From a press release issued by the FIM:

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix
Decision of the Grand Prix Commission

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Claude Danis (FIM), Sito Pons (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), with the presence of Paul Butler (Secretary), in a meeting held this morning, has unanimously decided to introduce the following modifications to the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations, for immediate application:

2.6 Fuel Tanks

2.6.4 Except for the case that a fuel tank is fixed on the chassis with bolts, all fuel lines from the fuel tank to the engine/carburetor system should have a self sealing breakaway valve. This valve must separate at less than 50% of the load required to break any part of the fuel line or fitting or to pull it out of the fuel tank.

This rule is mandatory for the MotoGP class.

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

SUZUKI READY FOR WELKOM MOTOGP

South African MotoGP Preview. Round 1, Phakisa Freeway, Welkom – April 18, 2004.

The South African GP is the first of 16 rounds of the third year of the MotoGP four-stroke prototype racers – and observers are predicting a vintage, best-ever season of close competition. Team Suzuki MotoGP is hoping that the year will be their best also in the new top class of motorcycle racing.

The first two years of the class left the well-established factory racing team in an unfamiliar position … without even one race win, as they worked to perfect their new 990cc V4 racing machine using experimental cutting-edge technology.

It was a frustrating time for the multi-victorious squad, but the improvement in overall performance that the factory race engineers and England-based racing team were striving for was just around the corner. Chassis and suspension revisions tested last December were the first evidence. Since then, engine refinements have improved the package further.

At the same time, a new association with Japanese Bridgestone tyres, relative newcomers to the top class of racing, also showed strong early promise. The tyres worked well with the GSV-R from the first tests.

Progress through the test programme continued without set-backs and an ever-improving technical package. At the last test of the close season, the group IRTA tests at Jerez in Spain, Kenny Roberts Jr. set second-fastest time, less than a tenth of a second slower than defending champion Valentino Rossi.

Now Roberts, World Champion in 2000, and team-mate John Hopkins face the first real test of the year, in the unusual conditions of the Phakisa Freeway at Welkom in South Africa.

It is a unique challenge and the Suzuki men are hoping the track’s quirks will play into their hands.

One of the circuit’s peculiarities is a fiendishly bumpy surface in spite of recent resurfacing. This is a result of the frequent minor earth tremors felt in the area, which is in turn the legacy of the gold mines that honeycomb the earth beneath the flat plain. The grip levels are also unusual. The circuit sees very limited use and the grip on the racing line improves continually throughout the racing weekend as tyres clean the surface and coat it with fresh rubber.

Another characteristic is the power-sapping altitude of some 1,500 metres. The thin air robs the 230-plus horsepower MotoGP engines of as much as 15 percent of their power at sea level, making tuning and gearing more critical than ever.

All these could be plus points for Suzuki if the team’s fortunes continue to prosper as they have during testing.

“This is the best-prepared the team has been for years,” said manager Garry Taylor.

“Both riders are highly motivated and there is a general feeling of excitement throughout the team after a highly positive series of tests.

“We are under no illusions that we have fully turned the corner yet, but we’ve clipped the apex and we can see the exit line ahead of us. We know the competition is going to be even tougher this year than last, and that we have a lot more work to do before we are fully competitive.

“We’re starting the season ready to build on the progress we’ve already made,” Taylor continued.

“The bike is good, the tyres are good, and the riders are ready. Let’s go racing.”

There is a weekend break after the South African GP before business resumes in earnest at Jerez in Spain, the first race in the gruelling European season.

KENNY ROBERTS – READY TO RACE FOR IT:

“We have more unknowns than the other teams. They have improved their bikes over the winter, but they’re on the same tyres. We’ve not only made big improvements to the bike, but also we’re on Bridgestone tyres for the first time. There is still more stuff I’d like to test before the race. Sometimes you have a fast learning curve, as we’ve been doing during tests, and I hope we can get the bike feeling good out of the crate, and can keep that pace up at Welkom. We’ve also tested a lot of the new tyres at different tracks. I hope that they will work as well in South Africa as elsewhere. Last year was Bridgestone’s first at Welkom with the four-strokes, and they’ve learned a lot since then. If the tyres can do the lap times and last the distance, then I can go into the race with a very positive attitude.”

JOHN HOPKINS – EXPECTING GOOD THINGS AT WELKOM:

“After the last two tests, I feel really confident going in. The track’s a lot different from what anybody has tested on, and because it’s dirty, there’s never as much grip as you’d like until Sunday – but I like the place, and it’s gone quite well for me the last two years. The bike still has not as much horsepower as I’d like, but we are expecting more in the coming races. But the acceleration is good even as it is, the chassis holds the line well, and the bike seems easy to set up. These are the important things at Welkom. And the tyres are really good – I tried a race tyre at Jerez that was just awesome. The bike seems really good and Kenny and I are riding well. I think we can only expect good things from South Africa.”

ABOUT THIS TRACK:

Funded by the local Free State government as a boost to the economically troubled gold-mining area, the Phakisa Freeway was built on the site of the old “Goldfields” circuit. The bold new initiative combined an international-standard banked Tri-Oval NASCAR-type circuit with the road-racing course, which shares some sections as it loops back and forth, without actually using the full banking. The oval track has barely been used, but the twisting short circuit has been a regular on the GP circuit since 1999. With 14 corners ranging from medium-speed ess-bends to slower U-turns, it is a highly technical circuit. One special feature is the corner at the end of the back straight. Approached at 160mph, the bikes are still leaned over as they have to brake with increasing pressure as the corner tightens into one of the slowest bends on the track. Another challenge is the bumpy surface: not even frequent resurfacing can overcome the effect of the regular earth tremors in an area where the ground is honeycombed with mine shafts. Sited in a quiet area at the far end of the goldfields stretching southwards from Johannesburg, the 1,500m (4,500ft) altitude makes it the highest track of the year.

ABOUT THIS RACE:

The first South African GPs ran from 1983 to 1985 at the old Kyalami outside Johannesburg. A brief revival at the new Kyalami in 1992 was a one-off event, but in 1999 the race was revived at the new Phakisa (“Hurry Up”) Freeway. The track proved challenging from the start – with a slippery and unpredictable surface only making the tight, looping layout more difficult. The track also became bumpier year by year, especially where it crosses the oval track. At the same time, the thin air saps the engine power and can affect throttle response.

GP DATA – PHAKISA FREEWAY, WELKOM:

Circuit Length: 2.636 miles – 4.242 km.

Lap Record: 1:33.851 – 101.108mph/ 162.717 km/h, V Rossi (Honda) 2003

2003 Race Winner: S Gibernau (Honda).

2003 Race Average: 44:10.398 – 100.246mph / 161.331 km/h.

2003 Fastest Race Lap: see record.

2003 Pole Position: S Gibernau 1:33.174.

2003 KENNY ROBERTS (Suzuki).

Race: 15th.

Qualification: 17th – 1:34.646.

2003 JOHN HOPKINS: (Suzuki).

Race: 13th.

Qualification: 16th – 1:34.306.

From a press release issued by the Bruno Event Team on behalf of Barber Motorsports Park:

DUNLOP PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE 2004 HONDA SUPERBIKE CLASSIC AT THE BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK

(Birmingham, AL) – Dunlop Tires, the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the United States, will be the presenting sponsor for the 2004 Honda Superbike Classic at the Barber Motorsports Park May 14-16.

“We are thrilled to have Dunlop continue their involvement with this facility,” said Gene Hallman, President and CEO of the Bruno Event Team. “We look forward to the second annual Honda Superbike Classic and Dunlop’s increased participation with this event.”

“Dunlop is very proud to continue our relationship with such a fine facility as the Barber Motorsports Park through our sponsorship of the Honda Superbike Classic,” said Mike Buckley, Vice President Dunlop Motorcycle Tires.

Three day tickets are $45 in advance, $55 at the gate. Single-day tickets for Saturday or Sunday are $35 in advance, $40 at the gate. Children 12 and under admitted free with paying adult. Paddock access passes are $10 for the weekend in advance, $20 at the gate. Camping and motorhome sites are available. For more information, call Southtix at 1-800-240-2300 or log on to www.barbermotorsports.com for the complete 2004 Barber Motorsports Park spectator schedule.

PIRELLI RELEASES DATES AND DETAILS OF 2004 DIABLO CORSA CHALLENGE FOR WERA NOVICE RACERS

Top Five Now Also Get 2005 Contracts from Arai Helmets and Motul, Plus Sponsorships from Pit Bull, Vesrah and Hotbodies; More Sponsors Said To Be Coming Aboard

(Rome, GA) Pirelli’s Diablo Corsa Challenge, the tire company’s innovative program developed with WERA Motorcycle Roadracing to “give novice racers the credit they deserve … and to support the process of obtaining sponsorships for the following race year” is gaining momentum and participants on the eve of its initial race outing this coming weekend (April 17-18) at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Now joining the Pirelli effort in offering the top five finishers contracts and sponsorships for 2005 are Arai Helmets, Motul Oil, Pit Bull Motorcycle Stands, Vesrah brakes, and Hotbodies bodywork. More sponsors are said to be coming soon. A spokesman for one of the sponsoring companies said, “I’m sure I speak for all of us in saying we’re proud to be part of Pirelli’s unique approach to supporting and furthering the careers of our sport’s newest racers. We especially like the added touches such as the sponsors contributing to a fund to pay the finalists’ travel expenses to the GNF, and the special GNF dinner. The folks at Pirelli thought of everything on this deal.”

Any WERA Novice racer who wants to participate must register on the Pirelli contingency website (www.us.pirellimoto.com) and choose the appropriate box indicating participation in the 2004 Pirelli Diablo Corsa Challenge, and the WERA region in which they will participate. Novice riders who have already signed up for the Challenge should go back to the Pirelli site and update their profiles.

Twenty regional races on the WERA calendar will run the Diablo Corsa Challenge Qualifier races during the Novice “C” Superstock Race. Riders registered for the Diablo Challenge will be scored as a separate race. A complete list of the 20 regional Challenge race dates will be posted on both the WERA and U.S. Pirelli sites. The dates through the end of May, in addition to Barber this weekend, are: Nashville, May 1-2; Grattan, May 8-9; VIR Cycle Jam, May 20-23; Las Vegas, May 22-23; and Jennings, May 29-30.

Pirelli’s regular C Superstock contingency payouts go down to fifth place, and total $4,340 for the year in this class. Pirelli contingency will be available only for Diablo Corsa riders on the Challenge dates, meaning that standard C Superstock contingencies will not apply. During non- Diablo Corsa Challenge weekends, the standard Pirelli contingency program will be valid.

The top six point earners in each region will be invited to the final Diablo Corsa Challenge to be run at the GNF in October on a date to be specified by WERA. It will be run separately from the Novice C Superstock race at the GNF. The target grid is 42 riders.

As another added bonus in addition to the travel-money fund, all of the regional qualifiers will be invited to a special Pirelli sponsors’ dinner during the GNF weekend, where they will get to meet the companies’ offering the contracts and sponsorships, enjoy a good dinner and bench race to their hearts’ content.

From a press release issued by MS Aprilia:

Manuel Poggiali: “Ready to start!”

Welkom, 4/15/04

Reigning 250 champion Manuel Poggiali begins the defence of his world crown this weekend when the new 2004 season begins in South Africa.

The MS Aprilia Racing rider goes into Sunday’s first race in Welkom brimming with confidence after a successful winter testing schedule on the RSW250, led by his chief engineer Rassano Brazzi. Poggiali will carry his famous number 54 plate instead of the number one in 2004. Like several other riders, he turned opted to carry his own plate used over a number of seasons because he believes the number one plate will be ‘unlucky’.

Poggiali goes into the new season in peak physical condition having undergone an intensive winter testing programme to help him cope with the punishing 16-round world championship. And he’s been training and eating a diet specifically geared to help him cope with the special demands presented by racing in Welkom, with thinner air caused by the circuit’s high altitude above sea level.

Looking forward to beginning the defence of his world title, the young San Marino rider said: “The winter was very hard because the weather wasn’t perfect at some places we tested, but we were still able to do a lot of work and we have moved in the right direction.

“Working with Rossano is the best because every problem we face, it is dealt with quickly and professionally. That has been very good working towards the start of the new season and now we have a perfect bike.”

While this year’s world 250 championship looks to be tougher than ever, Poggiali is looking forward to getting stuck into the challenge.

“It is normal that all the teams do a lot of work and I’m sure this will be a very difficult season, but I’m very confident.”


More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:

Alex De Angelis: “Starting a new adventure”

Welkom, 4/15/04

After an intensive winter testing schedule adapting to the new RSW250, Aprilia Racing’s Alex de Angelis can’t wait for the 2004 world championship to start on Sunday in Welkom.

Relaxing in the Phakisa Freeway paddock before this Sunday’s opening race, de Angelis is confident of making a big early impression in his first world 250 championship season.

The San Marino rider, who finished second in last year’s world 125 series, has spent the winter working closely with his chief engineer Giovanni Sada to give him the best opportunity to challenge at the front in 2004.

He said: “I have spent a lot of the winter getting used to the 250. The bike is very fast, reactive and a joy to ride. It is a lot better than riding a 125”.

In the last winter test at the Mugello circuit in Italy, de Angelis managed to produce a brilliant time of 1.55.5, and that performance has given him great confidence before he embarks on the challenge of the world 250 championship.

Alex said: “I didn’t expect that performance and that has made me very optimistic for the race in Welkom, because we did a lot of work on the set-up there just for this race. I want to get an idea of my potential for Welkom by seeing how we get on in Friday and Saturday’s qualifying session, but I think we can finish in the top six which will be a great start.”

From a press release issued by VP Racing Fuels:

AXLJAK RACING TO BE TRACKSIDE VENDOR FOR LRRS/CCS EVENTS AT NHIS

SAN ANTONIO, TX (April 15, 2004) Axljak Racing has been selected as the trackside fuel supplier for VP Racing Fuels during all LRRS/CCS (Loudon Road Racing Series/ Championship Cup Series) events scheduled at New Hampshire International Speedway in 2004. The complete line of VP motorcycle fuel products, as well as sales and technical support, will be available from Axljak on site from the start of practice through the conclusion of each event at Loudon.

“Axljak Racing welcomes the addition of VP Racing Fuels to our product line,” said Jack Aksel, owner of Axljak Racing.

“We’re looking forward to working together with NHIS and LRRS for another successful season,” said Jim Kelly, regional manager for VP Racing Fuels. Further details can be found on the LRRS web site at www.lrrsracing.com as well as www.axljak.com.

In business for 10 years, Axljak Racing manufactures aluminum parts for motorcycles and has served as trackside fuel supplier at NHIS for the last four years. Axljak is owned and operated by Jack Aksel, 22-year motorcycle road racing veteran and 3-time champion.

VP Racing is a contingency sponsor for AMA, Formula USA and LRRS/CCS. VP has been the fuel of choice among amateur and pro riders throughout North America for many years and is the Official Fuel of factory and factory supported teams including Honda, Yamaha, Graves Yamaha, Erion Honda, Attack Performance, Yoshimura Suzuki, Valvoline Emgo Suzuki and Hooters Suzuki.

Over its 27-year history, VP Racing has fueled champions in virtually every racing category and class — from road racing, drag racing and circle track to motocross, off-road, off-shore and even airplane racing. VP has earned a reputation for producing high quality racing fuels with superior power and consistency – as illustrated by the 2003 AMA Superbike, AMA Sportbike, AMA 250GP, Formula USA Superbike, AMA Supercross, NHRA Pro Stock Bike and other champions, each of whom made VP their fuel of choice. In addition to fuels, VP’s product line includes synthetic oils, 2-cycle lubricants, additives, chemicals and traction compounds – each designed to produce the most power and best performance in their respective racing applications. More information can be obtained from VP’s website – vpracingfuels.com – or the contacts below.

VP Racing Fuels
Jim Kelly, 302-368-1500 (office); [email protected] or

Axljak Racing
Jack Aksel, 978-422-8790; [email protected] or visit www.axljak.com for information requests via the

From a press release issued by California Speedway:

Stater Bros. Markets, Kingsford Charcoal and Cholula Hot Sauce join speedway family

CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY WELCOMES THREE NEW CORPORATE PARTNERS

FONTANA, Calif. (April 15, 2004) — California Speedway today announced the addition of three new corporate sponsors, Stater Bros. Markets, Kingsford Charcoal and Cholula Hot Sauce, beginning with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Auto Club 500 weekend.

“We are pleased to welcome these three California-based corporations to the California Speedway team,” said speedway president Bill Miller.

As the largest privately owned supermarket chain in Southern California, Stater Bros. Markets is joining the speedway as “California Speedway’s preferred Grocery Store.” Stater Bros. Markets currently operates 158 Full Service Supermarket locations, with 47 in San Bernardino County, 42 in Riverside County, 30 in Orange County, 27 in Los Angeles County, 10 in Northern San Diego County, and 2 in Kern County. There are over 14,500 members of the Stater Bros. “Family” of Employees. Headquartered in Colton, California, Stater Bros. has been serving Southern California customers since 1936.

Continuing a relationship started last year, Kingsford Charcoal will become the “Official Charcoal of California Speedway.” The Kingsford Product Company is the leading manufacturer of charcoal in the U.S. with both its Kingsford and Match Light brands. The company makes regular and instant charcoal, wood chips and lighter fluid. The Oakland, Calif., company also is the primary sponsor for the No. 59 Kingsford Ford driven by Stacy Compton in the NASCAR Busch Series.

As the “Official Hot Sauce of the Auto Club 500 Weekend,” Cholula Hot Sauce will be located in all concession stands and hospitality areas to add their famous Flavorful Fire to any speedway meal. The authentic recipe was originally developed in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico and blends pequin peppers, red peppers and spices in a delicate process that produces a perfect balance between flavor and heat. Cholula Hot Sauce will also host a Tortilla Toss contest in the infield and the Temecula, Calif., based company will distribute 2 oz. bottles to all infield RV guests during the Auto Club 500 weekend.

Purchase your tickets today to the Auto Club 500 weekend, April 30-May 2. Tickets start at $65 for Sunday. Joining the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers on Saturday are the NASCAR Busch Series for a 300-mile event and the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series for the King Taco 200. Tickets start at $40 for Saturday’s action, which will also include the Miller Lite Rock ‘n Racing Concert featuring “Live.” Tickets for Friday’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Chevy Trucks Pole Day are $10 general admission.

For ticket and event information call 800-944-RACE (7223) or log onto www.californiaspeedway.com.

From a press release issued by Ducati Austin:

Ducati Austin-Home of E-Boz and the Ducati Austin Race Team Launches Message Board

Austin, TX — To help our Ducati clientele connect, Ducati Austin announces the launch of our www.ducatiforums.com message board. Our Forum provides Ducati Owners the opportunity to find events and rides, sell their bikes, come to a track day events or just discuss anything in the world of Ducati. We welcome participation from Ducatisti Worldwide.

Our Forum will feature regional rides for Ducati Owners to connect and ride together, announcements for our upcoming track days and events, classified ads, and especially Ducati Austin Race team press releases and info on Eric Bostrom.

We welcome suggestions from our clientele on what they want to see and how they want to connect with others so that this becomes a board that everyone can use.

Ducati Austin is a Ducati-only dealership running the factory-backed Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin 999 AMA Superbike with rider Eric Bostrom. We co-host “Texas Ducati Track Days” to provide track time and rider training for Ducati owners in Texas.

Message Board registration and use is free. If you want to connect with many Ducatisti from across the nation and around the world, visit www.ducatiforums.com to try out our board.

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
AFRICA’S GRAND PRIX – PHAKISA FREEWAY
15TH APRIL 2004 – EVENT PREVIEW

FUCHS KAWASAKI ALL SET FOR SEASON OPENER

What is surely the most eagerly anticipated MotoGP season in recent years finally gets underway this weekend, at the Phakisa Freeway circuit in South Africa’s Free State Province.

The word ‘Phakisa’ means ‘hurry up’ in Sotho, and that’s exactly what Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, will be looking to do on Sunday, after five months of intensive winter testing aboard the latest version of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR.

For Nakano, this weekend will mark his first race appearance as a Kawasaki rider. The 26-year-old Japanese rider likes the high speed but technical Phakisa Freeway circuit, having won a 250cc Grand Prix here and qualified in fifth position for last year’s MotoGP race, and he is looking forward to making his race debut aboard the Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine.

Nakano’s Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Alex Hofmann, also makes his debut as a full time Kawasaki Racing Team rider this weekend. The 23-year-old German rider was promoted from test and development rider to a permanent place in the team following a string of impressive wild card rides aboard the Ninja ZX-RR during the 2003 season. Hofmann starts his rookie MotoGP season determined to prove that this promotion was warranted.

Shinya Nakano: No. 56
“Normally the winter months seem to last a long time and I can’t wait to start racing again. But, this season, with a new bike and a new team, I would have preferred to test some more before the first race, especially as the two IRTA tests were disrupted by rain. Having said that, we made a lot of progress with the bike during the overseas tests, where the weather was better, so I think we are in a fairly good position for the first race this weekend. Hopefully, during qualifying, I will be able to show our potential and secure a start position on the first three rows of the grid.”

“For the race I will be concentrating on making it all the way to the chequered flag, scoring as many points as possible and collecting the data that the team need to continue improving the bike. The track here can be very slippery on the first day because of the dust, but overall I like the Phakisa Freeway circuit. It is both fast and technical; a real rider’s track. Having won here on the 250, and qualified fifth on the MotoGP bike last season, I am really looking forward to the weekend ahead.”

Alex Hofmann: No.66
“The progress we’ve made with the new bike during the winter months has been good for my confidence, and it means that I go into my first full season in the MotoGP class with the feeling that we’re well prepared for what lies ahead. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun in this, my rookie year, but I also think my learning curve will be extremely steep. I have had one-off and wild card rides in MotoGP in the past, which has allowed me to show my potential on the big bikes, but it is only this season, as a full time MotoGP rider, that I will have the opportunity to develop as a rider and finally realise this potential. Now, I just can’t wait to get started.”

“I have raced at Phakisa Freeway on a 250cc machine in the past, but Friday’s opening practice session will be the first time I have seen the track from the seat of a MotoGP bike. The circuit is very different to the other tracks we race at over the course of the year, but I don’t think it is too difficult to learn. Like most tracks, finding your way around is not a major problem, but learning the secrets to a fast lap time can take some doing. Overall, I think this circuit will suit our bike quite well.”

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
“Finally, after a successful winter test programme for us, the season gets underway this weekend here in South Africa. As you can imagine, everyone in the team, and everyone involved in the MotoGP project at Kawasaki in Japan, is keen to see how the combination of new bike, new riders and new tyres will perform in a race situation for the first time on Sunday. After our final test at Jerez two weeks ago I am looking forward to this weekend’s race, and also the Jerez race, which is next on the calendar. I think that the work we have done with the chassis, the tyres and the overall handling of the new bike over the winter will stand us in good stead at circuits where outright power is not a major factor. Maybe I am being too optimistic, but I think there is a good chance of both our riders finishing in the top ten here at Welkom. Of course, there are a lot of things that can go wrong between now and the end of the race on Sunday, but that’s what makes racing so interesting.”

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

LACONI AND TOSELAND (DUCATI FILA) BACK TO ITALY FOR RIVIERA THRILLER

Misano Adriatico (Italy), 15 April 2004: After a couple of exciting races in Australia, World Superbike returns to European soil for round 3 of the championship at the Misano Adriatico circuit on Italy’s sun-kissed Adriatic Riviera. Switched from its regular June slot to mid-April, the race at the twisty, anticlockwise Misano track always produces a classic encounter, with close battles guaranteed to thrill the thousands of Ducati fans who turn up to the resort venue.

Regis Laconi returned from Phillip Island with a first win under his belt, and the 28-year-old Frenchman is anxious to give his championship challenge some momentum as it enters the next phase of four successive European events.

“I only like the first part of the Misano track, in particular the Curvone” declared Laconi. “The last part is difficult and the two chicanes are very slippery. Things will be different this year because it won’t be as hot racing in April as it usually is so that will affect the set-up a bit. At Misano you have to find good grip on the rear because you are on your side a lot in the long left-hand corner.

“The only thing I can do is win both races because I am not happy with my start to the season. I know I am fast, I don’t crash all the time, just a few small mistakes in a season are acceptable but that’s all. At the moment the other guys are not so far ahead in the points, but I would feel better if I was up there with them.”

James Toseland, currently holding a five-point lead over Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati), claims he has finally got to grips with the difficult Misano track, where his best result is last year’s second place. “Misano is not a long track but it is a technical and challenging one” declared 23-year-old Toseland. “The most critical point are the three fast lefts leading onto the back straight, where if you get it right you can knock half-a-second off your lap time. The last section however is not good, because of the tight chicane and the surface change, where it is bumpy and not ‘grippy’ at all.

“We battled with the set-up in Australia and I feel much happier now with the feeling. We’ve got the baseline set-up for the 999 and it’s just a question of tweaking it now here and there. I will be quite happy with two podiums but I’ve got everything I need to win.”

50 YEARS OF DUCATI SUCCESS FOR FARNE’.

A special commemorative plaque will be awarded to long-time Ducati rider and race engineer Franco Farnè for 50 years of success with the Italian manufacturer. Bologna-born Farnè started working in Ducati in 1951 and soon made his name for the company as test-rider, before notching up a series of international wins in the 1950s and 1960s on Ducatis. He was chief engineer in all of Ducati’s pre-Superbike sporting exploits, including the 1972 Imola win and Endurance racing, as well as Mike Hailwood’s triumph in the 1978 Isle of Man TT race. In Superbike, Farnè was team manager for the factory Ducati team that won eight Constructors’ titles in the 1990s. Since 2001 he has worked for Stefano Caracchi’s NCR Ducati satellite outfit. The award will be handed to Farnè by fellow Ducati engineering legend Gianluigi Mengoli in the Ducati Fila hospitality unit on Saturday after Superpole.

POINTS (after 2 of 11 rounds):
(Riders) 1. Toseland 61; 2. Chili 56; 3. McCoy 55; 4. Vermeulen 55; 5. Haga 43; 6. Borciani 43 . 10. Laconi 25.

(Manufacturers) 1. Ducati 100; 2. Honda 55; 3. Petronas 42; 4. Kawasaki 27; 5. Suzuki 18; 6. Yamaha 13.

CIRCUIT INFO:
Name: Autodromo di Santamonica.
Length: 4.060 km.
Pole Position: Left.
Corners Left/Right: 4/4.
Finish Line Length: 510 m.

STATISTICS:
Best lap: Kocinski (Ducati) 1:34.296 (1996).
Lap record: Yanagawa (Kawasaki) 1:33.494 (1997).
Superpole: Bayliss (Ducati) 1:33.525 (2002).
Race Distance: 2 x 25 laps/101.500 km

2003 RESULTS:
Race 1 – 1. Xaus (Ducati Fila); 2. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati); Laconi (NCR Ducati).
Race 2 – 1. Xaus; 2. Hodgson (Ducati Fila); 3. Chili (PSG-1 Ducati).