Final phase of season commences at Estoril
The first of a concluding quartet of rounds in the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship season takes place this coming weekend at Estoril.
As Valentino Rossi prepares to make his 100th appearance on a Yamaha factory machine, in the bwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal, at a venue where he has taken victory on five occasions in the premier class, the Italian rider is aware that another Portuguese win will edge him closer to retaining the MotoGP title.
Rossi has a 30-point championship lead after 13 rounds, the last of which saw him take victory on home soil at Misano to bounce back from his Indianapolis crash and DNF, before a September break in proceedings.
Indeed, Rossi’s main objective at Estoril will be to finish in front of his Fiat Yamaha team-mate and championship rival Jorge Lorenzo, who still has a fighting chance of catching his illustrious colleague in the standings. Lorenzo achieved his maiden MotoGP win in Portugal last year in just his third premier class race and the Spaniard will be striving to repeat that success this time around.
Lorenzo has also crossed the line first and second at the last two rounds of the current season to push his way back into the title fight after consecutive DNF results at Donington and Brno earlier in the summer.
For third-placed championship rider Dani Pedrosa, Estoril is one of just four tracks on the current MotoGP calendar where he has not tasted victory in any class of Grand Prix racing. However, Pedrosa has crossed the line in second place in Portugal for the last two years and the Repsol Honda rider will be highly motivated by the challenge of staying ahead of the returning Casey Stoner in the standings over the final four GPs of 2009.
Stoner returns for Ducati Marlboro at round 14, having missed three race weekends due to illness, and he will aim to rediscover his early season competitiveness which saw him register wins at Losail International (Qatar) and Mugello, in addition to three further podiums. The Australian is 87 points behind Rossi, 57 behind Lorenzo and just seven adrift of Pedrosa, heading to a track where he won the 250cc race in 2005 and was on the MotoGP rostrum in third place in 2007. With Stoner back to the Ducati official team, Mika Kallio rides again for Pramac Racing together with teammate Niccolò Canepa.
Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso, who in fifth place is ten points ahead of Colin Edwards, has finished fourth in the last three races – since his first MotoGP victory at Donington in July. The Italian was the 250cc race-winner at Estoril three years ago but last season he crashed out on his debut MotoGP appearance at the circuit.
Edwards’ blameless first lap crash and DNF at Misano last time out was his first non-point-scoring result since Germany last year and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 man would probably be happy with repeating his 2008 and 2006 fourth places at Estoril.
Behind Edwards, Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki), Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Marco Melandri (Hayate Racing) complete the current MotoGP top ten.
With four rounds remaining the battle at the head of the 250cc World Championship standings appears to be a two-way fight between leader Hiroshi Aoyama and second placed Alvaro Bautista. Aoyama leads Bautista by 13 points, with World Champion Marco Simoncelli way back – 40 points off the top spot – in third place.
Scot Racing’s Aoyama has been highly consistent all season, but he has not won a race since Donington in July and has been off the podium in two of the last three races. In contrast to Bautitsta the Japanese rider does not have a great history at Estoril – having only once appeared on the podium there, in 2006 in second place – but his 2009 form overall suggests he will improve that record.
Bautista has won for the last three years in Portugal – in the 125cc class in 2006 and in the 250cc race in both 2007 and 2008. The Spaniard has not won a race since Catalunya this year though, so he will aim to step up a notch on his recent steady podium form to repeat his previous Portuguese triumphs and put further pressure on Aoyama.
Although title-holder Simoncelli looks to be out of the race in this year’s championship he has won three of the last five races and will be looking for revenge after his home heartbreak at Misano. Additional Simoncelli wins this season would be no surprise and last year he finished second at Estoril having started on pole.
Fourth placed Hector Barbera, who won at Misano in the last round, has a modest record at Estoril in the 250cc class, but he did take victory there in the 2004 125cc race.
Meanwhile, Estoril is one of Mattia Pasini’s least successful circuits, but he will arrive for the Portuguese GP on a high after testing a Ducati MotoGP bike in Italy since his home race at Misano where he finished a close second.
For Bancaja Aspar’s Julian Simon the decision to move back down to the 125cc class from 250cc competition this year has paid off in style and the Spanish rider could clinch the title at the next round in Portugal if results go his way.
If he wins the Estoril race and Nico Terol finishes no higher than ninth and Bradley Smith finishes no higher than fifth or if Simon finishes second with Terol no higher than 14th and Bradley Smith no better than ninth, that will be enough to secure the 125cc crown.
In all likelihood Simon may have to wait a while longer to finish the job – his best result to date at Estoril is fifth in 2006 in the 125cc class – but he needs to score just 43 points from the remaining four races to secure the title, irrespective of the results of other riders.
For current runner-up Terol, meanwhile, his third place last year in Portugal was his first point-scoring finish at the Estoril circuit. The Spaniard is on a run of eight successive top four results this year and he would more than deserve finishing second overall.
It is fair to say that Estoril is not the favourite circuit of Simon’s team-mate Smith, with the Briton registering his best result at the track in 2007 in 12th place. Smith crashed out last year having caught the leading group from 13th on the grid, but he is currently in good form after two consecutive podiums and he’ll be confident of bettering his previous Portuguese best.
Also in the current top five are Simon and Smith’s colleague Sergio Gadea and Italian rider Andrea Iannone – whose main aim will simply be to avoid any controversy in Portugal after he let himself down at Misano with some aggressive riding and some subsequently self-acknowledged unsporting behaviour. Iannone clashed with Pol Espargaro last time out and the young Spaniard, who is sixth in the standings, got his first GP podium at Estoril two years ago.
The 2009 bwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal takes place from 2nd-4th October, with free practice in the MotoGP class commencing at 1.55pm local time. The first 250cc and 125cc practices take place at 3.10pm and 12.40pm respectively.
— Ducati Preview
The Ducati Marlboro Team returns from a long September break this weekend ready to tackle the Estoril circuit with Casey Stoner back in the saddle alongside his team-mate Nicky Hayden.
The Italian outfit has been working hard on two fronts since the end of July, on one hand liasing with doctors in Australia monitoring the progress being made by Casey and on the other continuing exhaustive development of the Desmosedici, on which Nicky has been able to make great strides, culminating with his podium finish at Indianapolis and further signs of competitiveness at Misano before a blameless first lap crash.
During two months away from racing under the supervision of an expert medical team in his homeland (Dr. Neil Halpin, Sport Physician, Dr Jeremy Coleman, Consultant Physician, Dr Harry Grunstein, Endocrinologist and Professor Jonathan Silberberg, Cardiologist), who have remained in touch with Prof. Fabio Catani (Specialist in Pathology and Locomotive System at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute of Bologna and Ducati’s doctor for several years) and Dr Claudio Macchiagodena of the Clinica Mobile, Casey has undergone a series of exams and special tests.
The results of the tests have excluded pathological anomalies of cardiovascular, respiratory or neurological origins. The exams and inspections also failed to show up any kind of virus or infection.
However, the medical report made by Prof. Silderberg and Dr Coleman did reveal low blood pressure levels and a lack of sodium, the two factors that the doctors believe were the main cause of the physical problems that interrupted the season for the Ducati rider.
The doctors all agree that overtraining was the most common factor that showed up during the tests and that the after-effects of injuries and surgeries over the last few years were the cause of the physical weakness and exhaustion that the Australian began to suffer a few months ago.
The doctors also unanimously confirmed that their suggestion to stop Casey from racing at the end of July was absolutely necessary in order to avoid aggravating his physical debilitation.
Following the final medical examination that he underwent last week before leaving Australia, the doctors confirmed that whilst he was still not completely recovered, he is in better physical shape than he was in July and his weight is back up to 60kg, which is close to his ideal weight.
Casey will be back on track this weekend despite not being in peak condition and he will remain under medical supervision throughout, with a new sodium-rich diet aimed at raising his blood pressure and muscular functionality.
CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team (4th in the championship on 150 points)
“I’m definitely looking forward to the race weekend. Having three races off is the biggest period away from racing in my life. It was very difficult to accept the advice of the doctors to stop racing. In the past I have raced even when injured, like in the last few races of the 2008 season when my wrist was broken, but this time it was really not possible and of course I felt very sorry for the team. Now I’m looking forward to getting back together with the team and everyone and I hope I’ll be able to be more competitive than I was in the past, but we will have to wait and see. The doctors have put me on some salt tablets to increase my sodium levels but we will have to see if it helps. We will understand more during the weekend. Of course it’s going to be difficult: at first we won’t know if it will work because I’ve been off the bike so long that in any case my muscles will take some time to get race fit again. But, as I said, I’m looking forward to getting back and to starting work on the bike, looking towards the future.”
NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team (14th in the championship on 73 points)
“A few weeks off is always nice but I’m definitely over it now and ready to get back to the track and on the bike. I haven’t really been up to anything exciting over the break, just training and hanging out getting prepared for the final stretch of the season. Any time we get a few weeks at home is like gold when you travel like we do. I am very excited for Portugal – we go there feeling pretty positive after finding some decent speed over the last few races. We go there at a different time in the season from last year so it has been almost a year and half since we’ve been to the track, which makes it a little difficult. The track is nothing real special but I like it. It’s pretty narrow, with probably the tightest and slowest chicane on the whole calendar, but has a great fifth gear kink on the back straightaway and the final turn is a very long, cool corner. Also we will have Casey back which is great for the team and the championship and I’m sure he will be as fast as ever. Getting on that front row or podium just got even harder for me!”
LIVIO SUPPO, MotoGP Project Director
“We are really pleased that Casey is back with us. We never had any doubt that he would be with us once again at Estoril. We know that he is still not in 100% peak fitness and we just hope that over the last four races of the season he can gradually build his strength and work with Nicky to help Filippo develop the bike. With that goal in mind we have a few new things to try this weekend, in particular a new fairing which is designed to make the bike handle better in strong winds and fast direction changes. I really hope Nicky’s luck turns around after Misano because his season has got gradually better and I’m sure he’ll keep that trend going this weekend.”
THE TRACK
Estoril is a circuit of huge contrasts. The main straight is one of the longest in MotoGP, allowing for speeds in excess of 300km/h, whilst the chicane is one of the slowest and alongside the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca one of the most difficult. The average speed of the circuit is the lowest of the entire MotoGP calendar and the contrast between the fast and slow sections requires a tricky compromise in the set-up of the chassis. The same can be said for the engine, which needs to provide good top speed as well as sweet performance in low revs. However, perhaps the most important variable for the riders is the circuit’s close proximity to the Atlantic ocean, which can create strong winds that unbalance the riders and leave dirt on the track surface, reducing grip levels, The circuit plays host to the Grand Prix of Portugal for the tenth time this year, with the race having previously been held in 1987 and 1988 in Spain, before Estoril met with the safety requirements.
— HRC Preview
This weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix begins the final phase of the 2009 MotoGP season and will thus be a crucial race for everyone involved. Estoril follows a four-week break for the championship and is quickly followed by the final three races of the year – the Malaysian, Australian and Valencia GPs.
Honda’s leading riders will all be chasing more victories in this quick-fire run of four races over six weekends, most notably Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), who is fighting for third place in the MotoGP World Championship, and Hiroshi Aoyama (Scot Honda), who is leading the 250 World Championship.
Pedrosa comes to Estoril determined to continue the impressive showing he has made at recent races aboard his steadily improving Honda RC212V.
The Spaniard, who celebrated his 24th birthday on Tuesday, led the last two races in brilliant style. He eventually finished third at Misano and tenth at Indianapolis, after sliding off and remounting at the American track. He will be keen to use the impressive top speed of his RCV at Estoril to secure his first win at the circuit. Estoril is one of only four tracks on the MotoGP calendar where the former 250 and 125 World Champion hasn’t won in any class – MotoGP, 250 or 125 – but he’s finished second on his last two visits and is keen to go one better on Sunday. Pedrosa has certainly been keeping busy in the recent break – he climbed to the top of Mont Blanc!
While Pedrosa fights for third overall in the MotoGP points chase, team-mate Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) is only 24 points behind and aiming for fourth overall or even better. The Italian has amassed an impressive points haul from the last four races – scoring his first MotoGP victory at July’s British GP and following that up with three solid fourth places at Brno, Indy and Misano. Unlike Pedrosa, Dovizioso has winning form at Estoril – he won the 2006 250 GP at the track and finished second in the 2005 and 2007 250 GPs. This will be Dovi’s second race using Ohlins suspension, so he will be working extra hard on machine set-up for this tricky circuit.
Alex De Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini) will be hoping for a better Sunday than he had at Misano, where he fell at the second turn on the first lap, bringing down rivals Nicky Hayden (Ducati) and Colin Edwards (Yamaha). De Angelis had scored a brilliant maiden MotoGP podium at the previous race at Indy and was obviously pumped up for a repeat. Now eighth overall in the championship, the San Marino man is currently chasing down Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) who lies seventh, just nine points in front. De Angelis likes Estoril – he has scored podiums there in 250s and 125s.
The longer than usual break following the San Marino GP (due to the inaugural Balatonring GP in Hungary being delayed until 2010), has given Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) crucial extra time to recover further from the broken left ankle he sustained during a motocross training accident following his third-place result at Donington Park. De Puniet recently renewed his contract with LCR to continue with the team for a third season.
Like team-mate De Angelis, Toni Elias (San Carlo Honda Gresini) has also proved his speed at recent races, most notably at August’s Czech GP where he rode to a rousing podium finish aboard his factory-spec RC212V. Elias is one of several riders currently without a ride for 2010, so the ever-smiling Spaniard will be out to impress at Estoril, where he won the 2006 MotoGP race in unforgettable sideways style.
Gabor Talmacsi (Scot Honda) continues his apprenticeship in the elite class, getting better acquainted with his RC212V on every outing. The Hungarian, who made his name on 50 horsepower 125s, still has plenty to learn about the 200-plus horsepower RCV, but at least he goes well at Estoril; he took second place in the 2007 125 Portuguese GP, on his way to winning that year’s 125 title.
Honda has scored five elite-class victories at Estoril, with Valentino Rossi on his Nastro Azzurro NSR500 in 2001 and with Rossi again on his Repsol RC211V in 2002 and 2003. In 2005 it was the turn of Alex Barros to win on his Camel RC211V and in 2006 it was Toni Elias who won aboard his Fortuna Gresini RC211V.
Estoril is the second slowest circuit on the GP calendar, with a lap record of 154.5km/h, just 3km/h faster than the slowest track of them all, Indianapolis, where the lap record stands at 151.5km/h. Nevertheless Estoril presents a real challenge to riders and engineers. The contrast between very slow and very fast corners demands some tricky compromises in chassis set-up, with riders requiring manoeuvrability in the tight corners and stability in the sweepers. These two characteristics aren’t mutually exclusive but it’s not easy to create a motorcycle that excels in both situations, so compromise is the only answer. It’s the same with the engine – the contrast between the fast start-finish straight and the many slow-speed corners requires maximum peak horsepower as well as gentle low-rev performance.
But perhaps the greatest concern for riders is the track’s proximity to the Atlantic. High-speed winds whip off the ocean, blowing bikes and riders off course, and throwing dust onto the circuit, with potentially disastrous results.
Estoril hosts its tenth Grand Prix this weekend, though this is the 12th Portuguese GP. The nation’s first two GPs were held at Spanish tracks in 1987 and 1988, because Estoril failed stringent track safety standards.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) says: “It’s been quite a long break since the last race and I really enjoyed it – combining time to relax as well as taking the opportunity to put in some good training. It’s unusual to have three weeks off at this stage of the year, but now it’s time to get back on track and I’m very much looking forward to facing the last part of the season. We need to be very focused from the first practice on Friday to prepare the bike as much as possible for this race. At this track you need a machine that performs well on the brakes and over the bumps and is able to maintain good rear grip. It’s quite a tough track from a riding point of view, but I feel confident on this front because physically I’m in really good condition now. We’ll see how the weather is compared to last year when we raced in April. I have good memories from 2008 when we managed to finish second even though we had mixed conditions on Sunday with some light showers at the beginning of the race. Obviously I would prefer to have stable weather and dry conditions, but whatever happens I’m looking forward to getting back on track.”
Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) says: “Estoril is a track where I have achieved some good results and I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike after this long break. Last year’s race here was going well for me too, and I was fighting with [Jorge] Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Valentino [Rossi] before I crashed, so I have a positive feeling coming into this weekend and I’m confident I can have a good race. It’s a very slow circuit and some parts are a bit tight and narrow for MotoGP machines. This means it’s not easy to tame these bikes around here and it takes a while to understand how to approach the track and fully exploit the MotoGP bike’s performance. At the last race at Misano we collected important data on the way to fourth place and the team and I have some ideas of how to further improve the machine set-up with the Ohlins suspension. I‘m really curious to see how these new setting solutions will work out. We’re feeling confident for the final four races of the season and I’m definitely looking forward to racing at Estoril.”
Alex De Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini) says: “I’ve been training hard over the break and taking out my frustrations of the last race at Misano, when I crashed at the end of an otherwise positive weekend. It left a bitter taste in my mouth but I am in great form at the moment and at a circuit like Estoril, where I always went well in the smaller classes, I know I can put things right. Unfortunately last year I had a 39°C fever and it was a miracle that I made it to the end of the race. This year I go to Portugal with everything in my favour because I am starting to get the full potential out of my bike and the typically changeable conditions at Estoril won’t worry me because we have already proved that we can be fast both in the wet and in the dry.”
Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) says: “This break helped me a lot in recovering from the ankle fracture. I feel better now and can finally race at 100 per cent. In the last two weeks I practiced a lot of sport to be fit for the rest of the season and my ankle is responding well. During the night it’s still a bit swollen but I am not worried about that. The Estoril track is not one of my favourites because it does not suit to my riding style but with four races to go I must do my best to score as many points as possible. Our target is to qualify in the top eight every race. After the new agreement with LCR for the 2010 I feel more relaxed and can concentrate in the final part of the championship.”
Toni Elias (San Carlo Honda Gresini) says: “I’ve spent this unusual and long break in training, having fun cycling in Zarauz in the Basque Country and surfing along the wonderful 20km-long beach at San Sebastian with my good friend Carlos Arguiñano, one of the best and most famous chefs in Spain. I also went to watch the Andorra Supermoto Grand Prix and spent a day with Mikko Hirvonen, the current World Rally Champion, riding with him in his WRC car, which was incredibly exciting. Naturally I was constantly thinking about getting back to competitive action myself and the next race at Estoril, where I won in 2006. It’s a circuit I love and where I hope to be amongst the frontrunners again. I’m in good form and my feeling with the bike is great so I can’t be anything but optimistic about this one.”
Gabor Talmacsi (Scot Honda) says: “Estoril is a hard-braking track, with a few tight corners that will be the acid test for us. The work we did at Misano, which in some ways is a bit similar to Estoril, will be useful for us.”
— Yamaha Preview
Rossi and Lorenzo gear up for final four races
Fresh from a break of nearly a month, the Fiat Yamaha Team regroups this weekend at the coastal town of Estoril for the Portuguese Grand Prix. Returning to its more traditional end of season slot after moving to May last season, the race marks the start of the final phase of the championship with just the overseas double-header and the Valencian season finale remaining after it. Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo lie first and second in the championship and the Yamaha pair’s rivalry promises a tense climax to this year’s thrilling championship.
Rossi signed off for the holidays in fine fettle after taking his sixth win of the season at the last round, in front of his home fans at Misano. The 30-year-old has an exemplary record at Estoril and is the most successful rider in Grand Prix history at the track, having stood on the podium on all of his nine visits, including five wins. Last year he lost out to his then-rookie team-mate Lorenzo and finished third but the Italian will be looking for a maximum points haul this weekend as he stalks his ninth World Championship title.
With three wins under his belt this season so far, Lorenzo finished second in Misano last time out and will be hoping that a return to the scene of one of his greatest world championship performances will kickstart his championship run-in. The Mallorcan’s explosive entry into MotoGP last year culminated at the third race in Portugal when he took his third consecutive pole and his maiden premier-class win. 16 months on the 22-year-old is older and wiser and he knows that nothing less than a victory will do if he wishes to increase the pressure on his team-mate, who lies 30 points ahead of him in the standings.
Temperatures in early October usually settle around the mid-twenties in the region, although the Estoril circuit is located just seven kilometres from the Atlantic and is notorious for dramatic changes in weather, with spells of warm sunshine often interrupted by wild gusts of cold wind and rain. The layout of the Autodromo Fernanda Pires de Silva is similarly contrasting, featuring one of the longest main straights in MotoGP and one of the slowest corners. Several other twisty sections make for the lowest average speed in the championship but the 200km/h kink at turn five and the final Parabolica corner are two of the toughest tests of any rider’s skill and bravery.
Valentino Rossi – “Ready to return to work”
“It was great to go away for the break after winning in Misano and with a good championship lead and I have enjoyed having three weeks off, but now I am ready to return to work. We’re in the final stage of the championship and we have a strong position but, as we’ve seen throughout this season, anything can happen and we know that the championship is far from over yet. The next three races are all good tracks for us and my team and I will aim to get as many points as possible each time and then we will see where we are in Valencia! Last year we struggled a little in Estoril but it’s been a great track for me in the past, especially with Yamaha, and it’s a place that usually produces good, close racing so I hope that’s the case again this year. I also hope to see Casey back in good shape and recovered because the championship misses him.”
Jorge Lorenzo – “One of the best moments of my life”
“I am really excited to be coming back to race, a month is too long after the summer! It’s been strange to have such a long break but I’ve tried to use the time to prepare for the final races; I spent a week in Mallorca, training with my father and resting with my family and I enjoyed myself a lot. Now we go to Estoril, where I had one of the best moments of my life. In the past I was never strong there but last year I did an unbelievable race. This year it’s a different situation; a different time of year, everyone has the same tyres and we are in the closing stages of the championship. My aim is to have a good weekend in order to keep the championship going. I am also happy that we will see Casey back this weekend because he brings another challenge for all of us.”
Davide Brivio – “The most important period of the championship”
“Now we’re going into the final four races and this is the most important period of the championship, where we can achieve all that we’ve worked for. In Misano we showed our strong motivation to win once again and we’re looking forward to the next chapter. We expect another big battle with Jorge and also with Stoner and Pedrosa. Estoril was difficult for us last year but this year everyone is on the same tyres and we know that we’re in great shape so we’re looking forward to a good weekend.”
Daniele Romagnoli – “Can’t wait to be back on track”
“We’ve had a very long break in the season which is really unusual for us, but now we can’t wait to be back on the track again to continue our challenge. Last year Estoril was Jorge’s first win in MotoGP, which was unforgettable for everyone. It wasn’t his best track but we were very competitive and we believe that we will be able to be so again this time, keeping this championship as exciting as possible for us and all MotoGP fans.”
— Suzuki Preview
Rizla Suzuki and the rest of the MotoGP paddock will be back in action this coming weekend for the latest exciting episode in the 2009 MotoGP calendar as the series moves to Estoril in Portugal for round 14.
Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen will be looking to continue with the improvement in form that was shown on race-day at Misano in Italy three weeks ago, as they attack the 4,182m Portuguese circuit from Friday onwards. Recent engine and chassis upgrades have both made a positive difference to the performance of the Suzuki GSV-R, and Capirossi and Vermeulen will both be striving to find the maximum potential from the new specification to enable them to perform at the maximum of their own abilities.
The Autodromo Fernanda Pires da Silva circuit features a kilometre-long straight, one of the slowest sections of the year and two ultra-fast corners, all combining to make this one of the most contrasting tracks on the calendar. Situated on a rocky plateau near the village of Alcabideche high above the city of Estoril, and only a few kilometres from the Atlantic ocean, the chances of ever-changing weather is always likely and with strong winds gusting of the ocean it can get a bit breezy, bikes have even been known to be blown off the track!
Rizla Suzuki will get into action on Friday afternoon for the first free practice session, followed by a second free session on Saturday morning. Grid position will be decided in an afternoon hour-long qualifying session on Saturday to determine where the riders line-up for Sunday’s 28-lap race, which gets underway at 13.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).
Loris Capirossi:
“We had a good result last time out at Misano, but we still want more. The factory has been working hard recently and we have showed big improvements and we need to keep that going for the rest of the year and carry it through the winter and into 2010 I’ve had a couple of podiums at Estoril as well as a pole position start and I’d really like to add to that this weekend, we know it will be tough, but we need to believe in ourselves and try to take that next step.”
Chris Vermeulen:
“I can’t wait to get back on the bike again after the short break we’ve had, I feel fully refreshed and totally focused on the rest of the season. Estoril is a tough track for us, but with the changes we’ve made recently I’m hoping that will point us in a new direction. I’ve had a couple of top-10 finishes there and although they are not the sort of results I would like, they have all been hard battles and I’ve learnt a lot more each time. I’m really looking forward to the weekend and will be doing all I can to push the bike up towards the front.”
— Bridgestone Preview
Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium. Rear: Medium, Hard (asymmetric)
Estoril is one of the most technically demanding races on the calendar and one of toughest challenges of the season for Bridgestone’s tyres. The very varied nature of the circuit will provide a stern test of the wider operating range of this year’s tyres as they are faced with a multitude of different corner characteristics, corner loads and surfaces. The circuit’s four left- and nine right-handed corners mean that Bridgestone has selected asymmetric rear tyres for Estoril in order to compensate for the resulting difference in tyre temperature between the right and left shoulders. The temperature differential between the shoulders is more marked at this track as the right-handers are generally fast but the left-handers generally slow, including the chicane which is the slowest corner on the calendar.
The main challenge of the circuit comes from the number of different conditions a tyre has to cope with during a lap whilst providing a consistent feeling for the riders throughout. Estoril has a long and fast straight with heavy braking for the first corner, an imbalance between lefts and rights, a very slow chicane and the long final corner in which the tyres have to contend with high lean angles at a high speed as the riders try to open the throttle as soon as possible to maximise their speed across the start/finish line.
This year’s Portuguese Grand Prix is the tenth to be held at the Estoril circuit and there have been four different winners at the venue in as many years, though it is the only GP run this season at which a Bridgestone-shod rider has never claimed victory in the premier class. Makoto Tamada took pole and finished second in 2004, and more recently Casey Stoner qualified second and finished third in 2007 and Valentino Rossi qualified and finished third last year. Whilst it is a foregone conclusion this season, the first win by a Bridgestone-shod rider at Estoril will be another circuit ticked for Bridgestone, and also the 49th premier class victory on Bridgestone tyres since the company’s entry into the sport in 2002. The Portuguese Grand Prix has been moved back to the second half of the season after being run in April last year. It comes after a three-week break following the cancellation of the Hungarian round at the Balatonring venue.
Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department
“In effect we have now had two breaks this season, and this one was longer than we had in August so I am sure that everyone is looking forward to going racing again and seeing the conclusion of this exciting season. With the expected return of Casey to the championship, I’m sure we will continue to see the sort of close competition and thrilling races we have gotten used to in this first year of single tyre supply in MotoGP.”
Tohru Ubukata – Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department
“Estoril is one of the toughest tracks on the calendar and has a challenging mixture of slow-speed lefts, high-speed rights and interlinking straights that test all aspects of the rider, machine and tyre package. The circuit has a very varied nature throughout each lap which is what makes it challenging, but I am confident that the wider operating range of this year’s tyres will give us a significant advantage this season compared to those previously. “The nature of the track changes from one corner to the next, and the tyres also have to contend with a surface change during the lap after partial resurfacing work conducted in 2006. Again we see some heavy braking points at Estoril, such as into the first corner, so stability from the front tyre is crucial. The use of asymmetric rear tyres is also very important here, mainly to ensure good and consistent grip round the slower left-handers such as the chicane where the riders are accelerating hard on corner exit.” Bridgestone Motorsport Media Website: www.bridgestonemotorsportmedia.com
