Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Grand Prix of Valencia
Valencia, Spain
Saturday Afternoon MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Valentino ROSSI, Honda, 1:32.478
2. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 1:33.148
3. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 1:33.275
4. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 1:33.348
5. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 1:33.454
6. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 1:33.575
7. Colin EDWARDS, Aprilia, 1:33.984
8. Alex BARROS, Honda, 1:34.247
9. Tohru UKAWA, Honda, 1:34.286
10. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 1:34.398
11. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 1:34.467
12. Shinya NAKANO, Yamaha, 1:34.677
13. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 1:34.742
14. Garry McCOY, Kawasaki, 1:34.912
15. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Proton, 1:34.975
16. Andrew PITT, Kawasaki, 1:35.125
17. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 1:35.178
18. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, 1:35.269
19. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 1:35.439
20. Ryuichi KIYONARI, Honda, 1:35.572
21. Olivier JACQUE, Yamaha, 1:35.816
22. Noriyuki HAGA, Aprilia, 1:37.850
23. David DE GEA, Harris WCM, 1:36.604
24. Chris Burns, Harris WCM, no time, DNQ


More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

Tamada thirteenth, but ready to race

The Japanese Pramac Honda Team rider put in an intense day of work today, with two entire sessions dedicated to testing tyres for the race. After yesterday’s changeable weather conditions, Makoto agreed with the team
technicians that it would be best to ride solely with the race configuration, leaving aside the settings and tyres for the fast lap for the pole. So his 13th place will put him on the fourth row of the grid, but the final choice of tyres to maintain a good rhythm in the race has indeed been found.

The team technicians also worked to make Makoto’s bike more suitable for the special characteristics of the Valencia circuit, making it easier to handle and more efficient when braking – this means that if the weather conditions during the race are like today’s, or even warmer, Tamada should be pretty competitive. But the Japanese rider will have to do all the rest, since his starting position is none too favourable: Makoto will have to bring all his customary skill to bear if he is to battle his way up.

MAKOTO TAMADA (PRAMAC HONDA TEAM): 13th – 1:34.742

“We’ve tried out lots of tyres and now, after the endurance tests, we’ve got the definitive solution for the race. I refrained from trying out softer qualifying ones to get a fast lap time so that I could get better references for the race configuration, and all went well. Even so, I think the first few laps of the race won’t be too easy as the tyres reach best performance
only after a certain distance, so especially if it’s hotter tomorrow, I should be OK. Today we concentrated our work on the race configuration, so I wasn’t able to get a good lap time for the starting grid. But I’ll try to make up for that by going flat out right from the start.”


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

HOPKINS HEADS UP FIFTH ROW AT VALENCIA

VALENCIA, Spain (Nov. 1, 2003) – John Hopkins rode his Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP motorcycle to a time of 1:35.178 in the final qualifying session for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Valencia. Hopkins will head up the fifth row of the starting grid.
His Suzuki teammate Kenny Roberts, Jr., will start along side him. Hopkins turned his best qualifying time very late in Saturday’s after suffering gearbox problems throughout much of qualifying. While Hopkins was focused on turning in a solid performance in the series finale, his thoughts were also on friends and family back home in Southern California, where devastating wildfires reached his hometown of Ramona this past week.

Hopkins was able to trim over a second off his qualifying time from Friday, despite spending much of Saturday’s final qualifying in and out of the pits.

“We had electrical problems that affected the gearbox,” Hopkins said. “The bike would shift out of sync and the team was chasing the problem the entire session. I went to the B bike, but it has a totally different chassis and set-up so it was not happening. Finally they made a band aid fix on the A bike’s gearbox and I went back out with 10 minutes to go and put my head down for five laps and was fortunate to get the time I did.”

Hopkins said a proper set-up is crucial on the demanding four-kilometer Valencia circuit.

“This track is one of the most tight and technical in the series,” he explained. “Everything has to be precise here and unfortunately our bike was far from it today. We’re hoping to solve the shifting issues tonight and be ready for the race tomorrow. I’m confident that if the bike is working that I can have a decent result here.”

Hopkins kept his eye on the news via TV and the internet and was in close touch with his family last week during the Southern California wildfires.

“People I know and went to school with lost their houses,” said Hopkins. “My family was evacuated and the fire came within a mile of my place. It looks like the danger is over in the Ramona area, but I have a sister who lives in the high desert north of L.A. and they’re still not totally out of danger. I nearly flew home so I could save what I could, but fortunately everything was brought under control. When something like that happens it really puts things into perspective.”


More, from a press release issued by Alice Aprilia:

SECOND ROW FOR EDWARDS

A good work and a big effort at the Alice Aprilia Racing Team box thus Colin Ewdards put his RS Cube in the second row today after an exciting qualifying session. Unfortunately Haga was not able to equal his team mate performance because of the loss of feeling with the bike. Ivano Beggio, the Aprilia President, watched the session at the box together with the whole team: “I am satisfied about Colin’s result – said the President – and I still feel excited when I attend the races after many years. I hope to feel the same emotion for the race tomorrow”.

COLIN EDWARDS: “I am very satisfied as we work hard and find the right balance to stay with the firsts. The setting for the race is quite good.. maybe it’s too late but I want to get a great result for Aprilia”.

NORIYUKI HAGA: “I am very sorry but was not able to get the right feeling on this track. I made a big confusion trying to find the right setting with the soft tyre. Thus I lost too much time. ”

GIGI DALL’IGNA (Project Leader): “A positive day without any doubt: the bike is pretty suitable to this track and Colin made a good work with the qualifying tyre. We found the right pace in order to fight for the podium”.


More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

FUCHS KAWASAKI RIDERS MAKE DRAMATIC SURGE AT VALENCIA

Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt, ignored illness and injury to record impressive final qualifying performances for tomorrow’s season ending Valencia Grand Prix.

Both riders sliced nearly two seconds from their Friday times to surge forward onto the fourth row of the grid. Just two tenths of second separated the hard riding Australian pair, with McCoy to start from 14th and Pitt 16th for the 30 lap race at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Pitt’s qualifying effort is his best for the season.

Following intense cortisone treatment at the Clinca Mobile for an asthma attack, McCoy’s health improved dramatically today after he had considered withdrawing from racing yesterday afternoon.

McCoy, who is making his final GP appearance for Kawasaki tomorrow, used the morning free practice session to spend time fine tuning the set-up on the revised “softer feel” Ninja ZX-RR chassis made available for the final GP of the season. McCoy has elected to race this machine, after posting his fastest qualifying lap on the bike, which also features modified engine mountings.

Putting aside bruising and minor ligament damage in his right shoulder Pitt made an early surge in final qualifying and held an impressive 12th on the grid for much of the session. As the pressure mounted late in the session the Australian responded with an even faster lap time and, although slightly disappointed not to make the most of his final qualifying run, he was happy with an effort that knocked 1.7s from his Friday time.

Garry McCoy – 14th – 1:34.912
“I’ve been to the Clinica for cortisone treatment after every session and I felt a whole lot better today. Yesterday was tough, I nearly stopped riding. In the morning session we were able to de-bug the set-up on the softer chassis option and it felt more comfortable than the standard ZX-RR, so that’s the bike I’ll race. Tomorrow is my last day of work with Kawasaki and I’d like to make it a good race, especially at this track where I’ve won the GP, been third on the podium and qualified on the front row; I’ll be giving it a big go as usual. The only thing to do in the morning is a back-up run on some race tyres and hopefully we’ve got one for 30 laps.”

Andrew Pitt – 16th – 1:35.125
“That’s my best qualifying so far in MotoGP for Kawasaki so I’m pleased about that; although I was hoping to go a couple tenths quicker on my last run and stay in front of Gaz. On my final hot lap I came across a bunch of guys through turn one and that upset my rhythm. On race tyres I punched out some good laps mid-session, and if the tyres stay consistent over 30 laps, then we might surprise ourselves in the race; twelfth like last year would be good, although the depth of competition is much tougher this time around. My shoulder is no problem while I’m riding, although it’s a bit sore off the bike.”

Harald Eckl – Team Manager
“The trend of recent races with the Ninja ZX-RR coming closer to the front of the field has been confirmed, and again we are ahead of many of our more experienced factory rivals. Both Andrew and Garry did a good job today and made a big step forward from Friday; now we just need to back this up with both riders finishing in the points, it should be possible.”


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

CHECA EDGED OFF FRONT ROW BUT REMAINS CONFIDENT

Fortuna Yamaha riders Carlos Checa and Norick Abe rode a steady final qualifying session this afternoon to keep their respective fifth and
eleventh positions on the starting grid for tomorrow’s Valencia Grand Prix. The Spanish round marks the last of the sixteen races that have formed the 2003 MotoGP World Championship. Both Checa and Abe, the latter this weekend replacing injured Fortuna Yamaha regular Marco Melandri, improved on yesterday’s lap times in significantly better weather conditions than yesterday.

Checa entered the usual last minute battle for the top grid spots and improved his time to a fastest lap of 1:33.454. In almost a repeat performance of yesterday, Checa looked set to secure a front row start but was knocked to the front of the second row in the closing minutes of the session by Honda rider Nicky Hayden. Checa used his morning practice session to test Yamaha’s latest evolution of the M1’s Deltabox chassis, as well as setting some times aboard his current spec bike. This afternoon the Spaniard opted for the latest spec, having found it gave him an overall better feeling, and will continue to use it for tomorrow’s practice session and 30-lap race.

“The new chassis gave me a much better feeling this morning, and this afternoon it felt a bit better,” explained Checa. “We still need a little time to set the chassis up for the race, and so tomorrow morning we will have the chance to test it further in the warm up. The main benefit I have felt today from the latest chassis is that I can keep the front on the
ground more and control the rear when the bike is on its side We’ve made one step in its set-up, and now we need to make another to be ready. I think the race will be a very demanding 30 laps, and it will be very tough on tyres.”

Checa’s temporary team-mate Norick Abe, who the Fortuna Yamaha Team has drafted in to replace Marco Melandri, also improved on yesterday’s time, setting a fastest lap of 1:34.467. Melandri is still recovering from a shoulder operation he underwent earlier in the week. Abe also tested the new M1 chassis today, and having found immediate benefits from it this morning, continued working on set-up this afternoon.

“I compared the current and the new chassis this morning and finally decided to use the new one because it gave me better feedback,” explained Japanese Abe. “I also used a slightly different engine spec, which we set up with the new chassis. Towards the end of this afternoon’s session it finally felt good and that is the package I used to improve my time. It was the same position as yesterday, and I’m a little disappointed as I wanted to improve. Anyway I hope to make a good start tomorrow. I normally get away quickly and I hope to be able to fight with the top riders.”

Team Director Davide Brivio said, “We’re pleased that both riders have been able to test the new chassis today. The initial feedback from both is positive, and they will both use the new development again tomorrow. Carlos is quite confident and has set some consistent times, and Norick is also doing a good job. We hope both riders will have a good race tomorrow and then preparation for next year will begin almost immediately with a two-day test to further work on the new chassis.”

MotoGP’s 2003 World Champion Valentino Rossi (Honda) took pole position as well as breaking the circuit record with a time of 1:32.478, followed by Spaniard Sete Gibernau (Honda) who also improved on his provisional time, with 1:33.148. Ducati’s Loris Capirossi and Honda rider Nicky Hayden complete the front row.


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

ROSSI SETS POLE WITH FASTEST EVER VALENCIA LAP

The high winds that had marked the first day of qualifying at Valencia abated to some degree, and the warmer track conditions allowed world Champion Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V) to secure pole position, his ninth of the year, with a superb time of 1:32.478. Rossi is now well placed to score an equal number of race wins, his total currently halted on eight after his most recent success in Australia.

This fastest ever lap of the 4.005km circuit came late in the session, after two of Valentino’s great championship rivals from the early season, Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V) and Loris Capirossi (Ducati) had beaten his previous best from the first qualifying session on Friday, temporarily displacing Rossi to third on the timesheets. Rossi had regained the advantage near the end yet still pushed to the edge even at the very end of the session, to ensure his pole position.

Gibernau, guaranteed second in the championship already, matched his finishing position by securing second in qualifying, with Capirossi third and Rossi’s ever-more impressive team-mate Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) in fourth spot. Hayden had been fast all weekend, and was the biggest threat to Rossi for the majority of the two hours of timed qualifying. He was also the first of the top riders to secure a time faster than his Friday best, after only ten minutes of the final hour.

Max Biaggi (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) was the only rider out on the same final lap as the late charging Rossi, but could make no impact on the front row places, finishing sixth, behind top Yamaha rider Carlo Checa. Colin Edwards (Aprilia) and Alex Barros (Yamaha) went seventh and eighth, in a field of 23 riders.

Biaggi’s team-mate, Tohru Ukawa (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) finished 1.808 seconds from pole in ninth position, and the Bridgestone shod RC211V of Makoto Tamada was an unlucky 13th.

For Rossi the Valencia circuit has seldom been kind but this year he has made his intentions clear from the outset.

“The last lap was very, very good,” said the understated Rossi. “I used two qualifiers, the first wasn’t so good but the second one was very good. Usually I find this track harder than the others but so far so good and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

Gibernau, who has won four races so far this season, put in his usual fighting performance, and is pleased with his work so far on one of his home circuits.

“We are pushing hard and fighting to win,” said Gibernau. “The bike is working very well but tomorrow’s race will be difficult. We are fighting for a podium at every race so we are doing OK. I have mixed emotions because I have already got second place in the championship but the home crowd will stop me from relaxing and keep me pushing.”

Hayden was delighted with his front row start, a new landmark in the rookie rider’s GP experience.

“I am taking it one day at a time,” said Hayden, “The bike is working good on a track that I don’t know that well. But it is a track that I am sort of used to – tight and twisty – and you’ve got to let it all hang out. This is our first front row and I had my first P1 in this morning’s unofficial session too and that has never happened before. I’m getting stronger all the time.”

Biaggi was mystified by the lack of lap time but looks to the race itself for salvation. “I’m not very happy today,” said the four-time 250cc champion. “Compared to the winter tests we did here, our time is worse. It’s not that I don’t like the track because last year I was on pole. Tomorrow I’ll have to try really hard to stay in contention but at least the tyre choice is already made.”

Ukawa struggled throughout qualifying, and was also unable to understand why previous performances at Valencia could not be matched. “That was no good,” said the disappointed Japanese. “We didn’t even improve on the lap time from last year. We have some problems getting out of the turns and also acceleration is not as good as I would like. I tried many things but this programme of changes we made was not working for me. Tomorrow I must try some more options and maybe take a gamble on some things. On the upside – tyre choice is almost made for the race.”

A tough day for the recently pre-eminent rookie Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda RC211V) saw him in 13th place, much to his chagrin. He was nonetheless happy to have made progress in tyre choice. “Today we concentrated our work on the race configuration, so I wasn’t able to get a good lap time for the starting grid. I’ll try to make up for that by going flat out from the start. We’ve tried a lot of tyres and now, after the endurance tests, we’ve got a definitive solution for the race.”

Ryuichi Kiyonari (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V) improved on his Friday performance and qualified 20th for the race, ahead of three other riders. “This is my first time here, and I like the circuit,” stated Kiyonari, “The bike is running really, really well. This is my last MotoGP race and I want to leave with a good memory, so I hope for a good result tomorrow.”

The pre-race balance of power in the 250 championship swung towards points leader Manuel Poggiali (Aprilia) as Honda hopeful Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) could only finish tenth, despite some valiant and frequent efforts to join Poggiali on the front row. Two other Honda riders, Alex Debon (Troll Honda BQR RS250RW) and Sebastian Porto (Telefonica Movistar Jnr. Honda RS250RW) scored grid places ahead of him, in fifth and ninth respectively.

Randy De Puniet (Aprilia) took pole with a time of 1:36.499, 1.611 seconds up on Rolfo. Tony Elias (Aprilia) went into second place on the grid, ahead of Sylvian Guintoli (Aprilia) and Poggiali.

For Rolfo, a front-end feel problem held back his lap times. “I cannot get the feel I want from the front end,” said Rolfo, “and that makes the bike feel heavy – difficult to turn into corners naturally. It’s not the way I want it to feel.”

Porto had similar experiences across the weekend so far. “In both qualifying session we had problems with the suspension,” said Porto. “I cannot understand this because we already had a base setting we had used before – but the bike was unrideable. We have changed virtually every item on the cycle parts but nothing seems to eradicate it.”

World Champion Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica Movistar Junior Team RS125R), recuperating from the injuries he sustained in qualifying at the Phillip Island Grand Prix, knows he had no chance to compete in his home GP. Nonetheless, he will watch the race from trackside on Sunday.

After Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso (Team Scot Honda RS125R) went to the top of the time sheets with just under ten minutes left of the final qualifying session the blue flame was lit under the leading pack, as half a dozen riders swapped the pole position between them until the final seconds had elapsed.

Alex De Angelis (Aprilia) secured the start from the prime position after overcoming the high winds on his final lap, with a best time of 1:40.440. Such was the competition that the previous pole time of Pedrosa, 1:39.426, would have been under serious threat, but the high winds conspired to keep speeds down.

Pablo Nieto (Aprilia) attacked the course to secure second place, with Marco Simoncelli (Aprilia) and Hector Barbera (Aprilia) completing the front row.

Despite his impressive determination throughout, Dovizioso starts from the second row, in fifth place, with the next best Honda rider Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) commencing his Valencia GP on row five, having set 20th best time.

“I tried very hard to hang onto my front row slot,” said Dovizioso, “but when I went out at the end I couldn’t find anyone else to run with. The bike is good, we only have a small problem with the front suspension to deal with in the morning warm up.”

For Luthi a small crash dropped him down the starting order. “I had a little crash and that meant that I didn’t get in as many laps as I wanted,” said the Swiss teenager. “The first half of final qualifying was OK, I came in to get a new rear tyre and when I went out I had no one to run with, setting a lap on my own.”

Veteran Masao Azuma (Ajo Motorsports Honda RS125R) qualified 31st in his final 125c race.


HONDA TEAM QUOTES:

MotoGP:

Valentino Rossi , Repsol Honda, 1st: “The last lap was very, very good. I had two qualification tyres for use today as I didn’t use either yesterday. The first one was already good (32.8) but then we try for the second one. We cut right before the flag. We ride very well and use 100% of the qualification tyre and it is possible to make a fantastic time. I’m very happy because I find this track much more difficult than the others but today we ride very well. We wait for tomorrow and hope for good weather. There are already very many people here. We hope to make a good show tomorrow.”

Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 2nd: “We have worked very well today. We maintained a good rhythm throughout the majority of the session, lapping in 1’33 on race tyres. We have met our objective of a front row start and this is important for tomorrow’s race. Obviously I would have liked to be on pole position but in the end it wasn’t to be. Tomorrow will be a long race in which tyre wear will be crucially important. I’m sure the fans here will be in great voice as always and I want to give everything back to them and put on a good show”.

Fausto Gresini, Team Manager: “The team did a great job today – we start tomorrow from the front row. Sete looks to be in good form and it would be very nice for him to conclude a fantastic season with another victory”.

Nicky Hayden , Repsol Honda 4th: “I’m takin’ one day at a time but today felt pretty good. I need a little more speed but the pace feels good. I came to this track no really knowing it but it’s kinda’ what I’m used to. Tight and a little scrappy. Gotta’ hang it out round here. I’m havin’ a lotta’ fun at the last race of the year. I’ve got no reason to hold anything back. I’ve gotta’ go for it and try and finish the year strong. This mornin’ I was P1 and now a front row. That’s two things that have never happened in GP before. I never expected it to be easy. Just a little more time and we’re going to be dangerous!”

Max Biaggi, Camel Pramac Pons, 6th: : “I´m not very happy today. Compared to the winter tests we did here, our time is worse. It´s not that I don´t like the track because last year I was on pole. Tomorrow I´ll have to try really hard to stay in contention. But at least the tyre choice is already made.”

Tohru Ukawa, Camel Pramac Pons: 9th: “That was no good. We didn´t even improve on the lap time from last year. We have some problems getting out of the turns and also acceleration is not as good as I would like. I tried many things but this programme of changes we made was not working for me.
Tomorrow I must try some more options and maybe take a gamble on some things. On the upside – tyre choice is almost made for the race.”

Makoto Tamada, Pramac Honda Team, 13th: “We’ve tried out lots of tyres and now, after the endurance tests, we’ve got the definitive solution for the race. I refrained from trying out softer qualifying ones to get a fast lap time so that I could get better references for the race configuration, and all went well. Even so, I think the first few laps of the race won’t be too easy as the tyres reach best performance only after a certain distance, so especially if it’s hotter tomorrow, I should be OK. Today we concentrated our work on the race configuration, so I wasn’t able to get a good lap time for the starting grid. But I’ll try to make up for that by going flat out right from the start.”

Ryuichi Kiyonari, Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 20th: “We have done a good job with the set-up of the bike and I am ready to push to the maximum in my last MotoGP race. I hope to get a good start and go on to take my last points”.

250cc:
Sebastian Porto, Telefonica MoviStar Honda Jnr Team, 9th : “In both qualifying session we had problems with the suspension,” said Porto. “I cannot understand this because we already had a base setting we had used before – but the bike was unrideable. We have changed virtually every item on the cycle parts but nothing seems to eradicate it.”

Roberto Rolfo, Fortuna Honda, 10th: “We could not solve all our problems in the final qualifying session today. The front end feels too heavy going into the corners and that restricts me from riding naturally and safely, in the way I should.”
“We’ve been talking over a lot of aspects and have tested two possible solutions but neither was adequate. We have more ideas to try and we have to push hard to find answers to the questions. Anyway we are not far from where we need to be and we must not loose our concentration.”
“We have been in this position on several occasions and I think, just like before, that we will find the solutions we need. The most important thing is for me to be alert and make a good start when the lights go on. After that the race will decide where the title goes but we are going to give everything we have and fight for the title to the very last corner.”


125cc:
Andrea Dovizioso, Scot Racing Honda, 5th: “I was hoping I would hold my position on the front row but I couldn’t find anybody to run with over the last couple of laps. The bike is good, just little problem on the front suspension but we can fix that for the warm up. The engine is good, the only real question is which race tyre we choose, we will decide after the warm up in the morning.”

Thomas Luthi, Elit Honda, 20th: “This morning I had a small crash and didn’t get in as many laps as I wanted to. In qualifying the first half went OK and I came to the pit to take fresh tyres. When I went out I had time for five or so laps but the fast guys were at the other side of the circuit so I had to try for a time alone. The engine and suspension are good the only thing we have to decide is which tyres to race with. Down in 20th place I will need a good start if I am to take anything from the race.”

Masao Azuma, Ajo Motorsports Honda, 31st: “We have many problems with the engine and the suspension. Everything was close yesterday but today I just have no feeling with the bike. At the moment I don’t know where we have to start work to get ready for the warm up.”

Simone Corsi, Scot Racing Honda, 33rd: “I have a problem with the front suspension I cannot hold my line in the corners otherwise not so bad. We have to decide which tyre to run after the warm up, the weather might change. My leg is not giving me any real pain but it was a little bit difficult on the bike today in a couple of places.”

Andrea Ballerini, Ajo Motorsports Honda, 32nd: “The bike isn’t working as good as yesterday. I had a shifter problem from first to second gear that cost me time around here. The front tyre was not working well at all. That is really confusing because the temperature is not high enough to cause us a problem. Not a very happy qualifying session.”


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

Proton KR riders overcome spare-bike blues



Jeremy McWilliams: 15th, 1:34.975
Nobuatsu Aoki: 19th, 1:35.439

Proton Team KR riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobuatsu Aoki will start tomorrow’s final 2003 GP from the fourth and fifth rows of the starting grid, after a final qualifying session when both slashed around one second off their best times of yesterday, even though both had problems with the better of their pair of Proton KR V5 machines.

McWilliams slipped off his bike at one of the 4.005km circuit’s many tight corners. He was unhurt, vaulting athletically over the tyre barrier to get a lift back to the pits. But the accident forced him to switch to his spare bike, with less amenable settings and feel for this circuit, and also left him short of time to work on improving his qualifying position.

Aoki had an engine problem with his preferred machine and also switched to his spare, with similar difficulties of imperfect feel. All the same, he finished the session with a much-improved time.

Tomorrow’s race is the last of the 16-race season, and the tenth for the radical 990cc four-stroke Proton KR V5, which came racing as a rough prototype after the start of the year. Steady progress has seen the machine achieve not only much-improved reliability but also better power and speed. But it was never more than a development machine, and already the team is looking ahead to next year’s machine to take them closer to becoming fully competitive.

Testing for the 2004 machine starts two days after the final race, at the Valencia circuit, when both riders will test a brand-new chassis. The chassis arrived from the England base by road yesterday.

Today’s practice took place in mild sunshine, after cold and very gusty conditions yesterday. 2003 champion Valentino Rossi (Honda) claimed pole position.

Jeremy McWilliams
My better bike stopped after I fell, so I had to get a lift back to the pits and jump on the spare, without much time left to work on a lap on soft tyres. I’m not particularly happy with the time – still in double figures in terms of position, and a bit lower than yesterday. My spare bike doesn’t feel as good as the other, and I believe on that I could have got onto the third row. But it’s not the worst thing in the world, and tomorrow’s what matters. I think I can score points.

Nobuatsu Aoki
We got a better chassis setting than yesterday

From a press release issued by California Speedway:

BRIDGESTONE MOTORSPORT DONATES $10,000 TO “RACE FOR RELIEF”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bridgestone Motorsport has announced a $10,000 donation to the “Race for Relief” effort, a disaster relief initiative to benefit those affected by the wildfires in Southern California.

“Race for Relief” has been organized by California Speedway and monetary contributions made to the initiative will be donated to the Southern California Fire Disaster Relief Fund, which benefits the American Red Cross relief efforts. California Speedway was to be the site of the final race of the season for Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford, which was scheduled to take place on Nov. 2. The race has been canceled, and the speedway and others in the Champ Car community have now focused their efforts on assisting those in the area who have been displaced or otherwise affected by the wildfires.

“This is a community where we, as part of the racing industry, have spent quite a bit of time over the past few years,” said Al Speyer, executive director of motorsports for Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC. “It’s a beautiful area with warm, friendly people, and we’re all incredibly saddened to see the devastation that has been caused by the fires. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected, and it was important for us to do something to help. The speedway has done an incredible job of putting this initiative together, and we’re glad to be part of it.”

Those interested in making a contribution to the fund can do so by mailing it to California Speedway, 9300 Cherry Ave., Fontana, Calif. 92335. Donations can also be made in person at the speedway between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 or Sunday, Nov. 2. Some items needed include nonperishable food, baby food, diapers, blankets, and clothes. These items will be donated to the local Salvation Army and other area shelters, such as the Inland Harvest Food Bank. For more information on the “Race for Relief,” visit www.californiaspeedway.com.

Bridgestone is presenting sponsor and exclusive tire supplier for Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC, is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures, and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and associate and private brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Grand Prix of Valencia
Valencia, Spain
Friday Afternoon 250cc GP Qualifying Times:

1. Randy DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 1:36.957
2. Sylvain GUINTOLI, Aprilia, 1:37.790
3. Franco BATTAINI, Aprilia, 1:37.897
4. Manuel POGGIALI, Aprilia, 1:37.970
5. Alex DEBON, Honda, 1:37.998
6. Toni ELIAS, Aprilia, 1:38.126
7. Roberto ROLFO, Honda, 1:38.479
8. Anthony WEST, Aprilia, 1:38.586
9. Sebastian PORTO, Honda, 1:39.174
10. Naoki MATSUDO, Yamaha, 1:39.192
11. Jakub SMRZ, Honda, 1:39.383
12. Hector FAUBEL, Aprilia, 1:39.438
13. Fonsi NIETO, Aprilia, 1:39.993
14. Dirk HEIDOLF, Aprilia, 1:40.044
15. Erwan NIGON, Aprilia, 1:40.324
16. Chaz DAVIES, Aprilia, 1:40.424
17. Alex BALDOLINI, Aprilia, 1:40.495
18. Eric BATAILLE, Honda, 1:40.536
19. Hugo MARCHAND, Aprilia, 1:40.543
20. Joan OLIVE, Aprilia, 1:40.947

22. Johan STIGEFELT, Aprilia, 1:41.044

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Grand Prix of Valencia
Valencia, Spain
Friday Morning 125cc GP Practice Times:

1. Alex DE ANGELIS, Aprilia, 1:41.064
2. Pablo NIETO, Aprilia, 1:41.691
3. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Honda, 1:41.705
4. Marco SIMONCELLI, Aprilia, 1:41.715
5. Mika KALLIO, KTM, 1:41.742
6. Casey STONER, Aprilia, 1:41.838
7. Stefano PERUGINI, Aprilia, 1:41.871
8. Lucio CECCHINELLO, Aprilia, 1:41.903
9. Steve JENKNER, Aprilia, 1:41.908
10. Jorge LORENZO, Derbi, 1:42.063
11. Gino BORSOI, Aprilia, 1:42.175
12. Arnaud VINCENT, Aprilia, 1:42.182
13. Hector BARBERA, Aprilia, 1:42.233
14. Gabor TALMACSI, Aprilia, 1:42.237
15. Youichi UI, Gilera, 1:42.247
16. Thomas LUTHI, Honda, 1:42.316
17. Masao AZUMA, Honda, 1:42.387
18. Alvaro BAUTISTA, Aprilia, 1:42.435
19. Max SABBATANI, Aprilia, 1:42.551
20. Roberto LOCATELLI, KTM, 1:42.580

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Before the final version of the 2004 AMA Superstock rules were announced, the decision whether the class should go with DOT-labeled or slick racing tires was a hot topic of conversation among stakeholders in the AMA series. And now that AMA Pro Racing has released its 2004 Superstock rules – which mandate the use of slick tires on OEM wheels – the topic is still up for debate among tire manufacturers, including the possibility that the rule may be changed.

In an October 7 press release, AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth was quoted as describing the “overall objectives for improving the championship” as “maintaining close competition, delivering an entertaining show to our loyal fan base and slowing escalating costs to participants…”

The release went on to state “the requirement to use slick tires” in 2004 AMA Superstock “was done primarily for safety reasons.”

But high-ranking representatives from Michelin and Pirelli, on hand at the WERA Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta, expressed confusion over the AMA’s reasoning behind the slick-tire requirement in Superstock.

“We don’t think it makes sense going to 17-inch slicks,” said Ron Wood, Manager, Road Racing/Business Development , Michelin Two Wheel North America.

“We have tires for it, but to be honest, I don’t see the need,” said Eddie Roberts, Pirelli’s International Racing Manager. “You’re taking away from the spirit of the class by riding on slicks.”

As for controlling cost for competitors, both Wood and Roberts said they didn’t see the use of slicks as saving costs for racers.

“It’s not going to save money,” said Wood.

“The cost of the Super Corse (DOT-labeled tires) is less then slicks, so there’s no benefit there, none,” said Roberts. “Plus a rider can run on a DOT-labeled tire in a light rain, but he can’t on a slick. So he’s going to have to have an extra set of wheels just to have rains ready to go. In addition, the racers can’t sell their used slicks to street riders. I don’t condone that they sell their used DOT tires, but they do it. It’s a fact and a way they make ends meet.”

As for the safety factor of racing the 1000cc Superstock bikes on slicks versus DOT-labeled tires, again both men disagreed with the AMA’s reasoning.

“Even at Daytona we run our Super Corse [DOT-labeled tire]. Some guys even run them on their Superbikes,” said Roberts.

“They’re talking about slicks being safer than DOTs, but I think we just proved at Daytona [with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp winning CCS and Formula USA races with low-1:51 lap times] that DOTs are capable of doing what they need to,” said Wood

Wood also pointed out that if slicks are required and DOT-labeled tires are outlawed in Superstock for safety reasons, then why are DOT-labeled tires still legal to use on the more powerful Superbikes? “That’s the question we’re asking. You allow it here but you don’t allow it here?” said Wood.

Both men expressed general confusion over the AMA’s decision.

“Why go to 17-inch slicks?” asked Wood. “All the development in slicks is in 16.5-inch slicks, so why go backwards? Why take a step backward when we’re working hard to move forward?”

“I have no problem supplying 17-inch slicks,” said Roberts, “but with those two reasons (cost and safety), why?”

The slick-tire rule may not be as final as it would appear, according to Wood, who said, “We’ve seen it [slick tire requirement] in print, but as far as in discussions, we’ve heard it might be changed.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Grand Prix of Valencia
Valencia, Spain
Friday Afternoon MotoGP Qualifying Times:

1. Valentino ROSSI, Honda, 1:33.643
2. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 1:33.934
3. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 1:34.205
4. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 1:34.817
5. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 1:34.855
6. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 1:35.029
7. Tohru UKAWA, Honda, 1:35.128
8. Alex BARROS, Yamaha, 1:35.152
9. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 1:35.253
10. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 1:35.422
11. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 1:35.522
12. Colin EDWARDS, Aprilia, 1:35.811
13. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Proton, 1:35.960
14. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, 1:35.992
15. Olivier JACQUE, Yamaha, 1:36.010
16. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 1:36.183
17. Shinya NAKANO, Yamaha, 1:36.280
18. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 1:36.333
19. Garry McCOY, Kawasaki, 1:36.725
20. Andrew PITT, Kawasaki, 1:36.864
21. Ryuichi KIYONARI, Honda, 1:36.933
22. David DE GEA, Harris WCM, 1:37.678
23. Noriyuki HAGA, Aprilia, 1:37.850
24. Chris Burns, Harris WCM, no time


More, from a press release issued by Alice Aprilia:

VALENCIA GP/1st QUALIFYING SESSION

SEARCHING THE RIGHT FEELING

A tough day for the Alice Aprilia Racing Team on the spanish track of the last round of the season. Low temperature, cloudy sky but no rain for the first qualifying session as expected. Moreover the string wind disturbed the riders especially when the bike lifts up in the exit of the corners due to gusts. Colin spent all the day to set up the bike no. 2 cause the first one was damaged in the free session after a crash. Many stops at the box for Haga in order to get the right setting and the good feeling with the RS Cube.

COLIN EDWARDS: “I do not like this track cause it is like a kart track! Moreover I was not able to find the right trajectories because of the wind gusts. Today I tried to find the right setting to push hard: we worked on the front fork and some other particulars. It won’t be difficult to regain some positions on the grid”.

NORIYUKI HAGA: “The wind is annoying me too much like in Australia: I do not like to get the wrong trajectory because of the gusts. Anyway today I did not ride with a perfect setting so we changed many things. I found the right setting only at the end of the session”.

GIGI DALL’IGNA (Project Leader): “Today we worked hard to get the right setting for both bikes. It was not easy but we did all the best. We found the solution quickly for Edwards whilst Haga had more difficulties”.


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

CHECA HEADS PROVISIONAL SECOND ROW IN VALENCIA

The final round of the 2003 MotoGP season commenced today in Valencia, Spain, and Fortuna Yamaha riders Carlos Checa and Norick Abe braved cold and windy conditions to secure fifth and eleventh positions on the provisional starting grid. Abe replaces Marco Melandri in the Yamaha factory squad this weekend while Melandri recovers from a shoulder operation, which took place in Italy on Monday. Having lost valuable testing time due to this morning’s wet free practice session neither rider tried Yamaha’s latest evolution of the M1’s Deltabox chassis.

Checa’s time of 1:34.855 set on the 23rd of his 26 laps looked set to place him in the top four, until last minute flyers first by Nicky Hayden (Honda) and then Max Biaggi (Honda) edged him from the provisional front row. Checa had earlier recorded the fifth fastest time in this morning’s cold and wet free practice session.

“Those were not easy conditions today,” said 31-year-old Checa. “We were testing the bike with some set-up adjustments to improve my feeling after Phillip Island, where I didn’t feel so comfortable. It already feels better, although this afternoon the grip level was down. We tested some tyres and focused on the small set-up adjustments. I finished the session with the feeling that I could go faster, and I think everyone felt the same. Basically I felt comfortable apart from a slight headache, which I think was caused by the cold wind.

“I didn’t test Yamaha’s new chassis today because we didn’t have that much time with the present chassis, and I wanted to focus on preparing for the race. I’m not sure if I will use the new spec tomorrow, we’ll see how it goes with the current spec and evaluate whether the time will allow us to test the new one.”

Yamaha test rider Norick Abe, who has been drafted into the Fortuna Yamaha Team to replace injured Marco Melandri this weekend, made a sudden impact as he headed the time sheets in this morning’s free practice. The experienced Japanese rider had ventured out to get more practice time on his YZR-M1 in damp conditions while many riders waited in their garages. When the damp turned to rain all the MotoGP riders joined the fray but none could beat Abe’s early time as the track started to dry at the end of the session. Unfortunately the treacherous conditions got the better of a number of riders, including Abe, who took a small tumble.

“It was nice to be on the top of the timesheets this morning,” said Abe. “I can relax now, I was a bit nervous before today as it’s been a while since I rode the M1 at a Grand Prix, in fact not since Sachsenring. This morning went well and I was so happy, despite falling off. I’m pleased with this afternoon’s eleventh position but I still don’t feel like I know this bike really well. I did race the M1 earlier in the year but it was quite different to this bike. I’m certain that I can improve my time tomorrow and may even test the new chassis, depending on how much progress we make with the current bike.”

Team Director Davide Brivio said, “This morning was a total wash-out and this afternoon we only really had time to start testing our set-up. We have a new chassis here but for tomorrow both riders will just concentrate on finding a good, solid race base. If we achieve this and if the weather is better, they might have the chance to test the new spec chassis. Carlos should be able to have a good race judging from today’s performance, and Norick is doing really well, considering the number of races he’s experienced this year. He should have had more time but the weather meant he only had one hour on the M1. I think what he’s done today is quite impressive.”

MotoGP World Champion-elect Valentino Rossi (Honda) set the benchmark during the session (1:33.643) but was closely followed in the timesheets by his team-mate, Nicky Hayden (1:33.934). Spaniard Sete Gibernau (Honda) didn’t disappoint home supporters with the third fastest time (1:34.205) while fellow Honda rider Max Biaggi’s late charge saw him complete the provisional front row (1:34.817). None of the riders beat Biaggi’s pole position time from 2002 set on the Yamaha YZR-M1 but the warmer weather forecast tomorrow might see a further reduction in lap times.


More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

ILLNESS AND INJURIES HIT FUCHS KAWASAKI RIDERS AT COOL VALENCIA

Fuchs Kawasaki riders Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt completed first qualifying for Sunday’s Valencia Grand Prix feeling the worse for wear at a cold and windy Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Track temperatures hovered at an unfriendly 17 degrees for the whole of the qualifying session, following a morning practice period blighted by rain.

Both riders qualified on the fifth row of the provisional grid, with McCoy 19th and Pitt just a tenth of a second behind his team-mate in 20th position. Immediately the session was over both riders headed for the Clinica Mobile; Pitt for treatment to an injury following a crash and McCoy as a result of a severe bout of asthma.

Pitt suffered bruising to his right shoulder and wrist, plus a mild headache, when he crashed heavily 40 minutes into the qualifying session. The Australian lost the front at turn three, the first right-hander, and was forced to complete the session aboard his spare machine.

McCoy arrived at Valencia still suffering the effects of asthma and the demanding Ricardo Tormo circuit, together with the windy conditions, combined to worsen his symptoms. The Australian’s condition meant that he was unable to fully evaluate his Ninja ZX-RR, which for this weekend features a ‘softer’ and more flexible chassis feel, as well as revised engine mountings. McCoy intended to run the modified bike alongside his regular ZX-RR machine.

Both McCoy and Pitt are hoping for better fortune at a track that has been kind to them in the past. A year ago at Valencia, MotoGP rookie Pitt scored his best ever Kawasaki Grand Prix result with 12th place, while McCoy qualified fourth on the front row last year and was a race winner here in 2000.

Garry McCoy – 19th – 1:36.725
“Today was more about my physical condition than the bike; I don’t feel that flash and I’m off to the Clinica for some treatment. Earlier this week I had asthma pretty bad and this morning I felt okay, but in qualifying my chest was very painful and I’ve got a cold as well and the cool weather and wind really knocked me around. Today took me back to when I first rode the ZX-RR in testing here one year ago; the bike feels better, but also similar in many ways, and even after 12 months of riding it doesn’t feel like a huge difference. I tried the softer chassis for one run in qualifying, but I need more time on it to play around with the set-up; it seems to wheelie a bit too much and for the moment I prefer the standard ZX-RR.”

Andrew Pitt – 20th – 1:36.864
“I really struggled with the wind today and when the front lifts, which it tends to do a lot under acceleration, the wind hits you and you go sideways. It is difficult to compare the progress from this track a year ago with the wind the way it is. With the crash I locked the front up going into the first right and that was it; I got back on the spare but my right shoulder and wrist feel sore and I’ve got a bit of a headache as I banged my head when I went down. I guess I’ll be able to have a chat and compare notes with Gazza at the Clinica, I’m heading there now to get checked out.”


More, from a press release issued by Harris WCM:

David de Gea:22nd 1:37.678
“I like this track very much and know it well. The bike is going better then at the last race in Australia and I’m sure I can improve on my time again tomorrow. I made some small mistakes in this session, but I will push more tomorrow and improve my time.”

Chris Burns:DNS ­ Broken Collarbone in Free Practice
“I am gutted, it¹s been a absolutely disastrous Season for me and now it¹s all over. It’s unbelievable really, that I crashed how I did this morning. I was coming out of the corner onto the straight, the bike was upright and feeling good, no sliding or spinning in the wet conditions. I gassed it up a bit and I was thrown off and ended up breaking my collarbone, the same break that I had in Donington this year.

It’s happened now, I just have to deal with it and hope that David does well this weekend for our team.”

Peter Clifford ­ (Team Manager)
“Chris has had brilliant luck this year it was bound to run out eventually, NOT. It’s bad for him to miss the last race of the Season.

A good effort from Dave and we have a few tweaks to pull which might give him some more horsepower tomorrow and move him further up the grid.”


More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda:

Makoto Tamada tenth in chilly Valencia

Normally mild Valencia is in the grip of a cold autumn. After the rain in the morning, the first qualifying sessions took place under a lowering sky – and the weather forecast for the coming hours is very hard to interpret. On the dry tarmac this afternoon, with a ground temperature of 15 °C (59 °F), Tamada posted tenth best time, making third provisional row, even though a final attempt to improve in the closing minutes of the session failed to bring the result he was hoping for.

Makoto Tamada and the Pramac Honda Team technicians used some of the set-up references recorded during the tests in March, adapting them to the considerable improvements in the tyres made by Bridgestone during the season.

The cold weather on this first day of tests will mean that further examination of the most suitable tyre compounds will need to be made tomorrow in order to achieve a good level of competitiveness for the race.

MAKOTO TAMADA (PRAMAC HONDA TEAM): 10th – 1:35.422

“The tarmac’s cold, and I wasn’t expecting it to be quite like this. This means that you’ve got to do about five laps to bring the tyre temperature up high enough to be ready to go for the last lap – and thus for Sunday’s starting position. We’ve come a long way since the tests in March: we’ve got much more grip, so I was hoping to do a bit better today. But it really is very cold. The settings on the bike are right and I’m pleased, so now we’ve got to prepare for the different weather conditions we might be facing tomorrow and the day after. If the weather’s like it was today, the first few laps of the race sure aren’t going to be easy. But we’ll see tomorrow – we’ll try out various options.”


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

V5’s pick up pace
Valencia QP1 wrap



Jeremy McWilliams: 13th, 1:35.960
Nobuatsu Aoki: 18th, 1:36.333

Proton Team KR riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobuatsu Aoki made a strong start to the final GP of the 2003 season, both well placed in today’s first qualifying session, at yet another track where the nine-race-old Proton KR V5 four-stroke had not turned a wheel before. At one point, McWilliams was as high as seventh, losing ground in the closing stages as rivals put on soft qualifying tyres for single fast laps.

The results were encouraging at a track neither had expected would suit the machine – Valencia is a very stop-and-go circuit, putting more emphasis on sheer engine power than other more flowing tracks. However the continual improvements to the prototype racer yielded better results than expected, while the traditionally sweet Proton KR handling paid dividends on the more technical sections.

Both riders are using machines basically the same as raced over the last three flyaway rounds, where the radical new 990cc four-stroke claimed its first championship points.

Today’s first practice took place on a cold but dry track, after showers in the morning, and with gusty winds.

The Valencia GP is the last round of the 2003 season, and the last race for the Proton KR V5, which raced for the first time only five months ago. The development programme for the V5 has taken it rapidly from troublesome first prototype stages to become a reliable racer in just nine GPs. The Valencia race will be the first version of the machine’s tenth and final race.

Development of the next version begins directly after this race, with a new chassis arriving later this weekend to carry the first principles further towards the goal of becoming fully competitive.

Jeremy McWilliams
You’re never happy to see yourself out of the top ten, but we’re going okay for the bike’s first time at this track. It’s quite nice to have that pressure, of having to learn everything quickly. We’ve already tried three different gearing combinations today, and though it’s still not right, it’s close. I expected to be at more of a disadvantage here because we still don’t have as much grunt as the other bikes, but in fact I could pull a lot of it back in the twisty mid section and the long last left-hander. The Bridgestone tyres are also working well. Last time we rode here in cold conditions like this, on the two-stroke, we had a lot of problems with grip. They’ve pulled their game up a bit since then.

Nobuatsu Aoki
I ran off the track in that session because of a gearbox problem I’ve been having – skipping gears or getting false neutrals. Otherwise it is coming pretty good. I’m struggling for grip on the right-hand side of the tyre. Even with a qualifying tyre it took three laps before it was warm enough . but by then the left-hand side was losing grip! We will make some suspension changes tomorrow to try and get more feeling.

Kenny Roberts- Team Owner
We’re going okay, in the mid-field. It shows that we’ve made a lot of ground, from where we started with this bike earlier in the year. There’s nothing new on these race bikes, but we have a new chassis arriving shortly for tests next week, to push things forward for next year.


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

Rain and wind affect the first day of qualification in Cheste

Adverse weather conditions affected the first day of qualification for the final race of the MotoGP World Championship, the Comunitat Valenciana Grand Prix taking place this weekend at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. The morning Free Practice session was run in stormy conditions with a wet track, however by the afternoon’s Official Practice session the track had dried, but strong gusts of wind and very cold temperatures were still the order of the day. The two Camel Pramac Pons riders worked on the set-up of their bikes to optimize the performance. Max Biaggi qualified on the provisional front row of the grid, while Tohru Ukawa was on the provisional second row.

4th Max Biaggi
“The differences are too big and there are many small problems that have stopped me getting nearer the pole position time. Logically this has not been a true reflection of my potential or of the bikes, but we have another day’s work ahead and we will try and be more competitive tomorrow by solving the things that have not gone well. I am fourth on the grid, but I cannot be happy with this since I have finished 1.2 seconds off the best time and at a circuit like this, such a gap is too much”.

7th Tohru Ukawa
“The track conditions were not good as it was very windy and the grip was not so good because of the cold track temperatures. We must carry on working on the set-up, especially to get more grip, because we lost the whole morning session because the track was wet and conditions were different in the afternoon session. I feel comfortable on the bike and I hope to have a good race to finish off the season”.

Antonio Cobas (Technical Director):
“The track is still not in ideal conditions to get the maximum performance out of the bike because the humidity present makes the track dangerous and unpredictable as it is easy for a rider to crash out. We have worked on the settings with both riders and the fact that the morning session was run in wet conditions has impeded our progress in this area. We are still working so that Max feels more comfortable with the engine brake of the new engine, since he tested here in winter with a different bike configuration”.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Ducati Marlboro men start season finale with promise

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss had a promising and eventful opening qualifying session at Valencia today, ending up sixth and ninth fastest.
Following this morning’s rain-affected session, both men were in the running for a place on the provisional front row until the crucial late stages of this afternoon’s qualifier, run in cold and grey conditions. Capirossi encountered heavy traffic during his final run with a qualifying tyre, while Bayliss suffered a spectacular crash.
“In race conditions we’re not so bad, but we didn’t make the best use of our qualifying tyres this afternoon,” said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “To me it’s always important to be on the front row on the first day when the weather looks unpredictable, and since it could rain tomorrow, I’m a little worried. But otherwise I’m reasonably happy, we showed some potential today even though we’ve only had one hour of dry track time at what is effectively another new track for our bike. We haven’t tested here since last November, so the machine isn’t the same as it was then. We’ve made no big set-up changes today, tomorrow we’ll work on detail adjustments.”

Capirossi begins 200th in style
Loris Capirossi contests his 200th GP this weekend, 14 seasons after he made his World Championship debut as a fresh-faced 16-year old at Suzuka, Japan. As always the Ducati Marlboro Team man was in the thick of the action today, running as high as fourth with seven minutes to go, ending the day sixth.

“This afternoon’s session was quite good considering we couldn’t try any of the settings we wanted to try this morning when the track was wet,” said the 30-year-old Italian. “I need a little more feeling from the bike, which I’m sure we’ll be able to fix tomorrow. Sixth is okay for today, and it would’ve been better if I hadn’t found too many riders in my way when I was doing my qualifying-tyre run. It’s almost a year since I tested the Desmosedici for the first time here. All I can say is that it’s now a totally different machine, it’s all different and it works very well. As for my 200th GP, it’s been a very happy 14 years for me. For sure I plan to make it to 232, though I hope to make it further than that, maybe to 300! So long as I’m happy and enthusiastic, I’ll keep racing.”

Bayliss ninth after tumble
Ducati Marlboro Team rider Troy Bayliss crashed out of this afternoon’s session while in contention for a spot on the provisional front row. The Aussie went down at turn four with six minutes to go after he got sideways into the tight right-hander. He hurt his right shoulder in the accident but will be okay to ride tomorrow after undergoing physiotherapy at the Clinica Mobile.

“It was a little too much back brake and the thing snapped sideways,” said Bayliss. “I was on a hard qualifying tyre and I was in a hurry. Apart from that everything was going not so bad. We’re still searching for the perfect feeling, and we were just starting to get somewhere when I crashed.”

Bayliss’ Desmosedici slammed into the trackside barrier after he fell sustaining heavy damage. “The front wheel rim and the top yoke were damaged,” said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “When that happens we always change the frame, just to be sure.”


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

Roberts and Hopkins fight the wind at Valencia

Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Valencia, Spain – Friday, October 31, 2003: Team Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins were 14th and 16th fastest in today’s first qualifying session for Sunday’s Valencia GP, battling cold conditions and high winds at the twisty 4.005km circuit for the last race of the year.

Roberts had been well placed in the top ten during the session, but slipped back down the order when the last rush on qualifying tyres took place. His own chances of making a similar jump on the soft-compounds tyres were thwarted by niggling bike problems, almost causing him to lose control.

Hopkins did find some improvement, but was troubled by the gusty wind, upsetting the handling of the bike on several of the tortuous track’s corners. Hopkins nonetheless managed to get worthwhile tyre testing accomplished, and the prospect of better conditions for tomorrow’s final qualifying session offered the chance of better fortunes.

The Valencia GP is the final round of the 2003 World Championship, closing one of the most fiercely competitive seasons in the 55-year history of the World Championship. It has been a difficult year for the Suzuki pair, but improvements later in the season have boosted hopes that next-year’s machine, already under development, will offer improved performance without the teething problems that troubled this year’s technically innovative V4 GSV-R racer.

Footnote: Hopkins did have some good news today – the threat to the family home in Ramona, California, from runaway fires has eased. “I almost had to fly home last week – the fires were less than a mile from my house. Now that seems under control, which is positive. Though I’ve just heard that my older sister has been evacuated from her house in the LA district,” he said.

Kenny Roberts Jr. – 14th Position, 1:35.992
I had a race tyre on in the middle of the session, and I was able to get down to some decent race times, for my settings. Then we had a problem with the bike on my last two runs. The only thing I can say is I’m lucky I didn’t fall. I had to save the bike from crashing both times out.

John Hopkins – 16th Position, 1:36.183
We got off to a decent start, but everyone was at quite a slow pace at the beginning. Unfortunately everyone speeded up, as they should, and I lost positions. We’re not trying to change anything huge. I tested some tyres for Michelin, and then put in a qualifying tyre. Grip is not an issue for us right now, but I am really fighting the wind. Anywhere where there’s a headwind or when you’re turning in to the corners, it’s real difficult.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Grand Prix of Valencia
Valencia, Spain
Friday Morning MotoGP Practice Times:

1. Norick ABE, Yamaha, 1:51.996
2. Garry McCOY, Kawasaki, 1:54.311
3. Nicky HAYDEN, Honda, 1:54.370
4. Valentino ROSSI, Honda, 1:55.667
5. Carlos CHECA, Yamaha, 1:55.668
6. Troy BAYLISS, Ducati, 1:55.871
7. Jeremy McWILLIAMS, Proton, 1:55.935
8. Max BIAGGI, Honda, 1:56.009
9. Alex BARROS, Yamaha, 1:57.570
10. Andrew PITT, Kawasaki, 1:57.847
11. Noriyuki HAGA, Aprilia, 1:57.984
12. David DE GEA, Harris WCM, 1:58.162
13. Sete GIBERNAU, Honda, 1:59.862
14. Kenny ROBERTS, Suzuki, 2:00.020
15. Loris CAPIROSSI, Ducati, 2:00.576
16. Makoto TAMADA, Honda, 2:00.849
17. John HOPKINS, Suzuki, 2:01.882
18. Tohru UKAWA, Honda, 2:02.673
19. Chris BURNS, Harris WCM, 2:03.419
20. Shinya NAKANO, Yamaha, 2:05.773
21. Nobuatsu AOKI, Proton, 2:07.119
22. Ryuichi KIYONARI, Honda, 2:07.995
23. Olivier JACQUE, Yamaha, 2:14.426
24. Colin EDWARDS, Aprilia, 2:15.437