MotoGP-Estoril

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THE ACTION IS BACK ON AT ESTORIL

The MotoGP back on track after almost a months break at the Estoril Grand Prix of Portugal. Estoril is one of the most technically demanding circuits on the calendar, putting all aspects of the bike-tyre-rider package to the test. At this earlier time of the year, the weather could also play a contributory role with conditions likely to be cooler and more unsettled than last season.
And the White and Green duo is ready to mount in the saddle of Desmosedici GP10. Loris Capirossi treated his right shoulder. He has therapy twice a week and a lot of work in gym. Randy De Puniet was also subjected an intervention to remove a screw in his left knee that the doctors inserted during the surgery on the broken leg last year at Sachsenring. The Estoril circuit remains a difficult and unfortunate for Loris Capirossi, who, in the past, has collected just one podium. Three third place is the score of the Frenchman, who hopes to repeat on this occasion. The weather could shuffle the cards: probability It may rain for all three regions of free practice, qualifying and the race.

Fabiano Sterlacchini - Technical Director Pramac Racing 


Estoril is a difficult track, which combines slow sectors with other fast. The last corner is without a doubt the most difficult. The rain could shuffle the cards, just use the right strategy. I think our bike is best suited with a wet track.

Loris Capirossi - Pramac Racing Team

I like Estoril, although I've never done a great deal. In This week I have been training twice a day, I'm at 90% of the My physical condition. Running in the water will not be easy, but the bike paradoxically be better in the wet. I am confident we will succeed in delete the first two outputs unfortunate.

Randy De Puniet - Pramac Racing Team

There is a great desire to start again. Physically I'm fine, and I hope that bike is ready for Estoril. I know that Ducati can give us many satisfaction if we work well. All that remains is to prove in these days. The weather? It may rain, it does not matter to me.

 

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Bautista aiming for incredible Estoril return

Rizla Suzuki?s Alvaro Bautista is targeting an amazing return to the MotoGP arena at this weekend?s Portuguese Grand Prix, just 42 days after breaking his left femur.

Bautista has been undergoing intensive physiotherapy to make sure he is at a sufficient level of fitness to be able to take to the track on Friday ? following a full medical to determine his ability to compete. If he is unable to ride at a competitive level, Rizla Suzuki will have Factory test rider Nobuatsu Aoki on stand-by to take over if he has to withdraw from the event ? but Bautista?s clear target is to compete in the Grand Prix.

Rizla Suzuki's GSV-R will feature a new logo in Estoril ? ?Change and Challenge? - which is used by Suzuki in the Asian regions to promote its new range of motorcycle products in these markets. Rizla Suzuki hopes to engage with the enthusiasm and passion of all MotoGP fans in these areas and it appreciates all the support of Bautista as he undertakes what is certainly a huge ?challenge? in his comeback from serious injury.

The Estoril circuit is a track of contrasts, where some fast corners in its 13-turn configuration mix with an almost kilometre-long straight and one of the slowest sections of the year. Situated on a rocky outcrop high above the towns of Estoril and Cascais, the circuit is only six kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean and this can give rise to some very changeable weather, a fact that was emphasised in 2010 when torrential rain caused the cancellation of the qualifying session.

Bautista plans to take to the track on Friday morning for the first of two free-practice sessions. Saturday will see a final practice in the morning, followed by an hour-long qualifying session in the afternoon where he aims to be qualifying for the best grid position he can obtain. Sunday?s race is round three of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship and the 28-lap race gets underway at 13.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).

?lvaro Bautista:

?I have been working very hard to be back in time for Estoril and I believe I will be able to take part in the race. I know it will be difficult, but I think the sooner I can get on the bike the more it will aid my total recovery and help my way to full fitness. I have travelled over 4,500km with many journeys to the hyperbaric chamber in Madrid to assist with my healing - I have been there so many times I could close my eyes and go without problems! I have now finished the rehabilitation phase and started on the physical preparation; this involves a lot of swimming, cycling and other fitness programmes to build up the strength so I can ride again. It is going to be really tough, but I am totally focused on being on the GSV-R in Portugal, it?s all I can think about at the moment and that is my first goal. After that we?ll see what happens and take everything one step at a time.?

 

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DUCATI MOTOGP TEAM PREPARES FOR ESTORIL BATTLE

Following the longest break of the entire season, brought about by the postponement of the Motegi GP, the MotoGP series returns to action for the Grand Prix of Portugal. The Ducati MotoGP Team is prepared for a weekend at a track that is at once demanding and full of contrasts. Despite its having the lowest average speed of the series, the Estoril circuit also includes very fast sections, including one of the longest straightaways of the year and Turn 5, which is taken at approximately 200 km/h (124 mph). The circuit, which winds through the hills seven kilometers from the Atlantic coast, is also known for its variable weather, which often makes track conditions different from one turn to the next. Valentino Rossi has won five times in his eleven premier-class visits to the track, and he has finished on the podium on other five occasions, while the best result of his teammate Nicky Hayden is a fourth place in 2007.
VALENTINO ROSSI, Ducati MotoGP Team
?With the postponement of the Japanese GP, we?ve had three weekends without a race, so I was able to ?unplug? for a while following the GP12 test at Jerez, although I continued training to help my physical recovery. Now we go to Estoril, a track I quite like, where we?ll continue working on the GP11?s setup, particularly during the test on Monday. The conditions are often unpredictable at Estoril because the area is very windy and close to the ocean, making for variable weather, especially in the spring. Anyway, although we saw at Jerez that we?re already competitive in the wet, we?re hoping for sun in Portugal so that we can make the most of our time on the track. We still have to understand the bike better, and to work on the setup with the goal of being faster in the dry in time for the most intense phase of the season, when we?ll have six races in eight weeks starting in June.?
NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati MotoGP Team
?On to Portugal! We?ve had three weeks off, which seems like a long time, so I?m looking forward to getting back with the team. Estoril has some pretty tight, narrow places, but I?d say my favorite part is the fast kink on the back straightaway. Actually, we were just there in the fall, but the weekend was completely wet until the race. Hopefully it?s a little bit different this year, because it would be nice to get some dry time in as well. Now the season really gets rolling as we head into summer. I know the team?s been working hard, and I?m also looking forward to the test that we have on Monday after the race. I can?t wait to get back to the track and back on the bike. Hopefully we can go and get a good result.?
VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager
?We?re back on the track after a long break, and with the post-race test, it will be a long weekend. For now, the weather forecast isn?t good, but we?ll see, because the conditions there change quickly. We hope for at least fair conditions throughout the weekend. We got a podium with Nicky at our last race, and we hope the result will help him find the feeling that he had last year when he had many nice races, including here at Estoril when he led for a while before a couple of small mistakes held him to fifth. Vale was fast and very competitive in Spain, especially considering that he hadn?t ever ridden the GP11 in the wet. Now the goal is to enable our riders to ride at a similar level in the dry.?
ESTORIL TRACK RECORDS Official Record: Dan Pedrosa (Honda ? 2009), 1:36.937 ? 155.309 km/h
Best Pole: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha ? 2008), 1:35.715 ? 157.291 km/h
Circuit Length: 4.182 km (2.599 mi)
2011 MotoGP Race Start: 1:00 p.m. Local Time
Number of Laps: 28
Race Distance: 117.096 km 2010 PODIUM: 1st Jorge Lorenzo, 2nd Valentino Rossi, 3rd Andrea Dovizioso
2010 POLE: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1:48.522 ? 138.729 km/h DUCATI MotoGP TEAM RESULTS AT ESTORIL (BEST FINISH)
2010: 5th (Hayden)
2009: 2nd (Stoner)
2008: 6th (Stoner)
2007: 3rd (Stoner)
2006: 12th (Capirossi)
2005: 5th (Checa)
2004: 7th (Capirossi)
2003: 3rd (Capirossi) DUCATI MotoGP TEAM ? RIDER DATA VALENTINO ROSSI Bike: Ducati MotoGP Team Desmosedici GP11
Race number: 46
Age: 32 (born at Pesaro, Italy 16 February 1979)
Residence: Tavullia (Pesaro, Italy)
Number of GPs: 243 (183 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
First GP: Malaysian GP, 1996 (125cc)
Number of wins: 105 (79 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP win: Czech Republic GP, 1996 (125cc)
Poles: 59 (49 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
First Pole: Czech Republic GP, 1996 (125cc)
World Titles: 9 (6 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc) Rossi?s Estoril Results in MotoGP/500cc
2010: Qualifying, 3rd; Race, 2nd
2009: Qualifying, 2nd; Race, 4th
2008: Qualifying, 3rd; Race, 3rd
2007: Qualifying, 3rd; Race, 1st
2006: Qualifying, 1st; Race, 2nd
2005: Qualifying, 4th; Race, 2nd
2004: Qualifying, 2nd; Race, 1st
2003: Qualifying, 3rd; Race, 1st
2002: Qualifying, 3rd; Race, 1st
2001: Qualifying, 3rd; Race, 1st
2000: Qualifying, 12th; Race, 3rd NICKY HAYDEN
Bike: Ducati MotoGP Team Desmosedici GP11
Race number: 69
Age: 29 (born 30 July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA)
Residence: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
Number of GPs: 136 (136 x MotoGP)
First GP: Japanese GP, 2003 (MotoGP)
Number of wins: 3 (3 x MotoGP)
First GP win: USA GP, 2005 (MotoGP)
Poles: 5 (5 x MotoGP)
First Pole: USA GP, 2005 (MotoGP)
World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2006) Hayden?s Estoril Results in MotoGP
2010: Qualifying, 2nd; Race, 5th
2009: Qualifying, 9th; Race, 8th
2008: Qualifying, 4th; Race, DNF
2007: Qualifying, 1st; Race, 4th
2006: Qualifying, 3rd; Race, DNF
2005: Qualifying, 9th; Race, 7th
2004: Qualifying, -; Race, DNS
2003: Qualifying, 15th; Race, 9th

 

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The Repsol Honda Team are ready to get back into action in Estoril after a three week break

The Repsol Honda Team returns to action this weekend in Portugal after a break of three weeks due to the postponement of the Grand Prix of Japan. The Estoril circuit hosts the third round of the MotoGP World Championship and activity on track will extend through to Monday for one day of testing, the first of the season.

Dani Pedrosa, second in the Championship with 9 points behind the leader, Jorge Lorenzo will get back aboard his Honda RC212V after his surgery on March 6th. Last week, the Spaniard had the stitches removed from his left collarbone and despite not being a hundred percent physically, he will fight for another podium, as will team-mates Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso to get some points back after a hard race in Jerez.

The three Repsol Honda riders have all enjoyed podium finishes in Estoril: Andrea Dovizioso on four occasions, the most recently last season; and both Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner three times. Dani is missing the victory in Portugal but keeps the circuit record from 2009 (1?36.937), while Casey and Andrea have won once in 250cc.

DANI PEDROSA
?I did what I had to do in these three weeks off and I look forward to get back on the bike after this period which has been good for me to undergo surgery and start rehabilitation. Last week I had the stitches removed, so everything is still very fresh and I don?t know how I will feel in Estoril, but I?m excited to see if everything went well and if I can put the issues aside once on the bike. It would be very good because we had a good start to the season and I wish to compete in the best conditions. I want to make the most of the four practice sessions to prepare for the race. It would help if we have good weather, as this year we race in April, but you can never trust the weather there having the Atlantic Ocean so close. With regards to the circuit, Estoril has heavy braking zones and it will be important to find traction to take advantage of the good acceleration we have?.

ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
?I am looking forward to the race in Estoril, it?s a track where I have had very good results in my career. I arrive motivated, and want to get back to form after the Jerez weekend with a good race and to show the results of all the positive work done with the team. I think that we will be competitive at Estoril. The circuit is very slow and it?s not the best to ride with a MotoGP machine, in fact, one of the more difficult tasks is to manage the power of the RC212V on this slow track. We will have 4 practice sessions to work on the set up and it's important to start well from the first day. After this long break, I?m happy to return on track. I have enjoyed this period at home with my family, having time to relax but also time to dedicate to training and to do the preparation of the coming races. Now it?s time to jump on the bike?.

CASEY STONER
"I had a good rest in Switzerland and I feel very good at the moment. I'm looking forward to Portugal after a difficult last race in Jerez, we were looking for a good result in Spain after positive practice sessions and qualifying so we are happy to get back on track. Estoril is not one of my favourite tracks but we have had good success there in the past. We will be looking to get back some points against Lorenzo as he has been the strongest there in the past 3 years. I think our bike should work quite well at this circuit as it has some tight turns with exits onto big straights so I hope to find some good traction in these points and be competitive from the first day".

 

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Yamaha Factory Racing Prepare for Round Three as MotoGP Returns to Estoril

The MotoGP paddock sets up at the Estoril circuit on the Atlantic coast in Portugal this weekend for round three of the World Championship after an extended break. The recent disaster in Japan and subsequent postponement of the Motegi round has resulted in a four week gap between races for Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies.

Reigning MotoGP World Champion and current Championship leader Lorenzo returns to Estoril looking to extend a perfect score sheet from the Portuguese circuit. So far the young Mallorcan has three consecutive pole position starts, race wins and fastest laps, taking nothing less than victory from every Estoril race of his MotoGP career. The later scheduling of the Portuguese race in last year?s calendar meant Lorenzo raced at Estoril in 2010 having already been crowned World Champion. He went on to deliver Yamaha?s third consecutive Triple Crown that weekend with the help of his then team mate. A flawless performance under treacherous conditions in Jerez last month delivered Lorenzo?s first race win of the season, the incident filled first Spanish round leaving most of the competition struggling to stay upright and reach the chequered flag. He arrives at Estoril nine points clear of his closest rival at the top of the Championship standings.

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies heads back from his four week break in the USA preparing for his first Estoril MotoGP race. The 2010 round which saw Monsoon weather disrupt qualifying had initially looked positive for the then satellite Texan rider, combined practice times giving him a second row start for the race. An unfortunate high side on the second of two sighting laps however resulted in a dislocated ankle meaning Spies has yet to complete a MotoGP race here and has yet to turn a wheel on a dry Estoril track. The 2010 rookie of the year had been on track for his first podium of the year at Jerez last month. He had been running in second behind his team mate until he joined the many riders to crash out as the changeable track surface took its toll on the worn out rain tyres. Spies arrives in Estoril sitting in 12th in the Championship with ten points.

The Autodromo Fernanda Pires de Silva sits just seven kilometres from the Atlantic coast and as such is notorious for dramatic weather changes; riders can see conditions change in seconds from warm sunshine to high winds and gusts of rain. Estoril provides one of the most challenging circuits for set up, featuring one of the longest straights of the MotoGP calendar combined with the one of the slowest corners. Lorenzo and Spies will need all their rider skills to negotiate the slow twisty sections then hold their nerve for the high speed 200km/hr kink at turn five and the infamous final Parabolica corner leading to the finish line.

Jorge Lorenzo



"This week we will be in Portugal, a country where I've had nice moments! In Estoril I got my first victory in the MotoGP class in 2008 which I repeated over the last two seasons. The track has turned into a talisman for me and it is the place where the astronaut always comes back. We have been training for a month, and I hope that this makes us fit for a good race. We are in front of the standings, but it is very early and it is just the beginning. This week will also be important since we are testing on Monday and we will certainly be able to check a lot of things for the future set-up".


Ben Spies



?Although I?ve enjoyed the opportunity to head home and get some chill out time in Texas this break has been way to long for me. The team worked really hard over the weekend in Jerez and by race day had delivered a competitive set up that meant we could fight for the podium. Unfortunately it wasn?t to be. I really enjoyed the first practice sessions here last year and was frustrated to have not made the race, I can?t wait to get started on Friday morning and see what we can do.?


Wilco Zeelenberg



?It seems like Jerez was last year, not the last round! It?s a bit strange to have such a long time away from the track during the season but of course we all know the reason. We are really looking forward to Estoril, with the position we have and knowing Jorge is strong here we think he can do a good job and compete for the podium again. It?s early in the season and our competitors have made big advances from last year but we are again fighting for the championship.?


Massimo Meregalli



?Estoril is a good circuit for Yamaha, it?s one of the favourite tracks for Jorge and he always gets good results here, as have other Yamaha Factory riders in the past. Despite not finishing the race at Jerez Ben showed he had the potential to finish on the podium so comes here looking to step forward again. Estoril has extra significance as we secured our Triple Crown for the third consecutive time here last year. We are confident that in the 50th year of Yamaha?s involvement in Grand Prix racing we can continue our tradition of success in Portugal.?



Jorge Lorenzo
Age: 24
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 36 (16 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 148 (53 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 42 (15 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 3 (MotoGP 2010, 250cc, 2006/7)

Ben Spies
Age: 26
Lives: Longview Texas / Lake Como Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories:
First GP victory:
First GP: Donington, UK, 2008 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 23
Pole positions: 1
World Championships: 1 (WSB 2009)

Grand Prix Results: Estoril 2010

1. J.Lorenzo Yamaha 46'17.962
2. V.Rossi Yamaha +8.629
3. A.Dovizioso Honda +26.475

-. Ben Spies Yamaha Tech 3 nc

 

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Bautista shows true grit on first day in Portugal

Rizla Suzuki?s ?lvaro Bautista made an astonishing comeback to MotoGP action at Estoril in Portugal today just six weeks after breaking his left femur in Qatar.

Bautista (P17, 1?40.173, 40 laps) has made an amazing recovery to be fit enough to ride at this weekend?s event. The Spaniard showed a true racer?s courage around the 4,182m Portuguese circuit to complete today?s two sessions. After finishing the first free practice session this morning - with a time only three-hundredths-of-a-second behind his best lap-time from last year at Estoril ? Bautista made a further step-up in his performance during the afternoon session. He finished the first day?s practice only two-and-a-half- seconds away from the quickest rider of the day ? Marco Simoncelli on a Honda - and almost half-of-a-second inside his best time from 2010.

Bautista had no ill-effects from the serious injury he suffered last month and will rest his leg this evening after receiving some physiotherapy from the Clinica Mobile. He is eager to make sure that he is a fit as possible for tomorrow?s final free practice in the morning and the afternoon?s qualifying session and is in a good condition for Sunday.

Sunday?s 28-lap race is the third round of the MotoGP championship and the main event gets underway at 13.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).

?lvaro Bautista:

?I am very happy because I think that nobody expected that after little more than one month I would be able to jump on the bike and ride! When I broke my femur my target was to ride here and I worked very hard to make it happen. I did many kilometres every day between Talavera and Madrid, for my visits to the hyperbaric chamber and for the physiotherapy that I needed - now I can say that I am here and I am riding because of that! I am still not 100%, because I need some more power in my leg, but to be able to ride and get a feeling for the bike and the reference points around the track in my mind to be a MotoGP rider, I am certainly fit enough. I went one second faster this afternoon than I did this morning and my feeling on the bike was very similar, I was just a bit more confident so I could push more. I didn?t want to risk anything today, it was all about riding and getting a feeling ? I didn?t want to push too hard to find that fast lap-time. I am improving every time I get on the bike so that makes things look good for the rest of the weekend. My leg is a bit stiff now so I will need to recover and get a bit of work on it this evening, but it recovered quickly after this morning?s session, so I don?t think that will be a problem. I think my body is also remembering how to ride a MotoGP bike as well as my mind is, so that is a very positive thing.

?I want to say a big thank-you to all the team for all the confidence they have shown in me. They all know that it is difficult for me to get to my maximum level, but they have given me their full support ? so thanks to all of them for that.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?Performance is usually only measured by lap-time and position, but today?s performance by ?lvaro rates amongst the best we?ve seen at Rizla Suzuki over the last few years. The effort and commitment that he has made to get his body into a good enough condition to ride a Grand Prix bike in such a short time is simply outstanding - he needs to be applauded for his bravery! We didn?t use the softer rear tyre this afternoon, which was undoubtedly the one needed to improve the lap-time, because ?lvaro simply concentrated on getting the feeling back and recovering his confidence ? we have to remember that the last time he was on the bike was not a particularly pleasant experience! The decision to ride this weekend was wholly ?lvaro?s and so far it has proven to be the right one. Today was the first step in his recovery back to a competitive level.?

bwin Grande Premio de Portugal Combined Free Practice Times:

1. Marco Simoncelli (Honda) 1?37.663: 2. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +0.061: 3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +0.064: 4. Valentino Rossi (Ducati) +0.439: 4=. Casey Stoner (Honda) +0.439: 17. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +2.510:

 

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Edwards and Crutchlow return in style at Estoril

Tech3 RidersColin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow made an impressively fast return to MotoGP action in Portugal today, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team riders lapping consistently inside the top ten during the opening day of practice at the Estoril track.

Edwards ended with the sixth fastest time, the experienced American taking full advantage of unexpectedly dry and warm conditions to set a best time of 1.38.203 that put him less than 0.5s away from the top three.

Forecasts had predicted rain for the opening day of the Portuguese Grand Prix but both sessions took place on a full dry track with temperatures this afternoon nudging close to 25 degrees.

Edwards, who was fourth until the final moments of the second 45-minute session, made big progress in improving side grip with his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine having made swingarm set-up changes after he was seventh fastest this morning.

Rookie Crutchlow produced another fantastic performance that not only showcased his ability learn and master new tracks quickly, but the British rider also demonstrated his determination to ride at 100 per cent despite facing a gruelling physical test.

During the long break following the postponement of the Japanese Grand Prix, Crutchlow underwent surgery to solve a numbness issue in his right hand that occurred during the first two races in Qatar and Jerez. But Crutchlow was struck by a chronic arm pump issue again this morning and he needed a large build-up of fluid draining from his right arm in the Clinica Mobile ahead of the second session.

A modified handlebar position helped Crutchlow feel much more comfortable on his YZR-M1 machine this afternoon and he was unlucky not to finish inside the top seven after a brilliant performance.

He was as high as seventh in the final stages when he was unfortunate to be bumped down the order to 13th. He ended with a best time of 1.38.912 having knocked nearly 1.5s off from his best time from this morning and he was only 0.5s behind Edwards and marginally over a second away from the fastest pace set by Marco Simoncelli.

Colin Edwards 6th 1.38.203 ? 42 laps

?That was a pretty good day and I'm really satisfied. We just rolled the bike off the truck and immediately I had a good feeling without having to make any changes. I've always gone well at this circuit and I've no idea why, but right out of the gate I felt comfortable on the bike and I was able to lap easily inside the top six for most of both sessions. This afternoon I never used the soft tyre and I probably lost a bit of time that would have put my further up the timesheets, but that's not a big issue on Friday. We played with the balance of the bike this afternoon a little bit and tried something different with the swingarm that gave me better side grip with the hard tyre. I wanted to be open the throttle smoothly and generate some speed and we found a good direction, so I'm happy.?

Cal Crutchlow 13th 1.38.760 ? 38 laps

?I'm really happy because to be only a second off the pace on a track I've never seen before gives me a lot of confidence. I honestly feel I should have kept that seventh place because I made a late change to the bike and everybody went quicker. I could have gone quicker once I was back on track but I encountered a lot of traffic and it was like a 125 session! I got held up and that cost me at least a couple of tenths, which would have easily put me in the top ten. This track is much harder to learn than Jerez. It is quite bumpy and you have to be so precise with your lines that it has been quite difficult. But I'm only 0.5s behind Colin and he has a good record at this track. After this morning I didn't think I'd be so fast because I was really struggling with my arm. There was a massive build-up of fluid at the end of the session that I had to get drained and I'm not sure why it has happened. I rode a motocross bike last week without any drama, but the brake pressure on a MotoGP bike is incredible. We moved the handlebars out for this afternoon and it was definitely better and I felt more confident on the brakes, but at the end I've got another big fluid bump on my forearm."

 

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DIFFICULT DAY FOR THE PRAMAC RACING TEAM

Although Loris Capirossi and Randy de Puniet have improved their best time compared to this morning free practice session, in the afternoon, during the second free practice session, the white and green duo dropped back in the final ranking. Fifteenth fastest lap time (1'39 .021) for the Italian rider, just behind the French, who stopped the stopwatch with a time of 1'39.137. No one in the Pramac Racing Team may be satisfied even if the fact of Loris Capirossi can count on a new handlebars (designed by his Chief Engineer, Fabiano Sterlacchini) is already a big step forward. Tomorrow, probably in the rain, the opportunity to redeem the todays result.

Fabiano Sterlacchini - Pramac Racing Team Technical Director

"We can not be satisfied with this day, because in the end the time and the rankings that matters. Although we finally solved some small problems, others are left to deal with, we will have to do it tomorrow. Unfortunately, today we also had some bad luck saw that Loris was slowed by some riders when he tried to push".

Loris Capirossi - Pramac Racing Team 15th fastest lap time in 1'39.021

"The lap time was bad, no doubt, but I'm happy that we have finally found the right set up of the saddle. Now we will work on other important aspects. I also thank my technical director for realizing my new handlebars. I think tomorrow we will make further steps forward".

Randy De Puniet - Pramac Racing Team - 16th fastest lap time in 1'39.137

"I'm not happy with the work done today. I still have problems with the front of the bike, sometimes it is uncontrollable. We tried different solutions, but none was acceptable for the moment. Tomorrow we will focus the work on this aspect. We have always worked well and I am sure we will continue on this path".

 

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VALENTINO ROSSI AND NICKY HAYDEN START WELL IN PORTUGAL

The rain that was forecast for the first day of practice at the Estoril Grand Prix arrived, but fortunately for the MotoGP riders, both sessions took place in dry conditions. After a nighttime shower, the weather granted a respite until shortly after the finish of the premier class? 45 minute second free-practice session of the top class.

It was a good day for both Ducati Marlboro Team riders, with Valentino Rossi fourth and Nicky Hayden ninth, making progressive improvement from the morning to the afternoon. The Italian rider improved his time by approximately five tenths, while the American actually dropped a second and a half from his earlier time.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 4th, 1:38.102
?I?m pretty satisfied with how the day went. Let?s start with my physical condition, which I?m very happy with: I was obviously aware of being a little better when I arrived here, but I wanted to wait until I tested my shoulder on the track, which confirmed that I?m able to ride well and have fun. It still hurts a little, and I?m missing a little strength, but the difference compared to my left shoulder is less. I can concentrate on riding the bike, and when watching myself on television, I can see that my style is starting to be a little more normal. Naturally, we?re also working on the bike. Today we used a different weight distribution and some changes to the electronics that worked well. For the first time, we went faster in the afternoon session than in the morning. We dropped almost half a second, getting us closer to the top. I still have some problems with rear grip, so tomorrow we have to do better, but I?m happy for now.?

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro Team) 9th, 1:38.596
?This morning was not a good session at all, but the afternoon was a lot better. We had a problem with one bike in FP1. I?m not sure what happened, but we?ll send the engine back to Bologna to check it out. I went back out at the end, but we used hard tyres because I didn?t want to waste another soft tyre, since it looks like it will be a soft-tyre race this weekend. Also, I had just gone out with a new setting, and since I only did about four corners, we got no information on that. We lost some valuable time, but this afternoon went better?not spectacular, but pretty steady. I was in the top ten for most of the session, and I had a decent feeling with the bike?I would say better than what the lap time shows. I?m sure everybody thinks they can do better tomorrow, but I feel like we can do a good job and try to get in a good lap in qualifying, which is going to be really important.?

 

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Promising Start For Lorenzo in Estoril

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies managed to avoid the rain today as the Portuguese GP got underway at Estoril. Lorenzo got down to business quickly in the first free practice as he looked to set up for his fourth consecutive win in Portugal. The afternoon?s second session saw him make a step forward, spending the majority of the 45 minute practice as one of only two riders to break under the 1?38 barrier. The reigning World Champion and current Championship leader completed the second heat in second place just 0.061 from first.

Today marked Texan rider Spies? first opportunity to ride the Estoril circuit in the dry. With no race experience and no dry set up from last year the crew started with a base set up from Jerez in the morning. A number of set up changes followed and Spies also tried the harder Bridgestone tyre option in the afternoon session. The Yamaha Factory rider made steady improvements from morning to afternoon, finishing the day in eighth having improved on the morning session by 0.332 of a second.
Jorge Lorenzo

?It?s good to be back on track here, I really love riding at Estoril. We have to improve some sectors for Sunday, especially in braking. We lost some tenths in the first sector but we make up for it in the other three so we are up there in second. We are always in the top four which is important.?
Ben Spies

?It hasn?t been a perfect day; we?ve struggled a little bit. We tried to get a feel for the harder tyre this afternoon and don?t think that?s the right way for us. We tried some different settings through the sessions and we think we know what we need to do. We?re not close to the front but we?ll find our way up there. I?m pretty confident my guys and me can step up and be there, it?s in me and the bike so we'll come back tomorrow and improve.

Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
?We?re quite lucky because it started to rain on the last lap of the second session. We?re happy we missed it because we had quite a few things to try today. This afternoon we focused on some new electronic settings for better grip. We?re not ready yet but we had positive comments from Jorge so we are satisfied with the position and lap time so far.?


Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
?We worked to find a good, balanced set up today for Ben. It was his first day on a dry circuit here in Estoril so it was a learning experience. We?ve been working hard to make the bike as he wants it; we still have more to do as the set up is not as he would like it yet. Jorge did a really good long run; he definitely has the right rhythm and good pace and should make another step forward tomorrow.?

Edwards and Crutchlow return in style at Estoril

Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow made an impressively fast return to MotoGP action in Portugal today, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team riders lapping consistently inside the top ten during the opening day of practice at the Estoril track.

Edwards ended with the sixth fastest time, the experienced American taking full advantage of unexpectedly dry and warm conditions to set a best time of 1.38.203 that put him less than 0.5s away from the top three.

Forecasts had predicted rain for the opening day of the Portuguese Grand Prix but both sessions took place on a full dry track with temperatures this afternoon nudging close to 25 degrees.

Edwards, who was fourth until the final moments of the second 45-minute session, made big progress in improving side grip with his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine having made swingarm set-up changes after he was seventh fastest this morning.

Rookie Crutchlow produced another fantastic performance that not only showcased his ability learn and master new tracks quickly, but the British rider also demonstrated his determination to ride at 100 per cent despite facing a gruelling physical test.

During the long break following the postponement of the Japanese Grand Prix, Crutchlow underwent surgery to solve a numbness issue in his right hand that occurred during the first two races in Qatar and Jerez. But Crutchlow was struck by a chronic arm pump issue again this morning and he needed a large build-up of fluid draining from his right arm in the Clinica Mobile ahead of the second session.

A modified handlebar position helped Crutchlow feel much more comfortable on his YZR-M1 machine this afternoon and he was unlucky not to finish inside the top seven after a brilliant performance.

He was as high as seventh in the final stages when he was unfortunate to be bumped down the order to 13th. He ended with a best time of 1.38.912 having knocked nearly 1.5s off from his best time from this morning and he was only 0.5s behind Edwards and marginally over a second away from the fastest pace set by Marco Simoncelli.
Colin Edwards

?That was a pretty good day and I'm really satisfied. We just rolled the bike off the truck and immediately I had a good feeling without having to make any changes. I've always gone well at this circuit and I've no idea why, but right out of the gate I felt comfortable on the bike and I was able to lap easily inside the top six for most of both sessions. This afternoon I never used the soft tyre and I probably lost a bit of time that would have put my further up the timesheets, but that's not a big issue on Friday. We played with the balance of the bike this afternoon a little bit and tried something different with the swingarm that gave me better side grip with the hard tyre. I wanted to be open the throttle smoothly and generate some speed and we found a good direction, so I'm happy.?
Cal Crutchlow

?I'm really happy because to be only a second off the pace on a track I've never seen before gives me a lot of confidence. I honestly feel I should have kept that seventh place because I made a late change to the bike and everybody went quicker. I could have gone quicker once I was back on track but I encountered a lot of traffic and it was like a 125 session! I got held up and that cost me at least a couple of tenths, which would have easily put me in the top ten. This track is much harder to learn than Jerez. It is quite bumpy and you have to be so precise with your lines that it has been quite difficult. But I'm only 0.5s behind Colin and he has a good record at this track. After this morning I didn't think I'd be so fast because I was really struggling with my arm. There was a massive build-up of fluid at the end of the session that I had to get drained and I'm not sure why it has happened. I rode a motocross bike last week without any drama, but the brake pressure on a MotoGP bike is incredible. We moved the handlebars out for this afternoon and it was definitely better and I felt more confident on the brakes, but at the end I've got another big fluid bump on my forearm."

2011 MotoGP Portugal
Estoril 29/04/2011
1 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 1'37.663
2 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'37.724
3 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 1'37.727
4 Valentino Rossi Ducati ITA 1'38.102
5 Casey Stoner Honda AUS 1'38.102
6 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 1'38.203
7 Karel Abraham Ducati CZE 1'38.473
8 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 1'38.563
9 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 1'38.596
10 Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 1'38.611
11 Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 1'38.645
12 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 1'38.658
13 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'38.760
14 Toni Elias Honda ESP 1'38.912
15 Loris Capirossi Ducati ITA 1'39.021

 

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Superhuman effort from Bautista in qualifying

Rizla Suzuki?s ?lvaro Bautista produced another heroic performance at Estoril today to qualify his Suzuki GSV-R only two-seconds away from pole position.

Bautista (P15, 1?39.172, 27 laps) improved on yesterday?s lap-time by a second during this afternoon?s qualifying session, a feat made even more impressive by the fact that Spaniard chose to miss this morning?s final free practice session due to the difficult conditions. Bautista improved steadily throughout qualifying and produced his best time on his penultimate lap of the afternoon. He ended the session very tired, but again reported no pain from the femur he broke last month.

Today?s qualifying was held in dry and overcast conditions, with track temperatures reaching 26?C. The Estoril circuit still had some damp patches around its 4,182m length this afternoon, due to a heavy overnight rainstorm that soaked the circuit making it very difficult for all riders this morning and too dangerous for Bautista to risk taking to the track in his condition. Pole position was set by reigning World Champion and current championship leader Jorge Lorenzo on a factory Yamaha.

Tomorrow?s 28-lap Portuguese Grand Prix is the third round of the season, but will mark Bautista?s 2011 race debut when he takes to the track for the scheduled 13.00hr local time (12.00hr GMT) start.

?lvaro Bautista:

?Yet again I am very happy with what has happened today. This morning was a bit disappointing because the conditions were not very good, as the track was not wet, but it was not dry either. We decided not to go out in the third practice because it was too risky and we don?t need to risk anything here this weekend. This afternoon was really my third practice and I was able to start with the same lap-time as yesterday, but my rhythm was a lot more consistent. The track was still a bit damp in parts this afternoon, especially the first and last corners and the track grip was not as good as yesterday, so even though the lap-time was the same it meant that I had improved because the conditions were worse. At the end of the session my feeling had improved so I was able to push a bit more and I was able to go a second quicker than yesterday, so I am very happy about that. I feel a lot more tired today than I did yesterday, I really noticed the extra 15 minutes in the session. I need to recover for the race so I will go to the Clinica Mobile for some treatment and then get some rest. For tomorrow I hope for good weather and my target is to finish the race, I do not care about the position I just want to finish. I know I will suffer because 28-laps is a long way, but it is my target and I want to do it!?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?As we said yesterday the effort to be ready to even ride this weekend was brave, but to qualify within two seconds of pole and in front of a couple of other guys is an amazing result. Apart from his injury, ?lvaro has also had a lack of time on the bike compared to the guys that have competed in Qatar and Spain, and missing this morning?s session because of the impossible conditions didn?t really help him either. The target for tomorrow is to complete the race, move his fitness on to a higher level and get properly ready for the busy races in June. If we can achieve in the race what we did in qualifying today it was be as good ? if not better ? than we could possibly have expected.?

bwin Grande Premio de Portugal Qualifying Practice Classification:

1. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1?37.161: 2. Marco Simoncelli (Honda) +0.133: 3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +0.163: 4. Casey Stoner (Honda) +0.223: 5. Ben Spies (Yamaha) +0.705: 15. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +2.011:

 

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Edwards and Crutchlow storm to third row in Estoril

Colin EdwardsColin Edwards produced his best qualifying performance of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship in Estoril today, the American surging to a brilliant seventh position on the grid for tomorrow's Portuguese Grand Prix.

And Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Cal Crutchlow equalled his best qualifying result of his outstanding rookie campaign after the British rider set the eighth quickest time in this afternoon's session.

With small damp patches still littering sections of the 2.599 miles circuit after torrential overnight rain, Edwards and Crutchlow expertly built up their speed to qualify within 0.109s of each other at the end of a typically captivating MotoGP qualifying session.

Edwards ended with a fastest time of 1.38.080 and once again the experienced Texan was the leading non-factory rider in the ultra-competitive MotoGP field. His time was only 0.007s away from the second row as he experimented with different front-end settings throughout the hour-long session to find better turning performance with his YZR-M1 machine.

Crutchlow caught the eye once again with his all-action style thrilling a sizeable Saturday crowd ahead of tomorrow's 28-lap race. He was able to lap consistently inside the top ten throughout as forecast rain held off, despite dark clouds hanging menacingly over the track.

Just over a minute remained when Crutchlow stormed into sixth position with a lap of 1.38.190. But he was bumped back to the third row by a late burst of speed from factory Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso and Edwards. He managed to lap marginally quicker on his final lap to qualify eighth and for the third race in succession, the 2009 World Supersport champion will start in front of Italian Valentino Rossi.

Tomorrow's race is the third round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship following the recent postponement of the Japanese MotoGP race, scheduled to take place on April 24.

Colin Edwards 7th 1.38.080 ? 27 laps

?That's my best qualifying result of the season so far, so I'm happy about that when you consider how strong the field is this year. I gave it everything I had out there even though conditions weren't perfect. There were still a couple of damp patches on the track, especially at the last corner, and I couldn't take my normal line. It is the same for everybody but in a couple of places where I had to alter my line, it threw me out of my rhythm a little bit. Even with the track a bit patchy I was able to go faster than I managed yesterday, so thanks again to my guys in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. They did an awesome job and the bike feels good and in those conditions I don't think we could have gone any faster. We made a couple of changes to the front in that session and we need to sit down and look at the data to see if I'll run that set-up in the race. We might need to make another modification for the race because I'd still like the bike to turn into the corner a little better. To be right behind the factory bikes is all I can do and my team is doing a fantastic job to help get as close to the front as I am.?

Cal Crutchlow 8th 1.38.189 ? 25 laps

?I don't think I could have gone any faster or put in any extra effort than I did. And if I can keep coming to circuits that I've never seen and qualifying inside the top ten, I'm going to be really happy. At one point it looked like I might get my first second row, but to be in between Colin and Valentino on the grid for my first race here, I've got to be really happy. I pretty much lost a session too because I only did a couple of laps in the wet this morning. It wasn't worth taking any big risks and I don't think I've ever been so happy to finish last. It is not easy on this track and I'm finding it quite physical. I'm still having some issues with arm pump in my right arm and to compensate I'm using my left arm a lot and that is stressing the shoulder I had an operation on during the winter. There's no real time to relax and when you're braking from 200mph to 30mph, it is really physically demanding on the arms and shoulders. I'm really looking forward to the race now and hopefully I can reward the team with a good result after all their effort again this weekend. My aim for tomorrow will be to finish in the top ten and get some more experience of the bike under my belt.?

 

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FIFTH AND SIXTH ROWS FOR CAPIROSSI AND DE PUNIET

Ducati Pramac Racing Teams day started quite well: Loris Capirossi concluded the third free-practice session in first place, with the best time of 1:44.515. In the afternoon qualifying session, the white-and-green-dressed rider lowered his time further (also compared to yesterdays session), but nonetheless finished in 14th place with a lap time of 1:38.934. Hell therefore start from the fifth row. Meanwhile, Randy De Puniet continues to have trouble with the front end. The Frenchman, still struggling with pain in his knee after having a screw removed in early April, will start from the last row, having stopped the clock at 1:39.373.

Fabiano Sterlacchini - Pramac Racing Team Technical Director

"Its a little like in football: you construct a nice attack on the goal, but you cant really enjoy it if you dont score. Loris ideal time would have been 1:38.3, but it was all compromised by a braking error. We were a little unfortunate, and the weather conditions made it difficult to work. The third row was within our grasp. That said, we remain confident. We worked well, especially this morning. I expect a good performance tomorrow.

Loris Capirossi - Pramac Racing Team 14th, 1:38.934

The fact that were starting to understand the bike better is positive. I was doing my best lap when I made a stupid mistake: I braked too late, and the bike started to hop. Its really a shame, because we all could have been more satisfied. The fact remains that weve seen progress. We can do well tomorrow.

Randy De Puniet - Pramac Racing Team 16th, 1'39.378

Im not happy. I dont have a good feeling with the bike, especially the front. We tried different solutions compared to yesterday, but the result is always the same. The back end is better, but its not perfect. We have to continue working and try to solve these problems, because were not satisfied.

 

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Four in a Row For Lorenzo with Pole Again in Estoril

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo made it clear today he wasn?t ready to give up his record of dominance in Estoril. This afternoon?s qualifying for tomorrow?s Grand Prix of Portugal saw the reigning World Champion place his YZR-M1 on pole position for an incredible fourth consecutive time.

The threat of rain again this afternoon saw all riders on the pace quickly, looking to score a fast lap before the weather changed. Lorenzo started the session the fastest rider, then spent some time duelling with team mate Spies for second and third before delivering a decisive 1?37.161 to secure pole. The achievement means Lorenzo now has the record for the Spanish rider with most pole position starts in all GP classes in the modern era with 43. This is also his 17th MotoGP pole position start, equalling Dani Pedrosa, a record for Spanish riders in the premier class.

Fellow Yamaha Factory rider Spies was also on full attack this afternoon. After a challenging start to his first dry sessions on the Estoril circuit yesterday, Spies made big steps forward in today?s qualifying. The Texan?s crew worked hard from the morning?s free practice session to deliver a competitive set up that gave Spies the opportunity to challenge the top riders for grid position. Having spent some time in the one hour heat contesting the second place spot with his team mate, Spies eventually settled for fifth at the end and a second row start for tomorrow?s race.
Jorge Lorenzo
Position 1st - Time 1.37.161 - Laps 29

?Today has been complicated; I?ve got it just by a tenth in the end, managing five good laps with the softer tyre. The most important thing is the race though, not that I have 43 pole position starts. This track is strange to ride on, quite old with lots of holes so you have to ride with care. I need a good start tomorrow, be focussed, intelligent and have good luck. The bike is improving, it?s much better in fast corners but we could be faster on the straight.?
Ben Spies
Position 5th - Time 1.37.866 - Laps 29

?It was a good session for us; we definitely made the bike better after we?ve been struggling a bit this weekend. I knew we were capable of it if we got the bike working with the right set up. We?re not 100% but I?m happy to be in the middle of the second row. Hopefully we can get a good start and put together a good race. I?m definitely feeling a lot better after qualifying than I did yesterday.?

Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
?The first pole of the season so of course we are very satisfied with it. We know Jorge is good here at Estoril but our mission is to be on the podium and keep our unbroken podium finish run alive. Of course to have pole is nice but tomorrow is the race, it will be a difficult one so it is important to start well.?


Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
?A good improvement today, Ben delivered an impressive qualifying session. Now we have a rider on first and second row which is a good starting point for the race. Here it is not easy to overtake people so it is very important that we have these positions. Jorge started yesterday determined and he finished qualifying today the same way with a really impressive result.?

Edwards and Crutchlow storm to third row in Estoril

Colin Edwards produced his best qualifying performance of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship in Estoril today, the American surging to a brilliant seventh position on the grid for tomorrow's Portuguese Grand Prix.

And Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Cal Crutchlow equalled his best qualifying result of his outstanding rookie campaign after the British rider set the eighth quickest time in this afternoon's session. With small damp patches still littering sections of the 2.599 miles circuit after torrential overnight rain, Edwards and Crutchlow expertly built up their speed to qualify within 0.109s of each other at the end of a typically captivating MotoGP qualifying session.

Edwards ended with a fastest time of 1.38.080 and once again the experienced Texan was the leading non-factory rider in the ultra-competitive MotoGP field. His time was only 0.007s away from the second row as he experimented with different front-end settings throughout the hour-long session to find better turning performance with his YZR-M1 machine.

Crutchlow caught the eye once again with his all-action style thrilling a sizeable Saturday crowd ahead of tomorrow's 28-lap race. He was able to lap consistently inside the top ten throughout as forecast rain held off, despite dark clouds hanging menacingly over the track.

Just over a minute remained when Crutchlow stormed into sixth position with a lap of 1.38.190. But he was bumped back to the third row by a late burst of speed from factory Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso and Edwards. He managed to lap marginally quicker on his final lap to qualify eighth and for the third r ace in succession, the 2009 World Supersport champion will start in front of Italian Valentino Rossi.

Tomorrow's race is the third round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship following the recent postponement of the Japanese MotoGP race, scheduled to take place on April 24.
Colin Edwards
Position 7th - Time 1.38.080 - Laps 27

?That's my best qualifying result of the season so far, so I'm happy about that when you consider how strong the field is this year. I gave it everything I had out there even though conditions weren't perfect. There were still a couple of damp patches on the track, especially at the last corner, and I couldn't take my normal line. It is the same for everybody but in a couple of places where I had to alter my line, it threw me out of my rhythm a little bit. Even with the track a bit patchy I was able to go fas ter than I managed yesterday, so thanks again to my guys in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. They did an awesome job and the bike feels good and in those conditions I don't think we could have gone any faster. We made a couple of changes to the front in that session and we need to sit down and look at the data to see if I'll run that set-up in the race. We might need to make another modification for the race because I'd still like the bike to turn into the corner a little better. To be right behind the factory bikes is all I can do and my team is doing a fantastic job to help get as close to the front as I am.?
Cal Crutchlow
Position 8th - Time 1.38.189 - Laps 25

?I don't think I could have gone any faster or put in any extra effort than I did. And if I can keep coming to circuits that I've never seen and qualifying inside the top ten, I'm going to be really happy. At one point it look ed like I might get my first second row, but to be in between Colin and Valentino on the grid for my first race here, I've got to be really happy. I pretty much lost a session too because I only did a couple of laps in the wet this morning. It wasn't worth taking any big risks and I don't think I've ever been so happy to finish last. It is not easy on this track and I'm finding it quite physical. I'm still having some issues with arm pump in my right arm and to compensate I'm using my left arm a lot and that is stressing the shoulder I had an operation on during the winter. There's no real time to relax and when you're braking from 200mph to 30mph, it is really physically demanding on the arms and shoulders. I'm really looking forward to the race now and hopefully I can reward the team with a good result after all their effort again this weekend. My aim for tomorrow will be to finish in the top ten and get some more experience of the bike under my belt.?

2011 MotoGP Portugal
Estoril 30/04/2011
1 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'37.161
2 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 1'37.294
3 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 1'37.324
4 Casey Stoner Honda AUS 1'37.384
5 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 1'37.866
6 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 1'38.073
7 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 1'38.080
8 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'38.189
9 Valentino Rossi Ducati ITA 1'38.271
10 Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 1'38.363
11 Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 1'38.497
12 Karel Abraham Ducati CZE 1'38.786
13 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 1'38.922
14 Loris Capirossi Ducati ITA 1'38.934
15 Alvaro Bautista Suzuki ESP 1'39.172

 

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Brilliant Simoncelli second quickest, Lorenzo on pole

Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) was Honda?s star performer in qualifying for tomorrow?s Portuguese Grand Prix, the Italian ending this afternoon?s session second quickest, just 0.133s slower than pole-sitter Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha). Honda RC212V riders packed the first two rows of the grid with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) third fastest, Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda RC212V) fourth and Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda RC212V) sixth.

The weather at Estoril ? close to Portugal?s Atlantic coast ? has been typically changeable since the action got underway yesterday morning. Following heavy rain yesterday afternoon, stormy grey clouds threatened at the start of qualifying, encouraging riders to get down to business and immediately chase the fastest-possible lap time in case of a cloudburst. In fact the rain didn?t come, though the track was still damp in places from overnight rainfall, with Lorenzo?s best lap 1.4s off the pole position record. More rain is forecast for tomorrow.

Simoncelli has been in top form since arriving here, the tall Italian proving once again that he improves with every race. Four weeks after he led the race at rain-soaked Jerez, Simoncelli dominated free practice and led most of qualifying here. During different stages of this afternoon?s session he came under pressure from Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Ben Spies (Yamaha), but he always responded with a faster lap time. In the final few minutes, however, he slid off and was unable to prevent Lorenzo from taking pole position, his fourth in a row at Estoril. This is Simoncelli?s second front-row start in MotoGP and his best-ever grid position in the premier class, following his third place in qualifying for last year?s season-ending Valencia GP.

Pedrosa was happy with third place, considering that this is his first weekend on the bike since he underwent further surgery on the left shoulder he injured at Motegi last October. After Jerez, surgeons operated to relieve pressure on a pinched artery that had been interrupting blood flow in the shoulder. So far, the surgery seems to be a success, but Pedrosa says he won?t know for sure until he has ridden full-race distance. This afternoon he was just 0.030s slower than Simoncelli and is confident that he can race with Lorenzo if he makes some minor set-up tweaks to his RCV.

Stoner had a difficult Friday, struggling to find a good set-up for this tricky racetrack, and with this morning?s session spoiled by a mostly damp track, the Australian had little chance to improve things for qualifying. Winner of the season-opening Qatar GP, Stoner?s main focus here has been improving machine performance during braking and in the middle of the corner. During qualifying the bike did start to work better, but when he knuckled down to his final runs, he couldn?t get the grip he wanted from the soft rear tyre. Nevertheless, he is running fast ? a mere 0.060s off the front row and only 0.223s off pole.

Dovizioso got to grips with Estoril today, pushing harder than he had yesterday thanks to improvements to his RCV?s front end. The Italian ? who ended qualifying 0.912s behind Lorenzo ? still has work to do in morning warm-up, so he will be hoping for a dry session to allow him to run a faster pace during the race.

Simoncelli?s team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) ended the afternoon in 11th position, 1.336s off pole. The former 250 World Champion ? who finished a brilliant fourth at Jerez ? is convinced he could have been closer to the front of the grid if he hadn?t made a mistake on his final qualifying run.

Toni Elias (LCR Honda MotoGP RC212V) had another challenging two days of practice and qualifying, the Spaniard still unable to find a set-up that works for his radical riding style. Indeed he struggled particularly today because the relatively low track temperatures prevented him from generating enough heat in the rear tyre.

Honda MotoGP rider quotes

Marco Simoncelli, San Carlo Honda Gresini: 2nd ? 1m, 37.294s
?There?s a bit of disappointment and there?s no use hiding it because after dominating the two sessions yesterday and then this afternoon the pole position was in my hands. Unfortunately I made a little mistake which prevented me from improving my fastest lap. Anyway, turning our attention to the race I have to be happy because my race pace is quick and I am confident with the bike even though we have a little problem with the front. The front tyre available to us is a little soft for us and moves around a lot so maybe a harder option would have been better. We have improved the grip on the rear so I think tomorrow we can be fighting for the win if not the podium. To be annoyed at not being on pole position is not a bad thing. Tomorrow will be a tough race but I?m ready to fight and give my all. ?

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 3rd ? 1m, 37.324s
?I?m very satisfied with this front row today. It was a very close session as it always is in this circuit and our main target this afternoon was to be on the front row, so I?m happy about this. For tomorrow, we will try to set up our bike a bit better for the race distance. I know that physically it will be tough for me because after the recent surgery my shoulder has improved a little but it is still very stiff and the muscles hurt. Anyway, I hope to be able to stay with Lorenzo because for sure he will be consistent and that will be one of the key points in the race. The weather is nothing that we can change, so we will need to also be ready to do our best in any condition.?

Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda: 4th ? 1m, 37.384s
?Today hasn?t really been that great for us either, this morning?s session was pretty much a waste of time we were just working on our wet setting that we weren?t really happy with in Jerez. We improved that situation a little and we can hopefully expect a better feeling next time in wet conditions. This afternoon we continued on from yesterday, trying to find a better balance under braking and mid-turn corner speed but it wasn?t until towards the middle, end of session that we started to make some improvements with the bike. Every time I went out the balance didn?t feel correct so we tried to go in another direction, finally we found the right route and we improved a little bit more each run after that, but unfortunately I wasn?t able to use the qualifying tyre like I wanted to. When I went out there with the only new tyre that we had for the session, I made a few mistakes in the early laps so didn?t really use the best of the tyre. I think the race potential is there now and hopefully we can have a good race tomorrow.?

Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda: 6th ? 1m, 38.073s
?It is important to start from a good position so I?m happy to start from the second row tomorrow. We worked on the setting and stability in the front improved so I could push more this afternoon, compared with yesterday. I rode quite consistently but I wasn?t able to gain some more tenths and lap under 1m, 38s. We have two points we would like to work on tomorrow so I hope that the track conditions are fine during the warm up. Today?s result gives us more confidence for the race after a difficult session yesterday".

Hiroshi Aoyama, San Carlo Honda Gresini: 11th ? 1m, 38.497s
?The track conditions were really difficult with a lot of humidity out there and it was hard to stay on line. Anyway, I found a good set-up and I was quite confident with the tyres ? definitely better than yesterday. We still have a few small problems but we will analyse the data and try to solve them. I could have ended up with a better position but unfortunately I made a little mistake that cost me a good lap time and a higher placing on the grid.?

Toni Elias, LCR Honda MotoGP: 17th ? 1m, 39.894s
?Unfortunately we are back to our initial set-up problems. The track temperature in the afternoon was too low compared with yesterday and we struggled to warm up the rear tyre. Then we started to have some front grip issues through the session and I was losing the front in many corners. Yesterday I was more positive about my feeling on the bike but in these conditions I could not warm up the rear tyre and I am a bit frustrated now. We?ll see if we can fix this problem because I know I can be faster than this.?
Pole position : 1m37.161m (154.951Km/h) Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha
Circuit record lap : 1m36.937m (155.309Km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2009)
Circuit Best Lap : 1m35.715m (157.291Km/h) Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha, 2008)
Qualifying position
1 Jorge Lorenzo 1m37.161s SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
2 Marco Simoncelli +0.133s ITA HONDA Honda Gresini
3 Dani Pedrosa +0.163s SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
4 Casey Stoner +0.223s AUS HONDA Repsol Honda Team
5 Ben Spies +0.705s USA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
6 Andrea Dovizioso +0.912s ITA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
7 Colin Edwards +0.919s USA YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
8 Cal Crutchlow +1.028s GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
9 Valentino Rossi +1.110s ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
10 Hector Barbera +1.202s SPA DUCATI Aspar Ducati
11 Hiroshi Aoyama +1.336s JPN HONDA Honda Gresini
12 Karel Abraham +1.625s CZE DUCATI Cardion AB Ducati
13 Nicky Hayden +1.761s USA DUCATI Ducati Team
14 Loris Capirossi +1.773s ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
15 Alvaro Bautista +2.011s SPA SUZUKI Suzuki MotoGP
16 Randy De Puniet +2.217s FRA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
17 Toni Elias +2.733s SPA HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
Championship standings
1 Jorge Lorenzo 45 pts SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
2 Dani Pedrosa 36 pts SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
3 Casey Stoner 25 pts AUS HONDA Repsol Honda Team
4 Nicky Hayden 23 pts USA DUCATI Ducati Team
5 Valentino Rossi 20 pts ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
6 Hiroshi Aoyama 19 pts JPN HONDA Honda Gresini
7 Andrea Dovizioso 17 pts ITA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
8 Hector Barbera 14 pts SPA DUCATI Aspar Ducati
9 Cal Crutchlow 13 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
10 Karel Abraham 12 pts CZE DUCATI Cardion AB Ducati
11 Marco Simoncelli 11 pts ITA HONDA Honda Gresini
12 Ben Spies 10 pts USA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
13 Colin Edwards 8 pts USA YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
14 Toni Elias 7 pts SPA HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
15 John Hopkins 6 pts USA SUZUKI Suzuki MotoGP
16 Loris Capirossi 5 pts ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
17 Alvaro Bautista 0 pts SPA SUZUKI Suzuki MotoGP

 

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ROSSI ON THIRD ROW IN ESTORIL, HAYDEN THIRTEENTH

With conditions more variable than they had been on Friday, the two Ducati Marlboro Team riders struggled more than expected to find the best setup during qualifying for the Portuguese Grand Prix.

The third free-practice session, which took place on a mostly wet track, was positive for both riders, with Hayden third and Rossi fourth, while the afternoon session, which was dry but with a slightly dirty track, saw the Italian finish ninth and the American thirteenth.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 9th, 1:38.271
?I?m a little disappointed with my performance today because I expected to get the fifth- or sixth-best time and be on the second row; that was the target. Unfortunately, though, it was a little more difficult than expected, and I wasn?t able to ride like I could yesterday since I didn?t have as much feeling. I couldn?t fight for a position that we would have been happier with. I struggled a little with the track conditions, as I didn?t have enough grip, especially on the front, and we?re trying to understand why. For tomorrow, we have to try to improve something with the front setup in order to still have a good race. I think the best pace will be around 1:37.5, and I?d be very happy to get in the high 1:37s, but we?ll have to find something in order to do that. I?m not hoping for a wet race, because although it?s true that we might be able to have more fun, racing in the dry makes it possible to understand more. Really, both options are fine.?

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro Team) 13th, 1:38.922
?I really thought we had made some good progress yesterday, and I?m certainly not thrilled about qualifying thirteenth, especially when we were third this morning?I liked the sound of that a lot better. This morning we went out on the slicks and had a pretty decent feeling for a patchy track. In the afternoon, the track was pretty dry apart from a few patches, but it was definitely cooler and dirty, which didn?t help with the tyres. I just wasn?t able to get enough grip, especially in the front and over the bumps. I had one front tyre that we couldn?t get to come in for some reason, and between losing those laps and coming back in to change it, we lost some time there. We also made a change with the rear to try to get it to turn better, and maybe we went too far and got it a bit wrong. Anyway, that clearly wasn?t good enough, but we?ll give it our best tomorrow.?

 

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Top six for Edwards, Crutchlow shines again in Estoril

Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow continued their excellent start to the 2011 MotoGP World Championship in today's Portuguese Grand Prix after the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team duo stormed to top eight finishes in Estoril.

Edwards claimed a season best sixth place finish after he'd produced a magnificent early challenge to fight with Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso as the Italian pair battled for fourth spot.

Taking advantage of the best weather conditions of the weekend that saw air temperatures hit 20 degrees, the experienced American looked poised to join the Rossi and Dovizioso battle on lap ten when he closed to within 1.5s of Dovizioso with a determined performance. But he almost immediately started to encounter a side grip issue and despite a rousing effort to remain in touch with Rossi and Dovizioso, he settled for a safe sixth position to finish leading non-factory rider once again. His top six position also moved him back into the top ten in the overall World Championship standings on 18-points after three rounds.

Crutchlow looked on course to secure his best MotoGP finish of a rookie season in which the British rider continues to show his incredible speed. The 2009 World Supersport champion was in outstanding form in the early stages to pull away from an exciting battle involving Hiroshi Aoyama, Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies.

Only Aoyama had the speed to match Crutchlow and the pair engaged in a captivating battle for seventh position. Aoyama took seventh on lap 20, but determined not to let the former 250cc World Champion streak away, Crutchlow retaliated on lap 25 with a clinically executed overtake. Crutchlow kept the hard charging Japanese rider at bay until the start of the final lap, and despite a brilliant attempt to re-pass at the final chicane, Crutchlow was just unable to claim seventh.

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team will now prepare for its all-important home race at the historic Le Mans circuit later this month, with Edwards and Crutchlow looking to cement the Team's position as the leading independent squad in the MotoGP World Championship.

Colin Edwards 6th ? 18 points

"I don't know what happened at the start but there was stuff going on everywhere. I saw Casey have a big moment and then Simoncelli needed a parachute, so it was just survival for the first few corners and see what happened. I saw Valentino and Andrea right in front of me and I was ready to reel them in. I was getting closer but I was pushing so hard just to stay in touch I lost a bit of side grip in the middle of the race and the lap times dropped a bit. I couldn't have tried any harder to catch them and felt I had the pace in some areas, but when I opened the throttle the traction control would kick in because I was having quite a bit of wheelspin. But to be in the top six in this field is still a great achievement for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team and me. I can't really ask for anything more because I know the package I'm on and I know how fast the factory bikes are and the guys sat on top of them. A top six to take into the next race in France gives us all a lot of confidence because that is a big race for Tech 3 and Monster and I'm already looking forwad to going there.?

Cal Crutchlow 8th ? 21 points

?I'm happy enough with that because before the start of the weekend I'd have never thought it possible to finish in the top eight on a circuit I'd never even seen before. And considering I had problems with both my arms all weekend, it is a great feeling. My right arm, which I had the operation is fine, but my left arm is really sore because I've been compensating with it. But the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team have been awesome all weekend. They have experience of helping rookie riders and they are doing a great job for me. And they've adjusted the bike to help me feel more comfortable with the arm problems. It is a shame I couldn't quite beat Aoyama at the end. Earlier in the race I felt really comfortable and kept some really fast and experienced guys behind me. It was a really good battle with Aoyama and while I don't like to get beaten in a last lap fight, I gave him a good run for his money and it is great experience for me to be in a scrap like that. If I keep doing what I'm doing at the moment then there is no reason why on tracks that I know that I can't be even further up. I'm really looking forward to Le Mans now. It is a massive race for the Team being in France and also for Monster, so I'll be looking to get another top ten finish.?

 

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Bautista completes Portuguese Grand Prix to seal a remarkable comeback

?lvaro Bautista gave another courageous performance on his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R at Estoril today to not only finish the Portuguese Grand Prix, but to also score points and show that he had come to race and not just finish the 28-laps.

Bautista got a great start from 15th on the grid and by the end of the first lap had moved into 12th place, but he was forced to take avoiding action on the second lap as another rider fell in front of him. Karel Abraham crashed his Ducati and although Bautista tried to take a different line to miss him, the Suzuki star was forced out wide and into the gravel. Bautista stayed on-board and re-joined the race, but had lost valuable time and was too far behind the pack to continue his assault. As the race wore on Bautista produced consistent laps that would have seen him compete in the top-10, but because of the earlier incident he was forced to ride a lonely race with only the clock to compete against and his determination to finish the race. He eventually crossed the line in 13th place and, although he was suffering from the injury he sustained at Qatar, he was very pleased to finish his first Grand Prix of 2011.

Overnight rain again made this morning?s warm-up quite difficult, but fortunately the storm clouds stayed away from the race and conditions improved in time for the start. Today?s event was watched by just over 40,000 people at trackside and they saw Spaniard Dani Pedrosa on a Honda take his first victory of the season, with current championship leader Jorge Lorenzo second.

Rizla Suzuki and Bautista will now stay at Estoril for a day of testing, where they will be joined by Factory test rider Nobuatsu Aoki. The team will next be in race action at the historical Le Mans circuit in France on Sunday 15th May, where Bautista will certainly be looking to improve on this weekend?s performance as his healing process continues and his race fitness returns.

?lvaro Bautista:

?I have some mixed emotions today. I am happy because I made the target of finishing the race, but after a decent start and getting in to a good position early on, I am really disappointed that I had to run off the track because Abraham crashed in front of me. I tried to take a different line, but I had to go into the gravel and I lost too much time from the main group. I did the rest of the race alone and ok, we finished, but I would have liked to have battled with other riders. I think it was possible to fight with Toni, Loris and Randy today - or maybe even better! The first target was to finish the race, so we have to be happy about that and now I have 14 days to improve the strength and power in my leg and go to Le Mans in a much better condition than I came here. My body and my mind are now more prepared for racing, so I am really looking forward to the next race.

?I want to say a big thank-you to all the team and to everyone that supported me during the last month. If I can make this effort to be here and finish this race, part of what I did was because all of them believed in me all the time. I also want to say a very Happy Mother?s Day to all the Mums in Spain, especially my own!?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?Today is the same very positive story as the rest of the weekend. For ?lvaro to complete race distance and at a far more competitive pace than we could have expected when we were in the hospital in Qatar six weeks ago, is just incredible! The race itself turned into a fitness test after he ran off the track because of Abraham?s crash, but finally we also got a bit of luck as ?lvaro was able to avoid all the carnage around him in the first lap as several other riders crashed.

?On behalf of the whole team, I?d like to thank everybody involved in ?lvaro?s recovery, both in Qatar and Spain. But the main plaudits have to go to ?lvaro himself ? his commitment to get back as quickly as he has done has been inspirational. Le Mans is the next step and when we arrive in Catalunya we will be pushing to the maximum again!?

bwin Grande Premio de Portugal Race Classification:

1. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 45?51.483: 2. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +3.051: 3. Casey Stoner (Honda) +7.658: 4. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) +16.530: 5. Valentino Rossi (Ducati) +16.555: 13. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1?24.370:

World Championship Classification:

1. Lorenzo 65: 2. Pedrosa 61: 3. Stoner 41: 4. Rossi 31: 5. Nicky Hayden (Ducati) 30: 18. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 3:

 

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Lorenzo Retains Championship Lead with Estoril Podium

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo extended his unbroken run of podium finishes today in Portugal for the third round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship. Having taken his fourth consecutive Estoril pole position start in yesterday?s qualifying heat, the reigning World Champion retained the lead from the off. Lorenzo completed a perfect 25 lap run in the lead before relinquishing to Pedrosa just three laps from the end, crossing the line in second place to take valuable championship points.

Lorenzo?s team mate Ben Spies was again denied the opportunity to complete the MotoGP race in Estoril. A tool used to temporarily block the fuel overflow pipe on grid was accidentally left in place for the race start, compromising the Texan?s ability to ride competitively. The tool?s location adjacent to the front brake lever made it impossible for him to brake effectively, ultimately affecting his concentration which resulted in a crash with fifteen laps remaining of the race.

The team will remain at Estoril tomorrow for an official MotoGP test session before heading to Le Mans in two weeks time for round four. Following today?s race Lorenzo adds another 20 points to his championship tally, giving him a total of 65 at the top of the table. Spies remains on ten points and sits in 14th position.

Jorge Lorenzo Position : 2nd Time: +3.051



?I made a good start and I?m really happy for that then I pushed to my maximum to try to open the gap to Dani. Unfortunately today was not the day for that, he was too strong and consistent and at the end he was maybe fresher to push. Second is a good result, we have a lot of points from three races so I think we are in a good way to keep fighting for the championship. I want to thank my team who worked really hard this weekend to make sure we were as competitive as we could be.?


Ben Spies Position : DNF Time:



?I am bitterly disappointed with today. After a lot of hard work by the crew this weekend we started the race with a very competitive set up and I was feeling good. When I noticed the tool hadn?t been removed I tried to do it myself because it was right in there next to my brake lever. I managed to get it off but then this loose tube was flying around which was pretty scary. It really messed with my concentration as I was worried about taking out another rider in one of the corners and then I crashed. After the DNF at Jerez this was really frustrating as it was completely out of my control, nothing to it now but to move on and come back strong for Le Mans.?


Wilco Zeelenberg
Team Manager


?A second place here at Estoril is very good, of course we would like to have won but it didn?t happen. Jorge led for 25 laps but Dani held on and had a little bit extra in his pocket at the end. He looked very stable and clean when he passed so Jorge was smart to settle for second. We gained a bit in split one and lost a bit in split four from qualifying, you win some, you lose some. Second place is ok and we?re still leading the championship. We?re going for podiums and if we can win then we?ll try, today we couldn?t.?


Massimo Meregalli
Team Director


?Lorenzo took a lot of important points for the championship today. He led for most of the race riding impeccably. When he understood it was difficult to retain the lead he showed his maturity as a racer to secure second place. Ben has again been unlucky at Estoril. It is unfortunate that sometimes these human errors occur in racing at all levels. Fortunately he was uninjured and was able to avoid involving any other riders in the incident. Our focus is now on the test tomorrow and Le Mans in two weeks time.?


Results

1. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 45'51.483
2. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing + 3.051
3. Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team + 7.658
4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team + 16.530
5. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team + 16.555
6. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 + 32.575
7. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini + 38.749
8. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 + 40.912
9. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team + 54.887
10. Randy De Puniet (FRA) Pramac Racing Team + 59.697
11. Toni Elias (SPA) LCR Honda MotoGP + 1'00.374
12. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Pramac Racing Team + 1'01.793
13. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP + 1'24.370
14. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing Not classified (16 laps)
15. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing Not classified (27 laps)
16. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini Not starting
17. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team Not starting


Championship Standings

1 Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 65
2 Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 61
3 Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 41
4 Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team 31
5 Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team 30
6 Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini 28
7 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 26
8 Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 21
9 Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 18
10 Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team 14
11 Toni Elias (SPA) LCR Honda MotoGP 12
12 Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing 12
13 Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 11
14 Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 10
15 Loris Capirossi (ITA) Pramac Racing Team 9
16 Randy De Puniet (FRA) Pramac Racing Team 6
17 Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 3

 

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DE PUNIET AND CAPIREX IN THE POINTS. THE FRANCHMAN TOMORROW WILL RETURN AT HOME FOR A CHECK-UP

In was back to the sunshine for the MotoGP series after two days of practice and qualifying in the rain and wind. There was good news for Pramac Racing Team, which for the first time this year had both of its ridersRandy de Puniet and Loris Capirossifinish the race. The Frenchman, in particular, erased his disappointing results in practice and in qualifying by finishing the race in tenth place anddespite the sharp pain in his left knee, which recently underwent surgeryearning his first points of the season. Loris Capirossi, on the other hand, expected much more. Motivated by the continuing progress with his Ducati Desmosedici, the Italian had hoped to continue to keep pace in the early laps of the race. His twelfth place is worth 4 points. Theres a test tomorrow at Estoril, but not for Randy: the rider will return at home for a check-up.

Marco Rigamonti - Track Engineer, Randy De Puniet 


"Were surprised. Randys race was affected by his knee pain, but were satisfied overall. We were able to take some points home in the end. Well try to solve the problems -which we didnt manage to do this weekend- with the bike before Le Mans, which we didnt manage to do this weekend. The bike seems to work well on some tracks, like Qatar and Estoril, whereas at others we cant get it like we want it.

Randy De Puniet - Pramac Racing Team - 10th in race - 16th in MotoGP standings

"I'm partly happy. Before the start of the race, if I knew I'd finish tenth, Id have celebrated the result this weekend. But I dont know what happened with my knee. It hurts very badly in the race, and I didnt have enough strength in my legs. I had X-rays earlier this week, but I dont know how my ligaments are. I hope its not anything serious, but tomorrow I will return at home for a check-up. As for the bike, well try to fix the problems with the front. Im happy for the six points earned, but without the pain in my knee, my result would undoubtedly have been better. We must work to find the same feeling glimpsed at Losail and Jerez."

Loris Capirossi - Pramac Racing Team - 12th in race - 15th in MotoGP standings 


"I expected a different outcome, certainly something better from this race. Whether the results obtained in these two days, both for started. I was just very aggressive, I spent a lot of motion. But the problems with the front slowed down my pace by a second per lap. Its unfortunate, because we had worked well. Now well focus on the test, where well try to make some progress. We must be positive and have a winning mentality. Were only at the third race."