Press Release

[KUCIAR666]

Press Releases and pictures-GP Valencia

If you want read some Press Release from different teams I can attach all releases what I got....like this:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2005
ROUND 17 - GRAND PRIX BETANDWIN.COM DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
04 NOVEMBER 2005 - FREE PRACTICE


PAINFUL DAY FOR NAKANO AND HOFMANN IN VALENCIA
The opening day of free practice for the final race of the season proved a painful one for Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia today.

Following two crashes in the morning free practice session, Nakano was forced to stop early in the afternoon session, suffering a painful injury to his left hand.

And while Hofmann completed an impressive 53 laps across the two hours of practice, he also finished the day feeling less than 100% fit. Today was Hofmann's first day of track action aboard the Ninja ZX-RR after a seven week injury lay-off.

After completing just 11 laps in the afternoon free practice session, Nakano stopped to have further treatment on his injured hand. He finished 15th fastest, one place behind Hofmann in 14th.

Nakano's day got off to a poor start when he was bumped from his Ninja ZX-RR by Loris Capirossi's sliding Ducati just seven minutes into the first session. Later in the session he high-sided, and suffered bruising, but no fractures, to the back of his left hand.

After treatment at the Clinica Mobile, Nakano rode with painkillers in the afternoon session, but was still suffering while operating the clutch during downshifts and braking.

Following further treatment Nakano expects to be fit for tomorrow's qualifying and Sunday's race.

Hofmann made a safe and steady return to track action, while riding with two plates and 16 screws in his left ankle and foot.

Hofmann was eager for track time to rebuild his confidence and speed following his crash in the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. He worked through a range of technical set-ups and tyre evaluations for Bridgestone and will continue the programme tomorrow.

Track conditions were cool and overcast for both of today's sessions.

Alex Hofmann: #66 - Fourteenth - 1'34.778
"It feels good to be back in MotoGP and I'm a little surprised that I have made it back so soon after the injuries at Motegi - no doctors thought this was possible. I'm feeling a little pain and restricted movement in my left ankle, but it's acceptable, and I did not want to use painkillers and lose any feeling. Speed wise I'm quite happy to be just 1.3s off the best time after being away for seven weeks, but for sure I'm not in 100% condition - either physically or mentally. When you are away you realise it takes time to adjust to the speed of these bikes. Today was mainly to get some rhythm, and although I had some problems with right side grip we have different tyre options to try tomorrow, one with better edge-grip that Shinya used today."

Shinya Nakano: #56 - Fifteenth - 1'34.832
"I stopped early today to have further treatment and preserve my condition for Sunday's race, there are still two days to go. I rode with painkillers and they did a good job, but after 10 laps I felt some sharp pain in the back of my hand, it was difficult to control the clutch during downshifts and braking. In the first crash Loris was already sliding when he pushed me off, and then I had a high-side and injured my hand. It is not a good start to the weekend, but I hope to recover some strength in my hand and be ready to race."

Press Release issued by: Kawasaki Racing Team Press Office

It?s your choice :-:

 

[Samster]

Kuciar that's great by me........ just keep them all in one thread.

Your input's appreciated :beer:

 

[KUCIAR666]

Suzuki Press Release

ok no problem I will keep them all in one thread....

Aoki leads the way for Team SUZUKI MotoGP at Valencia

Nobuatsu Aoki was the fastest Suzuki rider after today?s free practice sessions for this weekend?s Gran Premio betandwin.com de la Comunitat Valenciana in Spain, with team-mate John Hopkins just a tenth of a second behind.

Aoki (P12, 1?34.512) is riding in only his second MotoGP race of the season and is deputing for the injured Kenny Roberts Jr this weekend. The experienced Japanese rider used the morning session to re-acquaint himself with the GSV-R and quickly settled into a smooth rhythm. In the second free practice period Aoki was testing some of the latest engine management software and was very pleased with the improvement in performance. His lap times showed that his enthusiasm was justified as he took nearly two and a half seconds off the best time he had done in the morning.

Hopkins (P13, 1?34.651) was equally pleased with the day?s practice as he was able to put together some consistent runs at a near-competitive pace. The Anglo-American star believes that he can still get more from his GSV-R and is certain that the latest generation of Bridgestone tyres will give him the edge-grip he requires to do just that.

Today?s practice was held in dry but cloudy conditions, with track and surface temperatures both in the low 20?s. The fastest time of the day was set by Marco Melandri. Tomorrow will see both Suzuki racers take to the track for another free practice session before the excitement of the qualifying takes place in the afternoon. Sunday?s event is the final round of the MotoGP World Championship and the 30-lap race will get underway at 14.00hrs CET.

Nobuatsu Aoki:

?In the morning I struggled a bit because I was riding what was still Kenny?s bike. But this afternoon the guys adjusted the suspension and settings for me, which made it feel more like mine. This gave me more feeling and more confidence. I have tested tyres today to find out what I will need for Sunday and we have also tried many other things. The biggest step this afternoon though was the new software ? which I can?t say much about as it is pretty secret ? but it certainly made the torque of the bike easier and more comfortable to use. We still need to make adjustments and if we can make the right ones I am sure well can improve more.?

John Hopkins:

?Today we have been trying to sort everything out with bike. We have put in a lot of race laps at a consistent pace. We are struggling a bit with edge grip at the moment and need to get that right, but Bridgestone have brought some newer tyres and hopefully we can choose the right one for Sunday. We are doing consistent times but we need to be doing them a second below what they are at the moment if we are to challenge in the race.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?After all the trials and tribulations of the last two races it is good to have a full day?s practice with two riders under our belts. Nobu has performed great considering this is only his second race of the year! He showed the biggest improvement by any rider this afternoon by shaving over two seconds from his best morning lap time. He used his crew to its full extent to get the GSV-R how he wanted it and his afternoon performance showed that. He has been testing some new engine management software and has given very good feedback on the difference it has made the bike?s characteristics.

?John is still looking for some extra grip to give him the chance to show what he can do around this circuit. It is certainly a real racers track and should be suited to his all out style and I?m sure that between himself, his crew chief and Bridgestone they will find the best solution for tomorrow?s practice and Sunday?s race.?

 

[KUCIAR666]

Gauloises racing Press Release

next Press Release.....

First day / YAMAHA FACTORY RACING RIDERS PREPARE FOR FINAL PUSH


Yamaha Factory Racing riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards began making preparations for the final round of the 2005 MotoGP World Championship at Valencia today, with the cloudy conditions at the Ricardo Tormo circuit brightened by the return of the factory?s traditional red, white and black racing colours. Both riders? YZR-M1 machines and leathers are decorated in the famous livery, in commemoration of Yamaha's 50th Anniversary and its extraordinarily successful year in racing this season.

Rossi was seventh fastest in both sessions as he worked on adapting the set-up of his machine to the demands of a tight and twisty circuit after the fast and flowing characteristics of Phillip Island and Istanbul. There is certainly more to come from the Italian tomorrow after he ended the day with a lap time which was over 1.5 seconds outside his pole position record of 1?32.478, set two seasons ago. Colin Edwards also made a steady start to the weekend, lapping tenth fastest as he continued to work on a new riding style designed to increase his corner speed.

VALENTINO ROSSI (7th - 1?34.040; 53 laps)

?I like the colour scheme very much ? it is like going back to the 1970s. The bike and the leathers look really nice. Today we?re having a few problems with the front end and also with acceleration. We are losing a lot of time in the slow corners and we are not strong at the end of the lap in general. We have some problems and some of the others are very fast but I am not too worried. We?ve had difficulties before on a Friday and worked them out for Saturday so I am confident we can overcome them on this occasion too. Everybody is tired because seventeen races in a season is a lot but we will keep pushing until the end.?

COLIN EDWARDS (10th ? 1?34.129; 57 laps)

?I am getting to grips with this new riding style and I feel I have made a big step forward already this weekend. Every time I go out on the track I make progress and the team has been very helpful. My Crew Chief Daniele is showing me where I can be faster and where I can be later on the brakes, which is really helping ? there?s definitely a team effort going on. I feel the times are there this weekend but I now have to find the confidence in myself to push on and keep moving forward. We will see what else we can come up with tomorrow.?

DAVIDE BRIVIO ? GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR

?It was another slow start to the weekend for us, something we have become used to this season! The positions don?t look good but there are a lot of riders who are close together and if we make the improvements we know we are capable of, then both our riders should be much higher up tomorrow. As usual on a Friday we analyse the information and try to find as many solutions before practice continues tomorrow.?
Toni Elias (Fortuna Yamaha Team), 11th - 1'34.161
"We've been improving in the right direction though this circuit is
really difficult and there are riders with many different riding styles.
If you make one small mistake you can lose a lot of time here. The race
will be very difficult and we cannot do big steps from all the problems
we've had this season. We give our best, trying to improve for a good
result on Sunday."

Ruben Xaus (Fortuna Yamaha Team), 19th - 1'36.057
"This morning were not sure about the condition of one of our engines
so we really had only one bike left, so our morning practice was a
little bit different than usual. In the afternoon we've been improving
step-by-step even though we still need some extra corner speed. The bike is
working quite good here and I hope to leave Valencia with a good
result."

 

[KUCIAR666]

CAMEL HONDA Press Release

and next one...

FREE PRACTICE - COMUNITAT VALENCIANA GRAND PRIX - 06/11/05 - VALENCIA


POSITIVE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE FOR CAMEL HONDA IN VALENCIA

The last Grand Prix of the 2006 season got away well for the Camel
Honda team today. By the end of the second free practice, Alex Barros
was one of only six riders able to get under one minute thirty-four.
The experienced Brazilian made the most of the base setting the team
found here in winter testing, leaving tomorrow to fine-tune things.
Youngster Kiyonari began well in the morning, closing in on the top ten
riders as he finished the session in twelfth place, but in the
afternoon he was held back by trying a few changes which didn?t pay off
as desired. The Japanese rider is confident of improvement in
tomorrow?s available two hours.

Sito Pons ? Camel Honda
?As a first day of practice things didn?t go too badly today, with Alex
showing he had a good pace going and finishing in the top three in the
morning and then in the top six in the afternoon when he rode in the
1?33 bracket. The settings he found here with the team in winter tests
have worked well and tomorrow he can calmly focus on getting things
just right and choosing the right tyres. Ryuichi got away well this
morning, but in the afternoon instead of making steps forward as we
expected, he found out that the changes they made weren?t giving the
required results. Nevertheless the technical briefing he had with the
team has helped decide which way they will go tomorrow. I think he can
massively improve on today.?

Alex Barros ? Camel Honda ? 1?33.967 ? 6th fastest
?this is a short track and it?s not too quick either, so it doesn?t
need a great deal of power, especially in the first three gears. This
morning we focused on the electronics to cut a bit of power out of the
lower gears and avoid the bike rearing up. We had a good base set-up
from the pre-season tests, and tomorrow we will work to make it even
better. We need to find some better grip in the rear because it?s
sliding a bit too much. The grip from the asphalt improved during the
morning hour, but then in the afternoon it didn?t change too much and
after trying lots of rear tyres, I still couldn?t find the most
suitable one. Tomorrow we will work on this and on the rear shock too.
In general though I?m happy with this first day of practice.?

Ryuichi Kyionari ? Camel Honda ? 1?35.579 ? 17th fastest
?My position today doesn?t reflect my potential, nor the team?s nor the
bike?s too, and I?m the only rider who didn?t? improve on the time set
in the morning session. It?s my fault because I still haven?t
rediscovered the technical sensitivity that?s required in MotoGP and I
chose some changes to the set-up which ultimately worsened the bike
rather than improved it. We have checked the data with the team and
tomorrow morning will go back and try several more solutions. I?m sure
we can do better than this because this morning I felt very good with
the RC211V.?

 

[KUCIAR666]

and last release..

Valencia Grand Prix, Valencia
Practice, Friday November 4 2005

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN MAKE FAST START AT VALENCIA
Ducati Marlboro Team riders Carlos Checa and Loris Capirossi made a strong start to this weekend's season-ending Valencia Grand Prix, ending the day second and fifth fastest. It was a particularly impressive performance from Capirossi, who has been out of racing since last month's Australian Grand Prix, where he crashed heavily, sustaining chest injuries.
This afternoon's session was one of the closest in MotoGP history, Checa just 0.042 seconds off pole, Capirossi 0.266 seconds down, and the fastest 11 riders covered by a mere 0.697 seconds.
"We've made a good start to the weekend," said Ducati MotoGP project manager Livio Suppo. "Most of all, it's amazing to see Loris back on a bike and immediately riding so well. We're very happy about that and we'd like to offer our thanks to Dr Claudio Costa and the staff of the Clinica Mobile. Carlos is doing a good job out there, he was second this afternoon and fastest this morning, when he did a 17 lap run, mostly in the 33s, which shows that the Bridgestones are working well here."

CHECA SECOND, JUST 0.042s OFF 'POLE'
Carlos Checa was a superb second quickest in this afternoon's second practice session, a fraction behind Marco Melandri, after heading this morning's session, just ahead of Sete Gibernau. The Ducati Marlboro Team man, who has scored two podium finishes in the last four races, is aiming to end the season with another top-three podium in front of his home fans.
"It's been quite a positive day for us but we still have some work to do for race pace," said Checa. "This morning I did a fast run but the temperature came up this afternoon, which gave me more movement from the rear tyre. I was losing stability from the rear quite early, so that's what we'll be focusing on tomorrow, when we'll keep working our way through the tyres and trying a few minor suspension adjustments to find more traction. The rest of the bike is fine, I'd say the power delivery is better than when I first rode the bike here last year."

COURAGEOUS CAPIROSSI FIFTH FASTEST
Loris Capirossi made a courageous return to racing at Valencia today, exactly three weeks after his 200kmh/125mph tumble at Phillip Island. Riding in some pain, and experiencing breathing difficulties from the chest injuries he suffered in the crash, the tough little Italian didn't even let a slow-speed tumble (after a collision with Shinya Nakano) prevent him from riding within a fraction of a second of 'pole position'.
"The last three weeks haven't been the best of my life, but riding here and trying hard is what's important to me," said the Ducati Marlboro Team rider. "My thanks to Dr Claudio Costa and the Clinica Mobile staff, who've been very close to me since my accident. I knew it would be difficult to ride here but I asked Claudio to help me, and here we are. This morning Nakano and I made contact with each other, we both crashed but it was nothing serious. This afternoon was better, because the track temperature was higher, and I was able to ride more laps, making some useful adjustments. Unfortunately it's harder than I thought it would be, I can feel the wound in my chest when I'm riding. This makes me breathe faster and shorter which makes riding quite difficult. Anyway, I wanted to ride here and I'm not too slow! My target for the weekend was to understand my condition. Today I made runs of just five or six laps, tomorrow I'll try 15 laps together, then I should be ready for 30 laps on Sunday."

 

[KUCIAR666]

Press Release Saturday 05.11.05

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2005
ROUND 17 - GRAND PRIX BETANDWIN.COM DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
05 NOVEMBER 2005 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE


NAKANO AND HOFMANN IMPRESS IN VALENCIA QUALIFYING
Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, bravely rode through the pain barrier to record impressive qualifying times for tomorrow's end-of-season Valencia Grand Prix.

Both Nakano and Hofmann were within one second of pole position, set by Sete Gibernau, and ahead of seven-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, who qualified fifteenth.

Nakano will start from ninth on the third row while Hofmann, in his final race appearance aboard the Ninja ZX-RR, will start from 12th position.

Nakano required a painkilling injection 30 minutes before the start of qualifying to ease the discomfort in his bruised left hand, injured when he crashed in yesterday's first free practice session.

With 18 minutes remaining in the one hour session Nakano posted the third fastest time, moving up from 14th. He posted another fast lap later in the session to hold a top five spot before finishing ninth on the grid, just 0.4s off a front row start.

Nakano's hand injury is at its worst while operating the clutch for downshifts in the frequent heavy braking zones of the 14-turn Valencia circuit.

Meanwhile, Hofmann continued to defy medical opinion with a gritty and fast performance, despite riding with a plate and 16 screws in his left ankle and foot.

The 25-year-old German rider has not ridden a MotoGP bike for seven weeks, but still rose to the occasion and out-qualified factory rivals from Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda.

Hofmann was firmly established in the top ten until the final minutes of the session when he made a mistake at the final corner on his final fast run.

While neither is 100% fit, both Nakano and Hofmann believe they have strong race set-ups for the 30-lap race, which promises to be a gruelling test of endurance on this compact and physical circuit.

Shinya Nakano: #56 - Ninth - 1'32.663
"That was very difficult, I could not have ridden without an injection in my hand. Even so, the hard part is under brakes and in the right-hand corners, I could not push any faster because of my hand. The race will be tough over 30 laps, I'm not sure about the condition of my hand but I will try my best. We have a strong race set-up, the bike feels good and this morning I did not think this qualifying position would be possible - I didn't think I could ride this afternoon."

Alex Hofmann: #66 - Twelfth - 1'32.966
"I'm a little disappointed because I had been faster than Shinya in the three free practice sessions and I thought I could have stayed ahead this afternoon. I tried to catch a tow on my final lap, but Barros and Tamada were just playing so I went alone. I had a fast lap going until the final corner - I lost the rear on entry and this cost me a lot of acceleration onto the straight. But overall I'm surprised to be within one second of pole after being away for seven weeks, and not taking big risks, I cannot afford to crash while I'm not 100% fit. Now I'm just going out to enjoy my final race with Kawasaki, and do the maximum that my body will allow - the longest run I've done this weekend is ten laps."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"I am full of admiration for the strong comeback by Alex, he is pushing very hard despite not being 100% fit. This is a very brave performance and Alex deserves to have a good result in his final race with Kawasaki, I just hope his physical endurance allows him to do this. It was not so easy for Shinya either, as he is also suffering, to a lesser extent, with an injury. I hope he can also have a good race tomorrow."

 

[KUCIAR666]

and next one........

OFFICIAL PRACTICE - COMUNITAT VALENCIANA GRAND PRIX - 06/11/05 -
VALENCIA
-----------------------------------------------------------------

BARROS STARTS VALENCIAN GP FROM THIRD ROW

Alex Barros will start tomorrow?s Valencian Grand Prix from the third
row of the grid, a position which should allow him to stick with the
front group, especially with his race pace at a similar level to
theirs. The Brazilian rider should have the chance to do a good race
tomorrow. Young Ryuichi Kiyonari, who was unable to make the necessary
progress which allowed him to feel comfortable on the bike, was unable
to make the most of the qualifying tyres and get himself a more
favourable grid slot.

Sito Pons ? Camel Honda
?I?m quite happy with how the day went for Alex, because along with his
technicians he was able to find a set-up that will give him confidence
for tomorrow. If he can get a good start, which is a possibility from
the third row, then he should be able to hang on to the front group and
do a good race. I?m a little disappointed that Ryuichi was unable to do
better than sixteenth because to fight back from there will be very
hard indeed. I think that he paid for a lack of experience with the
qualifying tyres because in terms of race pace he is much faster than
his position shows.?

Alex Barros ? Camel Honda ? 1?33.967 ? 8th position
?We eventually managed to improve the suspension settings so we should
be able to get better grip in the rear wheel but in doing so lost time
on choosing a tyre and we got a little confused. In any case I have
tested myself on race tyres and the pace might not be the fastest, but
it?s still not bad. We also tried to make some changes to the forks,
but there was no improvement, so we kept yesterday?s setting. Overall
we?re not a hundred percent yet, but it?s rare for that to happen
anyway, so in general I?m quite happy.?

Ryuichi Kiyonari ? Camel Honda ? 1?35.579 ? 16th position
?I really disappointed to not have been able to do any better in
practice, but that?s just the way it went. Over these two days we have
made small steps forward and I felt a bit better with the set-up but I
still wasn?t able to get the most out of the qualifying tyres and get
further up the grid. Obviously I?m going to do my best though in
tomorrow?s race and try and get the best result possible.?

 

[KUCIAR666]

and next.......

Yamaha Factory Racing face Sunday challenge at Valencia

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Valentino Rossi faces an uphill battle in
the final round of the 2005 MotoGP World Championship tomorrow after
qualifying fifteenth fastest at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.
Rossi slid from his YZR-M1 machine just over eleven minutes from the end
of this afternoon's qualifying session and, despite returning to the
track on his second machine, he lost several positions in the final push
for times. The Italian will start from the fifth row of the grid as he
aims to score his twelfth victory of the season and repeat the success
he has enjoyed at this circuit for the past two years.

Rossi's Yamaha Factory team-mate Colin Edwards benefited from a more
productive afternoon, making major progress with his new riding style and
knocking almost two seconds off his best practice time from yesterday.
For the second successive race the American will start from the second
row of the grid in sixth place as he aims to improve his championship
position with a good finish tomorrow. Pole position went to Sete
Gibernau (Honda) in a new record time of 1'31.874 and the Spaniard is joined
on the front row by Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden (both Honda), who
will fight for the runner-up spot behind Rossi in the championship in
tomorrow's race.

Colin Edwards (Yamaha Factory Team), 6th - 1'32.456
"I'm halfway happy with the result. We had a few problems early in the
session but we worked things out and I was able to set a decent time on
a qualifying tyre. The second row isn't terrible but we have work to do
to find a better race pace. We made more progress with the new riding
style but in reality I need 100 laps to perfect it, so I can't wait for
winter testing! It takes me five or six laps to get going and we just
need to get it ingrained in my system. The team has worked hard today
and Michelin has given us some good options for tomorrow - I am
determined to finish the season on a high. The stadium style atmosphere here is
always fantastic so I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Team), 15th - 1'33.503
"When I crashed I was pushing hard with the qualifying tyre and
honestly I felt confident that I could do a good time. I was maybe a little
too aggressive and when I touched the brake I just lost the front and
went down. I was going fast and I have some small bruises on my elbow and
on my leg, but I will be fine tomorrow for the race. I was lucky. The
grid position is not so good, my worst for a very long time! The
situation on the track is actually not so bad; the rhythm is okay, although we
do have some problems and for sure I am slower than some of the other
riders. The main problem is that it's hard to overtake at this circuit.
A lot will depend on how many riders I can pass at the start and in the
first lap. Anyway, we will try to make some progress tomorrow morning
and see what happens in the race. My target is to be in the top five,
any higher is maybe too difficult, but it's going to be a good battle!"

Davide Brivio - Yamaha Factory Team director
"We are in a strange situation. Colin is on the second row but his race
pace is not as good as we would like, whilst Valentino is on the fifth
row with a better race pace than his team-mate. We need to combine the
two! Valentino's starting position is going to make it very difficult
for him and it will not be his easiest race, but that is the reality of
the situation and we have to deal with it. Luckily we have already won
everything but we still want to have a good last race. It's going to be
tough but we'll work hard in the morning and see what the race brings."

Toni Elias (Fortuna Yamaha Team), 13th - 1'33.005
"This morning I had a spectacular crash without getting any injuries.
Unfortunately this afternoon we did not have the same pace as in the
morning session. Throughout the day we've been working with a full fuel
tank and a race tyre and we've got a good pace even though we do not have
a top position. This will make the race more difficult for me but I
hope I will have a good start and will be able to get in touch with the
top group as fast as I can."

Ruben Xaus (Fortuna Yamaha Team), 17th - 1'34.874
"It's hard to do things right when you're in a difficult situation like
now, but I'm not looking for excuses. I'm working hard to get a good
feeling and the bike itself is working fine. Tomorrow I hope to find a
good rhythm and to score some points."

 

[KUCIAR666]

and .....................................

Team SUZUKI MotoGP looking for end of season improvements

Sunday afternoon will see the final race of the 2005 MotoGP World Championship and both Suzuki racers will be aiming to be involved in the traditional post-race firework celebration.

Following today?s free practice and qualifying sessions both John Hopkins (P11, 1?32.785) and Nobuatsu Aoki (P14, 1?33.393) are looking forward to the race, and will be doing their best to improve on their starting positions during the 30 laps of the Gran Premio betandwin.com Comunitat Valenciana.

Hopkins will complete a full set of Grand Prix starts in a season - for the first time in his career - tomorrow when he lines up on the grid at 14.00hrs CET. He is joined by team-mate Aoki ? who is directly behind him on the start-line ? and the pair will be looking to get a good start in front of what promises to be a huge and fanatical Spanish crowd.

Today?s pole position was set by local favourite Sete Gibernau ? who also won a brand new BMW motor car for being the best overall qualifier of the year.

John Hopkins:

?I would definitely say that we have found some stuff from yesterday to today. Our goal today was to be able to run consistently in the 34?s and we pretty much accomplished that. But now that everyone has stepped it up we need to be running in the high 33?s - that will have to be another step for tomorrow. The guys have been working really hard this weekend and I?ve worked hard to improve my lines as well. As far as qualifying went, we got into a good rhythm but I burnt out the tyre early on during my last lap and was just unable to make up that extra bit of time. I?m confident that we can get into the top 10 tomorrow and I?ll get a good night?s rest tonight and think about what to do tomorrow. I?ll make sure that I come out swinging!?

Nobuatsu Aoki:

?Things went pretty well this morning and this afternoon. We have been adjusting small things and basically I kept the same settings as yesterday afternoon ? which was a fairly good one. The race set-up is ok and I can run consistent times on race tyres. I was not 100 percent with the qualifying tyres though and was not able to find the limit with them and I lost maybe 0.3 or 0.4 of a second on what I should have been doing. I?m happy with everything else and very optimistic for Sunday.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?Both the guys rode to the maximum potential of the bike this afternoon and with another two or three tenths John could have been up to sixth or seventh place. Unfortunately he ran out of grip towards the end of the lap and couldn?t make up the time. In race trim we are not a close as we would like to be, there are the normal things that have been discussed all year that are holding us back and also at this track a number of other issues that will need to be resolved. We have made steps though this weekend and both John and Nobu are feeling more comfortable and confident with the machine that they have underneath them. We will be working right up until the end of warm-up with some further options and get both the guys aiming for a top 10 in the race.

?Nobu has done a great job this weekend ? it?s always difficult coming back to MotoGP after a time away. He has been every bit as quick as John and I?m sure he will be determined to be the first Suzuki home tomorrow ? although I have no doubt that John will have something to say about that!?

 

[KUCIAR666]

and....................

GIBERNAU PRODUCES HIS BEST FORM

Sete clocks the best ever pole at Valencia and Marco Melandri will fight for the runner up spot in the Championship from second place.

GP DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA - qualifying

Sete Gibernau and Marco Melandri put everything into the final qualifying session of the season and will start from the front row of the grid in the final Grand Prix of the season at Valencia.
After a magical lap Sete Gibernau celebrated his fifth pole of the season and the eleventh of his career. Tomorrow he will try and provide the perfect end to a season in which he has again been the fastest and most consistent qualifier. The BMW he will receive in a special ceremony tomorrow is proof of that fact, with Sete beating Valentino Rossi by three and half seconds in the overall qualifying classification.
His fastest time (1?31?874) represents the fastest ever lap in the history of the circuit, knocking six tenths off the previous best, held by Rossi since 2003.
Marco Melandri also fought for pole position until the final second of the session, when a small mistake forced him to settle for second place. The battle with Nicky Hayden, who also starts from the front row, for the runner-up spot in the Championship is sure to be intense.

SETE GIBERNAU (1st 1?31?874): ?This pole gives me a lot of pride and I want to dedicate it to the people who continue to believe in me, my family and myself. Even though a lot of people have focused on the negative side of the season, in my view, there have been a lot of positive aspects: we have been fastest in qualifying, spent most laps leading the races and due to bad luck and the occasional mistakes, we have not been able to make the most of this hard work at every Grand Prix. I hope to do it here, at home, in the final race of the year. I want to fight for the podium and the victory if it is possible, and finish with my best result of the season.?

MARCO MELANDRI (2nd 1?32?111): ?I am happy with the result of the qualifying ? to start from second is very good, although I am a bit annoyed because I made a small mistake on the last qualifying tyre and when I changed to a new one the bike was sliding around and I lost time. In any case, in the afternoon we were very competitive after suffering a little bit in the final free practice this morning. Now we are ready to give our best and tomorrow I will do everything I can to finish second in the Championship.?

 

[KUCIAR666]

AND...................................

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN ALL SET FOR VALENCIA FINALE

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Carlos Checa and Loris Capirossi will start tomorrow's season-ending Valencia Grand Prix from the second and third rows of the grid after a typically thrilling qualifying session at this tight and twisting track. Both riders had major moments during the hour-long outing, Checa saving a highside at turn 13, Capirossi staying on board after getting hugely sideways out of the final turn.
"It looked like we could have had one rider on the front row, the other on the second row, but it was a good qualifying session for us even though we lost that," said Ducati MotoGP project manager Livio Suppo. "Carlos rode a very impressive rhythm on race tyres, running low 33s for many laps, so he's ready to race. Loris is still struggling with his physical condition. Even so, he did a great job in qualifying, it was nice to see him in fighting mood again, unbelievable! We obviously have two very brave riders because Carlos was nearly thrown off his bike during the session, landing back on board and damaging a very tender part of the male anatomy! After a few minutes in the pits he went straight back out and improved his lap time! Our thanks to Bridgestone, the tyres are working really well here."

CHECA: "I WAS FLYING LIKE A BIRD"
Carlos Checa led the first 40 minutes of this afternoon's session, lapping fast and consistently and ending up fourth quickest, just 0.157 seconds off the front row. The Ducati Marlboro Team man reckons he's more than ready for tomorrow's 30 lap race, despite a painful incident mid-session, when he was flicked off his Desmosedici through the mightily fast turn 13, slamming his groin on the fuel tank as he miraculously regained control.
"It was Saint Carlos' day yesterday, so I think he was close to me today, because you normally crash when that kind of thing happens," said Checa, managing a smile. "It was a big highside, I was flying like a bird, my hands the only part of me still holding onto the bike. I hit my "jewels" really hard and went white like a candle.
"Otherwise today was positive. Yesterday we had two limitations - tyre warm-up and endurance - but we today worked on the bike and tyres to find a good balance, especially on endurance. We have found the rear-end stability I was losing yesterday after some laps. The second row is fine, it's a very long race, I just want to get away from the start in the top five."

COMEBACK MAN CAPIROSSI 0.026s OFF ROW TWO
Loris Capirossi ended today seventh quickest, a mere 0.026 seconds off the second row, despite riding in some discomfort from the nasty chest injuries he sustained at Phillip Island just 22 days ago. The Ducati Marlboro Team man, who only returned to riding yesterday, had his big moment near the end of the session, when he ran wide and onto the grass exiting turn 14.
"I came out of the final turn too fast and too wide," explained Capirossi. "But I didn't shut off because I thought there was green tarmac beyond the kerb, as at turn one. But it wasn't tarmac, it was grass. Luckily I didn't close the gas, because although the bike flicked sideways it came back into line and I didn't fall.
"Overall, I'm pretty satisfied - I'm here and I'm not too slow. The race will be tough because my physical condition means that I'm making a few mistakes. Also, it's 30 laps around a narrow and twisty circuit that doesn't give you any room for a breather. And I hope the weather is warm because my injuries hurt more when it's cool. Anyway, today was better than yesterday, though I'm still trying to train my body for a different kind of effort compared to my gym training before this race. I have some protective padding over my right chest which makes my leathers extra tight, I wish I had an XXL suit!"

 

[KUCIAR666]

RACE REPORT - COMUNITAT VALENCIANA GRAND PRIX - 06/11/05 - VALENCIA

RACE REPORT - COMUNITAT VALENCIANA GRAND PRIX - 06/11/05 - VALENCIA

BARROS BATTLES TO TOP FIVE FINISH

Alex Barros finished in fifth place at the end of a combative and
spectacular race. The Brazilian started from eight on the grid and set
a pace only slightly slower than the lead group as he recovered
positions and became involved in a long battle, firstly with Loris
Capirossi and then Max Biaggi, closing in on Carlos Checa without
getting close enough to attack. Ryuichi Kyionari had a discrete race,
crossing the line in twelfth place after starting lowly group position.

Sito Pons ? Camel Honda
?I am happy for Alex because we had a great race and demonstrated a lot
of grit and character. He came out on top of two big battles with Loris
Capirossi and Max Biaggi and if he had a few more laps he could even
have caught Checa. In any case I think we?ve seen good things from him
today. Ryuichi started from a long way back but also had a good race to
finish in the points, ahead of experienced riders such as John Hopkins
and Alex Hofmann. I think this has also been a positive day for him.?

Alex Barros ? Camel Honda ? 5th
?I am really happy even though this wasn?t an exceptional result
because I have won two difficult battles with Loris and Max. With
Capirossi it was particularly tough because his bike is so powerful and
there was only one point where I could pass him. For two laps, he came
back past me but in the end I managed to close the door. I think we
both had good fun. My rhythm was quite good but not as good as the
front three. Maybe I could have fought with Checa but when I got past
Max it was too late.?

Ryuichi Kyionari ? Camel Honda ? 12th
?I want to say thanks to Honda and the Camel Honda team because they
have given me the opportunity to compete in this race. I am not
satisfied with twelfth place, we could have done a lot better. Anyway
this experience will serve me well for the future.?

 

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DUCATI MARLBORO MEN COMPLETE STRONG FINISH

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Carlos Checa and Loris Capirossi finished today's Valencia Grand Prix in fourth and seventh positions, completing a strong finish to their 2005 season. With two race victories and a further two podiums from the last six races the omens for the future are good.
In front of 124,000 fans Checa battled for third place for several laps, while Capirossi spent much of the race in a three-way contest for fifth spot, despite suffering from the injuries he sustained in a big crash during last month's Australian GP.
"Loris was little short of a hero this afternoon, and Carlos showed once again that he's a very strong rider," said Ducati Motor president Federico Minoli. "This year we've shown that we have a great machine, a great package. With a little more luck the season could have been even better. Overall, we're pretty satisfied, we showed we are on a par with the big Japanese factories. By comparison, we're a small company, they spend their huge budgets, we reply with passion and commitment. Thanks to everyone, including our technical partners Shell Advance, who played their part in making sure we had a 100 per cent reliability record in the 17 races. We've grown together with Bridgestone, it's a long-term partnership, and if we keep improving at this pace, next year should be very interesting."

CHECA ENDS 2005 WITH FOURTH-PLACE FINISH
Carlos Checa had a straightforward target today - to finish 2005 on the podium in front of his home fans. The Ducati Marlboro Team had every reason to believe he could make the top three after running fast and consistent on race tyres during practice and qualifying a close fourth quickest.
"I didn't quite have the pace that I had yesterday and during morning warm-up, I struggled to run in the 33s," explained Checa, ninth overall this year. "Tyre warm-up cost me some time, then once the tyres were hot I tried to catch the guys in front, but I couldn't as I started getting some chatter. I was with Valentino (Rossi) for a while, I was faster in some areas but it was too risky to overtake and finally he was stronger. The chatter got worse in the final laps and I slowed down, so we need to analyse that.
"I had a difficult start to the year - new bike, new team, new tyres and I got injured. It wasn't easy and there was a lot of pressure but we kept working and finally the bike and tyres were good. The last six races have been good - two podiums and only once outside the top five. I've learned a lot this year."

INJURED CAPIROSSI SEVENTH AT VALENCIA
Loris Capirossi rode a courageous race, chasing Alex Barros and Max Biaggi for much of the 30 laps, finally easing off for a safe seventh place. The Ducati Marlboro Team was riding in some discomfort from the chest injuries he suffered at Phillip Island just 23 days ago.
"I'm satisfied because I made it here and I raced," he said. "If I hadn't come here I would've finished the year eighth overall. Instead I'm sixth. I'm happy with my race. Riding 30 laps was as difficult as I'd expected, especially the last five or six laps when I was very tired. My heart rate was really high, so during the last two laps I decided just to finish the race. Seventh position isn't so bad, I fought with Biaggi and Barros and being here to race has been very satisfying, it would've been much worse staying home. Without my crash in Australia maybe I could've finished higher in the championship but our sport isn't about ifs and buts, and anyway, Marco (Melandri, the race winner) was really good today.
"We've been really competitive since midseason, and in my opinion finishing sixth isn't bad. Ducati has improved a lot, especially in electronics and rideability. The co-operation with Bridgestone is really strong, our relationship is very close, as our six podium results demonstrate. This year we sewed, next year we'll aim to be competitive from the start and reap the reward!"

 

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YAMAHA CONCLUDES 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR WITH VALENCIA PODIUM

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Valentino Rossi scored his sixteenth podium from seventeen races in the final round of the 2005 MotoGP World Championship to put the shine on Yamaha?s 50th Anniversary celebrations at Valencia. The Italian started from his lowest grid position of the season but produced a dramatic ride to end the race in third place, lapping quicker than eventual winner Marco Melandri (Honda). A crowd of 124,520 watched Rossi make up seven positions with an incredible surge on the first lap, although the early pace of Melandri and Nicky Hayden (Honda) provided them with an advantage that proved impossible to breach in the second half of the race.



Rossi?s Yamaha Factory team-mate Colin Edwards suffered a disappointing end to his first season with the team, losing three positions on the first lap after starting from sixth and only managing to recover one place by the end of the race. Nevertheless, the American has made significant progress with a new riding style over the course of the weekend and he is now looking forward to winter testing as he prepares for his second season as a Yamaha rider. In the meantime, Yamaha is left to reflect on a stunning Anniversary season, in which it has swept the board, taking the riders?, teams? and constructors? World Championship titles.



VALENTINO ROSSI (3rd - +2.959)

?The second part of the race was very positive because my pace was fast and I rode well but if you want to win a race then you can?t start from fifteenth on the grid. I made a mistake yesterday with the crash but the truth is that we were struggling all weekend with the setting and we didn?t understand until this morning what the problem was. We worked it out and in the race I was able to ride how I wanted to, but it was too late. It was good fun, I pushed hard but it wasn?t enough. In the future we have to make sure we work better in practice. It?s been a fantastic season and everyone has worked hard to achieve all our targets. Now we look forward to some holidays and some hard work during winter testing!?



COLIN EDWARDS (8th - +25.678)

?I didn?t rider great today. In the middle of the race I started to push hard and caught up again with the middle of the pack, but by that time I had abused my tyres a lot, they were moving around and so I decided to hold station. I have never been at the last race of a season counting down the days for winter testing to start. We have a lot of work to do and I want to get going as soon as possible. It?s been an average season but we?ve learnt a lot for next year and the whole team has worked very hard for me. I want to thank them and thank Michelin and I?m looking forward to working with everyone over the winter and coming out strong next year.?



DAVIDE BRIVIO ?YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM DIRECTOR

?Basically we lost the race in practice, both with the setting difficulties we had and Valentino?s starting position for the race. It is always going to be difficult from the fifth row, but he was 4.9 seconds down on the leader after four laps and by the end it was 2.9 so his pace was even better than the race winner. It?s been a long season from January, when testing started, to November. We have won everything available, scored eleven race victories and right now I would accept the same statistics next season ? only with Colin higher in the championship. That is our aim for next year but for now I just want to say thank you to all our staff, engineers, crew and both of our riders. It has been a fantastic season.?

The race / FORTUNA YAMAHA RIDERS SIGN OFF IN CHESTE

The GP of Valencia always looked like being a difficult race for the FORTUNA YAMAHA riders who started from the fifth and sixth rows respectively in Cheste at a circuit where overtaking is always difficult. However, knowing they had little to lose, both achieved their personal objectives and finished the season in solid style. TONI ELIAS got off to a fine start and made up four places on the opening lap. The Spanish rider then had a battle with World Champion Valentino Rossi who had started down in 15th and two almost came together. Elias spent the majority of the race lapping in a group comprised of Nakano, Aoki, Hopkins, Hoffman and Kiyonari who were all fighting for tenth spot. RUBEN XAUS, for his part, did not get away so well and lost three positions. From that moment he did battle with Ellison as he struggled to make it up into the points, which he ultimately managed finishing 15th. Elias, who took tenth, brought the curtain down on a season in which his best result was sixth in Turkey. However, despite the young Spaniard missing three rounds after a crash at Le Mans, he still managed to take the ?Rookie of The Year? after a hugely impressive campaign. It was Xaus who took that honour last year, but this season his best results were the four tenth places he managed in Portugal, China, Catalunya and Japan.



TONI ELIAS (24):
RACE:10TH
CHAMPIONSHIP: 12th, 74 points

"We had a difficult weekend as we could not solve the problems we had
on the first day. However, I still gave my best. I think it was a season
where I built up very valuable experience. I have learnt a lot and,
despite the injury that kept me out for a while, I think I have progressed
well. Now I am going to rest for a few days which I think I deserve! I
want to thank everyone at my team, the mechanics and everyone who has
supported me."

RUBEN XAUS (11):
RACE:15th
CHAMPIONSHIP: 16th, 52 points

It has been a difficult year in which I have been battling to adapt to
the YZR-M1, but it has proved difficult. Today was another hard one,
but despite not enjoying myself much on the bike, we got one point. I
must look forward now and keep fighting."

 

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TENTH IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR BATTLE WEARY NAKANO

The 2005 MotoGP season came to an exhausting close in front of 125,000 fans today, with both Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, finishing in the points in the Valencia Grand Prix.

Nakano's eleventh place finish in the race confirmed his tenth place in the championship standings, while Hofmann was an impressive 14th in his comeback ride from injury.

Both Nakano and Hofmann rode with debilitating injuries and were physically and mentally drained at the end of the 30-lap race.

Nakano raced after a pain-killing injection in his bruised and swollen left hand, while Hofmann ignored the discomfort and lack of strength in his left foot.

Today was Hofmann's final race appearance with the Kawasaki team and he raced bravely, just seven weeks after having two plates and 16 screws inserted in multiple ankle and foot fractures.

Both Nakano and Hofmann were lucky to survive turn one during a frantic start to today's race.

A cautious Hofmann found the rider-less Ducati of Roby Rolfo in front of him after the Italian rider had banged into the rear of Nakano's Ninja ZX-RR and crashed.

Nakano lost four places and Hofmann three, in this opening lap skirmish.

On the difficult-to-pass Valencia track, and less than 100% fit, both riders settled into a race plan to finish in the points.

Nakano chased and passed John Hopkins for tenth position on lap eight but could not close the gap on Makoto Tamada. Over the final five laps Nakano knew his physical condition made him vulnerable and he had to concede tenth position to Toni Elias just two laps from the end.

By mid-race Hofmann had settled into 13th place behind Hopkins, Elias and Nakano and was matching their race pace. Wisely, Hofmann did not want to chance the high-risk passing moves required to make forward progress and was just happy that he had enough strength to finish the gruelling race.

Nakano's hand injury will keep him out of this week's Valencia test, and he will return to Japan for further examination and treatment.

Shinya Nakano: #56 - Eleventh
"The final five laps were very difficult with my hand and it was not easy to concentrate. I knew Toni (Elias) was behind me and that if he challenged me it would be impossible to hold him back, so l let him go past - I knew I needed the points in the championship. When Rolfo hit me in turn one at the start I was lucky not to crash, but then I had a good race with Hopkins, although I could not catch Tamada-san. For sure tenth is not the position that either I, nor Kawasaki, wanted in the championship, but everyone is already working very hard for next season. I want to thank everyone in my team and I know we can do much better in 2006."

Alex Hofmann: #66 - Fourteenth
"That was the maximum my body would allow me to do today. Over the final ten laps my leg was folding and I knew that trying to overtake would be a big risk, plus my concentration was fading. And in my final race for Kawasaki I wanted to finish in the points. To be honest, I don't know how I made it through turn one, I was lucky not to hit Rolfo's Ducati. When I was behind Hopkins we could match Shinya's pace, but it was impossible to find a way past. I want say a big thanks to all the boys in my crew for their support, it has been great working with them. I'll be back."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"Finally, a tough, and sometimes unlucky season is over. It was a difficult weekend for both our riders and the injuries to Shinya and Alex mirrored what happened earlier in the season. They both did a great job today, but now it's time to look forward. We must aim for better results next season, and already both Kawasaki and Bridgestone are working towards that goal. My thanks to both riders and everyone in the team for their dedication this season."

 

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Championship standings MotoGP

Championship standings MotoGP

Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Points
1 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 367

2 Marco Melandri Honda ITA 220
3 Nicky Hayden Honda USA 206
4 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 179
5 Max Biaggi Honda ITA 173
6 Loris Capirossi Ducati ITA 157
7 Sete Gibernau Honda ESP 150
8 Alex Barros Honda BRA 147
9 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 138
10 Shinya Nakano Kawasaki JPN 98
11 Makato Tamada Honda JPN 91
12 Toni Elias Yamaha ESP 74
13 Kenny Roberts Suzuki USA 63
14 John Hopkins Suzuki USA 63
15 Troy Bayliss Honda AUS 54
16 Ruben Xaus Yamaha ESP 52


Manufacturers standings MotoGP

Pos. Manufacturer Points
1 Yamaha 381
2 Honda 341
3 Ducati 202
4 Kawasaki 126
5 Suzuki 100
6 Blata WCM 13
7 Proton KR 1
8 Moriwaki 1


Team standings MotoGP
Pos. Team Points
1 Yamaha Factory Team 546
2 Repsol Honda Team 379
3 Team Movistar Honda MotoGP 370
4 Ducati Marlboro Team 295
5 Honda Camel 220
6 Kawasaki Racing Team 150
7 Fortuna Yamaha Team 130
8 Team Suzuki MotoGP 126
9 Konica Minolta Honda 103
10 D'Antin MotoGP 25
11 Blata WCM 14
12 Team Roberts KR 1

 

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Hopkins scores points as luckless Aoki retires

John Hopkins finished in 13th position at today?s final round of the MotoGP World Championship at Valencia in Spain, with team-mate Nobuatsu Aoki having to retire when challenging for a top 10 position.

Hopkins got off to a great start and was up to ninth by the fourth lap, but as the wear rate on his rear tyre increased he dropped away from his normal race pace before finding his consistency again later on.

Aoki started from 14th on the grid but was soon passing other riders ? Hopkins included ? and was challenging for a top 10 place before disaster struck on lap nine. The unlucky Japanese rider was forced to retire with an electrical control fault and was bitterly disappointed as he felt certain that he would have got a good result.

The Gran Premio betandwin.com Comunitat Valenciana was attended by 124,520 fans and they were treated to a race long battle for first place between Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden. Melandri crossed the line first to win his second Grand Prix in succession.

Team SUZUKI MotoGP will now stay at Valencia for four more days to test and new signing Chris Vermeulen will join Hopkins and Aoki for his first ride on the Suzuki GSV-R.

John Hopkins:

?I got off to good start and went with Colin Edwards and Alex Barros. It was just push, push, push to try and get ahead. But unfortunately I started to lose a bit of grip and my lap times dramatically dropped off and I had to change my riding style to make up for it. I got into a bit of a battle with Nakano and Elias and then Nobu came by me but unfortunately his bike broke down, which was sad to see - that sucks for him. Other than that I got into another battle with Kiyonari and my lap times stayed consistent till the finish. It?s not the position I wanted to finish the season on ? that?s for damn sure. But once Wednesday comes around we?re going to start working on next year and we?re going to get this bike going in 2006!?

Nobuatsu Aoki:

?Things were going well until the engine stopped. I felt something was wrong after about five laps as the engine didn?t seem to have the same push as before. In the first couple of laps I tried to stay with other guys and stay calm. As the tyres got to temperature I started to push a bit harder and got past some riders including John and this felt good. I am really disappointed with what happened as it was a good opportunity for a top 10 ? that was my target this weekend. Anyway I am happy to have been at the Grand Prix and really appreciate that Suzuki and Paul gave me the chance to ride and the help from my guys was fantastic. I don?t know if I will get the chance to race again next year but if I do that will be super!?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?Both riders were looking for better today but realistically we all know the level of MotoGP and therefore the result was probably expected. John made a fantastic start and bashed his way through into the top 10. He rode some great lap-times in the first few laps but as the tyre made its initial drop in performance he struggled to adapt and get the best out of the package. Towards the end of the race ? when he learnt to ride with what he had under him - he showed better pace and ran at similar times to riders higher up the field.

?I feel so sorry for Nobu. He has ridden competitively all weekend and came from 16th on the first lap to get up to what looked like being a good result, but unfortunately he had an electrical failure and was unable to finish the race. After a season?s hard test riding he certainly deserved more than he got today.

?There are some positives to take out of today as our race pace has improved over last year. The overall race time is over half a minute better than 2004 and we are over 20 seconds closer to the first place time. Whilst we can be positive about these moves forward from 2004, the team, the riders, Suzuki and myself personally are far from satisfied with this level of performance and the winter months will be a true test of all of us to make sure that we fulfil a better potential in 2006.?

 

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Photos witch one????

I have one more qeustion to all of you.....what size of pictures you'e prefer 1.pictures like that:

or picture attached with forum tools (small)


If you want see more photos from Valencia event go to Valencia-photos and stands