Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing Inc.
1. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 1:48.618
2. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 1:49.297
3. Alex BARROS, Honda, 1:49.299
4. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 1:49.327
5. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 1:49.350
6. Shinya NAKANO, Kawasaki, 1:49.531
7. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 1:49.714
8. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 1:49.790
9. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, 1:49.876
10. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 1:50.031
11. Alex HOFMANN, Kawasaki, 1:50.156
12. Colin EDWARDS,Honda, 1:50.164
13. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 1’50.366
14. Marco MELANDRI, Yamaha, 1:50.393
15. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 1:50.710
16. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 1:51.489
17. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Aprilia, 1:51.579
18. Neil HODGSON, Ducati, 1:51.886
19. Ruben XAUS, Ducati, 1:51.913
20. Kurtis ROBERTS, Proton KR, 1:52.724
21. Shane BYRNE, Aprilia, 1:53.194
22. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton KR, 1:53.283
23. David DE GEA, Harris WCM, 1:54.116
24. Chris BURNS, Harris WCM, 1:54.898
More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati:
Rio Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
First Qualifying
Friday July 2 2004
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM PROVES TWIN PULSE POTENTIAL
Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi proved that Ducati are on the way back with a stirring ride to fifth place in this afternoon’s opening qualifying session at sun-baked Rio de Janeiro. Meanwhile team-mate Troy Bayliss was 13th after a minor mistake cost him valuable time on his fastest lap.
Capirossi and his crew were understandably delighted with his pace. For the first time the Italian has both his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4s equipped with the factory’s new Twin Pulse engine which uses different firing intervals for more rider-friendly power delivery. For the time being Bayliss continues with one Twin Pulse motor and one Four Pulse.
“The more the riders ride the Twin Pulse, the more they like it,” said Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “This is only our second race with the new engine, so we’re all still getting used to it, which makes us optimistic for the future. Loris did a great job today, both on race tyres and qualifiers, as did Troy who was good with race tires but missed something in the qualifying lap.”
CAPIROSSI FIFTH WITH MORE TO COME
Loris Capirossi is confident of scoring his best grid position of the year so far after placing fifth on today’s provisional grid. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider was as high as third at one point, finally ending the session 0.732 seconds off provisional pole and just 0.053 seconds off second position.
“I’m very happy, not just because I’m fifth but because I’m having fun on the bike and because I can feel the results starting to come,” grinned Capirossi. “The bike is definitely improving, so a big thank you to everyone at Ducati who has worked so hard to give me two Twin Pulse motors. I did a lot of laps on race tyres today. I’m happy with the times, though I feel I can go quicker tomorrow after we’ve made some chassis adjustments.”
BAYLISS FEELING GOOD ON HIS GP4
Troy Bayliss was also in confident mood, the Ducati Marlboro Team rider clocking his fastest lap with his sole Twin Pulse motor and ending the day at the front end of the provisional fifth row.
“I feel really good on the bike, even if 13th place doesn’t look that spectacular,” said Bayliss. “I made a bit of a mistake on my fastest lap at the end of the session – I went into turn one in fourth gear, not third, and though I had another go the next lap, my qualifying tyre was finished by then. I’ve been going okay but it’s been a little difficult riding the two different engines. I only started using the Twin Pulse halfway through the session because we want to save parts.”
More, from a press release issued by MotoGP:
Gibernau heads Honda front row in Rio
Sete Gibernau set a new pole position record to head an all-Honda front row on the first day of qualifying for the Cinzano Rio Grand Prix. Gibernau had contested top spot for much of the session with Yamaha rival Valentino Rossi but the late surge for times saw Makoto Tamada and Alex Barros gatecrash the top three positions in second and third place respectively.
However, neither Tamada, who took his only podium here last season, or home favourite Barros, who set his fastest lap after a farcical crash, were able to get close to the Spaniard’s time of 1’48.618 as Gibernau maintained an 0.679 second advantage at the top of the timesheet.
“As far as I am concerned Sunday starts today and we have done a good job with our preparations for the race,” said Gibernau, who is tied on points with Rossi at the top of the championship but lies second by virtue of an inferior win rate. “We are very focused on improving my performance and that of the bike. Provisional pole position is circumstantial – the important thing is that I have a good feeling and I have set a rhythm in the 1’49 on race tyres from the start. It will be a hard race because of the competition and the heat so I am satisfied to have set so many quick laps.”
Despite single factory dominance on the front row there is a mixed bag on the second row where Rossi, in fourth place, is joined by Ducati rider Loris Capirossi and Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano in fifth and sixth respectively. Max Biaggi was seventh fastest ahead of Honda colleague Nicky Hayden, who moved up eight places on his last lap, and Suzuki rider Kenny Roberts, who had joined Gibernau and Rossi in the tussle for early supremacy before slipping to ninth.
Carlos Checa edged his way up to tenth place with his last lap on a difficult first day for Yamaha as Marco Melandri and Norick Abe qualified fourteenth and fifteenth fastest respectively. Further down the order, David De Gea provisionally qualified on the WCM after stepping in as a late substitute for the injured Michel Fabrizio.
Randy De Puniet led a trio of factory Aprilia riders at the top of the 250cc time sheets, smashing the pole position record by over half a second to hold off Manuel Poggiali and Sebastian Porto for the front slot on the provisional grid. Series leader De Puniet’s time of 1’52.929 was 0.528 seconds quicker than Toni Elias’ previous record and was enough to hold off Poggiali by the slim margin of 0.052 seconds.
Dani Pedrosa was the fastest Honda, edging out Elias for the final provisional front row slot in fourth place on his first visit to the Nelson Piquet circuit with the quarter-litre machine. Privateer Aprilia riders Franco Battaini and Sylvain Guintoli were sixth and seventh fastest respectively whilst their Campetella Racing team-mate Joan Olivé, who was fourth quickest in the morning session, failed to qualify after crashing on his second lap out.
Hector Barberá set a new pole record in the first qualifying practice for the 125cc class, setting two fast laps at the end of the session to secure top spot in a time of 1’57.740. Whilst Barberá was some 0.422 seconds clear at the top of the timesheet, just 0.083 seconds covered the next three riders, with Roberto Locatelli also producing a late surge to snatch second spot ahead of Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner. Andrea Dovizioso, who leads the World Championship after six rounds, was sixth fastest.
More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
CINZANO RIO GRAND PRIX – NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
2ND JULY 2004 – QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1
NAKANO ON THE CHARGE FOR FUCHS KAWASAKI AT RIO
Japanese rider Shinya Nakano led the Fuchs Kawasaki charge with the sixth fastest time in today’s provisional qualifying for Sunday’s Rio Grand Prix.
However, Nakano’s position did not reflect his role as a leading contender for pole position in the frantic final minutes of first qualifying.
After being in the leading group for much of the session, Nakano went second fastest with just two minutes remaining, as he staged a superb battle against factory rivals from Honda, Yamaha and Ducati for a place on the front row.
A little unhappily Nakano had to settle for sixth place, just three tenths of a second off the front row of the provisional grid, as a late rush of riders posted late session times.
His Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR teammate, Alex Hofmann, was also in superb form in his comeback ride at Rio. Hofmann is eleventh fastest and looking to move forward with a clear run in final qualifying tomorrow.
After an absence of three years from this track, Hofmann spent much of today’s two, one hour sessions upgrading his knowledge of the bumps on the fast Rio circuit.
Both Fuchs Kawasaki riders made dramatic steps forward from morning practice, with major revisions to suspension set-up to deal with the uneven grip levels, but the two riders are still some way from claiming ideal settings, especially in maximising rear end grip and chassis balance for the unique demands of Rio.
With temperatures hitting 36 degrees in near perfect, sunny conditions both riders spent time evaluating race tyre choices, which are always a critical factor at this track.
Kawasaki’s tyre partner, Bridgestone, air freighted more than 800 tyres to Rio, with further revisions to compounds and the reinforced construction introduced at Barcelona last month.
Officially it is winter in Brazil, but the perfect-for-the-beach weather, and no threat of rain, indicates that Sunday’s 24-lap race will be a hot and exhausting contest.
Shinya Nakano: 6th (1’49.531)
“I should be happy being so close to the front row, but I always want more. At Welkom for the first race sixth on the grid was a very pleasant surprise, but now, seven races into the season, I’m looking for better results. I had some rear end chatter today and we need to work on this before the race, but we also need to concentrate on our tyre choice. Nothing has really changed with the bumps; the track is very rough every year. I just hope that I can either improve tomorrow or, in the worst case, keep today’s qualifying position for the race.”
Alex Hofmann: 11th (1’50.156)
“After being away for three years I’m now fully updated on where all the bumps are here. The morning session wasn’t good for me in terms of chassis balance and grip over the bumps, but in the afternoon we made a lot of progress. Rear grip is always the big struggle here, with the bumps upsetting the bike. That’s our big challenge for the race set-up. Hopefully, when some more rubber gets laid down on the track, grip levels will go up and that will things a little easier. I had some traffic on my final qualifying lap, but I’m not complaining. Hopefully it will be my turn for a clear lap tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Proton Team KR:
PROTON KR PAIR MAKE PROGRESS AT RIO
Round 7: Rio GP, Jacarepagua
First Qualifying: Friday, July 2, 2004
Nobuatsu Aoki: 21nd: 1:53.283
Kurtis Roberts: 20th: 1:52.724
Proton Team KR rider’s Kurtis Roberts and Nobuatsu Aoki both overcame problems to pick up the pace in the first of two timed qualifying sessions for Sunday’s Rio GP, with class rookie Roberts especially pleased with a trouble-free afternoon session that meant he could start to make better progress.
The second son of team principal Kenny Roberts has been plagued with development issues, when he really needed trouble-free running not only to gain experience with the 990cc MotoGP machine, but also to relearn circuits that he rode on seven years ago. In the morning, the familiar interruptions continued, but hard work by the team gave him two reliable motorcycles for the timed afternoon session, and he was able to complete 20 full laps, moving ahead of his team-mate Aoki.
The more experienced Japanese rider ran into an unusual problem in the afternoon that slowed his progress. Problems with his radio, used for communication in the pits, where the noise can be deafening, meant he ran into communication difficulties with his crew chief Nick Davis. A misunderstanding between the two meant he spent the session on his less-favoured spare machine.
Today’s practice took place in fine sunny conditions, in the settled weather of the Brazilian winter. Previous races, held in September, have been plagued by frequent rain. The old track problems remain – a slippery surface that is seldom used, and gains speed almost session by session as rubber is laid on the racing line; and continuous ripples and bumps.
There is one more day of practising and qualifying before Sunday’s race. Today’s provisional pole time was again set by Sete Gibernau (Honda).
NOBUATSU AOKI
From the morning to the afternoon, we almost solved the problem of a big difference between my two bikes – but I still prefer my number one bike. Then we had a strange problem. Because the radio was not working so well, we had trouble communicating. I spent the whole session on my number two bike. Afterwards I asked my crew chief Nick why we hadn’t used the bike I prefer … was there some problem? He said no problem, but because I was saying the number two bike was coming better, he thought I preferred it. This was not the case! Anyway, the new tyres are not as good as I had hoped here. The front is not so bad, but the rear was disappointing. Then we cut some material off the shoulder, and it improved it a lot, cutting the pumping from the rear. Tomorrow we will cut all the tyres like that.
KURTIS ROBERTS
This morning was a bit rough – I think I got only eight laps. I rode here seven years ago, but if you’d asked me to draw a map of the track I wouldn’t have been able to. It was tough going into qualifying with that little experience, but the crew did a great job and both bikes ran well all session, so I was able to work on my lap time a bit. I really need a lot more saddle time on this bike. For example, I always rev it too much, because I prefer to ride higher in the power band. But to get a fast lap, when we have grippy tyres, I do everything a gear higher. It feels like it is too low in the rev range, but the lap time’s faster.
CHUCK AKSLAND – Team Manager
This morning we had some gearbox trouble with both of Kurtis’s bikes, though Nobu was going alright. This afternoon was just the way it should be … everything was reliable, and the riders were able to work on settings, tyre choice and suspension. We need to keep it going for tomorrow and the race.
More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda/Gresini Racing:
SETE ADDS TO POLE COLLECTION
The first day of official qualifying for the Rio Grand Prix ended with provisional pole position for Telefónica MoviStar Honda MotoGP rider Sete Gibernau. The Spaniard set the pace from the fourth lap and re-established his dominance five minutes from the end as first Max Biaggi and then Valentino Rossi made pole attacks only to be outdone by Gibernau in a time of 1’48″618, four tenths quicker than the previous record here at the Nelson Piquet set by Rossi last season with 1’50″453. The warm Brazilian winter, which saw ambient temperatures of 27ºC, rising to 36ºC on the track, demanded extra effort from the riders on the bumpy and slippery Jacarepaguá circuit. Colin Edwards was lapping fourth fastest when the qualification tyres came into effect, finally slipping to twelfth place despite also lapping in lap record at the Brazilian track.
Sete Gibernau
(1st, 1:48.618): “As far as I am concerned Sunday starts today and we have done a good job with our preparations for the race. We are very focused on improving my performance and that of the bike. Provisional pole position is circumstancial – the important thing is that I have a good feeling and I have set a rhythm in the 1’49 on race tyres from the start. It will be a hard race because of the competition and the heat so I am satisfied to have set so many quick laps. Tomorrow the aim is to do an endurance test. Last year I did 18 laps and I was the only one who could follow Valentino in the race. That is what I want to do again tomorrow”.
Colin Edwards
(12th, 1:50.164): “I’m fairly happy today because I’ve got a good rhythm on race tyres – I was consistent in 1’50″3. Tomorrow I want to do an endurance to prepare myself properly for the race and step up my rhythm, which should be in the mid-49s to low 50s. The front end tucked on my fast lap and it cost me a half a second, but it’s not a major drama.”
More, from a press release issued by MS Aprilia:
Bumpy ride for Aprilia duo in red-hot Rio
MS Aprilia Racing’s Jeremy McWilliams claimed 17th position on the provisional grid as the Rio GP in Brazil kicked off in sweltering heat today.
The experienced British rider set a best time of 1.51.579 which came on the last of his 20-lap stint this afternoon. Under clear blue skies and scorching heat that saw the track temperature peak at 36 degrees, McWilliams spent the day trying to get his Cube three-cylinder set-up to handle the notoriously bumpy Jacarepagua surface.
He said: “I’m just working on getting the bike to run better over the bumps. And looking at the bigger picture I’m also trying to get a set-up that will allow me to run a consistent pace in the race. Sometimes at this track you find a clear line by accident where there are no bumps. I had some problem finding the right suspension setting. When you run a soft setting to help the bike over the bumps, it makes it very difficult to control under acceleration out of the corners but we are working in the right way. I’m sure I can go faster because I didn’t make the most of the qualifying tyre I had in at the end of the session.”
Team-mate Shane Byrne ended the day in 21st position with a best time of 1.53.194. Byrne has never visited the Jacarepagua circuit before and found the bumpy surface, one of the key features of the 4.93km venue, a troublesome early hurdle to overcome. “This morning was spent just trying to learn the track which wasn’t easy because of the bumpy surface. In some corners the bumps are a big problem but by this afternoon I think I’d figured out where they are. My team did a great job trying to help me and we’ll have a look at the data and make a few changes to the balance of the bike to try and help it ride the bumps better tomorrow, “said an optimistic Byrne.
More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:
Provisional front row for Makoto Tamada in Rio
Makoto Tamada took his yellow Camel Honda RC211V onto the provisional front row of the starting grid with the second fastest time of the day in the first qualifying practice. Clearly having an affinity for the Rio circuit – last year he took third place on the podium – Makoto was once again supremely quick in the final part of the session, and sealed a good lap time. Seventh in today’s first timed session, Max Biaggi was unable to set a good time on his flying lap but was happy with the general pace he showed.
Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)
“We were unable to make the most of the qualifying tyres but we have tomorrow to improve. Nevertheless Max showed he had a good rhythm with the race tyres, one of the best in fact. It’s because of this that I’m confident about Sunday’s race, even if we will have to work a little more on improving the lap times so Max can start a little higher up the grid. Already after just the first day of practice he has ridden four tenths faster than last year, so tomorrow we will improve the performance even more. Makoto set a very fast time and I think that he will be capable of getting a result equally as good as last year, if not better.”
Max Biaggi – Camel Honda (Michelin Tyres) – 7th – 1:49.714
“I’m not really that satisfied today, although the race pace wasn’t too bad my fast time wasn’t too great, which is obviously important for starting position, we’re still not set up right and to be honest, I don’t like that, When we fitted the qualifying tyre we didn’t make that much improvement with regards to the other times, and to be in seventh disappoints me a little. The problems which are slowing us down at the moment are the same we’ve been having for a few races now although they’re more apparent when we’re doing the fast lap rather than when we’re in race mode.”
Gianluca Montiron – Camel Honda – (Makoto Tamada Team Manager)
“Makoto and the team have done a good job today, and with it being just the first day of practice, we can be satisfied with the settings we have found, and especially with the combination between the bike and the tyres. We still need to improve the race rhythm and tomorrow’s tests will be important to complete this task. Makoto did well here last year, and our aim is now to get him in the best shape for the race.”
Makoto Tamada – Camel Honda (Bridgestone Tyres) – 2nd 1:49.297
“The bike-tyre combination was very good in this first timed session. I need to improve my race rhythm, and my pace will have to be quicker if I want to be at the front again like last year. We still have a lot of work to do to be completely satisfied. We will try to make the settings as good as possible tomorrow without making too many big changes, and then we can make the final tyre choices.”
More, from a press release issued by Galouises Fortuna Yamaha:
Rossi fourth after scorching first dat at Rio
Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Carlos Checa encountered perfect weather and improving track conditions at Rio today, putting in a hot day of toil throughout the first of two timed qualifying sessions. Rossi, who was fastest in the unofficial morning session, finished fourth fastest overall on day one; team-mate Checa was tenth quickest.
Of the two riders Checa was the first to show his speed, going second within minutes of the start of the qualifying session and only being slowly deposed as the session wound down. Rossi was in third spot for the first half of the hour, but fast laps from his rivals pushed the world champion to tenth place at one stage.
With five minutes left on the clock, Rossi re-entered the competition for provisional pole at the very top level, setting the best lap to that point, a 1:49.327. Sete Gibernau (Honda) nonetheless proved to be the ultimate top qualifier on day one, his time of 1:48.618 the best ever at Rio. Makoto Tamada (Honda) and Alex Barros (Honda) filled the provisional front row, just ahead of Rossi. Checa’s best lap of the day was 1:50.031, as the London-based Spaniard was hampered by rear traction concerns.
The 27-degree air temperatures are expected to continue tomorrow and qualifying lap times should drop further, as the seldom-used Rio tarmac generally offers more grip with each passing session.
Valentino Rossi (4th, 1:49.327)
“We have quite a lot of problems here. I wasn’t able to go as fast this afternoon as this morning, we seem to have lost our small advantage and could only manage fourth. I think we still haven’t made enough kilometres with this bike. I like this track and normally I have gone well here, but for some reason this afternoon we lost about half a second each lap, although I did make a good time with qualifying tyres. The temperature makes it difficult as well; the bike is very difficult to control. Apart from Assen, where we went immediately very well, we have generally needed more set-up time at the other tracks.”
Carlos Checa (10th, 1:50.031)
“We have a traction problem, with no side grip. We have been trying hard but after a few laps the tyre grip goes down and then there is nothing I can do. We have to try to find a solution to let me qualify in a better position tomorrow.”
Davide Brivio – team director
“We need to work more on the settings to find the best. It is only the first day, so we have time. It is very bumpy here and that stresses the chassis, and makes finding the correct settings even more important. Valentino did a good lap time on his qualifying tyre but we need to improve the overall pace. This track is a favourite of Valentino so we have to create the right package for him. Carlos was good through the session but went back down the grid after fitting a qualifying tyre.”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol:
Alex Barros prepares the assault on the podium at home
Alex Barros races at home and it’s noticeable in the results of the Brazilian rider despite his physical problems.
Intense free and qualifying practices have been experienced today in the MotoGP class, with Repsol Honda Team riders playing the leading role. Nicky Hayden set the second fastest time in the morning session behind Valentino Rossi, and his teammate, local hero Alex Barros, finished eighth, having problems with his left shoulder after the crash he suffered at the Dutch Grand Prix. In the afternoon, Barros got over his physical problems and set the third fastest time in the last instants of the qualifying session, only two thousand of a second behind the second fastest rider, the Japanese Tamada. Barros, who had a light crash with the bike almost standing still while rejoining the track after a long breaking manoeuver, finished third behind Gibernau and Tamada. His teammate Nicky Hayden was not able to keep the pace of the top riders this afternoon and finished eighth, a bit over a second behind Gibernau. Xaus, who took part in a 250 GP nine years ago, had several problems with the settings and finished the first timed session in a backwards nineteenth position.
Repsol rider´s comments
Alex Barros: “I’m not at 100% fitness after the crash last week”.
Nicky Hayden 8th, 1:49.790, 23 laps: “This morning was not so bad. The bike felt good and we were in a good position. This afternoon it was real tough. Grip is a big problem for me here. I?m not completely happy with how the bike is feeling right now. I?m riding quite rough and I can’t find a good solid feel. We definitely want to try a few things tomorrow to improve things. I like to track layout but it feels really bumpy. I just need to be a lot more consistent.”
Alex Barros 3rd, 1:49.299, 22 laps: “I’m not at 100% fitness after the crash last week. My left hand is very sore when using the clutch and in heavy braking. It feels a little bit better than this morning but still I feel it all the time. The bike basically feels good; in turning, on the brakes and the engine. The real problem is the traction. When we put on the qualifying tyres the time comes down. Now we need to do something tomorrow to improve the rear grip. I’m sure we can improve the time a lot if we can improve the traction.”
Rubén Xaus 19th, 1:51.913, 25 laps: “It’s been almost ten years since I came here and the truth is that I have arrived a little bit obsessed with the idea that the asphalt would be very slippery. I took a too hard tyre and since I didn’t feel comfortable I changed the set-up of the bike, but I think that I made a bit of a mess. Later on, with the qualifying tyres, I was able to improve a bit but not enough. Things will surely be better tomorrow, because we know what to do.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:
Roberts in the thick of close qualifying battle
Jacarepagua, Brazil – Friday, July 2, 2004: Team Suzuki MotoGP rider Kenny Roberts Jr played a leading role in a close battle at the end of qualifying for Sunday’s Rio GP, acting as one of the pace-makers in the final scramble on soft-compound qualifying tyres.
With three minutes of the one-hour-long qualifying session remaining, the 2000 World Champion moved back up to third fastest, taking the best from new tyres from Bridgestone. Roberts, who had been fifth-fastest in morning free practice, dropped to ninth at the end of the afternoon session, on the third row of the provisional grid.
Although pole time saw former Suzuki rider Sete Gibernau claim a margin of almost seven tenths of a second over second place, the next eight riders were within the same time gap, and Roberts barely three tenths off the second row.
The formal champion Suzuki rider’s position reflected the continuing progress by team, factory and tyre suppliers Bridgestone, but team-mate John Hopkins found himself at odds with the bumpy Nelson Piquet circuit, outside Rio de Janeiro. The 21-year-old was an unhappy 16th fastest, with 1.6 seconds to make up on his team-mate.
Hopkins was using the modified engine with a revised firing order for the first time since he tested it earlier this season – Roberts has raced the new motor at the last two rounds, but until this race there were not enough parts to support two riders, and Hopkins raced the earlier type.
Today’s practice took place in warm sunshine under a cloudless sky – Brazilian winter weather that demonstrated the advantage of moving the race from its September date to the middle of the winter, when conditions are more settled.
One more day of qualifying remains before Sunday’s race, which uniquely takes place at 11am . the senior MotoGP class running first in the day, to take European TV scheduling into account.
Kenny Roberts Jr. – Ninth position, 1:49.876
Overall, we’re at a higher level than before. We have some new tyres here, and it looks like on the tyre situation we are a bit more competitive than the last race. Again, Bridgestone needs time, but it seems to me they’re making improvements every race. I’ve been working on trying to get a decent race setting for Sunday. We’ll get the bike as best we can, and find the best tyre for the distance, and hopefully with the race at 11 the temperature will be a little in our favour . not so hot and the track won’t be as greasy. That might be to our benefit.
John Hopkins – 16th position, 1:51.489
I have the new motor here, and I like it a lot. My problem today is just set-up. I’m having a hard time with that right now. I can’t get comfortable over the bumps. We’ve been trying everything – working to get any kind of set-up. Kenny’s going well, so obviously it’s possible. We’re definitely not happy with where we’re at. We have a lot of things to look at and think about for tomorrow.
Garry Taylor – Team Manager
Bridgestone have been working hard, and we are seing benefits. It was good to see Kenny at the top near to the end of the session, though he lost the position when the others fitted qualifying tyres. It shows that we’re getting closer all the time, and Kenny is making the most of it. John seems to be having some trouble getting used to the new motor, and finding a setting but I’m sure he’ll get there.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:
Rossi fourth after scorching first day at Rio
The MotoGP contingent encountered perfect weather and improving track conditions at Rio today, putting in a hot day of toil throughout the first of two timed qualifying sessions. Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha), who was fastest in the unofficial morning session, finished fourth fastest overall on day one; team-mate Carlos Checa was tenth quickest.
Of the two riders Checa was the first to show his speed, going second within minutes of the start of the qualifying session and only being slowly deposed as the session wound down. Rossi was in third spot for the first half of the hour, but fast laps from his rivals pushed the world champion to tenth place at one stage.
With five minutes left on the clock, Rossi re-entered the competition for provisional pole at the very top
