After a rain-hit Mediterranean jaunt through Italy and Spain the Fiat Yamaha Team start a Northern-European triple-header this weekend, hoping that the British Grand Prix can be the unlikely purveyor of summer to the MotoGP World Championship paddock. Despite dry races at Mugello and Barcelona, mixed conditions during practice certainly haven't helped with machine set-up and were a contributing factor to a series of crashes for Jorge Lorenzo that ultimately led to him missing the last race in Catalunya.
Thankfully Lorenzo is fit to return for a crucial run of three races in four weekends in England, Holland and Germany, followed immediately by his first ever race in the USA. The youngster has benefited from a week of complete rest since being ruled out of his home race with concussion, although he will ride at Donington Park through the discomfort of a fresh skin graft to the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand. He will wear a special silk glove underneath a larger racing glove this weekend and will require treatment after each practice session. This weekend the Mallorcan and his crew will be focusing on recovery and regaining confidence, rather than results, although Lorenzo has had success at the Leicestershire circuit in the past, having won from pole position in the 250cc class in 2006.
His team-mate Valentino Rossi is the most successful Grand Prix rider ever at Donington, having won there on no fewer than seven occasions in all classes - including his first ever 500cc win back in 2000. This year the 29-year-old arrives on top form, on top of the World Championship and expecting the usual fanatical level of home support despite recently moving from London back to his native Italy. Rossi lived in the English capital from 1999 to last year and built up an army of local fans, but hasn't had the opportunity to celebrate with them since 2005 - a situation he will aim to remedy on Sunday as he defends a seven-point series lead from Dani Pedrosa.
Donington Park sits inside an amphitheatre style setting, with the spectators banked on the grass verges that surround the track. The prevalent off-camber nature of the circuit is one of the main factors at play, with a large tendency for the front tyre to push, making the right, left, right flick down the Craner Curve a critical but rewarding section of track. The stop-and-go nature of the final section, which features three hard braking zones, means the bike also has to be good under braking and makes set-up a quest for compromise between agility and stability.
Valentino Rossi - A fantastic track: "Without doubt, Donington is one of my favourite race tracks in the world and I have some fantastic memories of it, including of course my first 500cc win in 2000, when I had a fantastic battle with Jeremy McWilliams and Kenny Roberts. It's a track that has everything; it's fast and flowing but also technical, although like most people I'm not so keen on the last section! Racing in the UK is also very special for me because for a long time I lived there and, even though now I live in Italy again, I would still like to think of it as a second home and I hope the fans will give me as much support as they always do. I was very disappointed to miss the podium last year because the Donington podium is something special, so I will be aiming to get back on it this year!"
Jorge Lorenzo - Starting from scratch: "It has been a tough couple of weeks for me and watching the Barcelona race from my hospital bed wasn't much fun so I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike, although I think I have to ride a little more cautiously this weekend! It is like starting again from scratch so I have to change my approach. What I can say about Donington is that I have got great memories from there - I took 250cc victory in 2006 and last year I was riding really well in the wet. It is a fast circuit, other than the final section, and it will be interesting to ride there on a MotoGP bike for the first time."
Davide Brivio - A four-way fight: "We have a lot of great memories of Donington Park and it is traditionally a good track for Valentino so we're looking forward to this weekend. We arrive there leading the championship but Pedrosa is very close behind us so it is going to be a close and exciting battle. As far as the points situation is concerned Dani is looking like the most dangerous rival right now but Lorenzo and Stoner are still in the fight. Stoner is in fourth place but only 50 points behind and over eleven races that is not an impossible gap, so our target is to keep finishing on the podium. We also want to improve and when you look at Barcelona you can see we need to do this at the start of the race. On Friday and Saturday we didn't find the best setting for the bike, which restricted our qualifying position, and even though the team did a good job overnight we suffered for it in the race. However, we gathered a lot of information at the test and tried out some solutions with the qualifying tyre so hopefully this can help us be even more competitive at Donington."
Daniele Romagnoli - No pressure: "This weekend we will concentrate on Jorge's recovery and not his results. For us the British Grand Prix is about Jorge getting back on the bike and getting a good feeling for it again. We want to make set-up work as easy as possible for him, not make too many changes and just let him get back into the swing of riding. There was never any pressure on Jorge but it is important we stress that now and let him get through a couple of weekends without any problems. Donington is quite a physical track, especially in the second half where there are lots of hard braking areas, so we will have to wait and see how much strength he has in his hand and how much that affects him. Doctor Mir says he is okay to ride but we know he won't be at 100%, so our greatest wish is to see him there soon. Unfortunately crashing is a part of this game. Jorge started the season well - more than well - but in any season you have to go through bad moments too. I am confident he will come back even stronger and I can promise everybody that will happen very soon."
After the Grand Prix of Catalunya, on the outskirts of Barcelona, JiR Team Scot heads north across the European continent and crosses the English Channel heading for Great Britain and the city of Derby. There, in the heart of the English East-Midlands, is situated the Donington Park circuit. Both riders are ready to face the eighth race in the MotoGP calendar and both are moving towards a common objective: the podium. Andrea Dovizioso, fourth in Spain, has obtained excellent results in the two days of tests following that race, even with the qualifying tyres that have caused him some concerns in the past. Also, last year at Donington he won one of his two victories of the season. Yuki Takahashi also has a real hunger for improved results, both to improve his position in the 250cc championship and redeem himself from his off-track excursion in Spain, where he fought back to get into the points.
Cirano Mularoni - Team Manager: “We head to the next Grand Prix with the whole team having very high morale. In MotoGP when we last raced we showed signs of improvement in our interpreting of the technical package we have at our disposal. In addition to this Andrea has always performed well at Donington and this could be helpful as he heads to the circuit for the first time with the Honda RC212V. Yuki wants to make a big impact on the results this weekend and I believe that the time is right for a demonstration of his potential. I am confident that with the support of the Team we can face the two races under the best conditions possible for us. We are now close to the half-way point of the season and each result will be crucial for both championships.”
Andrea Dovizioso: “This English circuit I like very much and I have always performed well there. In fact, I have had two victories there, one in 125 and one last year in 250s. It’s a great track, but one that I think on the MotoGP bike will be very different from the smaller bikes, as with the RC212V you wont be on the gas quite as much! The track is in two parts: one flowing and with fast corners, the other half slow, with lots of hard braking areas. With the new bike it will be a little bit of an unknown. The track itself offers good grip in the dry and when it’s sunny but it’s very slippery when it’s wet. I’m ready for anything though, especially after our good result in Spain which has shown that we have made many improvements.”
Kawasaki's John Hopkins and Anthony West head across the English Channel for this weekend's British Grand Prix at Donington Park in confident mood, following successful test sessions aboard their Ninja ZX-RR machines in Spain and Japan.
For Anglo-American Hopkins, the British Grand Prix is like a second home race, and the 25-year-old Kawasaki pilot heads for Donington determined to put on a virtuoso performance in front of the enthusiastic British crowd.
Hopkins is recovering well from the fractured vertebrae he sustained in a practice crash last time out in Catalunya. Although the injury is still causing him some discomfort, he remains confident that he'll be able to secure a strong result this weekend in front of his family, many of whom have made the trip over from California for the British Grand Prix.
Anthony West made his competitive MotoGP debut with the Kawasaki Racing Team in a wet race at Donington Park last season, and the 26-year-old Australian is looking forward to making his return to the United Kingdom this weekend.
Catalunya proved something of a turning point for West this season, and following a positive testing trip to Japan after the last race, the Kawasaki pilot arrives at Donington determined to battle his way back into the top ten.
The Donington Park circuit is one that punishes mistakes. The fast and flowing nature of the first part of the track, where all the corners run together, means that it's difficult to make up the time lost to a mistake, as the wrong line through one corner invariably upsets a rider's rhythm through the next series of turns. Accuracy and consistency are both key to a good result in the British Grand Prix.
John Hopkins: "Following the Catalunya race we had a one day test where I rode as many laps as I could with the back injury I sustained in practice. This brought a few positive results before I headed over to England where I've spent time visiting family and friends with Ashleigh. In the lead up to the last two races I had been training very hard so thankfully I haven't lost any fitness, which is always a problem when carrying injuries, and I've had the chance to rest to help the healing process. I'm still very stiff and sore, but Donington Park is like a home away from home, and it's a track I definitely enjoy. For me the British Grand Prix is one of the biggest races of the season, with many members of my family coming to support me, and regardless of my injury I'll be looking to gain a strong result aboard the Kawasaki."
Anthony West: "After Catalunya I flew to Japan to complete two days intensive testing. Unfortunately the first day was rained off, but we managed to get quite a few laps in on day two and the results were positive. We focussed particularly on changing the engine settings to improve the overall handling of the machine and we found a set-up direction that's very different from what I'm used to. The bike felt really good, but the track had a lot more grip in comparison to those we race on in MotoGP, so the real test for the changes we've made will be this weekend at Donington Park. Last year we gained a strong result during my first outing on the Ninja ZX-RR and I hope that with the work we've done in the last week, we can be back where we belong in the top ten."
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will give reigning American Superbike Champion Ben Spies his MotoGP debut at next weekend’s British Grand Prix, following confirmation that Loris Capirossi will be unfit for the Donington race.
The 23-year-old American from Longview in Texas was due to make his Rizla Suzuki MotoGP debut as a wildcard rider at next month’s USGP in California, but he has been drafted in early to replace Capirossi who suffered a broken right hand at Catalunya last weekend. Capirossi is now targeting a return at the following weekend’s race at Assen in The Netherlands and will continue to work on his fitness to try and achieve this goal.
Chris Vermeulen will be returning to the scene of one of his podium successes in 2007 when he takes to the track at the 4,023m long Donington Park circuit. Suzuki’s Australian star finished third in wet weather conditions at the British venue last year and will be looking to continue with the improvement in form that both he and the Suzuki GSV-R have shown in recent races.
The British GP is the ‘official’ home round for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP with the team’s headquarters based near Bournemouth in England, and many fans will be expected at trackside to cheer on the ‘boys in blue’. Donington Park is situated on the Leicestershire and Derbyshire borders right in middle of England and it is not a circuit that rewards outright power, but one that repays smooth and consistent riding ability with fast laps. Donington is certainly a track of two-halves; from the start/finish straight into the sweeping Craner Curves and through long right-handers on to a downhill straight the circuit is one of the most flowing tracks in the world, but it then features two hairpins and three first-gear corners in a row making for very exciting slow speed action as riders are able to make last gasp out-braking manoeuvres right at the end of the lap.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will be at Donington Park early this year so it can participate in the Riders for Health Day of Champions as both riders and team members alike will participate in various events to raise money for a worthy cause, culminating in a huge fund-raising auction in the evening.
Track action will get underway on Friday with two free practice sessions and a further free session on Saturday morning. The hour-long qualifying takes place on Saturday afternoon as riders fight it out against the clock to get the best grid positions for the 30-lap race that starts at 15.00hrs local time (14.00hrs GMT) on Sunday 22nd June.
Chris Vermeulen: “We have improved over the last couple of races and we need to keep that going. It is no secret that I have not had the best of starts to the season but I know we can turn things around. We tried a lot of different things in the test at Catalunya on the Monday and found some stuff that will help us go forward not just in Britain but at other tracks as well. Donington is like a home race for me as I spent a lot of my early career racing in the UK so it is always good for me to come back here and I’ll be hoping to put on a good show for all the fans and give my mostly UK based team something to shout about!”
Ben Spies: “I was excited that my first GP was to be at Laguna Seca in the States, but I’m now more excited by this! I think this will be a good thing for me to start out at Donington; it is a track I don’t know so I have no pressure. I haven’t done any testing on the bike or with race and qualifying tyres so I am not really expected to do anything much, so I can just go out there and learn how everything works and enjoy the event. This will be good for when we get back to the wildcard races in Laguna and Indianapolis because I know those tracks and I’ll have some knowledge of the bike and be able to put my head down and go for it there. This is great for me to get the chance, but it is in an unfortunate way that I am there because of the injury to Loris and I wish him all the best on a full recovery. I hope I can represent everybody really good and just want to go out there and have some fun!”
Loris Capirossi: “I’m really disappointed not to be racing at Donington as it is the team’s home Grand Prix and I know there will be a lot of fans there that have come to see us. I tried to get fit and although Dr Costa says the break is healing well, it won’t be good for me to race there as it won’t be strong enough. So I hope to be back for Assen. I wish Ben all the best on his debut, but he shouldn’t get too comfortable on my bike because I want it back soon!”
Loris Capirossi is on his way to join the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team for this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Donington, despite being sidelined with a broken hand and not being able to race.
The experienced Italian broke the fifth metacarpus of his right hand at the Catalunya GP just 10 days ago and has undergone intense physiotherapy since then to repair the injury. Capirossi is now demonstrating his professional attitude and passion for the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team by joining his crew and the rest of the squad for the team’s home Grand Prix, even though he knows he will just be a spectator and not a competitor.
Capirossi will be at trackside for Sunday’s race and will be available to offer any advice and assistance to regular team-mate Chris Vermeulen and replacement rider Ben Spies – who will be deputising for Capirossi and making his MotoGP debut at the English circuit.
Following the Donington race Capirossi will join Vermeulen at the team’s UK headquarters at the Crescent Suzuki Performance Centre in Verwood near Bournemouth, Dorset for the ‘Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Open Evening’ on Monday 23rd June where both riders will be available to meet and greet fans. Capirossi will then travel to Assen in The Netherlands with the aim of being able to race in the Dutch TT on Saturday 28th June.
Loris Capirossi: “I’m incredibly disappointed that I’m coming to a MotoGP and not racing! But it is a pleasure to come and support the team and continue with all the promotional events surrounding the team’s home Grand Prix. I know what an important event this is to everybody and I will be around to help out as much as I can and supporting both the guys - even though I know it will be so difficult to watch when all I want to do is ride! Being at Donington will make me even more determined to get back on the GSV-R at Assen, and that is certainly what I will be doing my best to achieve!”
Weather conditions haven’t surely helped the test done on the Montmelò circuit, in Barcelona, last Monday and Tuesday, but despite this the Alice Team riders, Toni Elias and Sylvain Giuntoli, are trustful to be able to fight for better positions in the next world championship appointment at Donington, England. The two riders, in fact, have sensibly improved their best lap time registered during the race on the same circuit by a second, finding interesting solutions to use in the next races. The Spanish rider is looking for redemption after the distraction in his home race, in Barcelona, where he didn’t see the “jump start” sign and therefore disqualified. His teammate, Sylvain Guintoli, will have many motivations to do well also because the English circuit is really close to where he lives, not even thirty-minute drive.
The characteristic English circuit which was built in 1931, present a mixture of fast corners and really slow corners, like the last two that precede the final straight, where in case of battle in the last lap, anything can happen. In the past years on this circuit the Alice Team riders haven’t been so lucky: last year Toni Elias has concluded in twelfth position while his teammate didn’t make it to go further than the sixteenth position. The duo has all intentions to improve.
Alice Team Principal, Luis d’Antin, is expecting a strong reaction from his riders: “From these last two races we were expecting much more, but is from the beginning of the season that we are not showing our real value. It’s now time to make a change and fight as hard as possible for better positions. Since the beginning of the season I thought that with the technical package at our disposal we could easily be in the top ten in every single race. From now on I want more from my riders. I believe in their potential and I am sure they will give us good performances from this race weekend. They are working with people that have a lot of experience in the racing world and I am sure they will find the solution to get out of this situation.”
Catalan rider Toni Elias is still disappointed on how his home race finished and is motivated for the next MotoGP round: “Barcelona test were really useful. They gave us back the trust we needed. We have been fast, the only misfortune were weather condition that didn’t allow us to complete what we had planned. In Donington the weather is always particular: it can change at any time, but we are now used to it as this season we have found similar atmospheric conditions at almost every Grand Prix.”
It will be a particular race also for the other Alice Team rider, Sylvain Giuntoli, who will spend a strange weekend of race at home: “It’s true, I live really near to the circuit and every day I can go back home with my family to relax. I think it’s a really special thing for the job we do. For sure to stay with your own family is the best to get pumped up for the race. I really like this track, I didn’t race much here, but I think is a nice circuit with many points where you can attack and overtake your opponent. Barcelona test went really good. Now we have to be able to use in the best way possible the work done there and conquer as many points possible for the World Championship classification.”
|
Racing News » 
