Moto GP

[Rev004]

Pedrosa steps up a level in early run
Saturday, 02 May 2009

Spaniards Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo were the fastest two MotoGP riders on Saturday morning at the Gran Premio bwin.com de España.


Following his modest start to the Jerez weekend on Friday, when he lapped down in tenth position and was more than 1.5s off the pace, Repsol Hondaâ€s Dani Pedrosa stepped up his rhythm at the southern Spanish track on Saturday morning - to lap fastest in the MotoGP free practice 2 run.

The surprise Motegi podium finisher demonstrated his competitiveness and his improving fitness with a best time of 1â€39.422, which was almost two seconds better than his Friday pace.

Fractionally behind his compatriot and rival on the timesheet, Fiat Yamahaâ€s championship leading youngster Jorge Lorenzo trailed Pedrosa by just 0.054s, with things shaping up nicely for the home fans ahead of afternoon qualifying at 2.05pm – which should take place in similarly good weather conditions to the morning outing.

Also in the Saturday morning top five were Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda).

Behind former team-mate Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Whorld Champion Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) lapped discreetly in seventh place, unable to match his own best time from Friday.

Eighth fastest participant Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) was also unable to repeat his Friday pace, whilst compatriot Marco Melandri (Hayate Racing) and a much improved Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro) rounded out the top ten.


MotoGP Free Practice

Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'39.422 271.834
2 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'39.476 274.111 0.054
3 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'39.542 271.084 0.120
4 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1'39.759 273.003 0.337
5 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'39.962 275.510 0.540
6 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'40.134 276.003 0.712
7 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'40.244 271.356 0.822
8 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'40.304 273.903 0.882
9 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1'40.520 273.141 1.098
10 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'40.593 276.994 1.171
11 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'40.601 266.666 1.179
12 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'40.762 275.369 1.340
13 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'40.829 276.781 1.407
14 59 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati 1'40.878 276.144 1.456
15 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'41.042 272.796 1.620
16 72 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1'41.203 273.003 1.781
17 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 1'41.339 264.058 1.917
18 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 1'42.167 269.797 2.745


Lorenzo on top form in Jerez qualifying run
Saturday, 02 May 2009

An exciting MotoGP qualifying session at the Gran Premio bwin.com de España concluded with Motegi racewinner and series leader Jorge Lorenzo on pole in Jerez.

An exciting MotoGP qualifying session at the Gran Premio bwin.com de España concluded with Motegi racewinner and series leader Jorge Lorenzo on pole in Jerez.

The man of the moment in MotoGP Jorge Lorenzo delighted the home crowd at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in beautiful conditions on Saturday afternoon, as he repeated his 2008 pole for the Gran Premio bwin.com de España.

In stark contrast to the appalling weather at Motegi a week ago which saw qualifying cancelled, the growing Spanish crowd at the Andalusian track were bathed in some typical Iberian sunshine as the MotoGP riders put on a great show on their 800cc prototypes.

Lorenzo and his big Spanish rival Dani Pedrosa did battle for pole position during the 45 minute session, with the Fiat Yamaha rider eventually emerging on top with a 1â€38.933 hot lap on the 18th of his 21 turns of the track.

Saturday morningâ€s fastest rider Pedrosa again demonstrated his improving form and fitness on his Repsol Honda RC212V machine, lapping just 0.051s behind his young compatriot.

Ducati Marlboroâ€s Casey Stoner, who won the BMW M Award at Jerez in Marchâ€s Official MotoGP Test, was around half a second behind Lorenzo with his best effort putting him third on the grid at one of his least favoured tracks.

Fridayâ€s top man, World Champion Valentino Rossi could not match his championship rivals and after a modest Saturday morning free practice outing the Italian qualified off the front row for the first time this year in fourth place.

A good effort from Randy de Puniet saw him as the top satellite equipped qualifier in fifth place for the LCR Honda team, whilst the second line of the grid was rounded off by Rizla Suzukiâ€s Loris Capirossi - who made sure four different manufacturers are represented on the front two rows.

The third row, meanwhile, features Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and Toni Elias (San Carlo Honda Gresini), who will all be in the hunt for good points on Sunday.

Chris Vermeulen (Rizla Suzuki) was tenth fastest, with Sete Gibernau (Grupo Francisco Hernando) twelfth and 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro) down in 16th.

San Carlo Honda Gresiniâ€s Alex de Angelis crashed at the end of the session and qualified in 15th place, but was not reported to be injured.


MotoGP Qualifying Practice Classification

Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'38.933 275.721
2 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'38.984 275.650 0.051
3 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'39.415 272.796 0.482
4 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'39.642 269.865 0.709
5 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1'39.806 272.658 0.873
6 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'39.862 276.568 0.929
7 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'39.926 275.721 0.993
8 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'39.966 268.857 1.033
9 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'40.112 276.003 1.179
10 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'40.185 276.356 1.252
11 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1'40.381 273.625 1.448
12 59 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati 1'40.440 270.541 1.507
13 72 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1'40.599 271.766 1.666
14 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'40.670 269.932 1.737
15 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'40.796 267.657 1.863
16 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'40.953 273.764 2.020
17 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 1'41.238 271.220 2.305
18 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 1'41.253 266.535 2.320


Rossi uncomfortable with windy Jerez conditions
Saturday, 02 May 2009

Valentino Rossi believes gusts of wind were slowing him down at the Gran Premio bwin.com de España on Saturday.


Valentino Rossi looked like the man to beat on Friday at Jerez but he was unable to replicate a similar pace on Saturday, struggling to find the same feeling in windy conditions.

The reigning World Champion put in his best lap at the end of the QP session but was unable to knock Casey Stoner off the outside of the front row and had to settle for starting at the head of the second row for Sundayâ€s third race of the season.

Valentino Rossi - fourth
“Iâ€m a bit unhappy because we had a few problems and it actually hasnâ€t been such a good day, it was also very windy which made it more difficult. Yesterday we were very fast from the start and we hoped to keep going like this today but we have lost some feeling and now I canâ€t ride and push how I want to. At the moment I am not happy with the setting for the race and we need to work hard to understand the situation and try to improve it because we must be stronger tomorrow. Now we will make a long meeting and try to find some solution to try for the warm-up tomorrow.”
Team Manager Davide Brivio
“Missing out on the first row means that tomorrowâ€s race will be a bit more difficult in the early stages. Our race pace and rhythm are not so bad but we still need to make some adjustments because our potential is a lot better than this. We have to make Valentino more comfortable so that he can ride how he wants to, so now our engineers will study the data and look to come up with something to improve the setting.”


De Puniet feeling good on Spanish visit
Saturday, 02 May 2009

Randy de Puniet is happy to be fifth on the grid at Jerez and will be happy with a top ten result at round three.


Following his frustrating 2008 season, which resulted in several crashes for the LCR Honda team, Randy de Puniet wants to ride steadily at the Gran Premio bwin.com de España and register another top ten result - after his solid start to the year so far.

Recording his best qualifying result since Australia last season, De Puniet as put himself fifth on the grid at Jerez, as the only satellite rider on the front two rows.

Having lapped 0.873s behind poleman Jorge Lorenzo on his Playboy sponsored RC212V in the Spanish sunshine, he commented, “The practices started very well for us yesterday. Immediately I had a good feeling with the bike and we have been improving things during the weekend so far. I know our set-up is almost perfect because Iâ€m just behind the factory riders on the grid.”

“I have also been fast on race tyres so I am very confident for tomorrow. I expect a very good race and to start on the second row at this track is very important.”

Stating his straightforward hopes for Sundayâ€s MotoGP contest, he added, “If I can finish around seventh, eighth or ninth I will be happy because my target from the beginning of the year has been to consistently finish in the top ten in the first three or four races.”

De Puniet has thus far finished 10th and 11th respectively in Qatar and Japan and will go in search of more points tomorrow as he aims to move up the general standings from his current 11th place overall.


Capirossi hoping for good tyre durability
Saturday, 02 May 2009

Rizla Suzukiâ€s Loris Capirossi will start his 285th Grand Prix from the second row of the grid at Jerez on Sunday.


Loris Capirossi rode his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R to sixth place during a windy Gran Premio bwin.com de España qualifying session on Saturday, recording his fastest time of 1â€39.862 from his 20 laps of the Jerez circuit, less than a second off poleman Jorge Lorenzo.

Chris Vermeulen will start from 10th place on the grid as he recorded a best time of 1â€40.185 from his 22 laps.

Loris Capirossi - sixth
“Even though we were second yesterday and we were sixth this afternoon, it has been a much better day for us today. We did a great job this morning on the bike's setting and we improved a lot. We tried three different settings and found the best one to preserve the life in the tyre - this is a good step for us. The condition this afternoon was very difficult because it was so windy; this is the third race where we have not had perfect conditions. The sun was beautiful, but the wind was very strong and it made it difficult out there. Overall I am happy with where we are and we are ready for the race. We will be on the second row for the third time this year, but we were so close to being on the front row. I will be fighting hard right from the start and try to understand how the tyres will behave and make them last the distance!”
Chris Vermeulen - tenth
“It was not the position we wanted so I am a bit disappointed with that. We made some good steps with the bike and I am now a lot more comfortable on it. It has given me confidence to push a bit more and my speed was definitely up in that session, but we still need to make another step to get totally competitive. In this morning's session I concentrated on using a race-tyre and doing a lot of laps to give us an idea of what it would be like at the end of the race. Tomorrow it will be important to get a good start and move up through the field in the first couple of laps and try to do whatever I can. Hopefully with a good race we can get a top-five position, which is going to be tough from the fourth row, but it's certainly our target!”


Pramac pair on disappointing QP result
Saturday, 02 May 2009

Mika Kallio and Niccolò Canepa start Sundayâ€s Jerez race at the back of the grid.


It was not the best qualifying practice ever for the Pramac Racing team at the Gran Premio bwin.com de España on Saturday, as Mika Kallio and Niccolò Canepa respectively concluded 17th and 18th at Jerez.

Mika Kallio – 17th
“Several things didnâ€t go in the right direction today. We modified the bike many times without any luck. The only thing to do at the moment is analyze the data to understand in which direction we have to go. The track conditions were different compared to March, but we didnâ€t expect to be so far behind. Tomorrow it will need to be another comeback race for us.”
Niccolò Canepa -18th
“It went a bit better today even if with the race tyres I still need some more confidence. We have got closer to the other riders and this gives us a morale boost for the race. My learning period is going well and with patience we improve practice after practice. I want to thank my team for the great work they are doing for me.”


Lorenzo and Pedrosa prepare for a ‘Clasicoâ€
Saturday, 02 May 2009

Spanish rivals start alongside one another on the front row at Jerez.


Spanish sports fans were always going to be split down the middle this weekend, on the occasion of the latest edition of ‘El Clasico†–the football derby between Barcelona and Real Madrid that customarily dominates the attentions of the national press.

The biggest all-Spanish clash on Sunday, however, is expected to take place at the front of the MotoGP race. Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa will line up alongside one another at the head of the grid and in front of the passionate Spanish fans, and are hot contenders for the victory at the track where they both placed on the podium in 2008.

The duo were famously coerced into a handshake by the Spanish King at last yearâ€s event, but their rivalry remains. A chink of the cava bottles on the Motegi rostrum last weekend showed their mutual respect, but poleman Lorenzo appears convinced that he could not only leave Jerez with trophies and points –there is also the affections of the fans at stake.

“Iâ€m absolutely happy with todayâ€s result; starting a weekend with pole position is always a great way to begin but, as I always say, the most important thing is the victory,” said the current MotoGP World Championship leader after snatching the qualifying top spot with a 1â€38.933 lap.

“We hope to do the same as today, which is to have fun and do the best that we can. Itâ€s definitely important for the fans, because in Spain there is a division (in fan preferences) between Pedrosa and me. If we are fighting for the win then the race will be very interesting,” smiled the 21 year-old.

Pedrosa was more coy in his own comments, not referring to his rival directly. “Iâ€m happy with the front row, because we really didnâ€t have a good day in practice yesterday. There are still a few things to work on, but I am confident of a great race.”