the geometry or the suspension, whilst we have tried various tyres. We’ve picked out both a front and rear tyre which seem to be efficient in these track conditions and this temperature, quite similar to Sepang in fact. There’s a big margin for improvement though, because the grip has improved notably lap by lap, and also after this first phase of work on the tyres, we will now work on the bike’s settings.”


Makoto Tamada – Camel Honda (Bridgestone tyres) – 14th – 2:03.919

“From this morning the grip improved considerably, especially on the racing line. Off the perfect line things are a little bit more difficult and so you have to be careful. Tyre choice will be crucial, especially with one eye on the temperatures, with the heat more than even at Sepang, and also looking at the grip levels which are improving continually. I like the track, the best lines are easy to find and the whole circuit is great to ride. Now we have to refine the set-up and tomorrow we will see if the grip can improve even more.”


More, from a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON KR PAIR TAKE ON THE HEAT AT QATAR

Round 13, Qatar GP, Doha First Qualifying:
Thursday, September 30, 2004

Nobuatsu Aoki: 20th, 2:05.969
James Haydon: 21st, 2:06.651


Proton Team KR riders Nobuatsu Aoki and James Haydon both qualified for Saturday’s inaugural Qatar GP today, overcoming blazing heat and a treacherously slippery brand-new race track that had several fancied riders taking to the gravel traps.

Aoki, aiming for a fourth consecutive points finish, spent the day not only learning the new 5.380km track, but also running through new Dunlop tyres, in the search for the best possible grip from the dusty and “green” surface.

Haydon had more to learn. The British rider, fresh from fourth overall in the British Superbike series, sat on the 990cc MotoGP prototype Proton KR V5 for the first time today. Haydon last rode a GP bike eight years ago, when the top class ran 500cc two-strokes.

Haydon is taking the place of injured team regular Kurtis Roberts, who is expected to be fit to race next weekend at Sepang in the Malaysian GP.

Today’s heat was a fierce 90°F (37°C) but the greater problem came from the previously unused surface of the brand-new circuit, in the desert outside the Qatar capital, Doha. Times dropped by six seconds from morning to afternoon, as rubber was laid on the racing line and the dust cleared. The difficulty is the lack of grip off-line, where there is no fresh rubber, making overtaking a major challenge.

There is one more day of practice before Saturday’s race, the first ever GP in the Middle East. Times are likely to drop still further tomorrow, as the surface continues to improve.

NOBUATSU AOKI
Things are going okay so far, though we are all struggling with the slippery surface. It got better in the afternoon, but off-line it is very bad … the same as at Welkom in ’99. We have some new tyres here, and I was able to try some of them. We went for a harder construction because of the heat, and that seemed suitable. I’m sure it will be a race of survival, so I will keep my concentration and try to be one of the survivors.

JAMES HAYDEN
The Proton KR V5 is a lovely piece of kit, and the fastest bike I have ever ridden. I was impressed when they started the engine, and I thought: That thing sounds a bit evil! I’m in at the deep end, and it’s difficult because of the lack of grip. These are very strange conditions. But it has such a linear power delivery I was surprised at how easy it is to ride, though it gets a bit harder when you try and get the last bits out of it. I’m struggling with the front end grip, which is very limited. Every time I tried to push I would nearly lose the front. But these are such great guys and such a professional team. We’ll sit down now and go through everything, and change both bikes tomorrow to get the front working better for me. It was easy to make mistakes today, but for my first day I went carefully to build up some experience.

CHUCK AKSLAND – Team Manager
We’re all reacting to the changing grip level, and that will continue tomorrow. We have a lot of tyres to go through, to chase that grip, and I expect we’ll pick up time, like all the others. Nobu is working hard as usual. James is doing just what we wanted of him, making progress all the time. Every time he goes out he does a better lap time.


More, from a press release issued by MS Aprilia:


McWilliams 19th as MotoGP hits Qatar

MS Aprilia Racing’s Jeremy McWiliams claimed the 19th fastest time in first qualifying at the new Losail International Racetrack – venue for Saturday’s historic Qatar MotoGP.

Today marked a new chapter in world championship racing history, with a MotoGP event staged in the Middle East for the first time. The 5.4km circuit, located a short drive outside of Doha, provided McWilliams and the MotoGP field with a unique challenge, not least because temperatures soared to an energy-sapping 37 degrees during this afternoon’s opening qualifying session. McWilliams and his MS Aprilia team started from zero with none of the riders have ridden at the impressive Losail circuit, built at a cost of just over 45 million Euros. Main pre-event concerns centred on grip levels, with worries about sand and dust blown on from the surrounding desert terrain likely to provide the toughest test of rider skill. Grip levels dramatically improved after this morning’s opening session though, evident in the lap times that were some six seconds faster this afternoon.

McWilliams, who clocked a best time of 2.05.969s, said: “The circuit is very technical with a lot of direction changes. One of the problems I’m having is the weight transfer. The bike is just sitting on the rear and pushing the front, so we changed the rear shock spring rate halfway through the session and that is pretty unusual. We should be able to improve tomorrow because I don’t think there’s going to be any rain. I’m also having trouble getting front tyres to last. We’ve already had to go for a harder front tyre than normal when there is no grip anyway. I made a mistake when I had qualifiers on and lost time in T3 and T4 which cost me a better time.”

McWilliams added the searing heat had not been as bad as he’d feared before flying to Doha, and he added: “It is hot but I expected it to be worse. I might think differently after 27 laps on Sunday though. I think next week in Malaysia will be worse because of the humidity. It is so bad in Sepang that you struggle to breathe. It’s still not pleasant here and this morning I thought my radiator had broken because the sun just beating down on the arms makes it feel like you are burning.”

McWilliams is the lone Aprilia entry this weekend with team-mate Shane Byrne recuperating in Europe after a successful operation on his damaged left wrist that will force him to miss the rest of the season.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:


Ducati Marlboro men get to grips with the desert

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss were 12th and 15th fastest in this afternoon’s opening qualifying session for Saturday’s Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix.

In withering 38-degree heat the pair spent the day trying to get to grips with a track that is so far offering minimal traction, due to sand blown onto the circuit from the surrounding desert. Most riders likened this morning’s session, when the surface was at its worst, to riding in the rain. But grip is steadily increasing – the pace this afternoon was already six seconds quicker than this morning.

“The circuit is very slippery at the moment, so there’s no point taking big risks because it’s only day one,” said Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “We saw plenty of riders running off the track in both sessions, which proves how little grip there is out there. We just hope that the situation improves over the next two days as the bikes lay down some rubber. The heat is also intense, but we like to see this as a great test for ourselves and for our technical partners, Michelin and Shell Advance!”

This weekend’s race – round 13 of the 16-race MotoGP season – is the Middle East’s first-ever motorcycle GP. The event is being held at a brand-new $58 million dollar racetrack constructed outside the Qatari capital Doha, just a few kilometres from the Persian Gulf.

Capirossi searches for grip

Loris Capirossi ended day one at Qatar in 12th spot and looking forward to improving during tomorrow’s crucial final qualifying session when the Losail track should provide much-improved grip and traction. In the meantime the Ducati Marlboro Team rider, still suffering from the right-foot injury he sustained at Motegi two weeks ago, is employing all his riding experience to find some grip.

“When a track has so little grip you need to use a lot of pressure on the outside footpeg to increase traction, so it’s not easy for me in the left turns,” explained the Italian. “The track wasn’t too bad this afternoon, though I thought it looked faster when I rode around on a scooter yesterday. The sand is a real problem, especially when you get off the racing line because there is even less grip out there. But the track is improving and so is the bike, so things should be better tomorrow.”

Bayliss reasonably happy so far

Troy Bayliss might have finished today much higher up the order if he hadn’t run out of grip and made a mistake in the last lap of his final qualifying run this afternoon. So even though the Ducati Marlboro Team man is only 15th, he is confident of a stronger showing over the next two days.

“At least I don’t have to worry about it raining for final qualifying!” grinned Bayliss, who is debuting a new Suomy helmet featuring a “more Australian” design. “This morning it was like riding in the rain, you had to really tiptoe around, but it was a lot better this afternoon, though still not good. I’m reasonably happy so far, but I lost 1.5 seconds in the last split of my good lap. It’s hot here but bearable. I’m feeling okay – you just have to make sure you drink loads.”


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:


Hopkins challenges for front row at Qatar

Team Suzuki MotoGP rider John Hopkins overcame injury problems to mount a strong challenge for a front row start in Saturday’s first-ever Qatar GP, placing third overall with only minutes to go in the session. But the Anglo-American admitted later “I mistimed it”, and by the end of the session five riders had run faster laps on the rapidly improving track, putting “Hopper” eighth overall.

New temporary team-mate Yukio Kagayama was 18th fastest, in his first ever ride on the latest Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP prototype. It was the Japanese star of British Superbike racing’s first time also on Bridgestone tyres.

Hopkins’s injuries – three broken ribs and a gash on his buttocks – were incurred a two weeks ago at the Japanese GP at Motegi, when he was one of five innocent first-corner victims of a crashing Loris Capirossi, who was also eliminated from the race. Hopkins bravely elected to race this weekend in spite of the obvious pain.

Team-mate Kenny Roberts Jr. was involved in the same crash, and suffered more serious injuries, including fractures and ligament damage when his left elbow was dislocated. Roberts will be out for this and the next two races, and Kagayama is replacing him here and at next weekend’s Malaysian GP at Sepang. Two weeks ago Kagayama secured third overall in the highly competitive British Superbike series, and had been scheduled to return home to Japan for corrective surgery before the call came to join the MotoGP team. Kagayama sustained serious pelvic injuries in the British Superbike series last year.

The Qatar GP is the first ever Middle-Eastern GP, and the first race also on the brand-new 5.380km Losail circuit, outside the capital Doha. The unused surface made for problems for all riders. Dusty and very slippery in the morning’s free practice, it had improved enough for lap times to be cut by a full six seconds in the timed afternoon session. The much-improved grip was only on the racing line, however, where fresh rubber had been laid down – and straying off that narrow line was precarious. Both Suzuki riders had minor off-track excursions during the afternoon – but were put in the shade by defending champion Valentino Rossi, with three high-speed runs across the extensive gravel-traps.

Today’s practice took place in blazing heat. One more day of qualifying remains before Saturday’s GP, with the expectation that lap times will get faster again as the track improves.


John Hopkins – Eighth Position, 2:03.301

It’s going pretty well so far, though the track is so dirty, and slippery that it’s going to be a big problem for a bike that doesn’t have the best speed. If we get passed on the straight there’s nowhere to get anyone back – overtaking is virtually impossible, and I don’t see that changing. The grip built up on line in the afternoon, but it’s still so slippery off line that if you tried to go underneath somebody you’d both crash. I had a small engine problem in the middle of the session that cost me some time, when I wanted to put the laps in to test race tyres. But I love the layout of the track, and I’m having fun round it. My ribs are bothering me a little on the bike, but while riding through pain is a hindrance, it doesn’t really bother me. Nor does the heat. I have high hopes, so we’ll go on taking it day by day. One thing I don’t want to see is dust storms overnight, making the track slippery again tomorrow morning.


Yukio Kagayama – 18th Position, 2:05.062

I tried my best, but the position is not enough so far. But I am getting a lot of information on my technique and on settings for the bike. It’s the first time this year I have ridden the GSV-R, and it feels very different to last year’s machine. The performance is very high, compared with my Superbike. Also I never rode on Bridgestones before, but the track conditions mean I can’t really say much about them now. This morning there was no grip, though it was a little better in the afternoon. I don’t mind the heat . it’s just