MotoGP France

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EUROSPORT TV SCHEDULE ON 20/21-05-2006
Saturday
12:45 MotoGPGrand Prix France Introduction
13:15 MotoGPGrand Prix France Qualifying 125cc
14:00 MotoGPGrand Prix France Qualifying MotoGP


Sunday
09:45 MotoGPGrand Prix France Warm-Up (live)
10:15 MotoGPGrand Prix France Introduction(live)
10:45 MotoGPGrand Prix France 125cc Race(live)
12:00 MotoGPGrand Prix France 250cc Race(live)
13:30 MotoGPGrand Prix France Moto GP Race(live)

 

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PREVIEW ? FRENCH GRAND PRIX - LE MANS 21/05/2006
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CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM QUEST RETURNS TO EUROPE

The Camel Yamaha Team get back to European territory this weekend as
they look to bring their MotoGP World Championship points quest back on
track in France, following a disappointing run of races on unfamiliar
shores. The legendary Le Mans circuit, which has intermittently played
home to the MotoGP World Championship since 1969, has been a fixture on
the calendar for the last six seasons and this year plays host to the
fifth round of an incredible campaign that has already seen four
different winners.

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi is one of those - his sole
victory so far coming in the second round at Qatar ? but he is aiming
to put an end to the parity this weekend as he aims to recover from a
largely disappointing run of early season results. A first-corner crash
at Jerez and technical problems in the last two rounds at Istanbul and
Shanghai mean the Italian lies 32 points adrift of current leader Nicky
Hayden (Honda), but the most pressing issue for Rossi is to finally
overcome the problems that have restricted development of the 2006
version YZR-M1 machine so far.

The 4,180m track holds happy memories for the Camel Yamaha Team, with
Rossi having taken pole position and the lap record on his way to
victory last season, when he was joined on the podium by his team-mate
Colin Edwards. A repeat result is the target for both riders this
Sunday, with Edwards having recorded his first top-three finish of the
season just days ago in China, when he also extended his run of
points-scoring finishes to 25 ? a number only previously achieved by
Grand Prix legends Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner, Eddie Lawson and
Valentino Rossi.

VALENTINO ROSSI: A CRITICAL TIME

MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi knows that the time is right to
turn around his early misfortune and start picking up serious points in
his bid to defend motorcycling?s premier-class crown for the fifth
successive season. The Italian currently lies sixth in the general
standings but he is well aware that a change in fortune can spark a
good run of results over the next few weeks and dramatically improve
his situation.

?Sunday was the second time in the first four races that we?ve scored
virtually zero points and on both occasions it hasn?t been our fault,?
reflects Rossi. ?Luck has definitely not been on our side but the most
important thing now is to sort our problems out as soon as possible
because we have a run of important races coming up ? starting at Le
Mans. The next four or five rounds in Europe are the ?main course? of
the season and it is a critical time for us.

?We have got some new things to try at Le Mans so hopefully they can
help us find a good base set-up but still have enough room for
improvement to keep the pace with our rivals over the weekend. We are
up against good riders on good machinery and we have to be at our
maximum level to be able to beat them. I am already a few points behind
the leader but the championship is very long, I have a lot of
confidence in my team and we have time to put things right.

?Le Mans is not one of my favourite tracks but last year it was very
good for us. I took pole position, the fastest lap of the race on the
final lap and the victory and Colin was also on the podium, so it was a
perfect weekend for us. We hope this weekend can be the same.?

COLIN EDWARDS: REPEAT PODIUM THE TARGET

Colin Edwards has his sights firmly set on consecutive podium finishes
following his first top-three result in nine months at China on Sunday.
Edwards also scored his maiden rostrum of 2005 in round four, which
took place at Le Mans one year ago, when he led the race for several
laps before eventually conceding positions to Valentino Rossi and Sete
Gibernau. The Texan is hoping that can be a good omen for a repeat
success this time around.

?I seem to like round four of the season and I was really pleased it
came good for me again in China,? smiled Edwards. ?Last year?s podium
at Le Mans was the kick-start to a decent run of results for me so I
hope that can prove to be the case this time around. It?s no secret
that we?ve been having problems with the bike but we?re working hard
and if we?re capable of winning races and taking podiums when we?re in
trouble then just think what we can do when everything is running
smoothly!

?I don?t mind Le Mans as a circuit too much ? it?s a real ?stop and go?
track, as everybody says, with hard braking, tight corners and hard
acceleration. We?ll have some work to do with the set-up of the bike
but this track was good for us last year so hopefully it can prove a
little bit easier to adapt to and not as critical in terms of the
problems we?ve had at the last few circuits.?

VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION

Age: 27
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1
GP victories: 80 (54 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 161 (101 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 40
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: 53 x MotoGP
World Championships - 2 World Superbike

DAVIDE BRIVIO: KEEPING OUR HEADS DOWN

Camel Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio is looking forward to the
relative normality of life on the road as the MotoGP World Championship
returns for a seven-week spell on European shores. After a gruelling
start to the season including flyaway trips to Qatar, Turkey and China,
the team?s trucks ? home to their travelling workshops and offices -
will roll into Le Mans this week to provide a focal point for the hard
work to begin.

?After such a difficult start, which nonetheless has given us one win
with Valentino and Colin?s recent podium, I hope the next few weeks in
Europe will be like a new beginning to the season for us.? says Brivio.
?The races coming up are crucial but all we can do is keep our heads
down and continue to work hard on solving the problems we have found
this year. There is clearly a lot of room for improvement but we know
from the performances of Valentino and Colin already this season that
the bike has real potential, so we are excited about finally seeing it
performing to its maximum. Hopefully that can be at Le Mans.

?The engineers at Yamaha have been working very hard to make sure that
is the case and Valentino will have a new chassis available from the
first practice session on Friday. We will compare it with the current
one and will decide later if we will use it or not. We will also remain
there for a test on Monday to continue with our development. Last year
we had a very good weekend at Le Mans, which finished with both of our
riders on the podium, so it would be nice to repeat that result! If we
can shake off the bad luck that has been following us around the world
recently then we have plenty of reason to be confident.?

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: LE MANS ACCORDING TO JEREMY BURGESS

Le Mans is an archetypal stop-go track, with the added complication of
one of the highest speed turns on the calendar, just after the short
start-finish straight. There are several hairpins and chicanes, calling
not just for balance and control under hard and repeated braking, but a
neat and swift transfer from full braking to full acceleration on the
exit of the corners.

With nine right-handers and only four lefts, the track is also
particularly hard on one side of the tyres, but according to Valentino
Rossi?s Chief Mechanic Jeremy Burgess there are no hidden secrets to
the track in terms of machine set-up. ?Le Mans as a circuit is
probably the least technical on the whole calendar ? it doesn?t really
have any stand-out features or characteristics that set it out from the
rest, certainly not in a positive way,? says Burgess. ?You need good
acceleration out of the slow corners, which is why we struggled there
on our first visit with the M1 in 2004 because we were trying out new
engines before tackling the true horsepower tracks like Barcelona,
Mugello and Assen.

?Last year we had a fully-developed bike so we were able to make the
minor adjustments that this circuit requires and both Valentino and
Colin were fast. Clearly with so much hard braking you need firmer fork
settings and spring rates on the front, and then a slightly softer
spring on the rear so that the rider can hold his line on the exit.
That?s it really ? there are no secrets to Le Mans!?

CIRCUIT INFORMATION

Pole Position left
Length: 4180 m
Width: 13 m
Right corners: 9
Left corners: 4
Constructed in: 1974
Last modified: 2002

Le Mans Lap Record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 ? 1?33.678
Le Mans Best Lap: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 ? 1?33.226

2005 Results

1. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Yamaha, 44?12.223
2. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Honda, +0.382
3. COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Yamaha, +5.711

PREVIEW / GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE

ROUND 5

After the long haul trip to China the MotoGP World Championship returns to Europe this weekend as the series lands in France at the legendary Bugatti circuit of Le Mans, built in 1965 around the existing 24 Hour circuit. Located 200km south-west of Paris, Le Mans always brings together motorsport fans from all over central and northern Europe. With a tough Grand Prix of China now behind them, the FORTUNA HONDA riders are looking forward to the Grand Prix of France with renewed optimism. Marco Meandri and Toni Elias, and indeed the rest of the team, are determined to resolve the problems they found at the Shanghai circuit as they prepare for another huge challenge.


MARCO MELANDRI:

?Every race is a different story and for that reason I am looking forward to the GP of France with confidence. We have the knowledge and resources to analyse the problems we found at Shanghai and we will do our best to find the adequate solutions. It will be important to start well in the first free practice session and find a good base setting that will allow me to adapt the bike as best as possible to Le Mans.
The Bugatti circuit is characterised by a lot of hard braking and it requires a riding style that favours good braking on the entry and throttle control on the exit to make the most out of each corner.
Le Mans is notorious for the hard braking, it is a really demanding layout but I actually quite like it because it can be fun to ride. It is not one of the most technical circuits in the world but you can enjoy yourself there.?

TONI ELIAS:

?I like Le Mans and I have a lot of good memories of it. I actually scored my first ever Grand Prix podium at this track in 2001 when I finished third in the 125cc race and I won here in the 250cc class in 2003. In fact, I?ve been on the podium here four times in the last five years.
Unfortunately the thought of my crash here during testing last year counterbalances the good memories. I?m sure when I get to that first chicane for the first time this weekend the crash that broke my right wrist will come into my mind, but that certainly won?t prevent me from giving it my very best. I?m feeling highly motivated and I hope that the GP of China can serve as a point of reflection to analyse the problems we have had and start off on the right foot this Friday. My team is doing a great job and I will also give my best to take another step forward.?

THE TRACK

The history of Le Mans is most famously linked to car racing, with the Bugatti circuit annually hosting the world famous 24 Hour race. Two-wheeled machines, however, only use a part of the legendary track ? the permanent short course ? sharing the start line to the Chapelle corner with the cars, who then head out into the countryside to following the 24 Hour route. The bikes continue around a tortuous design that is riddled with first gear corners, followed by hard acceleration and long straights. The most impressive section is without doubt the extremely fast right-hander at the end of the start-finish straight, which is followed by a chicane which requires a nimble change in direction at high speed as well as lots of courage and cold blood.

Interesting fact: The Le Mans circuit can be considered a home track for MICHELIN, the French tyre manufacturers, who have won ten of the past eleven races held at this venue.

Inauguration: 1974
Lates modification: 2002
Length: 4,180m
Width: 13m
Pole position: Left
Right corners: 9
Left corners: 4
Longest straight: 450m

RECORDS:

Circuit record: 2005 V.Rossi (Yamaha) 1?33?678
Pole position 2005 V.Rossi (Yamaha) 1?33?226
Race 2005: 1st Rossi (Yamaha) 2nd Gibernau (Honda) 3rd Edwards (Yamaha)

FOCUS: TYRE WARMERS

MotoGP is developing more and more into a battle of the tyre manufacturers. In order to go fast you must be wearing the best ?shoes? and in this aspect the Fortuna Honda team can count on the support of MICHELIN, French brand leaders in the tyre sector.
Thanks to the quality of Michelin products and the use of tyre warmers, which have developed from a simply way of heating up the rubber into instruments of the highest technology, a rider is able to rely on maximum grip from his tyres from the moment he leaves his pit box.

But how do the tyre warmers work? Heating rubber is not a casual occurrence ? the appropriate materials have to be used and, above all, the right temperatures reached in accordance with the compound and construction of the tyre. The job of the tyre warmers is not to ?cook? the tyres but to bring them up to the right temperature without affecting their original characteristics.
Here are some facts to allow a better understanding of tyre warmers and their function.
Thermal curve: A standard tyre warmer reaches up to 80?C, taking between 50 and 60 minutes to bring the tyre up to the required temperature. On the inside there is a sensor that works as a thermostat, interrupting the heating process once the tyre has reached the right temperature and then restarting when it starts to cool.
Materials: The construction of the tyre warmer is a kind of sandwich consisting of five different kinds of material. In contact with the tyre is a layer of transparent polyester, behind which are the carbon filaments that transport the electrical current. On top of another layer of polyester is a layer of thermal material, which limits the dispersion of heat, followed by the outer layer of hydro-repellent polyurethane.
Fabrication: It takes six people around 120 minutes to make a standard tyre-warming cover and around 180 minutes for a custom version. The cost to the public varies from 600 to 800 euros.
The key numbers
80?C ? the ideal temperature
24 ? the amount of tyre warmers required by a MotoGP team
2,300 cm? - the area of fabric required
4,000 cm ? the length of carbon wire required for each tyre warmer
0,800 kg ? the weight of the front tyre warmer
1,200 kg ? the weight of the rear tyre warmer

Team Fortuna Honda?s tyre warmers are provided by TT (Thermal Technology), a specialist Italian company in the sector. TT tyre warmers have been produced in conjunction with the world?s leading tyre manufacturers and engineers from Team Gresini.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP looking to continue good form at Le Mans

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP has travelled back to Europe for the fifth round of the MotoGP World Championship planning to carry on the impressive form from recent weeks.


John Hopkins qualified second and finished fourth ? his best career result so far ? at Shanghai last weekend and team-mate Chris Vermeulen took pole-position and a very creditable seventh in Turkey two weeks before that.


Now Rizla Suzuki MotoGP moves onto the Alice Grand Prix de France eager to follow up on its strong performances. The Le Mans circuit is one of the most famous motorsport venues in the world. The riders will race on the 4.1km long Bugatti Circuit, which shares a part of the front straight with the historic 24-hour track. The layout is of a stop-start nature with tight corners joined by straights and sporadic chicanes. It also includes the fastest first corner in the world, where riders will go through at speeds in excess of 290km/h.


Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will begin practice for the fifth round of the MotoGP World Championship on Friday morning followed by further practice sessions in the afternoon and on Saturday morning. The qualifying practice will be held on Saturday afternoon as both riders will attempt to get the best starting positions for the race on Sunday 21st May at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).


Paul Denning ? Team Manager:


?It was really exciting to see John racing the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R at the front of last week?s race. It shows how far we have come in a short space of time and added to Chris? performance in Turkey it has been a real bonus for all the team.


?We will be trying as hard as we can to make sure both the guys can be competitive this weekend. Chris is coming to Le Mans for the first time and will need to learn the track as quickly as possible to be on the pace. John had a good qualifying here last year and the Bridgestone tyres worked very well so that all points in our favour for this weekend.


?Shanghai showed that the bike has improved dramatically both in wet and dry conditions ? John?s second place during qualifying in the dry and his third in the wet practice, added to his race performance proved that - but Le Mans is a track that requires high acceleration and we are under no illusions that we will have to work hard to find the best set-up for race day.?

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
18 MAY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DE PUNIET QUIETLY CONFIDENT GOING INTO HOME GRAND PRIX

The Kawasaki Racing Team return to Europe, after three overseas races, this weekend for the Grand Prix de France at the legendary Bugatti circuit in Le Mans.

For MotoGP rookie, Randy de Puniet, races don't come more important than this. As the only French rider in the premier MotoGP class, de Puniet will have the support of a strong home crowd this weekend, but he will also carry the hopes and expectations of every French MotoGP fan on his young shoulders.

But de Puniet is adamant that he welcomes this additional pressure, and that four podiums in the past at Le Mans prove that he is more than capable of channelling this pressure into a strong result in Sunday's 28-lap Grand Prix de France.

De Puniet's Kawasaki teammate, Shinya Nakano, can also count on strong support at Le Mans this weekend, after building up a loyal fan base during four years racing for a French team, firstly in the 250cc World Championship, and then in the MotoGP class. And if added incentive were needed, the fact that Nakano's parents will be watching this race from the Kawasaki pit box, after making the trip from their home in Japan, is sure to provide it.

Like many of the MotoGP riders, Nakano does not rate the Le Mans circuit amongst his favourites on the MotoGP calendar, but after a strong performance during practice and qualifying for last year's race, the 28-year-old Japanese rider arrives in France confident that, with the new Ninja ZX-RR, a good result is a distinct possibility on Sunday.

Le Mans, which is situated in the Sarthe region of France and is home to the legendary 24 Heures du Mans car race, is one of the most famous motorsports facilities in the world. First gear corners dominate the 4.18 km Bugatti circuit, on which Sunday's 28-lap Grand Prix de France will be run, demanding a bike that is stable under braking, but with explosive acceleration out of the low-speed turns.

Randy de Puniet: #17
"I've had a lot of fun racing at Le Mans in the past. I've finished on the podium here four times on the 250cc machine, and I hope that this weekend, on the MotoGP bike, I can do another good race in front of my home crowd. I arrive here pretty confident, because although the race in China didn't go quite as we'd hoped, the bike was working well in practice and qualifying. For sure, the support of the French fans here at Le Mans adds some pressure this weekend, but it is the same every year and I think this is a good pressure, because my results in this race in the past have always been strong. So, for me, it is not a problem."

Shinya Nakano: #56
"During the European season I live in France, as I did when I raced for four years with a French team, so this weekend is like a second home race for me. In the past this circuit has not been one of my favourites, but we had a good feeling with the bike here last year, and I hope that the same will be true with the new version of Kawasaki's Ninja ZX-RR this weekend. This circuit requires a bike to be stable on the brakes, but also to have good acceleration, and finding a set-up that achieves this will be our main focus during practice on Friday and Saturday. The weather is always unpredictable here, but if we can find a good balance with the bike, then I'm confident that we can put in a strong performance in Sunday's race whatever the conditions."

Press Release issued by: Kawasaki Racing Team Press Office

 

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DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM BACK IN ACTION ON EUROPEAN SOIL

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau return to Europe from a run of three ?flyaway? races to contest the French GP, the first of a crucial run of six events at classic European racetracks.

Both riders travel to Le Mans hoping for some decent weather after ever-changing conditions plagued their progress at the last two GPs, in Turkey and China. But despite a difficult day at Shanghai last Sunday, Spanish GP winner Capirossi still holds second overall in the World Championship while Gibernau is still tenth. With Ducati and Bridgestone tyres improving the team?s technical package step by step, the team is aiming to get back up front in Europe, with a little help from the sun!

LORIS CAPIROSSI, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 2nd overall (59 points)
?Now we return to Europe, to racetracks that everyone knows, so we?re entering a very interesting part of the season. It?s going to be exciting because the championship is very tight, there are a lot of riders close on points and a lot of fast new riders. We just hope for some sun! Our bike continues to improve, as always. We have done a lot of work on engine management, so it is more rider-friendly in wet conditions. When the tyres suit the track, we have an incredible bike. We just need keep on believing and working hard. I don?t like the Le Mans track, it?s not one of my favourites, even though I?ve won the 250 race there. The layout isn?t at all technical, so it?s not much fun to ride, it?s just gas, brake, gas, brake. But we will see, because they have made some changes to the first corner and the first chicane, so maybe it will feel different to ride.?

SETE GIBERNAU, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 10th overall (25 points)
?Le Mans is a weird track because although I don?t really enjoy it, my results there have always been pretty good. And I guess I?d rather have good results at a track I don?t really enjoy than have bad results at a track that I do enjoy! I?ve won at Le Mans in the dry, I?ve won there in the wet and I was second last year, so maybe I am starting to like the place a bit. Everyone knows it?s a stop-and-go kind of a circuit, so you need good acceleration and good braking performance. We go there hoping to be competitive and hoping for better weather because we are entering a crucial part of the championship, with races at tracks which everyone knows well. Looking at the season so far, we need to keep our heads down, keep learning, maybe trust in our own instincts a little more and try to have a better weekend than we had at the last two races. Ducati and Bridgestone are working very hard, so we know our time will come.?

LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project manager
?Of the four races so far, the weather was consistent throughout practice at two races, where we picked up a win, a third and a fourth place, and kept changing from wet to dry at the other two in Turkey and China, which affected our results.
Like us, if you only have two machines with the same tyres on track, this is maybe a bit of a handicap when you have so little dry practice time, because the more bikes you have, the more feedback you get, so the easier it is to find the right set-up, something which we were unable to do on the last two occasions.
Apart from this, the team and all of our technical partners, Shell Advance in particular, are doing a great job, Bridgestone too, with many new tyres on the way for Le Mans. So now we hope for some consistent weather in France; either rain, where we were quick in qualifying both in Turkey and China, or sun, which will allow us to chose the tyres for the race in the best conditions!?



THE TRACK
Situated in the Sarthe region a few hours south west of Paris, Le Mans is one of the world?s most famous motorsport venues, legendary for its 24-hour races. The Bugatti circuit ? very different to the longer 24-hour car track ? returned to the bike GP calendar in 1999, since when the event has built a huge following in bike-mad France. The circuit layout is very stop-and-go, with plenty of slow turns where braking and acceleration performance are primordial. Riders and their engineers therefore concentrate on honing their machines? braking stability, as well as improving rear-end traction for the numerous hairpin exits.



Lap record 2005: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 1m 33.678s (160.635km/h, 99.814 mph)
Pole position 2005 : Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 1m 33.226s



DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS
LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 33 (born April 4, 1973)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6
GP starts: 235 (64xMotoGP, 59x500, 84x250, 27x125)
GP victories: 26 (4xMotoGP, 2x500, 12x250, 8x125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
Pole positions: 40 (7xMotoGP, 5x500, 23x250, 5x125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Le Mans 2005 results: Grid: 10th. Race: 7th



SETE GIBERNAU
Age: 33 (born December 15, 1972)
Lives: Switzerland
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6
GP starts: 164 (68xMotoGP, 76x500, 19x250)
GP victories: 9 (8xMotoGP, 1x500)
First GP victory: Valencia, 2001 (500)
First GP: Spain, 1993 (250)
Pole positions: 12 (11xMotoGP, 1x500)
First pole: South Africa, 2000 (500)
Le Mans 2005 results: Grid: 4th. Race: 2nd

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
19 MAY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAKANO TARGETS FRONT ROW AS DE PUNIET SUFFERS JEREZ FLASHBACK

Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano got his French Grand Prix weekend off to a flying start during this afternoon's free practice at Le Mans, finishing the hour long session third fastest aboard his Ninja ZX-RR, as the top twelve riders were split by a margin of less than one second.
While Sunday's race is predicted to be dry, the forecast for tomorrow promises only rain during practice and qualifying. With this in mind, Nakano and his crew concentrated today on identifying a suitable tyre for Sunday's 28-lap race. The 28-year-old Japanese rider evaluated a number of different rear slicks from Bridgestone, with positive results, but will leave the decision as to which tyre to race on until he's had a chance to assess the track conditions on Sunday.
Nakano is confident that, whatever the weather conditions during qualifying tomorrow afternoon, he has a set-up on his Ninja ZX-RR that will allow him to set his sights firmly on the front row of the grid.
Nakano's Kawasaki teammate, Randy de Puniet, overcame significant problems during this afternoon's free practice session, to finish in a respectable 12th place, and less than one second behind Colin Edwards, who topped the timesheet on the opening day.
After settling into a rhythm early on in this afternoon's session, de Puniet was involved in a collision with Toni Elias, which resulted in the 25-year-old Kawasaki pilot crashing heavily and destroying his number one machine.
But the Frenchman's problems didn't end there; in a rerun of his qualifying session for the opening race in Jerez, de Puniet misjudged his braking marker and ran on into the gravel trap after just two laps aboard his spare Ninja ZX-RR, incurring a ten minute delay as he waited for his crew to check over the bike in the Kawasaki pit box.

Despite the problems de Puniet recovered well, quickly finding a good rhythm on the bike with 15 minutes of the session remaining. A switch to a different rear Bridgestone tyre on his Ninja ZX-RR allowed the Kawasaki pilot to shave almost one second from his previous best lap time, to finish today less than a second from pole position.

Shinya Nakano: 3rd - 1'35.447
"The weather forecast is predicting a dry race on Sunday, but with rain during practice and qualifying tomorrow, so it was important for us to try and identify a race tyre during the dry conditions today. Bridgestone have brought a lot of new tyres to Le Mans, and I think today we tried them all. Every one was very consistent, which is good for us, but I think we will wait to see what the track conditions are like on Sunday before making a firm decision about which tyre to race. I like the changes that they've made to turn one since last year, but then I wasn't a very big fan of the original first turn to be honest. For me the new layout is better, although it has been quite hard to find the best braking point for the new turn one. Overall, the feeling with the bike has been good today, but I think that we can find some improvements through small changes to the chassis and suspension, together with some tweaks to the engine management package. At the moment I'm having to change my riding style and lines through the turns slightly to get the best from the bike, but I think it is possible to improve the situation before the race, as long as we get at least one dry session tomorrow, which I hope will be the case."

Randy de Puniet: 12th - 1'36.159
"This afternoon's practice session started well; after just a few laps I had a good feeling on the bike and my lap times were good, but then I had a collision with Toni Elias just after the Dunlop chicane and crashed, with the bike too badly damaged to continue. When I returned to the track on my spare bike I overshot one of the turns and ran on into the gravel trap. I lost ten minutes of the session while the guys sorted out the bike, and it took some effort to try and stay cool, and ride smoothly, when I did make it back out on track. At first my lap times were slower than at the start of the session, but then we switched to a different rear tyre and I was able to get back up to speed very quickly. It's a shame I wasn't able to continue with both bikes, as we're running a slightly different engine specification in each, and I would have liked to have had more time to run a comparison between the two, to see which was best suited to the Le Mans circuit. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do this in the dry tomorrow, but the weather forecast doesn't look too promising! Overall I'm happy with the result today; I'm less than one second slower than the fastest rider and I'm confident we can close the gap even further tomorrow if the wet weather holds off."

FREE PRACTICE - COMBINED TIMES
1. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team 1'35.170; 2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team +0.112; 3. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.277; 4. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.291; 5. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +0.376; 6. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +0.455; 7. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.458; 8. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.492; 9. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +0.626; 10. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +0.765; 11. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +0.801; 12. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.989

Hopkins on the pace again at Le Mans

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins carried on his good run of form during the first day of practice for the Alice Grand Prix de France at Le Mans today.
Hopkins was consistently in the top five throughout the two practice sessions and his best time of 1?35.461 was good enough for fourth place overall, only 0.291 seconds off the fastest time set by Colin Edwards. He also completed a 20-lap run on one of the new generation Bridgestone tyres and was pleased with the result in readiness for Sunday?s 28-lap race. Hopkins also set the fastest speed of this afternoon?s session -288km/h - through Le Mans newly configured turn one.
Chris Vermeulen is riding at Le Mans for the first time ever and used both sessions to learn the lines of the famous Bugatti Circuit. He improved on his times throughout the day and will be looking to better his 16th place from today during tomorrow?s qualifying session.
Both of today?s sessions were held in dry but overcast conditions, but there was a constant threat of rain in the air, something that riders and teams were made acutely aware of when a heavy shower flooded the track at mid-day. Tomorrow will see Rizla Suzuki MotoGP have one more practice session and then an hour of qualifying in the afternoon. Sunday?s race is round five of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship and will begin at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).


John Hopkins:
?I?m glad it stayed dry through both of the sessions. We wanted to get the best setting that we can today, so that we can build on that tomorrow. From the start of the day we have been looking pretty decent and have only had to make a few suspension changes here and there. We have tried to spend a lot of time on the circuit and put in as many laps as possible to see what happens with the race tyre. Basically it?s been a pretty easy day and we?ve made improvements every time we?ve gone out. We?ll look to take further steps forward tomorrow and chase that first podium finish on Sunday.?


Chris Vermeulen:
?My first day at Le Mans and luckily we got two dry sessions as I need as much track time as possible. This morning I lost a bit of time but we were still able to get through a lot of things and I was able to learn the track. We have some ideas to change the bike for tomorrow and hopefully we can pick up some speed.?
Paul Denning ? Team Manager:
?The MotoGP class was lucky today as it avoided the mid-day rain and had two dry sessions. This was extremely beneficial to us as this is Chris? first visit here. He is disappointed with his position but the potential for him looks positive and I?m sure he will capitalise on today?s learning curve.
?John gave another superbly confident performance. He was always in the fastest group of riders and completed a 20-lap run early this afternoon to confirm the durability of one of the new Bridgestone tyres. He?s riding very well and the bike is looking increasingly competitive so we are looking forward to tomorrow, come rain or shine.?


Alice Grand Prix de France Free Practice Classification:


1. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) 1?35.170: 2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +0.112: 3. Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) +0.277: 4. JOHN HOPKINS (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +0.291: 16. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.734:

FREE PRACTICE ? FRENCH GRAND PRIX - LE MANS 19/05/06
-----------------------------------------------------------------

CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM RIDERS SET THE PACE AT LE MANS

Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards were the
fastest two riders in each of the first free practice sessions on the
opening day of action at the Grand Prix of France today. Rossi lapped
the Le Mans circuit in a time of 1?35.288 during the morning, when
Edwards was just behind him with the second fastest time, whilst in the
afternoon the roles were reversed as the American set the pace with a
lap of 1?35.170, followed closely by his Italian team-mate.

The factory team have arrived in France in determined mood as they look
to turn around their early season misfortunes, aided by the latest
improvements to the YZR-M1 machine brought to this circuit by Yamaha.
Rossi today ran back to back tests with a brand new chassis, designed
to eliminate vibration problems suffered with the bike during the
opening four rounds, and reported positive results. He will therefore
incorporate the update into both of his machines tomorrow, when Rossi
and Edwards try to repeat today?s success in the official Qualifying
session.

COLIN EDWARDS (1st; 1?35.170, 52 laps)
?It wasn?t a bad day. We came here off the back of a good result in
China, just brought the bike off truck this morning and everything
seemed to work pretty well. Valentino is trying to fix a few things
with the new chassis so we?re able to focus on working hard towards a
race setting and seeing what we can get. I said yesterday that I?d know
after four laps what my objective can be for the weekend and now I can
say it?s to win. Why not? Since the test in Turkey we?ve hardly
touched the bike and I?ve got a level of confidence and feeling that I
know what the bike will do. This morning it worked really well and
although the chatter started to come this afternoon when we got more
grip, we were still able to push so that?s encouraging. We know this
chassis has its limit but we can get it there pretty easily and at this
track, where the Yamaha goes well, at least it should allow us to push
as hard as anyone else.?

VALENTINO ROSSI (2nd; 1?35.282, 36 laps)
?I?m happy because both Colin and I are fast from the start and it
seems the M1 machine is working very well at this circuit. Now we are
in the first and second places so this is a very good result for our
team and it gives us some confidence. I was very fast in the morning
and in the afternoon we spent the time making some tests for the
setting with the new chassis for tomorrow. This job is very important
because they say it might rain tomorrow, but we have already found a
good base, so I?m very happy about that. I like the new chassis and I
think it will help us to go faster. It is much better for the vibration
and even at this early stage we can see it has a lot of potential.
Yamaha have always gone well at Le Mans so now we wait for tomorrow and
see if we can keep it going.?

DAVIDE BRIVIO ? CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR
?We?ve made a good start today with both Colin and Valentino. Both
specs of the bike are working well so this is a very positive thing for
us. Today was a good chance for us to gather some data in the dry
because it looks as though it will rain tomorrow and we at least know
we have a good base setting if it is dry again for the race on Sunday.
Tomorrow Valentino will have the new chassis on both bikes and Colin
will remain on the standard version but it seems both are working well
so we look forward to seeing what happens tomorrow.?

Combined Free Practice Times:

1.COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1?35.170
2.VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1?35.282
3.Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team, 1?35.447
4.John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP, 1?35.461
5.Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda LCR, 1?35.546
6.Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda, 1?35.625
7.Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1?35.628
8.Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1?35.662
9.Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, 1?35.796
10.Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, 1?35.935

Free practice / GOOD START FOR THE FRTUNA HONDA RIDERS AT LE MANS

The FORTUNA HONDA riders had a positive first day of qualifying at the GP of France at the mythical Le Mans circuit in France. After a difficult weekend last time out at the Grand Prix of China, Marco Melandri and Toni Elias returned to work, this time on French soil, with the aim of finding the ideal set-up for their Honda RC211Vs. After a session which took place on a dry circuit, the FORTUNA HONDA riders are likely to find very different conditions tomorrow with forecasts predicting rain.


MARCO MELANDRI (1?35?935, 10th):

?I am quite satidfied with this first day of qualifying as we were able to try a lot of different set-ups. My cornering improved during the qualifying session and tomorrow I hope to continue the work we started today. We will look to try some new settings to try and improve my feeling with the front end tomorrow. I'm still not braking as I would like and that is making cornering difficult, but I have a lot of faith in my team who are doing a great job. We will find a solution tomorrow."

TONI ELIAS (1?36?191, 13th):

?Le Mans is a circuit I like a lot and one I have always gone fast on, but I have got to find a good set-up to help me feel comfortable on the bike. We are still having the same problem we were having in China. I'm finding it hard to brake going into corners and at a circuit like this you feel it even more. However, I am still confident."

 

[KUCIAR666]

Hat-trick of front row starts for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP has secured its third successive front row start thanks to a breathtaking last lap by John Hopkins in Le Mans today.
Hopkins will start in third place for tomorrow?s Alice Grand Prix de France and will be looking to get away to a similar start to last week?s race, where he eventually scored his best ever finish. He qualified only 0.646 seconds behind pole-setter Dani Pedrosa after this afternoon?s hour long session. His time of 1?34.636 was even more amazing as it was the third lap on his Bridgestone qualifying tyre ? usually a qualifier is only designed to perform at its maximum level for one lap.
This afternoon?s session was held in dry, but very windy conditions, which was in complete contrast to this morning?s final free practice. Heavy overnight showers left the track very wet but Hopkins and team-mate Chris Vermeulen coped with the circumstances well and both topped the time sheets at some points of the session.
Vermeulen continued to impress on his first visit to Le Mans and the rookie Australian will start tomorrow?s race from the fourth row of the grid. His position doesn?t do justice to fact that before Thursday he had never even seen the track.
Tomorrow?s 28-lap race is round five of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship and the lights will change to go at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).


John Hopkins:
?What can I say, I?m happy to be on the front row but not exactly happy with the way it went on the qualifiers. Dani did a good job but I think if we had had a proper go at him we could have got near him or even on pole. It was our goal to start from the front row so that we can get with the lead group at the start of the race. We have a pretty good race set-up and once again the crew has worked really hard. The Bridgestones and the Suzuki have come together pretty well on this track, so wet or dry we need to chase that first podium and perform as well as we possibly can.?


Chris Vermeulen:
?The qualifying session was quite good for us, we have made a lot of changes to the bike. This morning was wet and I could have done with a bit more dry track time to get the best set-up. The team has worked really well and the bike is getting better and better all the time. We have definitely got a direction to head in and we will try a few more things in tomorrow?s warm-up. Hopefully in the race we?ll improve on that 12th position. Congratulations to John and the whole Rizla Suzuki team on another front row start and a great performance.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:
?The performances in Turkey and China were clearly steps in the right direction and that has continued this weekend in Le Mans. Durability and performance of the GSV-R has been at a level that has allowed both riders to concentrate on their own abilities and on getting the bike set-up the best it can be.
?Chris is a bit disappointed with 12th but he shouldn?t be. The guys around him have done hundreds of laps here and until this week he had never even seen the circuit. To be in 12th and relatively close to the front runners is a fantastic performance. If it?s wet tomorrow I wouldn?t be surprised to see Chris turn that position into a very competitive finish.
?John has given another sterling display and despite getting three laps out of his qualifying tyre ? when realistically their best performance is on the first lap ? he kept his head down and improved enough to stick the Rizla Suzuki on the front row. His performance level continues to grow every time he gets on the bike and whilst keeping things competitive for 28-laps is never easy, I think he is in a strong position to get a good result tomorrow.?


Alice Grand Prix de France Qualifying Practice Classification:


1. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 1?33.990: 2. Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) +0.211: 3. JOHN HOPKINS (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +0.646: 12. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.715:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
20 MAY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BEST QUALIFYING PERFORMANCE FOR KAWASAKI IN LE MANS

The Kawasaki Racing Team enjoyed their most successful qualifying session to date at Le Mans this afternoon, as Shinya Nakano scorched to second place on the grid for tomorrow's race, and teammate Randy de Puniet put in a stunning performance to finish fourth fastest during the hour-long qualifying session.
Nakano dominated proceedings throughout this afternoon aboard his Ninja ZX-RR. The Kawasaki pilot snatched pole position with just 20 minutes of the session left to run and responded immediately when John Hopkins knocked him from the top spot; replying with another fastest lap to retake pole position.
With five minutes of the session remaining, Nakano underlined his dominance by improving on his own pole position time, to put him over half a second clear at the top of the timesheet.
As the flag came out to mark the end of the session, Nakano looked almost certain to secure his, and Kawasaki's, first ever pole position in the premier MotoGP class, but a late charge by Honda's Dani Pedrosa saw the Spaniard steal the top spot from Nakano by the slimmest of margins.
Although disappointed not to have held onto pole position, Nakano was happy to have secured Kawasaki their best ever qualifying position with second place on the grid, and the Japanese ace goes into tomorrow's 28-lap Grand Prix de France confident of a strong performance aboard his Ninja ZX-RR.
After two frustrating practice sessions yesterday, and a practice crash in the difficult conditions this morning, de Puniet showed his resilience by bouncing back this afternoon to claim fourth position on the grid for his home Grand Prix tomorrow.
The Kawasaki rider was holding third position on the provisional grid as the session drew to a close, but missed out on a front row start by just one tenth of a second when John Hopkins managed to improve his time on his final flying lap.
Happy with his qualifying performance, de Puniet is now focussed on tomorrow's race. The 25-year-old Frenchman was consistently in the top six on race tyres this afternoon, and is confident of a good result tomorrow, on a track that he knows intimately, and which seems to suit the characteristics of his Ninja ZX-RR perfectly.

Shinya Nakano: 2nd - 1'34.201
"Mission accomplished! I had a very good feeling during practice yesterday, so I knew a front row start was possible, but I didn't really expect to be fighting for pole position. When I saw the chequered flag I thought I'd held onto pole, but at the back of the circuit they have a big TV screen, which showed Dani stealing pole position as I rode past it on my way back to the pits. I was a bit disappointed not to take pole, but I'm happy enough with second place on the grid, and I go into tomorrow's race more confident than in recent weeks. So far the races have been difficult for us, but here we know we have a strong package in the Ninja ZX-RR and our Bridgestone tyres, so a good result is possible; maybe even a podium finish if everything goes well."

Randy de Puniet: 4th - 1'34.780
"If someone had said to me yesterday that I'd be starting my home Grand Prix from fourth position on the grid, I wouldn't have believed them. It's fantastic. I had some problems during practice yesterday, including a crash and an unplanned trip through the gravel, and then this morning I crashed again. For sure, this is not the best way to prepare for qualifying, and I'm sure a lot of people thought I was maybe nervous racing in front of my home crowd, but this wasn't the case. This afternoon it all came together, and I had a good feeling with the bike. I was running consistently in the top six on race tyres early in the session, which gives me confidence with our tyres and our set-up for tomorrow's race. It was great to qualify fourth fastest, but now qualifying is over and I must look to follow today's performance with a good result in tomorrow's race."

Harald Eckl: Team Principal
"The riders and the team have done a fantastic job to give us our best ever qualifying result in the MotoGP class today. Unlike some of the other circuits we've raced at so far this season, a fast lap at Le Mans is not dependant on maximum outright engine power. I think our qualifying performance today underlines that, when the conditions and circuit are right for our bike, the team and our two riders are more than capable of a strong performance. I am looking forward with confidence to the race tomorrow."

QUALIFYING PRACTICE - FINAL TIMES
1. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1'33.990; 2. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.211; 3. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.646; 4. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.790; 5. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +0.805; 6. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.812; 7. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team +0.850; 8. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.880; 9. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +0.980; 10. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +0.998

Press Release issued by: Kawasaki Racing Team Press Office



Qualifying practice / MELANDRI CLAIMS BEST QUALIFYING RESULT OF THE SEASON

Marco Melandri secured his best qualifying result of the season and will start tomorrow?s French GP from the second row. The Italian rider ended the second day of qualifying in fifth position, eight tenths behind pole-sitter Dani Pedrosa on his Honda. Melandri knew how to adapt to the changeable weather conditions with the morning session taking place on a wet track and the afternoon in dry conditions. Forecasts are predicting rain tomorrow so Marco is preparing himself for a race in wet conditions. It was a difficult day for team-mate Toni Elias who struggled to find the right set-up to improve his lap time from yesterday. The Spanish rider continued to suffer with rear grip problems and will start tomorrow?s race in 16th position.


MARCO MELANDRI (1?34?795, 5th):

?It was a positive day, we worked well and found a good set-up to work from. I think the set-up will work well whatever the conditions in the race. The bike worked well from the start in the qualifying session and I found a good rhythm. However, I couldn?t make full use of the qualifying tyre as I hit a bit of traffic which caused me to slow down. However, I?m happy with fifth position, it?s my best qualifying performance of the season and I have achieved my objective which was to start from the first two rows. I have to select the tyre for the race and then I hope to get a good result.?

TONI ELIAS (1?36?582, 16th):

?I am still having a problem which is preventing me from riding as I want. I will sit down with the team to try and find a solution as soon as possible. I am still a little nervous on the bike as I don?t have the rear grip I want which is making it difficult to exit corners. It will be a difficult race tomorrow, I hope to make a good start and make up some positions. I like this circuit and have always gone fast here so I hope to get a good result.?

MotoGP : Camel Yamaha pair to launch French assault from row three
Round: 5 - 2006 MotoGP Le Mans
Circuit: LeMans
Date: 20 May 2006
Temp: 18?C
Weather: Dry

Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will start
from the third row of the grid in the Grand Prix of France tomorrow
after setting the seventh and ninth fastest times respectively in this
afternoon's qualifying practice. The session took place in dry conditions
with ambient temperatures reaching 18?C after the sunshine finally
overpowered the thick black clouds that hovered over the Le Mans circuit and
caused the third free practice session to be held in wet conditions
during the morning.

The improved weather allowed Valentino Rossi to continue the evaluation
of Yamaha's latest chassis, with both of his YZR-M1 machines fitted
with the updated specification following positive initial results
yesterday. Edwards continued working on the standard version, with similar
updates planned for the American at the next round in Italy, and again
lapped consistently as one of the fastest riders throughout the session.
After setting the pace in yesterday's dry free practice sessions, both
Rossi and Edwards have found a good race set-up for their machines but
they were unable to turn their pace into a top grid position after
struggling to use their qualifying tyres to full potential in the late push
for times.

Valentino Rossi (7th; 1'34.840, 28 laps)
"Today I am happy because we worked in the right way and found a good
race setting for the bike. When we used the very soft tyre at the end of
the session we again found some vibration problems caused by the extra
grip but it's not such a problem on the race tyres. Anyway, looking at
the qualifying results from the last few rounds the third row is an
improvement and I think there is the possibility of a good result
tomorrow. Myself and Colin have been at the top through all the practice on
race tyres so we know we have a good pace compared to the other riders. To
be honest I expected a better position this afternoon so I am a little
disappointed but it is not a disaster. Now we wait to see what the
weather does tomorrow, hope for a dry race and then try to turn around our
recent bad luck in the race."

Colin Edwards (9th; 1'34.970, 28 laps)
"The track was a little slippery today, I guess after the rain this
morning, and I didn't have the same level of grip on the front tyre. I
wasn't as comfortable but we did a good job on the race tyres and my pace
is decent. I think there's only three of us lapping in the 1'35s on
race tyres so we've got every chance to do something in the race - it's
just a shame about the chatter on the qualifying tyres because we could
have been much further forward on the grid. I did four or five laps
trying to break the 1'35 mark and eventually hit 1'34.9 on the last one but
there was no way to go any faster. All things considered the third row
isn't bad - there are a few guys who will go backwards tomorrow and a
few others who will be tough to get past but, as I said before, we have
the pace. Now it's a case of holding that throttle open longer than
anyone else into turn one and seeing where we can get from there."

Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director
"Unfortunately we missed out a little on the qualifying tyres because
we couldn't use them properly but we're not too worried. On the whole
the two days of practice have been very good for both riders and they
both have good race pace. The only concern now is that they both have a
good start in the race. We were able to set-up the new chassis for
Valentino but also the older bike is working very well for Colin. Tomorrow is
a good opportunity to get more information and confirm our direction
with development but of course we also need points. Our aim for tomorrow
is to close the gap between us and the championship leaders."

Weather again plays havoc for Tech 3 Yamaha Team

For the third time in as many races, the weather had a detrimental
effect on progress for the Tech 3 Yamaha Team and tyre suppliers, Dunlop.
All plans were thrown out of the window when the heavens opened before
the morning's final practice session ensuring a wet track. The
afternoon's qualifying battle although dry, was overshadowed by strong winds
that added to the team's woes.

Riders, Carlos Checa and James Ellison qualified in 14th and 17th
positions respectively, but in a carbon performance from Friday's
encouraging sessions the overall gap to the leaders in qualifying also narrowed.
Additionally, relative novice Ellison is getting closer to his teammate
and in doing so both riders are amidst a bunch of more fancied teams on
other tyre brands on the grid.

Carlos Checa (14th, 1'36.260, 49 laps)
"This morning we tried an intermediate rear and we gained some
information if it's conditions like that tomorrow. At this stage we know what
tyres we will try no matter whether wet or dry. It is clear in my mind
the tyres we will use depending on the conditions to fight with the guys
that are close to us. On the qualifying tyres I had a wheelie problem
and couldn't open the throttle fully in some areas of the track as the
grip is good enough to make a good lap and also we had some chattering
when we tied to be faster in qualifying. If it's a strange situation
like this morning when it was wet then dry or the opposite we must make a
strategy. We know we have nothing to lose so we can take a risk and
then our choice will not be conservative, it will be risky. The bike is
working quite well and we know some tyres that work ok but we only did
50% of the race total on this tyre The Yamaha is very suited to this
track and we also have the speed to match it with many of the other teams.
The other Yamaha with Edwards is not too far in front of me and this
gives me confidence but like everyone else we have lost much time because
of the weather but I'm quite confident the bike will work quite well
here tomorrow. Our position hasn't changed so when we make the top 10 we
will make a party. We tried our best and we know the limitations we are
facing. I hope that we can grow together with Dunlop and finally get
something to fight for the next level. We know the gap we must close with
the top guys and that we must continue to improve which Dunlop is
trying very hard to do."

James Ellison (17th 1'37.019, 48 laps)
"I'm not too unhappy as I am closer to Carlos than ever being less than
0.8 second behind. We also had a problem right at the end of the
session that slowed us a bit. The Dunlop qualifying tyres need a few laps to
get right up to speed and we just ran out of time as I was quite
confident I had another half a second improvement. If we had got that last
lap in I would've been a lot closer to Carlos. He knows how to ride the
bike and had a lot more experience and my main aim to get right on his
times. I know we're down the back but we had a lot of things we wanted
to try this weekend. It's the same old story but again the weather
played its part. I don't care what it is tomorrow I'm not really bothered
although I'd prefer it to be dry because we now have a pretty good set up
for the dry. This morning was a bit of a waste as the circuit was very
greasy with all the oil coming through so we didn't get a very good wet
setup. So if it's not dry I want it to be lashing down - nothing in
between."

Herve Poncharal - Tech3 Yamaha Team Director
"Today was not an easy day with the weather conditions we have had.
Soaking wet to start this morning then finishing almost dry. Then it was
dry this afternoon with a lot of wind so it has been difficult for
everybody. We did quite a few laps with some of the race tyres and we had
some interesting results. Then we tried some qualifying tyres and we
continued to supply Dunlop with more information so they can continue the
development program. This is definitely a good track fro Carlos, who has
had some good results here and being at home of course the team wants
to do well. The first day was very encouraging because we were just over
a second off the best lap but today has been so different. Because of
the wet morning, in half of the qualifying session we had to do many
laps to find a race tyre. It went reasonably well but after yesterday we
thought we could have been better on the grid so we are a little
disappointed, especially with the weather. It is supposed to be very wet
tomorrow and we have been going quite well with a lot of water on the track
so who knows what will happen. Compared to what we have I don't think
we are doing a lot worse than the others when you look at the other
Yamaha team on another brand of tyre. We also are surrounded by other teams
with other tyre brands as well. At this stage we are making
improvements at every race as we test and race all in the same weekend. It may not
be what everyone on the outside wants to see, we would love to be
fighting at the front but, the reality is that in such a competitive sport
as MotoGP we can't expect to have immediate success overnight. It all
takes time and we should look at how long some others have taken to taste
the success they are now enjoying."


Round: 5 - 2006 MotoGP Le Mans
Circuit: LeMans
Circuit Length: 4180
Lap Record: 1' 33.678 (Valentino Rossi, 2005)
Fastest Lap Ever: 1' 33.678 (Valentino Rossi, 2005)
Date: 20 May 2006
Temp: 18?C


Session 1 :
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. 1st Qualifying
1 D. Pedrosa Honda ESP 1' 33.990
2 S. Nakano Kawasaki JPN 1' 34.201
3 J. Hopkins Suzuki USA 1' 34.636
4 R. De Puniet Kawasaki FRA 1' 34.780
5 M. Melandri Honda ITA 1' 34.795
6 L. Capirossi Ducati ITA 1' 34.802
7 V. Rossi Yamaha ITA 1' 34.840
8 S. Gibernau Ducati ESP 1' 34.870
9 C. Edwards Yamaha USA 1' 34.970
10 N. Hayden Honda USA 1' 34.988
11 C. Stoner Honda AUS 1' 35.430
12 C. Vermeulen Suzuki AUS 1' 35.705
13 M. Tamada Honda JPN 1' 36.058
14 C. Checa Yamaha ESP 1' 36.260
15 K. Roberts Team Roberts KR USA 1' 36.501
16 T. Elias Honda ESP 1' 36.582
17 J. Ellison Yamaha GBR 1' 37.019

 

[KUCIAR666]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
21 MAY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAKANO SALVAGES VALUABLE POINTS AT LE MANS

Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet and Shinya Nakano were both left frustrated by this afternoon's Grand Prix de France at Le Mans, after de Puniet crashed out of his home race on the opening lap and Nakano was forced to fight back to finish a disappointing twelfth following a ride through penalty imposed for jumping the start.

Starting from fourth place on the grid, de Puniet got away with the leading group at the start, but was forced to take avoiding action as Valentino Rossi dived underneath him at the entry to the first chicane. Forced to pick up his bike to avoid Rossi's Yamaha, de Puniet collided with the rider on his outside and ended his race in the gravel trap.
The 25-year-old Frenchman was examined in the circuit medical centre, where he was diagnosed as having suffered a concussion in the crash. As a result, de Puniet can remember nothing of the events leading up to his premature exit from this afternoon's race.
A mistake launching his Ninja ZX-RR off the line meant that Nakano was unable to capitalise on his front row grid position, but the Japanese rider made up places into the first chicane and was lying sixth at the end of the first lap. The 28-year-old Japanese rider was still in touch with the leading group of riders when the Kawasaki Racing Team were informed by race control that Nakano had jumped the start and would be subject to a ride through penalty.
Nakano pulled into pit lane from sixth position, and rejoined the race at the first corner dead last.
Determined to salvage as many points as possible, Nakano was soon lapping at the same pace as the front-runners, eventually fighting his way through to twelfth place by the end of the 28-lap race.

Shinya Nakano: 12th
"Obviously I'm disappointed. I didn't get such a good start, but I was holding onto the back of the leading group for the first few laps and I was just starting to find a good rhythm on the bike. I couldn't believe it when I saw the pit board calling me in for a ride through penalty. At the time I had no idea what I'd been penalised for, which meant that it was difficult to refocus on the race when I'd completed the ride through. Obviously I now know it was for jumping the start. Our data shows that the bike rolled forward slightly before I launched it off the line, so it was the right call, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing. After the penalty I rejoined dead last, but I got my head down and eventually managed to salvage at least some points. After such a good practice and qualifying performance, for the weekend to end the way it did is frustrating, but we have to put this behind us now and focus on the next race in Mugello."

Harald Eckl: Team Principal
"What a frustrating day. After such a promising performance by both riders during practice and qualifying, I am very disappointed with today's outcome. This is a circuit where we know our bike is strong, and we needed to come away from here with a good result before the next two races at Mugello and Catalunya, both of which are real power tracks. Unfortunately it wasn't to be. Randy was unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, while Shinya was heavily penalised for a small mistake at the start that didn't gain him any real advantage. But that's racing for you; things don't always go according to plan!"

MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda 44'57.369; 2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +1.929; 3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +2.269; 4. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +5.494; 5. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +5.709; 6. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +11.519; 7. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +16.692; 8. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +18.142; 9. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda +23.645; 10. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP +39.362; 11. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech 3 Yamaha +47.730; 12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +47.782; DNF. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +28 Laps

RACE REPORT ? FRENCH GRAND PRIX - LE MANS 21/05/06
-----------------------------------------------------------------

BAD LUCK STRIKES AGAIN FOR CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM AT LE MANS

Camel Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi?s unfortunate start to his
MotoGP World Championship defence continued today as the Italian rider
was hit by another bout of bad luck at Le Mans, where he was forced to
retire from the lead with an engine problem. This time his team-mate
Colin Edwards was also hit by the jinx, the American being pushed wide
in the second corner of the race and running into the gravel traps. The
silver lining to the day for the team on a cloudy day in France was
that Edwards did manage to get back on track and charge through from
last place to finish in sixth ? arguably the individual rider
performance of the race.

Rossi started the fifth round of the season in confident mood after
finding a good set-up for his YZR-M1 machine during the dry practice
sessions and he quickly translated that pace to the race, moving from
seventh on the grid up to second place by lap three. After two laps
behind early leader John Hopkins (Suzuki) the World Champion took
control and opened out a comfortable advantage over Dani Pedrosa
(Honda), who also got past Hopkins. With eight laps remaining Rossi
looked on course to become the first rider this season to win two races
but to his despair disaster struck, leaving Pedrosa to fight it out
with Marco Melandri (Honda) for the win. Melandri made the decisive
move for victory with five laps remaining before Pedrosa was also
passed for second place by Loris Capirossi (Ducati).

COLIN EDWARDS (6th; + 11.519 seconds)
?To be honest I don?t quite know what happened at the start. I had my
plan which was to run it around the outside like I did last year but
things just went haywire from the start and riders were coming at me
from everywhere. I got baulked by somebody ? it might have been Dani
Pedrosa but I?m not sure ? and I couldn?t get to the outside so I had
to move where the space was and go tight. Everybody was wide through
the right and came across me as we went left into the chicane so I had
nowhere to go but the gravel. Last year it would have probably been
okay but the changes they made to the track played against me. I lost
four or five seconds there and probably lost another four or five
trying to get past people during the first six laps. I wanted to
overtake on the exits but they all had so much grip at that stage of
the race that it was impossible and I just had to wait for
opportunities on the brakes. The setting of the bike was good ? the
only thing I was missing was a bit of rear grip at the end but with the
pace I had we should have been on the podium today.?

VALENTINO ROSSI (DNF)?The team did a great job with the new chassis this weekend and I
really enjoyed being able to ride so fast during the race, so it is a
real shame that it ended like that and of course I am very
disappointed. Everything was working really well, the bike and tyres
felt perfect but then the engine went. A bike stopping on me like this
has only ever happened to me a couple of times in my career, so for it
to happen today is typical of our luck at the moment. Something seems
to have gone wrong for us at each of the first few races of the season,
apart from Qatar, and it has put us in a difficult situation with
regards to the championship. We know that championship is a big
challenge now but the last word has not been spoken yet. Now we need
to look at it race by race, maybe not think about the championship for
a while and concentrate on trying to win as many races as possible from
the remaining 12.?

DAVIDE BRIVIO ? CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR
?We are trying to smile but obviously we are all very disappointed ?
especially Valentino. Our engineers did a great job to get the bikes
prepared for this race and both Valentino and Colin were ready to fight
for a top result. It was great watching Valentino in harmony with the
bike and it looked as though it was going to be a classic Valentino
Rossi race, making his way to the front and then controlling his
advantage over second place. Unfortunately the engine broke and we are
analysing it now to find out why. I have to say Colin rode a great race
after being forced wide in the first corner and in general we will take
a lot of positives from this weekend, even if we don?t feel too great
right now.?

Results
1.Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, 44.57.369
2.Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, +1.929
3.Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, +2.269
4.Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda LCR, +5.494
5.Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, +5.709
6.COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, +11.519
7.Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda, +16.692
8.Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, +18.142
9.Toni Elias (ITA) Fortuna Honda, +23.645
10.Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, +39.362

DNF: VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, Lap 21


Championship Standings
1.Nicky Hayden (USA) 83
2.Marco Melandri (ITA) 79
3.Loris Capirossi (ITA) 79
4.Dani Pedrosa (SPA) 73
5.Casey Stoner (AUS) 65
6.COLIN EDWARDS (USA) 45
7.Toni Elias (SPA) 44
8.VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) 40
9.Sete Gibernau (SPA) 33
10.Makoto Tamada (JPN) 33

The race / MELANDRI SECURES SECOND WIN OF THE SEASON

FORTUNA HONDA rider Marco Melandri, after a spectacular race, clinched his second win of the season at the GP of France held at the Le Mans circuit. In changeable weather conditions, the Italian rode an intelligent and consistent race, maintaining a superb pace throughout. He knew exactly when to attack and, in doing so, made sure he ended on the top step of the podium. The race, which was incident-packed, proved to be one of the most entertaining of the season with the riders somewhat unsure due to the conditions. Melandri lapped consistently and, when leader Valentino Rossi was forced out, timed his attack to perfection to emerge victorious. His second triumph of the season sees him move up to second in the championship with 79 points.


MARCO MELANDRI (1st, 2nd in championship - 79 points):

"It was an incredible race! Obviously I am very satisfied as I was not expecting it. At the start the weather conditions were very changeable and I put on a hard rear tyre for the race after talking to the Michelin mechanics. I got away well and that allowed me to lead on the first lap. Hopkins then overtook me as my bike was suffering a bit due to the hard tyre, but after a few laps it began to work better and better and I was able to lap near the front. As the laps went by I started to think about winning and I overtook Loris and then, when the time was right, Pedrosa as well. I want to thank the whole team for the great job they did.?

TONI ELIAS (9th, 7th in championship - 44 points)

?It was a very difficult day. We still had the same problems in the warm-up and could not find a solution. I got a good start but could not then keep up the pace I wanted. Tomorrow we will stay at the circuit to test and I hope to find some solutions. We will look at the situation and I hope to be back where I deserve soon. I want to congratulate Marco who rode a very intelligent race.?

Luckless Hopkins crashes out of Le Mans podium fight

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins crashed out of today?s Alice Grand Prix de France, when he looked odds on to collect his first ever podium, but the gutsy Anglo-American remounted and still managed to claim a point.
Hopkins made a superb start to the race and led for the first four laps, after which he was passed by Valentino Rossi ? who was forced to retire later on ? and Dani Pedrosa. He stayed in a comfortable third place close behind the two leaders, but crashed into the gravel trap unhurt on lap 10. He showed his determination by remounting and getting his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R back to the pits for some running repairs, before re-joining the race and finishing in 15th position.
Chris Vermeulen had a less eventful and somewhat lonely race, having improved on his 12th place start early on. He settled into a consistent rhythm and secured a top-10 finish from his first ever race at Le Mans. His lack of dry track time over the weekend counted against him during the latter part of the race, as he had been unable to collect enough important tyre data over the previous two days and tyre durability became an issue.
Today?s race was held in dry but overcast conditions with a constant threat of rain in the air. Over 76,000 spectators witnessed Marco Melandri win his second MotoGP of the season. American Nicky Hayden still leads the Championship.
The 2006 MotoGP World Championship now moves to the picturesque Tuscan surroundings of Mugello in Italy for round six on Sunday 4th June.


John Hopkins:


?I had a slight problem with the clutch. It was not right from the start of the race and if we had ridden at a slower pace then I think it would have been ok. I had to brake too hard to make up for a bit of time lost in acceleration, and the rear stepped out - once that had gone it just sent the front out and I crashed. But we have shown that the Rizla Suzuki has improved and so has Bridgestone and we have made it known that we can run at the front - it?s just a matter of time before that first podium comes. If anything it just makes me more motivated to do well on the next circuit, that?s for sure!?


Chris Vermeulen:


?We finished in the top 10 which is really what we were aiming for, but I wasn?t so happy with my pace over race distance. We didn?t get as much dry time as we wanted, and had hoped to try a few more things in this morning?s warm-up but it was wet so we were unable to. I went with the setting from yesterday and I was able to run a good pace early on but we didn?t have enough tyre data for durability and it faded a bit towards the end. I am happy enough with 10th place from my first French GP and hopefully we can improve on that position in Mugello.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:


?A disappointing end to what looked to be a very promising race, but ultimately we have to take the positives out of the weekend. Despite Chris? tyre choice not giving him the performance he needed for the second half of the race he kept the bike upright and brought it home in the top 10. He will also have learnt a lot about getting around the Le Mans circuit at race pace.
?I have to feel for John, but as I say we have to look at the positives. He made a fantastic start and showed a lot of confidence early on. He displayed a lot of composure when dicing with Rossi and Pedrosa and I?m sure his plan was to tag along with them and aim for that first podium. After the crash most riders would have left the bike there but it is very much in Rizla Suzuki?s character not to give up, and for John to come back into the pits, get the bike fixed and circulate for the rest of the race with a damaged machine to score a single point says a lot about his character.
?If points were given for effort I?m sure we would have got a lot more than we did at Le Mans today!?


Alice Grand Prix de France Race Classification:


1. Marco Melandri (Honda) 44?57.369: 2. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) +1.929: 3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +2.269: 10. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +39.362: 15. JOHN HOPKINS (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +2 LAPS:


World Championship Classification:


1. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 83: 2. Melandri 79: 3. Capirossi 79: 12. JOHN HOPKINS (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 21: 14. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 19:

 

[KUCIAR666]

Standings MotoGP
1 Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 83
2 Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda 79
- Loris Capirossi (ITA) Marlboro Ducati 79
4 Daniel Pedrosa (ESP) Repsol Honda 73
5 Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda LCR 65
6 Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha 45
7 Antonio Elias (ESP) Fortuna Honda 44
8 Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha 40
9 Sete Gibernau (ESP) Marlboro Ducati 33
- Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda 33
11 Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing 32
12 John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki Grand Prix 21
13 Kenny Roberts (USA) Team KR Honda 20
14 Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki Grand Prix 19
15 Carlos Checa (ESP) Yamaha Tech 3 15
16 Randy De Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing 8
17 Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati D'Antin 6
18 James Ellison (ENG) Yamaha Tech 3 5
19 Jose Luis Cardoso (ESP) Ducati D'Antin 0

Team Points
1 Repsol Honda 156
2 Fortuna Honda 123
3 Marlboro Ducati 112
4 Camel Yamaha 85
5 Honda LCR 65
6 Kawasaki Racing 40
- Suzuki Grand Prix 40
8 Konica Minolta Honda 33
9 Team KR Honda 20
- Yamaha Tech 3 20
11 Ducati D'Antin 6

Team Points
1 Honda 115
2 Ducati 79
3 Yamaha 69
4 Suzuki 35
5 Kawasaki 32
6 KR211V 20