Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Afternoon 125cc GP Qualifying Results:

1. Andrea Dovizioso, Honda, 1:58.988
2. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 1:58.998
3. Alex De Angelis, Aprilia, 1:59.286
4. Jorge Lorenzo, Derbi, 1:59.291
5. Casey Stoner, Aprilia, 1:59.360
6. Marco Simoncelli, Aprilia, 1:59.515
7. Hector Barbera, Aprilia, 1:59.771
8. Stefano Perugini, Aprilia, 1:59.918
9. Steve Jenkner, Aprilia, 2:00.153
10. Mika Kallio, KTM, 2:00.329
11. Roberto Locatelli, KTM, 2:00.330
12. Gabor Talmacsi, Aprilia, 2:00.360
13. Lucio Cecchinello, Aprilia, 2:00.373
14. Simone Corsi, Honda, 2:00.439
15. Alvaro Bautista, Aprilia, 2:00.495
16. Stefano Bianco, Gilera, 2:00.548
17. Pablo Nieto, Aprilia, 2:00.670
18. Masao Azuma, Honda, 2:00.771
19. Mirko Giansanti, Aprilia, 2:00.772
20. Gino Borsoi, Aprilia, 2:00.840
21. Thomas Luthi, Honda, 2:01.080

23. Youichi Ui, Gilera, 2:01.522

34. Emilio Alzamora, Derbi, 2:03.318
35. Arnaud Vincent, Aprilia, 2:03.373

From a press release:

HUNDREDS TURN OUT FOR HISLOP MEMORIAL RUN

The inaugural Steve Hislop Memorial Run organised by the British Champion’s good friend Alan Duffus took place recently with bikers from all over Scotland turning out in memory of their hero who died on July 30th.

It started in Dundee and bikers joined in from Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Edinburgh and the Borders where they met at did a lap of the East Fortune racing circuit near Haddington before proceeding to Hislop’s home village of Denholm near Hawick.

Jim Oliver’s garage put one of Steve’s first bikes on show and the family had a display of photographs of their local superbike ace in the village hall where the 200 riders were served refreshments.

Margaret, Steve’s mum, donated a framed print and four other photographs for a raffle which was drawn before the bikes took off on the second part of their journey which included a visit to the site of the helicopter crash that claimed Steve’s life. A cairn, which has newly been erected, was the idea of Andrew Brodie who was a close friend of Steve’s and was designed and built by him.

Then the cavalcade travelled to Steve’s final resting place at Southdean Cemetery via some of the Borders most beautiful scenery and interesting roads. Alan Duffus then said a few words and a bike helmet was laid down to take a collection in.

By the end of the day a grand total of £1102.68 was raised which will go towards the erection of memorials both in the Scottish Borders and also in the Isle of Man where Steve made his home for twelve years. Such was the success of the event that it is hoped to become an annual event in Hislop’s lasting memory.


PLANS FOR HISLOP EXHIBITION UNDERWAY

Meanwhile, plans are well underway to mount an exhibition and trophy room in Hawick celebrating Steve’s career.

Margaret Hislop was approached by the Scottish Borders Council whereby they intend to set up the exhibition in Drumlanrig Tower which is situated in the main High Street in the town. A committee is currently being set up and budgets being drawn up for the project with one of the tenders scheduled for the proposed bronze statues.

Anyone wishing to help with the project or requiring any further information should contact Mary Beck, Councillor for Silverbuthall Ward via e-mail: [email protected]

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Former WSMC racer Paul Mumford of Yorba Linda, California died yesterday when his small private plane crashed near Mira Loma, California.

Mumford raced a Kawasaki ZX-7R with WSMC, finishing third in overall WSMC points and winning the 750cc Modified Production Championship in 1996.

Mumford had recently taken up SCCA car racing and won a race at Laguna Seca on September 7. Car racer Chris Premier of Costa Mesa, California, a friend of Mumford’s, was also killed in the plane crash. Both were 31 years old.

According to news reports, Mumford, who was piloting the plane, reported a fire on board shortly before the crash.



Reader reaction:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

It was just a few days ago I talked to Paul about his win at Laguna Seca in the Speed GT Challenge class, beating the factory Audis and Porsches. He and his mechanic trailered their new Dodge Viper Sport to the race and led almost every lap. A valiant privateer effort.

It is sad to hear of Paul’s death as he was a friend and a excellent racer, both motorcycle and car.

Damn it, I just hate this death thing and the totality that is the end of life.

I wish the best for Paul’s family and friends.

Jeff Short
AFM #1 (1988 & 1999)
Sacramento, California


FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail

I am shattered today with the news of a very good friend passing on. I last talked to Paul about two months ago with the varied e-mail in-between. I had the great honor of building and tuning racebikes for Paul which is where our friendship started back in 1995. Paul was an excellent racer, a good guy, and the greatest of friends!

It’s hard to forget the love he showed for speed. It didn’t matter what it was with. Go-karts to Vipers, or pocketbikes to Superbikes, (and, yes, that tall guy rode a pocket bike!) he seemed to always excel. The love for his friends, family and his dog Fonzie that was too long to map out will never be forgotten.

From the long lunches to the short phone calls, the three-day race weekends to the one-day dirtbike rides, the time spent with Paul was always the greatest.

Paul, I thank you for the lessons in life we learned together, and the ones you taught me. The fun times, and the bad times. The time with friends and families at the track, and at home, to the occasional meetings with just us two. Thank for your smile and laughter that never ended. Most of all thank you for your love, kindness, and one of the greatest friendships to treasure.

We will miss you greatly. Race on and God Speed, my friend. We will never forget the #3, #18 or the Starsky and Hutch T-shirt.

Our condolences to Paul’s family.

With all our Love,

Rodney Rayborne and Family (Melinda, Ryan, and Joel)
West Covina, California

From a press release issued by the Wegman Benefit Fund:

Sport Bike Track Time owner Monte Lutz has informed us they will be holding their second annual fund raiser for the Wegman Benefit Fund.

The date and location are Monday October 13, 2003 at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan. A minimum donation of $75 is required for the
day. All proceeds will go to the Wegman Benefit Fund to aid injured road racers.

For more information please contact Sport Bike Track Time at 419-822-0350, [email protected] or see their web site at www.sportbiketracktime.com.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Morning 250cc Grand Prix Practice Times:

1. Toni Elias, Aprilia, 1:53.495
2. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, 1:53.564
3. Hiroshi Aoyama, Honda, 1:54.166
4. Yuki Takahashi, Honda, 1:54.198
5. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 1:54.250
6. Sebastian Porto, Honda, 1:54.404
7. Manuel Poggiali, Aprilia, 1:54.679
8. Chaz Davies, Aprilia, 1:54.994
9. Tomoyoshi Koyama, Yamaha, 1:55.125
10. Alex Debon, Honda, 1:55.234
11. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 1:55.344
12. Choujun Kameya, Honda, 1:55.351
13. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:55.555
14. Sylvain Guintoli, Aprilia, 1:55.566
15. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 1:55.572
16. Masaki Tokudome, Yamaha, 1:55.759
17. Erwan Nigon, Aprilia, 1:56.194
18. Alex Baldolini, Aprilia, 1:56.280
19. Eric Bataille, Honda, 1:56.400
20. Anthony West, Aprilia, 1:56.418
21. Hector Faubel, Aprilia, 1:56.581
22. Christian Gemmel, Honda, 1:56.803
23. Dirk Heidolf, Aprilia, 1:56.927
24. Hugo Marchand, Aprilia, 1:57.267
25. Jakub Smrz, Honda, 1:57.379
26. Lukas Pesek, Yamaha, 1:57.447
27. Johan Stigefelt, Aprilia, 1:57.538
28. Joan Olive, Aprilia, 1:58.023
29. Jaroslav Hules, Honda, 1:58.238

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Afternoon 250cc Qualifying Results:

1. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, 1:53.247
2. Toni Elias, Aprilia, 1:53.545
3. Yuki Takahashi, Honda, 1:54.351
4. Manuel Poggiali, Aprilia, 1:54.418
5. Hiroshi Aoyama, Honda, 1:54.567
6. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 1:54.573
7. Sylvain Guintoli, Aprilia, 1:54.785
8. Sebastian Porto, Honda, 1:54.888
9. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 1:55.058
10. Alex Debon, Honda, 1:55.159
11. Tomoyoshi Koyama, Yamaha, 1:55.214
12. Choujun Kameya, Honda, 1:55.338
13. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 1:55.464
14. Chaz Davies, Aprilia, 1:55.741
15. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:55.925
16. Erwan Nigon, Aprilia, 1:55.933
17. Anthony West, Aprilia, 1:56.231
18. Dirk Heidolf, Aprilia, 1:56.343
19. Alex Baldolini, Aprilia, 1:56.621
20. Hector Faubel, Aprilia, 1:56.751


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Honda:

Dissatisfied Rolfo ninth in first qualifying session

Motegi, Japan – Friday October 3. Roberto Rolfo ended the first qualifying session for the Pacific 250 Grand Prix, to be contested at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan, this weekend. Rolfo is far from satisfied with the results of today but is not worried about the situation because he and the team know exactly what they have to do to improve in final qualifying tomorrow.

Rolfo took delivery of a series of new parts from Honda but it I difficult to test new parts during grand prix practice and qualifying and he failed to adjust his riding style the machine while using the latest configuration. In respect to this the Altadis will take a step backwards and return to the engine configuration the Fortuna Honda Team used successfully at the Rio GP.

“We changed a series of parts on the engine but they proved to be inadequate and for that reason the Fortuna Honda Team has decided what we have to do to improve resort to solutions we already know will be successful, and in my view more suited to this circuit.” Explained the Altadis rider.

“We lacked acceleration today at this circuit and the engine just did not feel as fast as we need it to be. However, that is something we can find solutions to for tomorrow by returning to the engine configuration we ran at Rio. We also have a little work on some points on the chassis to give me more confidence with the front end.” Confirmed the Fortuna Honda rider.

“The position we find ourselves in today I not a worry because we know exactly what we have to do, and we will do it tonight.” Commented Rolfo with conviction. Rolfo now holds second place in the world championship standings and aims to close the point’s gap on the series leader.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Final MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:47.696
2. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 1:47.804
3. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 1:48.030
4. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 1:48.457
5. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:48.618
6. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:48.695
7. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 1:48.767
8. Alex Barros, Yamaha, 1:48.780
9. Marco Melandri, Yamaha, 1:48.882
10. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 1:48.964
11. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 1:49.022
12. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 1:49.123
13. Colin Edwards, Aprilia, 1:49.158
14. Akira Ryo, Suzuki, 1:49.404
15. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, 1:49.638
16. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:49.650
17. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton, 1:50.273
18. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton, 1:50.421
19. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, 1:50.470
20. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda, 1:50.480
21. Garry McCoy, Kawasaki, 1:50.677
22. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki, 1:51.008
23. Tamaki Serizawa, Moriwaki, 1:51.112
24. David De Gea, Harris WCM, 1:51.429
25. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, 1:51.505
26. Chris Burns, Harris WCM, 1:53.133


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

WILD CARD RYO LEADS SUZUKI’S IMPROVEMENT

Team Suzuki rider Akira Ryo led the trio of Suzukis on a day when all three riders gained strength, and improved their prospects for tomorrow’s race.

Wild card Ryo slashed almost a full second off his time to move ahead of full-time Suzuki riders John Hopkins and Kenny Roberts Jr., qualifying 14th, on the fourth row of the starting grid. Hopkins also cut his time; and though Roberts didn’t find an improvement for the stop watches, he had made distinct progress in overall settings for the race. Both the full-timers ended the final practice session with hopes boosted of scoring points tomorrow. Hopkins qualified 16th, and will also start from the fourth row, with Roberts one row behind, 19th-fastest.

Ryo has not raced since last year’s Malaysian GP, working instead as full-time tester for the MotoGP project. His development machine has a number of differences from those ridden by Roberts and Hopkins. As well as a different engine specification, Ryo is also using a redesigned rear suspension system. The principal benefit is to free up more space for the exhaust pipe, allowing engineers to get closer to the perfect tuned length. Ryo’s four-into-one exhaust exits on the left-hand side of the machine, while the system used by the other riders (also new for this race) has the tailpipe on the right.

These experiments are the outward evidence of Suzuki’s fast-forward development programme, aimed at improving the performance of this year’s radical new V4, using cutting-edge technology for the first time, and also at developing next year’s GSV-R racer. The long-term aim is to return Suzuki to their accustomed position of challenging for race wins and the World Championship, that the company last won in 2000, with Kenny Roberts riding the 500cc two-stroke RGV Gamma.

Today’s practice took place in warm and dry conditions, with the sun shining for most of the session, but the track cooler than yesterday. Similar weather is expected for tomorrow’s race round the 4.801km circuit – the 13th of 16 World Championship rounds.

AKIRA RYO – 14th Position, 1:49.404
I thought I could make a 1:48 lap time and the third row, so I am a little disappointed. I lost some time this morning making rear suspension changes and testing race tyres, but I didn’t get a good feeling. In the end, we found a reasonably good set-up, and I was aiming for the 48s in the afternoon. We also found a good tyre for the race, that is consistent and with a good pace. This is a very stop-and-go track and that can space out the riders. That means the first five or six laps are very important. You need to get a good start and ride hard in the early laps. If I can do that and gain a good position in the early stages, then I think we can hope for a good result.

JOHN HOPKINS – 16th Position, 1:49.650
I was hoping to qualify higher up the grid, but basically I’m pretty much happy with how the day went. We found an improvement to the grip overnight, and carried that on this morning. I was trying some suspension stuff for Ohlins, and that helped us out, so it’s a little bit of a step. I had a good run in the morning, running consistent 1:50s, which I’m happy about. We didn’t run any of the new machine parts today. At the end I went out for a good lap on a softer tyre, but I went too slow too early, and I didn’t get enough heat into the tyre on my out lap. I was a bit sceptical about the grip for my fast lap. But we can certainly aim for the points tomorrow.

KENNY ROBERTS Jr. – 19th Position, 1:50.436
We engineered a completely different set-up, and I was able to go quicker on it straight away. It’s stuff we haven’t messed around with all year. The changes seemed quite positive, with the bike immediately feeling more natural. Once again we worked with the new engine spec, and still I’m happy with the initial feel and the way it’s coming off the corner. We already have the race tyre picked out, and the bike feels pretty good in race trim for its lap time, so once again we’re going to try to get in the points. Lap-time wise its hard to really justify the progress, but at least there is a lot more stuff here, and generally it’s positive.

GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager
It’s been a mixed and interesting day. Akira used everything he has to get the best out of the development bike, and he did a great job. The different style of suspension and exhaust seem to be an improvement. John did some good consistent times, and probably deserved to be higher up the grid. Kenny also worked hard, and it’s good that he feels the factory engineers are making significant progress. The direction is good.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN MAKE THE BEST OF A DIFFICULT DAY
Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss made the best of a difficult day at Motegi today, qualifying sixth and tenth quickest for tomorrow’s Pacific GP, round 13 of the 2003 MotoGP World Championship.

Both men started the weekend at a disadvantage because the Desmosedici had never been run at Motegi before yesterday’s first practice session. Things were most difficult for Bayliss who had never ridden here before, while Capirossi complicated matters for himself by falling during the opening minutes of final qualifying, through no fault of his own.

“A difficult day but I think both our guys have done well considering the circumstances,” said Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “This is the team’s first time here, so we needed all the track time we could get, so Loris’ crash cost him a lot. I’m impressed that he was able to maintain his focus and make the second row with a good final lap this afternoon, a great effort considering the closeness of the times. Troy has also done a great job. Once again he’s had to learn a track from zero, and he’s solved the set-up difficulties he had yesterday. It’s always challenging when the team doesn’t know a circuit, but I’m glad to say this is the last current MotoGP track that we’ve had to learn. From now on we won’t be starting race weekends at such a disadvantage.”

UNLUCKY FALL COSTS CAPIROSSI
Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi has been one of the most consistent front-row qualifiers of 2003, starting inside the top four at ten of the first 12 GPs of 2003. But he ended today’s final qualifying session sixth fastest, resorting to his number-two machine for his final fast run because his number-one bike had been damaged when he fell on his first lap. The crash was no fault of Capirossi’s – he was on the grass run-off area when he hit a pot hole that propelled bike and rider into the air.

“I had a rear-end slide at the fast left before the final chicane, which I saved, no problem,” explained Capirossi who ran onto the grass after regaining control. “But then I hit something and the bike just took off. The damage wasn’t bad, though the initial impact had buckled the front wheel rim, but after the obvious damage had been fixed it still didn’t feel quite right, so I used my other machine for my final run on Michelin qualifiers. It’s a shame I lost all that track time with my race bike because we needed more time to work on settings. This track looks straightforward but you need a perfect set-up to go fast, so I wasn’t able to extract the full potential of my Desmosedici today. The race won’t be easy, but my aim is to get a good start and run with the first group.”

BAYLISS GETS FASTER AND FASTER
Like his Ducati Marlboro Team, Troy Bayliss has been getting to know Motegi over the past two days, and his progress has been impressive. The Aussie’s lap times have tumbled session by session – yesterday morning he was 2.4 seconds off pole but by the end of this afternoon’s session he had closed the gap to just 1.2 seconds, good enough to put him tenth for a third-row start. And Bayliss hasn’t only been learning his way round, he’s also been working hard with his crew to improve stability during heavy braking.

“We’ve made some good improvements, gone faster every session and we’re not far off the five guys immediately in front of me,” said the former World Superbike champion. “I made a couple of little mistakes on my fastest lap, but the main thing is that we were looking pretty good on race tyres, so I’m happy about that. We’d been struggling a bit with braking stability, so we’ve been changing things quite a bit, playing around with oil levels, that sort of thing. We’ve another few ideas for morning warm-up, then things should be sweet, or pretty sweet!”


More, from a press release issued by Camel Pramac Pons:

An extraordinary Max Biaggi on pole position in Motegi

The Camel Pramac Pons team produced a superb performance on the second day of qualification for the Pacific Grand Prix, the thirteenth race of the season taking place tomorrow at the Motegi Circuit. An extraordinary Max Biaggi set his third pole position of the season, his 55th in his career, after a thrilling qualification session during which the lead changed hands constantly. The Italian Camel Pramac Pons rider improved on his times from yesterday by over one and a half seconds and is confident going into the race. Tohru Ukawa, meanwhile, lowered his best time by 1.6 seconds, even though he is not 100% fit after a crash suffered yesterday, and will start from the third row of the grid in tomorrow’s race.

1st Max Biaggi
“There were many riders out on the track today capable of setting a fast time. It was a really exciting session and extremely competitive. I think tomorrow’s race will be a lot of fun. It always seems like the air is special here in Japan and I must congratulate Tamada because he really was quick today. I am happy and satisfied because I have a good rhythm and to ride like that is a joy. It’s the first time since the race in Brno that I have felt comfortable on the bike. I want to thank the team, Honda, Camel and the other sponsors for their support. Today we concentrated on optimizing the set-up of the suspension”.

11th Tohru Ukawa
“I tried to push hard in the session and my times came down considerably, but not enough. Yesterday’s fall affected me, both physically because I am not 100% fit, and also because we went out on the track today without a perfect set-up. Anyway, we have made a lot of progress during the two sessions today and I think we now have a good basis to work from and do a good race, although we still need to make some adjustments in the warm-up. My whole body aches but I don’t want to make any excuses. It’s my problem and I will go out on the track tomorrow in search of the best result possible.

Sito Pons:
“It’s certainly a happy day for us. Max is increasingly getting used to the new configuration of the engine which enables him to let the bike run through the corners more, to ride more smoothly and as a result he is able to demonstrate his real talent as a rider. Obviously this result must be confirmed tomorrow in the race, but clearly this pole position is important for us. Meanwhile, Tohru made a huge effort to get out on the track today, and little by little he is recovering his rhythm after yesterday’s fall and I think he will have a good race”.


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

Motegi pace quickens in build-up to Pacific Grand Prix

The Fortuna Yamaha Team’s positive start to the Pacific Grand Prix continued in today’s final qualifying, as riders Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri continued to adapt the set-up of their YZR-M1s and as a result improved their lap times. An all out qualifying tyre war during the last ten minutes of the session determined the final grid positions at the Motegi circuit, with all but one of the 26 competitors improving on yesterday’s times. Although Checa and Melandri found it difficult to put in a final fastest flying lap, they had already both displayed a good pace with race tyres and concluded the session with seventh and ninth positions on the grid respectively.

Fortuna Yamaha rider Carlos Checa had looked set to secure a front row start for tomorrow’s 24-lap main event with the second fastest time until the final flurry of times in the latter stages of the session. The Spanish rider set a fastest lap of 1:48.767 which was just 0.060 seconds of pole at the time. Checa will start tomorrow’s race from the second row of the grid, and the leading Yamaha rider is feeling confident with his overall race package.

“I am positive about this afternoon’s session,” said the Catalunya-born rider. “For some reason I couldn’t go faster with softer qualifying tyres at the end of the session, so I wasn’t able to improve my time. I’m pleased, though, because I had a good pace with the race tyres for most of the session, and some of my laps were quite fast. We’ve certainly improved since we were here last year. There’s still a gap of about one second between me and the top rider but I think we can still make up a few tenths. Tomorrow I will try to be focused for the start and I think it will be possible for me to fight with the top riders.”

Checa’s Fortuna Yamaha team-mate Marco Melandri continued to improve throughout the second day of qualifying. He featured in the top five on a few occasions before completing the session with the ninth fastest time of 1:48.882. Despite being pushed back to the third row, the young Italian feels secure with his race package for tomorrow’s chase and realises the importance of a good start at this venue.

“Today we changed quite a few things; we tried a slightly different set-up of the geometry, tested different tyres, and slightly modified the engine. Overall we improved a bit since yesterday. At each practice session I have had more trust in the bike and I feel better entering and braking in the corners. My focus was to start from the second row, but I didn’t feel totally comfortable with the qualifying tyres, and by the time I did there was nothing left in them. I had a good rhythm in general, however, and did almost the same time with the race tyres. I’m quite happy about the package for tomorrow’s race.”

“That was quite a good session,” commented Davide Brivio, Team Director. “We are looking forward to tomorrow’s race, and will finish our preparations tomorrow morning. Both riders went for many laps with a good pace, which is a good sign for tomorrow. Their starting positions are okay. I’m sure they both have the potential to follow the top group.”

Max Biaggi (Honda) made the most of his final qualifying session and produced an astonishingly fast time of 1:47.696, a whole 1.356 seconds under Daijiro Kato’s 2002 circuit best lap of 1:49.052. The Italian’s time, however, only just outperformed the impressive rookie performance of local hero Makoto Tamada (Honda, 1:47.804). Third fastest time went to defending MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Honda, 1:48.030) and provisional pole man Sete Gibernau (Honda, 1:48.457) completes the front row.


More, from a press release issued by Harris WCM:

David de Gea:24th 1:51.429
“Today was very good for me. We’ve found some good settings and have an excellent tyre selection for the race tomorrow. I feel comfortable on the bike and really look forward to the race tomorrow. I plan to start quick and hopefully finish ahead of the Moriwaki and Kawasaki bikes.”

Chris Burns: 26th 1:53.133
“Well I improved on yesterdays time, which is good and we have just a few minor problems with the chassis to work on tonight. We’ve got our race tyres sorted for tomorrow, a good rear tyre and no problems at all with grip. I am looking forward to the race and hoping that tomorrow I will finish my first GP of the year.”

Peter Clifford (Team Manager)
“A good day, a great step forward by both guys. Chris of cause still needs time to learn the track but he certainly made progress. A superb performance from David with not only an impressive qualifying time but also some good laps on race tyres which encourages us to think the he could have some fun tomorrow.”


More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

Makoto a hairsbreadth from pole, on front row with second quickest time

As determined as ever, Makoto Tamada has spent the first two days at Motegi up with the leaders in qualifying: he was second quickest in this morning’s free practice, and again achieved second-best performance in the final timed laps for pole position. Makoto went all out for the top eleven minutes before the end, achieving provisional pole with a time of 1:48.245. But five minutes later Rossi shaved two tenths off his time and moved up to first place. Tamada’s response was swift in coming, and two and a half minutes from the end the Japanese rider of the Pramac Honda Team was the first to break through the 1:48 barrier, stopping the clock at 1:47.804: pole position once again, this time almost definitive. But the final dash was made by Max Biaggi: 1:47.696, putting the Italian in first place on the grid tomorrow. Tamada and Biaggi, the only riders under 1:48.

Tamada was able to reap the advantages of the superb soft tyres from Bridgestone that enabled him to make more than one attempt to go for pole. They were not special “qualifying” tyres but ones that are used for entire races when the weather is cold.

The final choice of race tyres has been made, and after yesterday’s tests, today’s selection also gave the response the technicians were looking for.

MAKOTO TAMADA (PRAMAC HONDA TEAM): 2nd – 1:47.804

“I’m pleased about today’s sessions: the soft tyres enabled me to make more than one attempt to go for pole and we were inches, just inches from the top spot. We also focused a lot on the race, testing materials for tomorrow, and I think we’re just about there: we’ve already made our choices. I’ll be starting out with the leaders well aware of the rhythm I can maintain. The two most important things you need if you want to try to win here at Motegi are consistency and the ability to be aggressive. We’ll see what the others do and then I’ll try to put up the good pace I know I can achieve.”


More, from a press release issued by Alice Aprilia Racing Information:

PACIFIC GP/2nd QUALIFYING SESSION

READY FOR THE RACE
Haga is still suffering some bruises after yesterdays crash but he improved his lap time whilst Edwards was the 13th fastest today in the MotoGP second qualifying session at Motegi circuit. In the last minutes of the session when it’s time to change the tyres to get the best lap time, both riders suffered some chattering problems. Tomorrow during the warm up session the technical staff will try to improve the potential of RS Cubes in order to be more competitive. Haga has to rest because the back pain still aches and he absolutely wants to get a good result here.

COLIN EDWARDS: “I am sorry cause the second row was handy and probably my race would have been easier. I did all my best but I did not get it! Unfortunately at the end of the session when I came out with the race tyres I suffered the same chattering problems and I was not able to go faster. Anyway my pace is quite good and I already chose the tyres for tomorrow”.

NORIYUKI HAGA: “I do not fell fine and in the last minutes of the session I could not use the race tyres because of an electrical problem of the tyrewarmers: the temperature was not perfect otherwise my position would have been different. Anyway the setting of my bike is quite good”.

GIGI DALL’IGNA (Project Leader): “I hope in a better position for Colin whilst Nori has been very unlucky as there was a trouble with the tyrewarmers so he did not use the race tyres. I feel very satisfied about the setting we used with the race tyres. But tomorrow we will make some changes to the brake system to be more competitive”.


More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

FUCHS KAWASAKI TEAM MAKES DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT AT MOTEGI

The Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team made impressive progress during today’s second, and final, qualifying session for Sunday’s Pacific Grand Prix of Motegi. Both Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt made maximum use of the new, higher power, Ninja ZX-RR engine to dramatically improve on their lap times from yesterday.

McCoy reduced his Friday time by 1.2s while his fellow Australian, and Motegi debutante, Andrew Pitt slashed his previous best by 1.5s as he continued to learn the demanding stadium-style layout.

Final qualifying was frantically competitive, with the previous best qualifying time at Motegi reduced by over a second during the final moments, meaning that, despite the big drop in lap times by both Ninja ZX-RR riders, neither was able to move forward from the sixth row of the grid. McCoy will start 21st after posting his best time with 25 minutes remaining in the session, while Pitt secured 22nd on grid with his fastest time coming on his penultimate lap.

Both Fuchs Kawasaki riders spent most of today’s practice and qualifying sessions fine tuning race set-up and evaluating tyre options, with only minor suspension adjustments.

And with revised electronic management settings, the upgraded engine specification delivered for this race is now more rider friendly and both McCoy and Pitt declared themselves happier with the smoother bottom end power delivery during today’s sessions, which helped control the front end lift problems experienced yesterday.

Garry McCoy – 21st – 1:50.667
“For me it was pretty much keeping the base set-up from yesterday, some new wheels, tyres and brake pads and away I went. The main change was the engine characteristics and less engine braking and both my bikes had the longer gear ratios from yesterday, which help keep the front end down at this track. The new motor now feels better off the bottom end and you can notice the difference at the top end with more rpm on hand. In the fast changes of direction the bike still feels heavy and I can’t dream of taking the lines some other riders are using, but we seem to have a good base for the race. My cold feels worse today and I went to the Clinic at lunch time, but I don’t want to use that as an excuse.”

Andrew Pitt – 22nd – 1:51.008
“I took a big chunk of time, one and half seconds, off my Friday lap so I’m pretty happy with that. I kept the bike exactly the same as yesterday other than just smoothing out the power delivery on the bottom end, which helps control the wheelie problem we are experiencing here. I just kept chipping away at learning the track and doing race distance tyre runs and it looks like we have a good option for tomorrow. I’m enjoying the track and getting a better feel for the new engine package and hope to make more progress tomorrow in the race.”


“We are looking forward to tomorrow’s race, and will finish our preparations tomorrow morning.”
– Davide Brivio


More, from a press release issued by John Hopkins’ publicist:

FOURTH ROW START FOR HOPKINS IN PACIFIC GRAND PRIX

MOTEGI, Japan (Oct. 4) – Suzuki’s John Hopkins will start from row four after qualifying 16th Saturday for the Pacific Grand Prix on the 4.8-kilometer Motegi circuit in Japan. The young Californian turned a 1:49.650 on his factory GSV-R. Hopkins shaved 2/10ths of a second off of his time from Friday’s session.

“I was hoping to qualify higher up the grid,” said Hopkins, who was 10th fastest after Friday’s qualifying round. “Basically I’m pretty much happy with how the day went. We found an improvement to the grip overnight, and carried that on this morning. I was trying some suspension stuff for Ohlins, and that helped us out, so it’s a little bit of a step.”

Hopkins is joined on the grid for Sunday’s race by fellow Suzuki riders Akira Ryo and Kenny Roberts. Both have strong backgrounds at Motegi. Roberts is a two-time winner at the circuit and Ryo, a Suzuki test rider and wild card for this weekend’s race, finished a surprising second last year at this race on a Suzuki. Ryo qualified 14th and Roberts 19th. Honda’s Max Biaggi won the pole with a time of 1:47.696, approximately 1.9 seconds faster than Hopkins. Honda’s dominated qualifying at Motegi, which is not surprising considering the circuit is a Honda test track.

“I had a good run in the morning, running consistent 1:50s, which I’m happy about,” Hopper added. “We didn’t run any of the new machine parts today. At the end I went out for a good lap on a softer tire, but I went too slow too early, and I didn’t get enough heat into the tire on my out lap. I was a bit skeptical about the grip for my fast lap. But we can certainly aim for the points tomorrow.”

Hopkins matched his qualifying spot of last year at Motegi, where he finished 14th in the race.




More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:

Pacific Grand Prix at Motegi

Final Qualifying Saturday October 4

HONDAS FILL FRONT ROW AS MAX MASTERS MOTEGI

As MotoGP paid further respects to the hugely missed Daijiro Kato here at Motegi, Max Biaggi (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) went about the business of placing his machine on pole. The Roman timed his fastest lap to perfection in sunny and dry conditions edging local hero Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda RC211V) into second with Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V) qualifying third and Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V) fourth for an all-Honda front row.

Biaggi revelled in the conditions and now he has the measure of his RC211V, the Roman used his precise, inch-perfect style to put in a 1:47.696 lap in the final seconds of the session. He timed his lap perfectly and no one had any answers to his sheer speed around the 4.801km of Motegi.

Today’s final qualifying session began with Loris Capirossi launching his Ducati skywards when he ran off-track and then hit a pot hole that buckled the front wheel rim and catapulted him and his machine into the air. Meanwhile Biaggi was taking his time before venturing on track ten minutes into the session.

Events followed the usual pattern for the first half-hour with riders perfecting set-up and testing tyre endurance. Biaggi bettered his first qualifying time from yesterday within that first half-hour and Gibernau was holding pole with a 1:48.707 lap from that same session. Carlos Checa (Yamaha) then hoisted himself to second place with a 1:48.767 lap, but that was his best shot and the Spaniard had to settle for seventh place by the end of the hour.

Then Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) showed precisely why he is maturing into a real force in the premier class in his rookie year. The American rocketed to a 1:48.618 lap that was good enough for him to hold pole with 13 minutes to go.

Then it was another rookie sensation’s turn to grab the limelight as local hero Makoto Tamada posted a 1:48.245 lap to hold pole for a time. The Japanese, running Japanese Bridgestone tyres, clearly had the measure of this track. He had said after yesterday’s session that there was more to come from him and his RC211V – and so it proved.

But his efforts were bested first by Rossi who briefly held pole, and then by the storming Biaggi. Max waited until the opportune moment mere seconds from the end of the session before firing his machine around Motegi’s 14 turns in a rapid 1:47.696 lap.

“There were many riders out there capable of setting a fast time,” said Max. “It was a really exciting session and extremely competitive. It always seems like the air is special in Japan and I must congratulate Tamada because he was really quick today. I have a good rhythm and riding the bike is a joy. It’s the first time since Brno that I’ve felt comfortable on the bike.”

Tamada was happy enough with his efforts too. “The soft tyres enabled me to make more than one attempt to get pole,” he said. “And we were inches, just inches from the top spot. We also focussed a lot on the race and I think we’re just about there – we’ve already made our choices. I’ll be starting out with the leaders, well aware of the rhythm I can maintain.”

Rossi has a front row start, but feels there is still more to come from his bike. “Things are getting better with the setting of the bike,” he said. “There are still small things to fix but we have an opportunity in the warm-up tomorrow. At the end of the session we tried for the best lap time with a qualifying tyre but by the last five minutes I had used all the tyres. Anyway third on the front row is not too bad.”

Gibernau was less happy. “A tough day,” he said. “Instead of battling with the bike and the lap times I spent today battling against myself. I feel pretty bad physically, I have a fever and it’s difficult to keep my concentration. I was able to get one quick lap in and hold onto the front row. Now I’ll go and rest and hopefully be fit enough to fight as I want to tomorrow.”

For Nicky Hayden things keep getting better. “Quite a fun session,” he said. “Fifth place and really close to the front row is good. The race tomorrow is going to be real difficult, I’ve got to get stuck in and give it everything. There seems to be so much Hayden support here and I hope to be able to give the fans something to shout about tomorrow.”

Tohru Ukawa (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) struggled after crashing yesterday and could only manage 11th place on the grid. “My times came down, but not by enough,” he said. “My whole body aches but I don’t want to make excuses. And I will go out on the track tomorrow in search of the best result possible.”

Ryuichi Kiyonari (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V) is realistic about his chances after qualifying 20th. “This morning I improved my time from yesterday,” he said. “And this afternoon I improved my time from this morning. The only thing is the other riders also improved so I am not too happy about my position.”

The 250 final qualifying session belonged to Tony Elias who stole pole from Franco Battaini within the final minute. Randy de Puniet qualified third (all Aprilia) while Sebastian Porto (Telefonica Movistar Junior Team RS250RW) took fourth spot on the grid.

“At the end of the session I pushed hard for two laps,” said the Argentine Porto. “I set a front row time and proved that I’ve got a good rhythm for the race. It will be a tough race because as well as the Aprilia ride

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday Afternoon MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Sete Gibernau, Honda, 1:48.707
2. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 1:48.891
3. Makoto Tamada, Honda, 1:48.910
4. Max Biaggi, Honda, 1:49.123
5. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:49.195
6. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 1:49.434
7. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 1:49.604
8. Colin Edwards, Aprilia, 1:49.734
9. Marco Melandri, Yamaha, 1:49.858
10. John Hopkins, Suzuki, 1:49.887
11. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 1:50.171
12. Akira Ryo, Suzuki, 1:50.362
13. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, 1:50.436
14. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 1:50.623
15. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 1:50.704
16. Alex Barros, Yamaha, 1:50.720
17. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, 1:51.144
18. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda, 1:51.641
19. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton, 1:51.723
20. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton, 1:51.771
21. Garry McCoy, Kawasaki, 1:51.841
22. Tamaki Serizawa, Moriwaki, 1:52.006
23. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, 1:52.039
24. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki, 1:52.554
25. David De Gea, Harris WCM, 1:54.612
26. Chris Burns, Harris WCM, 1:54.809


More, from a press release issued by Alice Aprilia Racing Information:

PACIFIC GP/1st QUALIFYING SESSION

COLIN EIGHTH, A CRASH FOR HAGA
First qualifying session at Motegi and two faces result for the Alice Aprilia Racing Team. Colin Edwards made a very fast lap time qualifying 8th fastest whilst his team mate Nori Haga slipped out of the track without completing the session. For the Japanese rider just one back contusion and tow left hand fingers bruised because of a loss of grip in the rear. No fractures for Haga after the X – ray exams.

COLIN EDWARDS: “I did the best and finally I got a good lap time. So I feel confident but we still have to improve the chassis setting cause there’s a bit of chattering in two different parts of the track. Anyway I am happy because I reached the top ten after some difficult races”.

NORIYUKI HAGA: “I lost the rear when I was in the corner and I threw up. The blow with the surface was hard but I only suffered a back contusion without any fracture. Anyway my bike still had some chattering problems in different parts of the track”.

GIGI DALL’IGNA (Project Leader): “Luckily Nori did not suffer any serious damage. Maybe it was a loss of grip in the rear but now I want to sort it out with the data recording. Colin got a good lap time today so we are in a high spirits now. We have no particular chattering problems here and in this moment we found a good solution in order to solve the problem for this race. Anyway we have also different material for the rear: swingarm, wheels and linkage to reduce the vibrations. Moreover the new Michelin tyres we tested in Jerez are very good: they have been built like the 17 even if they are 16.5”


More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

DIFFICULT SET-UP DAY FOR FUCHS KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-RR AT MOTEGI

Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt, qualified 21st and 24th respectively during today’s opening qualifying session for Sunday’s Pacific Grand Prix of Motegi.

The Pacific Grand Prix is the second home race of the season for the Kawasaki squad, following the season-opening Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Motegi also marks the first anniversary of the international debut of the Ninja ZX-RR four-stroke MotoGP machine, which was raced for the first time here in 2002 by factory test pilot Akira Yanagawa.

Both McCoy and Pitt spent much of the first day of practice and qualifying evaluating the latest, more powerful, version of the Ninja ZX-RR motor, as part of Kawasaki’s ongoing development of the 990cc inline four-cylinder machine.

The layout of the 4.8km Motegi circuit is proving a challenge for both riders and technicians alike, as they work to maximise the performance of the engine upgrade and overcome problems with front end lift out of slower turns and stability on corner entry.

For Pitt there has been the additional work load of learning another new circuit as he begins the final phase of his rookie season in the MotoGP World Championship. The Australian is applying simple logic to the task and has settled on a base set-up with which to concentrate on for the remainder of the weekend.

McCoy is suffering from a mild cold and cough, which he puts down to the recent heavy load of international travel, and today’s variable temperatures contributed towards him not feeling 100 percent during afternoon qualifying.

Garry McCoy – 21st – 1:51.841
“I’m never happy being 21st and I hope we can move forward; at least I’m the number one Dunlop qualifier today, so I’m first at something. With the hard acceleration, slow speed corners at Motegi the wheelie problem we experience at some tracks is back. I’m playing with the set-up to help that, including some longer gear ratios, but a lot of guys out there are looking more comfortable than me; it’s difficult to tuck-in and follow anyone. The motor has more rpm and feels like it has a little more power overall, but the bike also feels like it is pushing forward into some corners. We’ve still got some work to do to settle on race tyres, when the temperatures warm up in the afternoon it changes tyre performance. ”

Andrew Pitt – 24th – 1:52.554
“I’m coming to grips with the track but I’m not touching the bike, it feels as good as it can be with what we’ve got; I’m just going to keep doing laps and working with the circuit. The engine upgrade here has more top end power and acceleration is better, but traction coming off the slow corners is not as good; the rear is spinning up and the wheelstand problem is back. This motor has gone back to a heavier crankshaft specification and that seems to be a problem for me; the bike wants to push forward into the slow corners and there are lot of dead-stop corners here. I did a whole session on a front tyre this morning so that looks good for the race; we just have to settle on a rear tyre for the race now.”

Harald Eckl – Team Manager
“This is Andrew’s first time here at Motegi, so his aim today has been to learn his way around the circuit and improve his lap time in each session, which he has done. Garry has raced here in previous seasons, so the fact that he’s less than a second faster than his relatively inexperienced team-mate is a little disappointing, although I’m sure the cold he is suffering with has taken it’s toll. I’m confident that Andrew will improve further with more track time tomorrow and, hopefully, Garry will be able to put his experience of the Motegi circuit to good use and improve upon his current grid position.”


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

POSITIVE OPENER FOR CHECA AND MELANDRI


It was a promising start to the Pacific Grand Prix for the Fortuna Yamaha Team at the Motegi circuit today. Team-mates Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri both featured well in the top ten during the first qualifying session at the Japanese track. The factory team’s opening performance even included a significant stint at the head of the time sheets, as Spaniard Checa held the top spot for several laps. Recent advancements to the base chassis and suspension set-up have improved the YZR-M1’s stability and
rideability, even on the ‘stop and go’ Motegi layout.

After setting the fourth fastest time in this morning’s free practice, Checa continued to show significant improvement throughout the day. The Spaniard took provisional pole with 20 minutes of this afternoon’s first qualifying session remaining and looked set to stay there when, in the final few minutes, a flurry of riders began to leapfrog one another for the number one slot. Checa was relegated back to seventh with a personal best time of 1:49.604.

“I feel more comfortable on the bike, I don’t know if it’s the track or the changes to our chassis set-up,” explained Checa. “I’ve been quite competitive during the whole session. At the end I tried a soft qualifying tyre but it didn’t make so much of a difference and the competition was high. I think we need even more front feeling, and that’s what I’m hoping to find tomorrow. Yamaha have been working very hard on the engine and it’s good to see our top speed higher. Now we need to work more on the set-up, and hopefully this weekend will be a success.”

Fortuna Yamaha rider Marco Melandri was back to his customary competitive form today, after a disappointing Rio Grand Prix two weeks ago. The young Italian even featured in the top three during this afternoon’s hour-long session, before concluding proceedings in ninth place. The 21-year-old focused his efforts on fine-tuning the new M1 chassis set-up, rather than
chasing a one off fastest lap.

“The asphalt here is flat and better than Rio,” said a contented Melandri. “The bike is working quite well now. We tried many things today and lost about 30 minutes this morning because the engine had a slight problem. This afternoon we tried three different tyres, of which I need to choose one for the race. I lost some time at the end of the session when I made a mistake
about half way through the lap. I’m quite confident for tomorrow. Our speed is better but we also need to improve our acceleration as the straight here is not so long. Tomorrow we will work on perfecting my overall setting.”

Team Director Davide Brivio said, “We’re working to find the benefits of a new set-up. We received new engine specs and have changed some suspension setting based on our ongoing analysis. We’re working to get everything set
up and it seems our riders are quite happy with it. Carlos was top for most of the session but in the last few minutes was pushed to seventh. We will continue to develop our race set-up tomorrow but we have already made improvements today.”

Sete Gibernau (Honda) eventually took provisional pole with a best lap time of 1:48.707, ahead of Valentino Rossi (Honda, 1:48.891) and the ever improving Makoto Tamada (Honda, 1:48.910). These top three were the only riders to break into the sub-’49 barrier. Max Biaggi (Honda, 1:49.123) completed the front row.


More, from a press release issued by Harris WCM:

Harris WCM – Qualifying

Friday 3rd October 2003

DAVID DE GEA: 25th 1.54.612
“We had a lot of problems today that stopped me putting in a good time. At the end of this afternoon’s session I missed the last ten minutes or so because we couldn’t start the bike. The slipper clutch kept slipping and wouldn¹t engage so we couldn’t start it.

“I’m sure the guys will have it all sorted tomorrow and we should be able to do a lot better tomorrow.”

CHRIS BURNS: 26th 1.54.809
“I’m pleased that I had a full day on the bike and there we no major problems with the bike today. The braking seemed to be good and I am finding my braking points now.

“I am hoping for more tomorrow though, as I become more familiar with this track. I haven’t been here before.”

PETER CLIFFORD (Team Manager)
“Just plenty of frustrations for the guys today. Too many technical problems when the guys were trying to learn the circuit. Hopefully tomorrow will be a lot better.”


More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

Third quickest time – provisional front row. Makoto Tamada makes flying start at Motegi

After posting the second best time in the free practice in the morning, Makoto Tamada confirmed his positive trend on his “home” circuit by making the third fastest lap in the qualifying session. The Pramac Honda Team’s Japanese rider is thus on the provisional front row for Sunday’s race. While the free practice was mainly used to get the settings on the bike worked out, in the qualifying session Makoto tested the new materials from Bridgestone that have been specially prepared for the Pacific Grand Prix.

The new tyres responded well to the changing temperatures of the tarmac: 40 degrees at the start of the session and 30 at the end, meaning Makoto was able to enter the final rush in almost perfect conditions. Throughout the time, he rode with a configuration very close to that of the race, just using slightly softer tyres for the fast lap than the ones he used when trying to maintain a fast and constant pace. Makoto, who was in second place until just a few moments from the end, finally ceded his position to Rossi who came in 19 thousandths quicker. In any case, the first day of tests in Motegi ended on a very positive note that bodes very well for the great rendezvous on Sunday.

MAKOTO TAMADA (PRAMAC HONDA TEAM): 3rd – 1:48.910

“We’re trying out three different solutions for the tyres and the results sure are encouraging. I haven’t chosen the best solution yet but I’ve still got tomorrow for this. I didn’t give it absolutely everything I could today, and this means I’ve still got some margin, in terms of riding, that I can still bring to bear. True, the difference isn’t all that great, but I can still go faster. On this first day of tests, I mainly concentrated on finding a good constant pace. It’s important to get the right rhythm – it can make all the difference during a race. This track has no secrets for me, but I know that if you are able to achieve a fast rhythm and you are determined when braking, you can beat your rivals. We’ll be working hard tomorrow too so as to make sure we’ll be really competitive on Sunday.”


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

Nobu and McWill Push V5

Motegi Friday Qualifying

Nobuatsu Aoki: 19th, 1:51.723
Jeremy McWilliams: 20th, 1:51.848
Power-up Proton KR takes V5 a step further
Team Proton KR riders Nobuatsu Aoki and Jeremy McWilliams enjoyed the latest improvements to the six-race-old KR V5 in today’s first day of practice for Sunday’s Pacific GP. But both riders had niggling problems that worked against them in qualifying, and both hope for more to come tomorrow.

Even so, they qualified on the heels of one of the factory Hondas, and ahead of both factory Kawasakis, underlining the progress made in the fast-forward development programme for the new machine.

Most development on the first version of the radical V5 has been focused on the engine, with revised engine mapping and intakes helping engineers find a significant boost in mid-range power in the two weeks since the last race. The team also have a new slipper clutch from FCC, which is of crucial importance at this 4.801km circuit. A number of slow corners interspersed with short drag-strip straights mean heavy braking, and a special need for control over engine braking.

Aoki was faster today for his second home GP this year, in spite of missing most of the morning’s free training session with problems to both of his machines. These were fixed for the afternoon, and the Japanese rider was working hard to catch up with the all-important set-up programme.

McWilliams had a relatively trouble-free day – but in the afternoon a mechanical mishap meant he lost his chance of a fast lap on qualifying tyres.

Today’s first practice took place in fine, sunny conditions, with good forecasts for the rest of the weekend. However the track’s location in hilly terrain means weather conditions can be unpredictable.

Nobuatsu Aoki

This morning was a complete disaster. One bike had an oil leak, and the other had an electronic problem. But the mechanics found what it was, and this afternoon both bikes were working properly. The team told me that we have more horsepower in the mid-range, and I could feel it. It’s a big benefit . but we still lack top end power. In the afternoon we made some suspension changes, and it’s coming better. The new clutch was also working very well . no more hopping into the corners. I’m sure we have some more possibilities for a better lap time tomorrow.

Jeremy McWilliams

This afternoon was a bit of a nightmare. We made a good start in the morning, but then I ran into a massive problem getting the bike to settle on the way into the corners. You think you get it right, then you go a bit faster or brake a bit later, and it gets upset again, with a chatter problem that has nothing to do with the tyres. We have a new clutch from FCC, and my first impressions were quite good, but it will take more time to set it up. This is such a stop-start circuit with so many first gear corners that it’s really critical. The engine changes feel good too. But we made an awful mistake when we put on qualifying tyres for a fast lap. The bike had the wrong sprocket and the wrong overall gearing. Then the motor overheated as I waited for the changes.


More, from a press release issued by Camel Pramac Pons:

Max Biaggi on the front row of the provisional grid in Motegi

This weekend sees the start of three consecutive races of the MotoGP World Championship taking place in Asia and Oceania. Today, Max Biaggi achieved a provisional front row grid position on the first day of qualifying for the Pacific Grand Prix and is optimistic of his chances alter a hard day’s work spent preparing his bike. Tohru Ukawa, meanwhile, crashed out on lap eleven of the afternoon session and was unable to continue as he was taken to hospital for a check-up. After a thorough examination doctors said that he had not suffered any fractures, but that his right foot is very painful because he landed on an area where he had suffered a previous injury on the fifth toe.

4th Max Biaggi

“This morning we had some problems which disappeared this afternoon because the Honda technicians modified the engine’s electronic mapping and used the settings Hayden had used during free practice. I am surprised at how much the performance of the engine can change with just a few modifications to the electronics. Now we have a good basis to work from, although we must concentrate on getting the maximum out of the bike. I would also like to say that this is the occasion where I have felt most comfortable riding the new bike and I hope that tomorrow I can improve my times and get more feeling with the bike and the set-up”.

14th Tohru Ukawa

“I lost control of the bike at the fifth corner of the track and I crashed out. It is a shame because my times were good and I felt comfortable on the bike. I crashed heavily on my toe and my whole body aches, but I have absolutely no doubt that tomorrow I will be fit enough to set a good time”.

Sito Pons:

“I hope that Ukawa recovers and can maintain the rhythm and progression that he was showing before the crash. He has no significant injury and I think he will be fine to go out on the track and race. I think it is important that Biaggi finds the right engine settings which suit his style of riding so that we can then concentrate on the remaining settings”.


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

3-WAY SUZUKI ATTACK GETS CLOSER TO POLE

Team Suzuki rider John Hopkins qualified tenth in today’s first qualifying session for Sunday’s Pacific GP, with team-mates Akira Ryo and Kenny Roberts Jr. close behind, in 12th and 13th positions, marking an improvement in team fortunes and reflecting a raft of technical improvements for the Suzuki GSV-R racer’s second home GP of the year.

Hopkins’s best lap came at the end of the hour-long session, and put him third overall, a position he held until near the end of the session. He was bumped to tenth as all riders fitted soft qualifying tyres for their own single fast laps, but the Anglo-American rider still finished up barely a second off provisional pole time, the closest yet for the GSV-R.

All three riders (Ryo is a wild card entry for this race and next weekend’s Malaysian GP) were using different variations of the 990cc V4 engine, under the close scrutiny of top factory race department designers and engineers. This is part of the programme not only to realise the full potential of this year’s machine, but also development for the 2004 version, already in an advanced stage of design at the Hamamatsu headquarters.

Roberts chose a different variation of the new settings from Hopkins, while Ryo’s engine is different again in internal details and specifications.

For Ryo, today’s outing was the first chance to blow away cobwebs and get used to riding in fast company again. The last time the 36-year-old rider from Tokyo raced was at last year’s Malaysian GP. This year he has been engaged full time as factory tester for the MotoGP project, riding mainly at the factory’s Ryuyo test track, and generally alone.

Today’s practice took place in warm and sunny conditions, with the fine weather forecast to stay for the whole weekend. There is one more day of practice before Sunday’s race, the 13th of 16 rounds, and the first of a trio of back-to-back flyaway races on consecutive weekends, in Japan, Malaysia and Australia.

JOHN HOPKINS – Tenth Position, 1:49.887

My left wrist and calf that I injured in Rio two weeks ago are still bugging me a little, but it’s not so bad on the bike. Today’s practice went pretty good: this track somewhat suits our bike, and also my riding style. I like the hard braking, and to me this is a real fun circuit. We have a lot of new parts here, but so far I’m only using the new exhaust, which might make a difference that shows on the data, but not much to the rider. We’ll test some of the new stuff tomorrow, but today I concentrated on finding a liking for what we’ve been running. We’re looking for the best grip possible, and we were struggling a little bit today, because the crash in Rio affected my confidence. But I got to feeling comfortable out there, and it wasn’t too bad a day.

AKIRA RYO – 12th Position, 1:50.362

The feeling today was not so bad. The latest engine makes it easier than ever before to follow the other machines, and when I used a qualifying tyre I was following Capirossi, at a good pace. Then I almost crashed and lost a lot of time … but even so that was my fastest lap! I am confident that tomorrow I can get into the 1:49s. One reason is that I am getting back to racing speed. It is almost a year since my last race. It is also my first time at Motegi this year, except for one test a month ago.

KENNY ROBERTS Jr. – 13th Position, 1:50.436

Here we seem to have quite a few more things from the factory – I think it’s the best race of the year from the point of new stuff to try, and actually quite big stuff, in terms of engine specification. It definitely seems to be a better way, if not for lap times, for understanding what the bike needs to do to go faster round a lap. Suzuki would like me to concentrate in this direction, and they have something different for Ryo, so at the moment all three riders are using different engines. We haven’t made a gigantic step, but at least we have a lot of things to try, and they do what the factory says they’re going to do, so they understand the way we need to go.

GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager

We’re just about on a second off pole, and that’s the direction we want to go in. The factory people have been working very hard, and gradually the tide is turning. John did really well considering his condition, and as always Kenny put in a hard day’s work. Having Akira adds another dimension. It’s good to see some progress after all the effort.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN GET TO KNOW MOTEGI
Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss rode their first laps of Motegi aboard their Desmosedici MotoGP bikes today, Capirossi impressing with fifth-fastest time in qualifying, Bayliss learning his way around the Japanese circuit in 15th.

“Considering we’ve only had two hours of track time I think we’re doing reasonably well,” said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “From morning to afternoon we improved more than the other guys, but that’s what we’ve had to do this year at many tracks that are new to us. This circuit isn’t too complicated, there’s nothing that makes it stand out from others in what it demands of the bike or the rider. Unlike Troy, Loris has raced here before, so he wasn’t so far off the pace this afternoon. After this morning we changed gearbox ratios and various settings. So far we’re not yet satisfied with the front end – both riders are saying that they’ve not got enough confidence to push harder, so that’s our priority for tomorrow.”

Significantly this is the sixth and last MotoGP track that the Ducati Marlboro Team has had to get to know this season during a GP weekend. From now on, Capirossi, Bayliss and the crew have a good knowledge of every current MotoGP venue.


IMPRESSIVE CAPIROSSI ONLY 0.4 SECONDS OFF POLE
Loris Capirossi ended this afternoon’s opening qualifying session just 0.488 seconds off pole position, even though the Ducati Marlboro Team man had never ridden his Desmosedici here before today. The Italian has therefore been working closely with his crew to adapt the awesome V4 to the demands of this track, around which braking performance and acceleration are primordial.

“It’s been a hard day, we’ve done a lot of work on settings to find a good overall balance,” said fourth-quickest Capirossi, who was just 0.072 seconds off the front row. “I’m not totally satisfied so far, we need to improve the feeling, but this is our first time here with the Desmosedici, and we have plenty of ideas for tomorrow, so I feel we’re doing okay. This is not a technical circuit – you simply need a bike that brakes well and accelerates out of the turns well. We already seem quite close to the front-running pace on race tyres, but we need to perfect our set-up before we can use the bike’s full potential on qualifying tyres.”


MOTEGI FIRST-TIMER BAYLISS LEARNS HIS WAY AROUND
Ducati Marlboro Team rider Troy Bayliss rode his first laps of Motegi yesterday – on a bicycle – before switching to his MotoGP machine for this morning’s first practice session. Initially more than two seconds off the pace of his more experienced MotoGP rivals, Bayliss was less than two seconds down during this afternoon’s qualifier, which he ended in 15th spot. And the Aussie plans to be closer to the front tomorrow, once he has made some detail changes to his bike’s set-up.

“One track is pretty much like another,” said the former World Superbike champion, shrugging off the demands of learning yet another circuit. “This place seems fairly straightforward, but we’re not really where we want to be as far as bike set-up goes. The track is very much stop and go in character, but at the moment the bike doesn’t seem to be doing what we want it to do. I’ll sit down with my crew and have a chat about how we can get that sorted for tomorrow.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

125cc Grand Prix Final Qualifying Results:

1. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 1:57.736
2. Stefano Perugini, Aprilia, 1:58.558
3. Jorge Lorenzo, Derbi, 1:58.662
4. Hector Barbera, Aprilia, 1:58.684
5. Andrea Dovizioso, Honda, 1:58.988
6. Pablo Nieto, Aprilia, 1:59.092
7. Lucio Cecchinello, Aprilia, 1:59.219
8. Alex De Angelis, Aprilia, 1:59.286
9. Stefano Bianco, Gilera, 1:59.320
10. Casey Stoner, Aprilia, 1:59.360
11. Gino Borsoi, Aprilia, 1:59.378
12. Gabor Talmacsi, Aprilia, 1:59.393
13. Mika Kallio, KTM, 1:59.437
14. Marco Simoncelli, Aprilia, 1:59.448
15. Thomas Luthi, Honda, 1:59.520
16. Steve Jenkner, Aprilia, 1:59.620
17. Simon Corsi, Honda, 1:59.737
18. Alvaro Bautista, Aprilia, 1:59.756
19. Mirko Giansanti, Aprilia, 1:59.866
20. Roberto Locatelli, KTM, 1:59.916
21. Masao Azuma, Honda, 2:00.076
22. Arnaud Vincent, Aprilia, 2:00.381

24. Youichi Ui, Gilera, 2:00.849

28. Emilio Alzamora, Derbi, 2:01.596