PREVIEW / MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX

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PREVIEW / MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX

A VERY DEMANDING GRAND PRIX

The MotoGP World Championship leaves European soil behind once again this weekend as it heads east for three races in as many weekends. The chase for the title promises to be an exciting affair as five riders stake their claim over the remaining five races, which will take place over the next eight weeks. The season-long battle looks certain to go all the way to the wire. Marco Melandri, who lies fourth in the standings behind Rossi, Pedrosa and Hayden on 161 points, is one of the firm candidates for the most treasured prize in motorcycle sport.


MARCO MELANDRI: ?Now is the time to take each race as it comes because we are in the final stage of the championship and we have to give our best all the time. I?m happy to be racing in Malaysia ? a nice track but one that at the same time is also technical. It is not easy because of the amount of long corners. Sepang is always very hot, with not much grip, and it is easy to crash. The rider?s conditioning is one of the keys to success and from that point of view I feel very confident. My physical preparation is designed specifically for the level of demands you are put under at this track ? from supermotard riding to motocross and mountain bikes. We?ve got three very contrasting circuits coming up but I like them all and I can?t wait to get on my RC211V. Last year I arrived in Sepang with 35 stitches in my foot so I wasn?t in the right physical shape. Now I?m feeling confident because we have a good base set-up for the bike which I think can help me be consistent at each of the remaining tracks. Tyre choice at Sepang will be another of the main keys to success.?

TONI ELIAS, who rode his RC211V in Malaysia during the winter tests, returns there determined to show his true potential.
?The two day test in the Czech Republic was crucial to be able to better analyse the reactions of the bike. We worked a lot on weight distribution under braking and we know we are on the right lines and that the hard work will bear fruit soon. I like Sepang because it is a technical track which has some really hard braking areas hidden amongst .We are working very hard with my team and I hope to get a good result starting from this race. ?


FOCUS: HIGH TEMPERATURES AND TYRE WEAR

High temperatures can be extremely wearing on the physical condition of a MotoGP rider and the case is even more so for the tyres. At a certain point the intense heat begins to reduce grip levels and at a circuit like Sepang the lap times are almost always faster during the morning, when the track registers around 40?C than in the afternoon, when it can reach as high as 50?C. In order to tackle the difficulties this presents MICHELIN have come up with a special rubber compound.

?Independently of the track temperature each tyre is constructed according to the characteristics of the track,? explains Nicolas Goubert, Michelin?s Director of Motorcycle Racing. ?Its layout, the track surface (topology and design), the rider?s style and the machine. These are some of the most important factors to take into account. Track temperature can vary a lot during a single day at Sepang and go from 40?C in the morning up to 55?C by the afternoon.?

When the tyres begin to go off, that is when the rider can make the difference. ?Riding style is crucial to the lifespan of a tyre ? especially when temperatures are as high as they are at Sepang, Laguna Seca or Qatar? continues Nicolas Goubert. ?Heat reduces grip levels and then it is up to the rider not to slide too much and wear down the tyre ? especially in the early stages of a race.?

The experience gathered this season at Laguna Seca, where track temperatures soared to around 60?C, has allowed the Michelin engineers to take another step forward in their analysis of tyre reaction to extreme heat. The experience on the American track could be useful next weekend on the Malaysian track.

Heat in numbers:

60?C: Track temperature at Laguna Seca 2006
15?-20?: The lowest temperature recorded this season (during the IRTA tests at Barcelona).
48?: Track temperature during preseason testing at Sepang in 2006.
1,100: The number of tyres being taken to Sepang by Michelin for use over the weekend.

 

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Rizla Suzuki MotoGP heads for sweltering Sepang

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP gets back into action this coming weekend for round 13 of the MotoGP World Championship at Sepang in Malaysia, the first of three races in successive weekends.
John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen will both be looking to get back into the groove again after a tough last race at Brno. Hopkins continued his run of top 10 finishes - that now stretches to seven successive races, his best ever sequence in MotoGP ? in the Czech Republic and will be looking to keep that run going at Sepang.
Hopkins qualified on the front row for last years Malaysian Grand Prix and the Anglo-American star will be looking to at least emulate or improve on that this weekend. The 5.5km Sepang International Circuit is one of Suzuki?s winter test tracks and both riders have completed many laps there. The circuit features two long straights interlinked by a variety of corners including some very fast and testing sweepers. The oppressive heat of Sepang will take its toll on the riders as the high temperatures and humidity will mean that fitness and stamina of the racers is as important as the set-up of the bikes.
The Sepang track is situated approximately 50km south of Kuala Lumpur and very near to the International Airport. The track is one of the newest on the MotoGP calendar and has fantastic facilities along with some of the best architecture at any racetrack in the world.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will begin its assault on Friday when it takes to the track for two free practice sessions. This is followed on Saturday by a further free practice session and the hour-long qualifying in the afternoon to determine the all-important grid positions. Sunday?s 21-lap race will get underway at 15.00hrs local time (07.00hrs GMT).


Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?With only one race over the last month and a half it?s great to be getting back into action again, and these three back to back races throw the MotoGP teams right in at the deep end. Sepang is a circuit the riders know well, we know what to expect there in terms of conditions and we should have a good base set-up from where to start the weekend. We struggled a bit at Brno but the race itself saw both riders deliver strong performances and gain in confidence.
?John and Chris are extremely fit and should be in the best possible condition for the strength sapping heat of Sepang. John goes particularly well there, and we are hoping for big things from him and Chris over these fly-away races as the tracks should suit the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R and the Bridgestone tyres. Suzuki keeps pushing things forward race by race, and we hope to compete to our full potential over the next three weekends, starting in Malaysia.?

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
04 SEPTEMBER 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MALAYSIA KICKS OFF DEMANDING THREE RACE RUN FOR KAWASAKI

The Kawasaki Racing Team head for the Far East this week, and an intense schedule of three races in as many weekends, starting with the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, and taking in the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island before bringing their whirlwind tour of Asia to an end with the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

It's a punishing schedule for both teams and riders alike, with Sepang in particular making huge demands on the physical fitness and endurance of Kawasaki's riders, Shinya Nakano and Randy de Puniet, due to the strength sapping extremes of temperature and humidity experienced at the Malaysian circuit.

But both Kawasaki riders head into this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix with their sights set firmly on a strong performance, and confident that hundreds of testing laps completed during the winter at the 5.548 km Sepang circuit will stand them in good stead once practice gets underway on Friday.

For Shinya Nakano, Friday's two free practice sessions will allow him the first opportunity to test a revised Ninja ZX-RR engine and exhaust system, designed by Kawasaki engineers in Japan to improve torque at the bottom of the rev range, as well as outright power at the top end - both essential characteristics at the Sepang circuit.

The 28-year-old Japanese rider rates the Sepang track as one of his favourites, and is confident that the latest specification Ninja ZX-RR will suit the characteristics of the high-speed, but technical, Malaysian circuit. The Kawasaki pilot heads for Malaysia from his home in Japan determined to secure a good result for Kawasaki, as he builds up the momentum for his home Grand Prix at Motegi in three week's time.

Nakano's Kawasaki teammate, Randy de Puniet, has been on a mission in recent weeks, to improve both his qualifying performance and his race starts. The 25-year-old Frenchman saw an improvement in qualifying at Brno, after regaining his confidence in Bridgestone's super-sticky qualifying tyres during free practice, and a series of successful practice starts during the one-day, post-race test at the same circuit means that de Puniet heads for the Far East in determined mood.

The rookie Kawasaki pilot likes the challenges offered by the Sepang circuit, where he completed three successful tests aboard the Ninja ZX-RR over the winter. And, the demanding conditions in Malaysia will certainly hold no fears for de Puniet, who is one of the fittest riders on the MotoGP grid.

Sunday's 21-lap Malaysian Grand Prix will get underway at 15.00 local time (GMT+8 and CET+6) on Sunday 10 September.

Shinya Nakano: #56
"Sepang is definitely one of my favourite tracks, and one I know pretty well after completing so many laps there during winter testing. I've had some good results at Sepang in the past, and the fact that we head to Malaysia with a massive amount of data collected during testing means that I'm quietly confident ahead of this weekend's race. The Ninja ZX-RR already suits the characteristics of the Sepang circuit very well, but this time around we have a revised engine and exhaust system to evaluate during free practice, and this could well give us a distinct advantage this weekend. Overall, I'm looking forward to racing in Malaysia, and I hope that I can pick up some good results here and in Australia, and then carry that momentum through to my home Grand Prix at Motegi."

Randy de Puniet: #17
"We completed three successful tests at Sepang over the winter, so I know the track pretty well. Of course, everyone else knows the track equally well, because all the other MotoGP teams were out in Malaysia testing at the same time! But I like the track, and the fact that we managed to find a good working set-up on the Ninja ZX-RR during our last test there in February should stand us in good stead when practice gets underway on Friday. I think it's possible to get a good result in Malaysia, but I do need to look hard at my starts. Too often in the last few races I've lost places from the start, and then been forced to try and make them back up during the race. We did some work on this during the post race test at Brno two weeks ago, so I'm fairly confident going into the first of the three overseas races."

 

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PREVIEW ? MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX - SEPANG 10/09/2006


CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM LOOK TO END DRAMATIC SEASON ON A HIGH

One of the closest MotoGP World Championships in history heads into
its final stage this weekend as the series heads out to Malaysia for
the first of a five-race spell across three continents. Races at
Sepang, Phillip Island (Australia), Motegi (Japan), Estoril
(Portugal) and Valencia (Spain), will decide the destiny of a title
which for the past five seasons has been lifted by Yamaha superstar
Valentino Rossi. For the Italian to retain that honour he must turn
around a 38-point deficit to current leader Nicky Hayden (Honda),
although no fewer than nine riders still have the mathematical odds
to take the title.

Rossi?s chances were given a huge boost at the last round three weeks
ago in Brno, where a second place finish combined with ninth for
Hayden saw the gap between the pair slashed by thirteen points. That
race went down as the closest top-15 finish of all time in the sport,
strengthening this season?s reputation as the toughest ever and
highlighting the number of points to be won and lost over the
remaining five events.

Brno also witnessed Rossi's 87th appearance on the podium in the
premier class and another top-three finish in Malaysia would equal
Giacomo Agostini?s tally of 88 ? a record bettered only by Mick
Doohan. Rossi has finished on the podium at Sepang for the last five
years, including a memorable victory for Yamaha in 2004 and a title-
clinching second place behind Loris Capirossi (Ducati) last season.

Colin Edwards says that his target for the remaining five races is to
assist Rossi?s title quest in any way he can whilst turning a
consistent run of points-scoring finishes into at least a string of
podiums. Tenth place in the last round at Brno was the 33rd
successive race at which he has scored points ? a MotoGP record again
bettered only by Doohan on 37 ? but the Texan?s goal is a return to
the potentially winning form he showed earlier in the season.

VALENTINO ROSSI: ONE OF MY FAVOURITES

Valentino Rossi is predicting a repeat of last year?s tough battle
with fellow Italian Loris Capirossi this weekend as he looks to get
one over on his compatriot after another memorable duel between the
pair at Brno. The Yamaha man cites Sepang as one of his favourite
tracks and he is hopeful that recent developments with the 990cc M1
machine will make it equally inclined towards the Malaysian venue.

?As everyone knows, Sepang is one of my favourite tracks and it?s
always great fun to ride the M1 there,? says Rossi. ?We made some
really good progress in Brno so hopefully everything will work well
from Friday morning and we can fight at the top all weekend. Last
year Loris was incredibly strong in Sepang, similar to how he was two
weeks ago in Brno and I am sure that this will be the case again this
time!

?This time I can?t win the title in Malaysia so our aim once again is
to finish on the podium and take as many points as possible in order
to stay in the fight. These three races in a row are going be very
important and at the end of them the championship could be much
clearer. It?s always hard work, with a lot of flying and time changes
in a short amount of time, but we will stay focused and do the best
we can!?

COLIN EDWARDS: NO LOOKING BACK

Colin Edwards, who lives in his hometown of Conroe, Texas, is used to
long haul trips and is undaunted by the demands of three ?flyaway?
races in as many weekends. The 32 year old insists that thoughts of a
poor run of form over the summer are now firmly behind him as he
simply concentrates on a grandstand finish to his season over the
final five races.

?Things really haven?t gone to plan lately and I think it?s fair to
say that I hoped to be in a better situation going into the final run
of races,? admits Edwards. ?But there?s no point dwelling on the past
- we made some positive steps at the test in Brno so we?ll see if
that helps. We discovered last year that what works in Brno doesn?t
necessarily work everywhere else but we definitely understand the
bike better after that test so hopefully we will be in a better
position come Friday morning in Sepang.

?I really like the Sepang track and then Phillip Island is one of my
all-time favourites, so I am definitely looking forward to these
races. We have two aims ? one is to keep working with the team to
find the best bike in order to give Valentino the tools to win the
title, and the other is to get some good results and get on the
podium. Three ?flyaway? races in a row is always intense, but I am
feeling ready for the challenge!?

VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION
Age: 27
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1
GP victories: 83 (56 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 168 (109 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 42
World Championships ? 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc,
4 x MotoGP)

COLIN EDWARDS: INFORMATION
Age: 32

Lives: Conroe, Texas
Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1
First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 60 x MotoGP
World Championships - 2 World Superbike


DAVIDE BRIVIO: THE FINAL PUSH

Camel Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio is asking for one final
effort from his team over the next two months as they cling on to the
slim possibility of defending the crown they have won with Rossi for
the past two seasons. The complicated logistics of five races across
three continents always puts a further burden on every member of
staff but Brivio is confident their extra exertions will once again
be rewarded by results on the track.

?After a very long and hard season, this is the start of the final
?push? for everyone and I know that the riders, the team and everyone
involved will give 100% through these final two months,? explains
Brivio. ?After Brno we did two days testing, and these were extremely
important for the final few races. We tried a lot of new things and
made some big steps forward with the setting and we got some very
important information from our riders, which we hope will help us to
remain at a competitive level until the end of the season.

?Our number one aim now is to give Valentino the means to stay in the
running for the championship title, and then we will see what the
situation is in Valencia. We hope that the Brno test has also given
Colin plenty of confidence and we hope to see him getting some good
results now and ending the season on a high. Sepang and Phillip
Island especially are favourite tracks of both riders so hopefully
these races will be good to us!?

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: SEPANG ACCORDING TO JEREMY BURGESS

Sepang is one of the widest tracks on the calendar, measuring 16
metres across in some areas, and always features high track
temperatures in the tropical climate. Races can be won and lost due
to the ability of machinery to hold a line during turn-in at several
points of hard braking. With four major hairpins, and some fast and
frequent changes of direction in its 5542m layout, Sepang provides a
stern workout for the entire bike set-up and its largely predictable,
if demanding, climate makes it the ideal winter testing venue.

?With the exception of Brno we have been to some tight and fiddly
tracks recently but I would call Sepang a ?real? Grand Prix circuit,?
explains Jeremy Burgess, Valentino Rossi?s Crew Chief. ?Sepang is a
great test track because it has a bit of everything ? from two points
that are fast enough for the riders to take in sixth gear to some
tight and twisty first gear corners. As far as the corners are
concerned there are some you accelerate through, some you stop at,
areas where you are braking from high speeds ? basically every area
of the bike gets a workout.

?Last year we got caught out on tyres but we put a lot of laps in
during the winter tests and over the last couple of races this is an
area we have focused on. A good front-end set-up is also crucial at
Sepang because there are lots of points where the riders are braking
at full lean, so they need full confidence to know that the front
won?t tuck. The heat is also an important factor and the rider must
be careful not to push the tyres too early.?

CIRCUIT INFORMATION

Pole position left
Length: 5.548 m
Width: 25 m
Right corners: 10
Left corners: 5
Constructed: 1998

Sepang Lap Record: Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2005, 2?02.993
Sepang Best Lap: Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2005, 2?01.731

2005 Malaysian Grand Prix Results:

1. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati, 43?27.523
2. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Yamaha, +1.999
3. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati, +2.069

10. COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Yamaha, +22.275

 

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GP OF MALAYSIA

Free practice / FINAL STRETCH UNDERWAY IN MALAYSIA

The sound of MotoGP four-stroke machines bellowed around the Sepang circuit today after a three-week break as the first day of practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix got underway in searing heat. FORTUNA HONDA riders Marco Melandri and Toni El?as endured something of a difficult day and were forced to settle for eleventh and sixteenth place respectively. Marco Melandri, who enjoyed a positive first session in the morning, when he lapped fourth fastest, suffered a crash in the afternoon which he blamed on the fatigue caused by the demanding climatic conditions. His team-mate Toni El?as spent the day working through a series of set-up difficulties that prevented him from setting a better lap time.

MARCO MELANDRI (11th , 2?03?248):

?In the morning we did a good job but in the afternoon when we tried something new we didn?t get the result we were hoping for. Despite that I am still confident I can have a good race on Sunday. We?re not far off the top times and we have room for improvement. Ten minutes from the end of the session I got the wrong gear and crashed but luckily I wasn?t hurt.?

TONI ELIAS (16th, 2?03?908):

?It?s been a tough start, especially because of the difficult conditions we had to ride in today. We still have a day left and we need to use it to improve on my speed through the corners. I?m confident and I think we can look forward to a good race.?

FREE PRACTICE REPORT - 08/09/2006

Rossi and Edwards begin set-up challenge in Sepang heat

Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards completed a
hard day's work with their Yamaha YZR-M1 machines today, as
preparations got underway for the Malaysian Grand Prix with two free practice
sessions. Both riders were eager to test the performance of their bikes at
this circuit after a positive recent test in the Czech Republic,
however it quickly emerged that the setting the team found at Brno was not as
well suited to this layout or track temperatures in excess of 45şC,
which put the tyres under extreme stress.

After making dramatic changes to the bike for the afternoon session,
reigning World Champion Rossi was able to knock almost a full second off
his time within the first six laps, giving him renewed confidence after
a disappointing morning when he could only manage the eleventh fastest
time. Edwards suffered similar problems but was unable to solve them in
time for an assault on the top positions today. The American is hoping
to find a quick solution in tomorrow morning's final free practice
before qualifying takes place in the afternoon.

Last year's winner Loris Capirossi (Ducati) set the pace today, dipping
under pole record time with a lap of 2'01.711. There was bad news,
however, for fellow title candidate Dani Pedrosa (Honda), who suffered a
knee injury in a high-speed crash this afternoon.
Valentino Rossi (6th - 2'02.970; 41 laps)
"It's been a difficult first day - more so in the morning than the
afternoon, which means we are working in the right way. I was confident
after the Brno test, especially about the tyres and the way they are
working now with our M1. Unfortunately in the conditions we have found here
that setting doesn't work so well and we had a few problems with tyre
life. So in the afternoon basically we adapted the setting using the
data we gathered in the January tests, when I was very fast, and things
improved a lot. Tomorrow we'll move even closer to that setting and I'm
very confident we can make a big improvement again. Loris was very fast
today and it looks like it will be a tough challenge to beat him, but
we have good base data for this circuit and I'm sure we can get back to
the pace I know I am capable of here."

Colin Edwards (12th - 2'03.355; 41 laps)
"That was a really hard day and not what we were hoping for at all. I'm
pretty disappointed after the good test we had at Brno because I
expected to be in good shape from the start here. I couldn't find the right
set-up today and there was no way for me to ride the bike properly.
We're going to have to work in a completely different direction tomorrow
and try to sort the situation out before qualifying.Valentino seems to
have improved by going back towards the settings from January, despite
the fact that the bike we have now is very different from the one we had
then, so maybe this is the way to work.We will have a think about
things tonight and start again tomorrow!"
Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director
"Today everyone has had to work very hard! Both riders have been
testing different things and now we have to put it all altogether to find the
right package and make sure we are competitive both in tomorrow
afternoon's qualifying session and Sunday's race. Valentino is very close to
the top and I think with a little bit more work he can be in good shape
tomorrow. Colin is struggling a little at the moment but hopefully he
too can improve in the morning. Tomorrow the weather might change things
but we hope that it stays dry so that we can continue to make
progress."


Free Practice

Pos., Rider, Manu., Nat., Total Time

1, Loris Capirossi, Ducati, ITA, 2'1.711
2, Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, ESP, 2'2.021
3, Kenny Roberts, Team Robert KR, USA, 2'2.563
4, John Hopkins, Suzuki, USA, 2'2.710
5, Makato Tamada, Honda, JPN, 2'2.918
6, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, ITA, 2'2.970
7, Sete Gibernau, Ducati, ESP, 2'2.981
8, Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, JPN, 2'3.100
9, Casey Stoner, Honda, AUS, 2'3.171
10, Nicky Hayden, Honda, USA, 2'3.199
11, Marco Melandri, Honda, ITA, 2'3.248
12, Colin Edwards, Yamaha, USA, 2'3.355
13, Randy De Puniet, Kawasaki, FRA, 2'3.418
14, Chris Vermeulen, Suzuki, AUS, 2'3.432
15, Carlos Checa, Yamaha, ESP, 2'3.706
16, Toni Elias, Honda, ESP, 2'3.908
17, Alex Hofmann, Ducati, GER, 2'4.706
18, James Ellison, Yamaha, GBR, 2'5.403
19, Jose Luis Cardoso, Ducati, ESP, 2'5.958

 

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OTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
08 SEPTEMBER 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REVISED ENGINE INSPIRES CONFIDENCE IN KAWASAKI'S NAKANO

Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano ended today's free practice tenth fastest overall, but the 28-year-old Japanese rider is confident that the latest engine revision on his Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine will lead to a significant improvement in his lap times ahead of tomorrow's all-important qualifying session.

Nakano started this morning's hour-long free practice aboard a Ninja ZX-RR fitted with the older specification engine, but quickly switched to the latest version of Kawasaki's MotoGP bike, on which he was immediately able to match his previous best lap time.

Nakano's initial comments were that the latest specification 990cc motor, which also features a revised exhaust system, offered a significant improvement in top speed along Sepang's trademark twin straights, but that throttle response - especially out of slower turns - still required some refinement.

The Japanese rider, together with his crew and engineers from Kawasaki in Japan, continued to make improvements to the ignition mapping and set-up of the engine throughout this afternoon's free practice, but the increasingly hot conditions conspired against Nakano, as he tried to improve his lap time towards the end of the hour-long session.

Nakano remains confident that the latest specification Ninja ZX-RR engine will prove an advantage at the Sepang circuit, once he and Kawasaki's technical staff have had more chance to refine the set-up during tomorrow's two hours of track time.

Kawasaki's MotoGP rookie, Randy de Puniet, finished 13th fastest overall, after struggling through both of today's free practice sessions with front brake problems on his Ninja ZX-RR.

With an inconsistent feeling from the front brake, the 25-year-old Frenchman was unable to string together the consistent laps required to collect the data necessary to improve the overall set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR.

Although disappointed to have effectively lost a whole day of track time, de Puniet is confident that his crew can come up with a solution to the brake problems overnight, to give him at least two track sessions tomorrow during which to refine his set-up and identify a suitable race tyre for Sunday's 21-lap Malaysian Grand Prix.

Shinya Nakano: 10th - 2'03.100
"Our revised engine is working well here, and there is a definite improvement in top speed on Sepang's two long straights. However, we've only been running this engine for two hours today, so there is still some set-up work to be done tomorrow. At the moment we're about 70% there with the set-up - it's still a little bit too aggressive out of the turns - but I'm confident that, with more track time tomorrow, we can improve things in this area. We also worked today on refining the chassis balance, which is important at this circuit, as well as trying a selection of tyres from Bridgestone. Conditions this afternoon were very difficult physically, because the temperature has increased considerably during the course of the day, but I was still a little disappointed not to improve my lap time towards the end of the session. Having said that, I'm happy overall with what we've achieved today, and I'm confident that we will make further improvements tomorrow."

Randy de Puniet: 13th - 2'03.418
"Today was not the start to the weekend I was hoping for. It's strange, because the bike felt good during the early part of this morning's free practice session, but then as the pace increased we started to suffer with front brake problems. The braking force is just not consistent from lap to lap and corner to corner, which doesn't inspire confidence at a fast track like Sepang, and also makes it difficult to work on the set-up of the bike, because it's impossible to lap consistently. We've made changes to try and eliminate the problem, but without success so far. We need to sit down tonight and go through the data from today, to see if we can come up with a solution. But, while I'm confident my crew can fix the problem, it doesn't change the fact that we've effectively lost one whole day of track time, and I think this will be difficult to make up tomorrow."

Naoya Kaneko: Technical Manager
"For Shinya it was a very positive start to the day, as his lap times on the revised engine were similar to those on the older specification motor. With any major revision to the engine there is extensive set-up work to be done, so I'm confident that we'll be able to make further improvements with more track time tomorrow, which should allow Shinya to close the gap to the top of the timesheet ahead of qualifying. With Randy we need to identify the problem that's causing his lack of feeling on the brakes. We made many changes to the brake set-up on both his bikes today, but the problem has persisted and we now need to look a little more deeply into the causes using the data collected from his bikes today. Until we've fixed this problem, it will be difficult for Randy to progress with setting up his bike for this track."

FREE PRACTICE - COMBINED TIMES
1. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team 2'01.711; 2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +0.310; 3. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +0.852; 4. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.999; 5. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +1.136; 6. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +1.207; 7. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team +1.259; 8. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +1.270; 9. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +1.338; 10. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.389; 11. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +1.463; 12. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +1.644; 13. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.707

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
09 SEPTEMBER 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

QUALIFYING ABANDONED AS TORRENTIAL RAIN HITS SEPANG

Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet will start tomorrow's 21-lap Malaysian Grand Prix from seventh place on the grid, after unique circumstances at Sepang saw this afternoon's qualifying session abandoned due to torrential rain.

But while de Puniet was relatively satisfied with his starting position, his Kawasaki teammate, Shinya Nakano, was disappointed to find himself placed twelfth on the grid, at a track that he rates as one of his favourites.

After three dry free practice sessions for the MotoGP class, the rain that had been threatening for the past three days finally arrived with a vengeance, shortly before an already delayed qualifying session was due to get underway.

With standing water quickly building up on track under the onslaught from the elements, race direction had no option but to delay qualifying again, in the hope that the weather would improve and the track drain quickly enough for the all-important timed session to get underway.

But, despite the torrential rain gradually easing and allowing the standing water - which was ankle deep in some places - to drain quickly from most of the track, qualifying was abandoned after a delay of two hours. Race control cited safety concerns, due to water running across the track at turn five, as the reason for the abandonment.

As a result, the final grid positions for tomorrow's 21-lap Malaysian Grand Prix were calculated using the fastest time of each rider over the course of the three free practice sessions, all of which were run in the dry.

This method of calculation favoured those riders who'd run qualifying tyres during free practice. And while Randy de Puniet is happy that the decision will see him start tomorrow from seventh place, and the head of the third row, Shinya Nakano was disappointed to find himself placed twelfth, and facing a start from the fourth row, after staying on race tyres for all three free practice sessions.

Randy de Puniet: 7th - 2'02.313
"We decided to run a qualifying tyre this morning, just so I could get a feel for it at this track, and that obviously gave us something of an advantage when they calculated the grid positions after abandoning qualifying. On the other hand, the bike and the tyres were working well this morning, with no recurrence of the braking problem I had yesterday, and I like to think that I could have finished higher than seventh if qualifying had gone ahead as planned. I need to get a good start tomorrow, and it's important that I carry the speed all the way into the first turn, as this is the best way of holding the right line through the corner. Overall, I'm happy with the progress we made during today's free practice session, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow's race."

Shinya Nakano: 12th - 2'02.832
"With hindsight it is easy to say we should have run a qualifying tyre during free practice, like some of the other riders did, but it's impossible to account for every eventuality. As far as I know, this is the first time qualifying has been abandoned and this method used to calculate grid positions, but we have to live with the decision. Despite having to start tomorrow's race from the fourth row of the grid, I think it's still possible to leave here with a good result. I'm fairly happy with the bike, and also the tyre options for tomorrow's race, so I guess it's just going to be a case of getting the best start I can, and then getting my head down and pushing hard for the best result possible."

Harald Eckl: Team Principal
"It's unfortunate that qualifying had to be abandoned, but there was obviously a problem with the track and safety is, of course, paramount. Some riders, like Shinya, have been unlucky because they chose not to run a qualifier during free practice, while others may be higher up the grid than they would normally expect. But, I'm pretty sure this won't have a major effect on tomorrow's race results. I just hope that the rain doesn't return tomorrow, as it would not be good for MotoGP if we had to abandon the race because of the same problem we experienced with water running across the track today."

GRID POSITIONS AFTER FREE PRACTICE 3
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team 2'00.605; 2. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +0.438; 3. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.562; 4. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +1.293; 5. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +1.416; 6. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +1.576; 7. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.708; 8. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +1.848; 9. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +1.955; 10. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +2.185; 11. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +2.195; 12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +2.227; 13. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +2.313

 

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Qualifying practice / QUALIFYING PRACTICES ARE CANCELLED BECAUSE OF THE RAIN

The second day of the Malaysian GP was characterized by heavy rain that started to fall around lunch time and spoiled the qualifying practices that were postponed several times waiting for the track to dry. At 4.15 pm the Race Direction decided to cancel the Qualifying Practices for security reasons. The starting grid will be decided according to the best times scored by the riders in the three free practice sessions. The Fortuna Honda riders will start tomorrow in 9th and 14th positions.

MARCO MELANDRI (9?, 2?02?560):

?It was a strange day. I?m disappointed because during the three practice sessions we worked in preparation of the race using always race tyres. I would have preferred to decide my grid position on track, that?s why I have suggested to extend of 10 minutes tomorrow the warm up so that we could have done warm up and qualifying. I respect the Race Direction?s decision but I have been penalized because I didn?t use the qualifying tyres this morning?.

TONI ELIAS (14?, 2?03?102):

?This morning we did a good job focusing on suspensions and chassis. Unfortunately this afternoon we couldn?t confirm our work. I?m sorry because without the afternoon practices I couldn?t improve my grid position. Tomorrow I will start from the fifth row which makes my race very difficult. I?m sorry but I will do my best to get a good result?.

 

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09/09/06 12:06
Cancelled qualifying session puts Hopkins on third row in Malaysia

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins will start from the third row of the grid for tomorrow?s Malaysian Grand Prix, after this afternoon?s qualifying was cancelled and grid positions were decided by each rider?s best lap-time during the three free practice sessions.

Torrential rain hit the Sepang International Circuit during lunch time and the heavy downpours caused substantial flooding of the 5.5km track. Although the hour long session was originally delayed to allow the track to dry, the standing water was too dangerous and the decision was made to cancel the session due to safety issues.

Hopkins (P8) had made some good improvements during the morning session and was again up with the fastest riders on race tyres, but as the hour wore on many riders used qualifying tyres and the Anglo-American was pushed down the timesheets as he concentrated on finding the best race set-up for Sunday?s race.

Chris Vermeulen will start from 16th on the grid as he was still struggling with the illness that hampered him yesterday. He worked hard during the morning session and had made a significant step forward and was prepared for the afternoon session, but was unable to benefit due to the qualifying cancellation.

Tomorrow?s event is round 13 of the MotoGP World Championship and the 21 lap race will get underway at 15.00hrs local time (08.00hrs GMT).

John Hopkins:

?I?m really disappointed as we had a lot of things to try here this afternoon. Bridgestone had brought us a really good tyre that we hoped would work well in the dry and we never got the chance to use it. This afternoon we had planned to put a half-race distance on it but that never happened. As for it being wet, safety is a very important thing but it?s a shame we never got to ride because as it stands now I?m going to be starting from eighth, when I?m sure in qualifying it would have been higher. Some of the riders in front of me used qualifiers this morning and I just concentrated on my race set-up so I was penalised really. But we know that we can do the times and race well, so come rain or shine we will be ready!?

Chris Vermeulen:

?Obviously I haven?t been well this weekend and we have tried to keep the laps down to a minimum and concentrate on bike set-up. We weren?t really trying to do the fast laps and I didn?t use a qualifier like some of the riders did this morning because it wasn?t a qualifying session! So because of that I am a long way back on the grid. But what surprises me is that maybe the track is not in the best condition at the moment, but what if it rains tomorrow? I?m sure Valentino and others won?t be pushing for the race to be stopped. I?m not saying he had any involvement today but nobody even went out to see what it was like. Safety does come first but no rider went out there, not even in a safety car, so how can we say what it would have been like!?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?First of all the cancellation of the qualifying session was massively disappointing in terms of both rider?s grid positions, and the fact that we couldn?t continue the excellent progress we had made this morning. We understand that Race Direction?s decision about grid positions was a difficult one to make, in that there is nothing in the rule book to clarify this situation ? it?s clear that there should be for the future.

?Secondly it hasn?t worked out very fairly in that many riders used qualifying tyres this morning, whereas others ? our guys included ? concentrated on race set-up and tyre testing. We would have liked to have seen an extended warm-up tomorrow morning to include a qualifying session. This is Grand Prix racing and the guys take big risks on the Saturday in qualifying, so I don?t see why that risk couldn?t be on Sunday morning before the race. Anyway, it is what it is and both our guys will be going full out to improve significantly on their grid positions in tomorrow?s race!?

Marlboro Malaysian Motorcycle GP Qualifying Positions

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2?00.605: 2. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2?01.043: 3. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2?01.167: 8. JOHN HOPKINS (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 2?02.453: 16. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 2?03.918:

 

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RACE REPORT - 10/09/2006

Rossi continues comeback with magnificent Malaysian victory

Camel Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi moved another step closer to
the summit of the MotoGP World Championship today thanks to a
breathtaking victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix. After starting from pole
position the Italian was part of an entertaining battle for positions over the
first half of the race before breaking clear alongside compatriot Loris
Capirossi (Ducati). Just as they have done on so many occasions in the
past, the pair became embroiled in a cat and mouse chase that had the
43,182 spectators on their feet until the very last lap.

With half a lap of the Sepang circuit remaining Rossi dived past
Capirossi for the final time, opening out a crucial advantage within the next
two corners and denying his rival the opportunity to make a last-gasp
pass in the final hairpin. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) clinched the final
podium position in third place despite riding with an injured knee. Rossi's
victory moves him up to third in the championship, four points behind
the Spaniard and 26 adrift of series leader Nicky Hayden (Honda), who
finished fourth.

Colin Edwards managed a top ten finish despite struggling all weekend
to find the appropriate set-up for his YZR-M1 machine at this track. The
Texan was up against it as he started out from eleventh on the grid
after yesterday's decision to base the qualifying positions on aggregate
free practice times and he struggled to make an impression after losing
touch with the leading pack. The series now moves on to Australia for
the second of three races in as many weekends before returning to Europe
for a tantalizing double header in Portugal and Spain.
Valentino Rossi (1st; 43'07.829)
"That was another legendary battle between myself and Loris - very hard
but also very fair. At Brno he escaped but today I was able to hang on
to him. When both our bikes are working well it is always spectacular
because his performs better in some sections and mine in others so it
makes for a beautiful fight. I enjoy racing with him so much because
there is a lot of respect between us and a great trust - he is probably the
hardest rival I have ever had but also one of my best friends in the
paddock. At one point I thought I'd got away but then he appeared again
and I knew it was going to be a battle to the end. He tried to break
free but I stayed with him and I think we passed each other about ten
times in the last few laps, it was amazing. I want to say a huge 'thank
you' to everybody at Yamaha because they virtually cancelled their summer
holidays to get this bike working at the maximum again and I was able
to push at 100% today.I also need to say another big 'thank you' to
Michelin, who have worked really hard to help us to get back to this level
of competitiveness. For the two Honda riders to finish third and fourth
is not ideal but all I can do is keep winning races so that is what I
will try to do."

Colin Edwards (10th; +19.909)
"We've had the same problems since Mugello - I don't have enough rear
grip and I can't push the bike as hard as I need to. This weekend we
turned it upside down but still couldn't find that little bit of grip we
need. We've been following Valentino a little with the setting and today
I had virtually the same as him. I don't know how he does it, but
somehow he does and today I couldn't. It's always tough starting from so far
down the grid and I tried to make up the ground but from mid-race I was
basically riding on my own, trying to cut down the gap to Melandri but
without much success. Luckily we have another race in seven days at a
place I love so hopefully we can move onwards and upwards in Australia."
Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director
"What an incredible day! Another great race from Valentino and from our
part all I can say is that we really enjoyed the show but we're
enjoying the 25 points even more! Valentino never gives up and his performance
today was typical of him, I think that says it all. All our staff, from
Japan to Italy and here in the paddock, have been working incredibly
hard and this is their reward.Colin had a difficult weekend - he improved
this morning but it wasn't enough. We're pleased that we have another
race in seven days' time at a circuit both our riders like so all we can
do is keep our heads down, stay focused and do our best to hold on to
this championship in the four rounds that remain."
Another typically determined effort for Tech 3 Yamaha Team

The Tech 3 Yamaha Team led by Spaniard Carlos Checa put in another
typically determined effort during the Malaysian Grand Prix held in
sweltering conditions at the Sepang circuit in an absolutely enthralling race
won in style by fellow Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi

Checa managed to finish in 12th position in front of factory rider
Makoto Tamada while team mate James Ellison had another difficult weekend
to finish just out of the points in 16th spot.

In a positive for the team to take to the next round at Phillip Island
next weekend is that the lap times of Carlos were very similar to Colin
Edwards who is also on a Yamaha rider and finished just two places
behind him.
Carlos Checa (12th Fastest lap 2'03.466)
I'm quite satisfied with the job I did today. I feel that we raced on
the limit of what we have as the bike seemed a little down on power
today but the tyre performance was quite constant so considering this I
feel I did my best. We made no mistakes and we found some more good
information for Dunlop to work with so working like this we have found
something better for the remaining races
James Ellison (16th Fastest lap 2'04.692)
I'm very disappointed to be honest. We've been working really hard all
weekend to cure this handling problem as no matter what we do we cant
get enough weight on the rear of the bike to make it steer into the
corner but that has been going on all year. The frustrating thing is that
no matter what we try with the setup we can't get the bike to handle
properly. I have to thank my team because they have been working very hard
all year attempting to get the most out of the bike.
Herve Poncheral - Tech 3 Yamaha Team Director
It was another interesting weekend and as I have said many times this
year this is a learning year so we have to expect that we won't have
perfect weekends. Today we were 30 seconds to the front and we were very
consistent with the Dunlop tyres. We lack a bit of performance and
stability but we are now having a lot of durability so things are improving.
I'm reasonably happy and we are definitely making progress every race.
Stability used to be the worst problem but this has improved a lot so
now we have to find half a second for the first ten laps so then we will
for sure be a lot closer with many riders in front of us.


Race 1 - 21 Laps

Pos., Rider, Manu., Nat., Total Time

1, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, ITA, 43'7.829
2, Loris Capirossi, Ducati, ITA, 0'0.849
3, Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, ESP, 0'3.863
4, Nicky Hayden, Honda, USA, 0'5.780
5, Sete Gibernau, Ducati, ESP, 0'9.301
6, John Hopkins, Suzuki, USA, 0'11.081
7, Kenny Roberts, Team Robert KR, USA, 0'11.838
8, Casey Stoner, Honda, AUS, 0'12.267
9, Marco Melandri, Honda, ITA, 0'15.019
10, Colin Edwards, Yamaha, USA, 0'19.909
11, Chris Vermeulen, Suzuki, AUS, 0'23.371
12, Carlos Checa, Yamaha, ESP, 0'30.884
13, Randy De Puniet, Kawasaki, FRA, 0'36.335
14, Makato Tamada, Honda, JPN, 0'48.777
15, Alex Hofmann, Ducati, GER, 0'59.081
16, James Ellison, Yamaha, GBR, 1'5.787
17, Jose Luis Cardoso, Ducati, ESP, 1'37.862



Best Lap

Rider, Manu., Nat., Total Time

Loris Capirossi, Ducati, ITA, 2'2.127


Rider Standings 10/09/2006


Pos., Rider, Manu., Nat., Points

1, Nicky Hayden, Honda, USA, 214
2, Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, ESP, 192
3, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, ITA, 188
4, Loris Capirossi, Ducati, ITA, 171
5, Marco Melandri, Honda, ITA, 168
6, Casey Stoner, Honda, AUS, 109
7, Kenny Roberts, Team Robert KR, USA, 101
8, Colin Edwards, Yamaha, USA, 96
9, John Hopkins, Suzuki, USA, 93
10, Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, JPN, 75
11, Sete Gibernau, Ducati, ESP, 69
12, Makato Tamada, Honda, JPN, 69
13, Chris Vermeulen, Suzuki, AUS, 66
14, Toni Elias, Honda, ESP, 64
15, Carlos Checa, Yamaha, ESP, 58
18, James Ellison, Yamaha, GBR, 20


Team Standings 10/09/2006

Pos., Team, Points

1, Repsol Honda Team, 406
2, Camel Yamaha Team, 284
3, Ducati Marlboro Team, 247
4, Fortuna Honda Team, 232
5, Rizla Suzuki, 159
6, Honda LCR, 109
7, Team Roberts KR, 101
8, Kawasaki Racing Team, 101
9, Tech3 Yamaha, 78
10, Konica Minolta Honda, 69
11, Pramac D'Antin, 23


Manufacturer Standings 10/09/2006

Pos., Manufacturer, Points

1, Honda, 278
2, Yamaha, 226
3, Ducati, 180
4, Suzuki, 111
5, Team Robert KR, 101
6, Kawasaki, 86


GP OF MALAYSIA

The race / DIFFICULT RACE FOR THE FORTUNA HONDA RIDERS

The Grand Prix of Malaysia, the thirteenth round of the season, proved a difficult race for FORTUNA HONDA riders Marco Melandri and Toni Elias. The Spaniard made a magnificent start and quickly climbed up into fifth place having set off from 14th on the grid. Over the first few laps Elias lapped with the lead group, but when they dropped the pace a little he decided to push harder and fell as he chased Stoner and Roberts. Team-mate Marco Melandri also endured a difficult weekend and, as he had during qualifying, struggled to find the ?feeling? with his bike that would have allowed him to demonstrate his true potential. Problems with the front end slowed his progress and forced him to settle for ninth and some important championship points. The Italian now sits fifth in the standings with 168 points, some 46 behind leader Nicky Hayden.

MARCO MELANDRI (9th):

?It was a very difficult weekend ? we didn?t manage to solve the problems with the front end at all. I tried to give my best in the race, but I did not feel comfortable on the bike and so I did not risk too much and decided to just claim some points that could prove important in the championship. I am disappointed as I don?t like battling for ninth place, but I hope I will be able to do better in Australia.?

TONI ELIAS ( DNF ):

?I made a good start, my best of the season, and quickly found a good rhythm. I lapped with the lead group and felt comfortable, but when I tried to push harder as we were entering the first corner on lap 16, I braked a bit too late and lost the front end. It?s a shame because we fell when we were riding a good race and I feel sorry for the team.?

 

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Superb fight back for Hopkins at Sepang

John Hopkins raced his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R to a superb sixth place at today?s Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang after being relegated to 14th on the first lap.

Hopkins started from eighth on the grid but was boxed in at the first corner and was lucky to avoid an incident that saw the two Kawasaki team-mates collide. At the end of the lap one he had moved up to 11th and then set about the task of chasing the riders in front of him. He picked them off one by one and made his way up to sixth, but he was unable to get into the top five as he ran out of laps whilst still closing fast. His sixth position carries on his run of top 10 results and closes the gap on the riders ahead of him in the Championship table.

Team-mate Chris Vermeulen also had a strong race but was hampered by starting from 16th on the grid after yesterday?s qualifying practice was cancelled. He too passed many riders early on and finished in 11th, despite a lack of fitness at the end due to the illness he has suffered all weekend.

Today?s race was watched by 43,182 fans that were treated to a fantastic battle between Valentino Rossi and Loris Capirossi for the victory. Reigning World Champion Rossi finally came out the victor on his works Yamaha.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP now travels straight to Phillip Island in Australia for the next round of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship in seven days time, a race that will see Chris Vermeulen race in front of his home crowd for the first time as a factory Grand Prix rider.

John Hopkins:

?I wasn?t feeling that great this morning ? I think I?ve got a bit of a head cold that?s going around the team. By the time I got to the grid I felt great though, but I didn?t feel that way half-way round lap one! There was a lot of mess going on and a lot of bumping. Shinya hit Randy and they took each other out and I was lucky to miss them ? but that saved a couple of passes! From there I had to save the tyre and do the best race I could. There wasn?t one lap where I wasn?t riding my butt off and riding to the maximum ? some more than others. The new spec engine allows me to make passes and it makes my job easier. Coming into the last couple of laps I just pushed hard and I knew I could get past Stoner. Unfortunately I didn?t get past Kenny early enough as I think I could have got Sete as well. We have to take what we can get. I want that podium but it didn?t happen here. We?ve got a few races left and we?ll be going for it for sure.?

Chris Vermeulen:

?It was difficult weekend with the cancelled session and me not feeling 100% on Friday and Saturday. I was a bit better today but I tired towards the end of the race. The bike worked well as did the Bridgestone tyres. Full credit to my team, I didn?t do a lot of laps in practice or give them much information but they gave me a very competitive bike. It was difficult starting in 16th but we came through and finished 11th and I did my fastest ever lap here in the race. Hopefully in a week I should be a lot fitter for my home GP ? I?m really looking forward to that!?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?A great race by John but a frustrating weekend, that?s how I would sum up Rizla Suzuki?s Malaysian Grand Prix. If everything had come together for John over the weekend in terms of qualifying and a lot more luck on the first lap, he would have had a good chance of challenging for the podium. The new engine spec that Suzuki delivered here at Sepang has proved to be a lot more competitive and both riders commented that they are now able to stay in the slipstream of competitor?s bikes and get by on the brakes. This is a big step for us and makes our race potential a lot better. So we owe a big thanks to Suzuki for its continued commitment in moving up the field.

?Despite the frustration of such a bad start John kept his head and rode an awesome race. Congratulations to him, Stuart and his crew on a good weekend?s work. Chris has suffered physically all weekend and his condition cost him over the second half of the race but probably not as much as yesterday?s cancelled qualifying session. Nonetheless he set his fastest times during the race, pushed hard and scored valuable points in his efforts to get into the top 10 in this year?s Championship.

?The Team will now have a couple of quiet ones tonight before we head off to Australia and keep building on our increasing potential throughout the last few races of the season.?

Marlboro Malaysian Motorcycle G.P. Race Classification

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 43?07.829: 2. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) +0.849: 3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +3.863: 6. JOHN HOPKINS (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +11.081: 11. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +24.371:

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
10 SEPTEMBER 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DE PUNIET SHOWS DETERMINATION AT SEPANG

Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet recovered brilliantly to bring his Ninja ZX-RR home in 13th place in today's 21-lap Malaysian Grand Prix, after an off-track excursion on the opening lap saw the Frenchman rejoin the race dead last.

Both Kawasaki riders got away cleanly at the start, with de Puniet reaching the first turn in tenth place, and Nakano one place further back in eleventh. Keen to close the gap on the leading group of riders, Nakano tried a pass up the inside of his teammate going into turn nine, but was caught out when riders in front braked earlier than expected, leaving him with nowhere to go.

Nakano drifted wide, where he collided with his teammate, forcing them both into the gravel trap. The collision caused Nakano to crash out of the race, but de Puniet was able to keep his Ninja ZX-RR upright as he ran deep through the gravel, before rejoining the race in a distant last place.

Undeterred, the Frenchman got his head down and was quickly back on the pace, as he worked to close the gap on the rest of the pack. Lapping consistently throughout the race, de Puniet managed to fight his way up through the field, to eventually cross the line in a creditable 13th place.

Although disappointed not to have finished higher up the order in today's race, de Puniet was happy with the consistency of his lap times, which he felt would have resulted in a top ten finish if he hadn't been forced off the track so early on in the proceedings.

Both Kawasaki riders now head for Phillip Island keen to put today's disappointment well and truly behind them, with a strong showing in next weekend's Australian Grand Prix.

Randy de Puniet: 13th
"My start was definitely an improvement over previous races, and I got a good run through the first turn to take tenth place. But then Shinya tried to go up the inside of me on the opening lap, and we collided as he picked the bike up to avoid the riders braking in front of him. I managed to ride through the gravel, but everyone had disappeared into the distance by the time I rejoined the race. From that point on there was little else I could do but put my head down and go for it. I am happy with my performance today, and I'm confident that, without the forced trip through the gravel on the opening lap, I was on for a top ten finish this afternoon. Yes, it's disappointing, but that's racing I guess."

Shinya Nakano: DNF
"Starting from 12th on the grid I knew I would have to push hard to make up places on the first lap, before the leaders managed to pull away. I set Randy up for a pass on the inside going into turn nine, but then the riders in front of me braked earlier than I was expecting, and I had nowhere to go but to the outside. Unfortunately, that's exactly where Randy was and I collided with him and put us both in the gravel trap. I'm sorry for Randy and I'm glad he managed to stay upright and continue, but I'm also sorry for the team that I crashed out so early, because they've worked so hard all weekend. All I can do is put this behind me, and start focussing on next weekend's race in Australia."

Harald Eckl: Team Principal
"Normally Shinya would expect to start this race from the first or second row, but the cancellation of qualifying, and the fact that he was forced to start from 12th place, meant that he was under pressure to make up places right from the start today. Unfortunately, he pushed just a bit too hard on the opening lap and managed to push his teammate off the track, before crashing out of the race. Obviously it's disappointing, but these things happen in racing. Randy was quick to bounce back and rode a great race to finish 13th. Without the problem at the start I'm confident he'd have finished well inside the top ten. He's been unlucky on a number of occasions this season, but when his luck holds out I think he will surprise a few people."

MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team 43'07.829; 2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.849; 3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +3.863; 4. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +5.780; 5. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +9.301; 6. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +11.081; 7. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +11.838; 8. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +12.267; 9. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +15.019; 10. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +19.909; 13. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +36.335; DNF. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +19 Laps