09-15-2006, 08:52 AM
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Quote:MotoGP Teams Preview MotoGP at "The Island"
by staff
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Various and sundry previews of this weekend's Phillip Island MotoGP event:
2006 MotoGP World Championship, round 14
Australian Grand Prix, Phillip Island
September 15/16/17
MICHELIN RELISHES BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE YEAR
Michelin men Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) and Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) swap the sweltering heat of Sepang for the chill winds of Phillip Island this weekend as their three-way contest for the 2006 MotoGP World Championship approaches boiling point.
The three riders are separated by just 26 points at the top of the championship chart with just four races to go. Phillip Island - the fastest MotoGP track of all and a real riders' circuit - will thus be a vital event for all three men as they work closely with their respective Michelin engineers to choose a race-winning tire combination. And Phillip Island isn't just the fastest MotoGP circuit of all, it is also the most challenging for tire makers, with high running temperatures and an extremely asymmetric layout, which greatly complicates tire design. Perhaps that is why Michelin has enjoyed great success at the ultra-demanding seaside venue, winning all 11 premier-class GPs staged at the track since 1989.
Rossi, whose remarkable last-lap victory in Malaysia last weekend was his 58th with Michelin, goes for his sixth consecutive Phillip Island success this Sunday. The Italian's Sepang triumph was also Michelin's 349th premier-class victory.
MICHELIN'S RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF PHILLIP ISLAND
"From a sporting point of view, Phillip Island is one of my favorites," says Nicolas Goubert, Michelin's motorcycle racing director. "It's a real rider's track with flowing corners where maintaining momentum is important. And the layout allows riders to overtake in many different places, not just during braking, so the races are usually very entertaining to watch. Also, the flowing layout makes it difficult for riders to break away from the pack, so it's well known for close racing.
"So we always look forward to going there, though it is a huge challenge for tires, in fact it's the biggest challenge of the year for tire makers. The track is so asymmetric that you need rear tires with very different rubber on the right and the left sides.
"High tire temperatures aren't the only issue at Phillip Island, tire warm-up is also a major consideration and will be more so this year because we are expecting colder conditions since the race is a few weeks earlier than usual. Tire warm-up isn't a worry on the left of the tires because the layout is so demanding on that side that it quickly gets hot, whether you've got a track temperature of 20 degrees or 30 degrees. But that's not at all the case with the right side of the tire which is the big challenge."
"The corners that put the most heat into the tires are the very fast final left-hander and the exit of Southern Loop. On the other hand, the first corner is also very tricky; it's a fast downhill right-hander, with negative camber, which demands a lot from the rear tire, even though that side of the tire hasn't really been used for a long time.
"The front tire isn't a major concern at Phillip Island. You need confidence in the front to attack the fast corners but there aren't any areas of sustained heavy braking, so you can use a medium-soft front."
MICHELIN IN AUSTRALIA
Australia is a keen motorcycling nation, with bike sales showing impressive growth in recent years. Last year the annual sales figures exceeded 100,000 for the first time. With so much open space, dirt bikes account for almost 45 percent of the market. Michelin features strongly in all areas of the market, on target to sell around 90,000 bike tires this year. Michelin enjoys great success in Australian road racing, having won the 2004 and 2005 Superbike and Supersport crowns. The company employs 120 people in the country.
PHILLIP ISLAND DATA
Lap record: Marco Melandri (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V-Michelin), 1m 30.332s, 177.266km/h, 110.148mph (2005)
Pole position 2005: Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V-Michelin), 1m 29.337km/h
Recent winners of the Australian GP
2005 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 41:08.542
2004 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 41:25.819
2003 Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V-Michelin), 41:53.543
2002 Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V-Michelin), 42:02.041
2001 Valentino Rossi (Nastro Azzurro Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:22.383
2000 Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR500-Michelin), 42:28.792
1999 Tadayuki Okada (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:09.271
1998 Mick Doohan (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:42.511
1997 Alex Criville (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:53.362
1996 Loris Capirossi (Marlboro Yamaha Team Rainey YZR500-Michelin) race held at Eastern Creek
Michelin MotoGP tire logistics
The secret behind the success of Michelin's MotoGP tires is their all-round performance potential. Logistics, however, are just as crucial in the quest for victory, particularly when races follow on from each other in quick succession. This year's calendar takes teams from Malaysia to Australia and finally on to Japan in the space of just three weeks!
Michelin provides tires for a total of 18 MotoGP machines for 9 riders at each race of the 17-round World Championship. Since the beginning of the 2006 season, Michelin runners have claimed 7 pole positions and 10 wins from 12 races. They have also secured 30 podium places from a possible 36.
For the forthcoming visit to Asia and the Pacific Rim, Michelin's tires were trucked to the airport in high security convoys. They were then loaded onto secure airfreight containers which left France on the Monday of the week preceding the Malaysian Grand Prix race week. Additional tires will be flown directly to Australia and Japan. To facilitate stock management and movements, all tires are identified by bar codes. The freight containing the tires and equipment needed for the paddock amounts to between 7 and 8 tons. Used tires are returned to Clermont-Ferrand after each race.
Michelin's MotoGP crew totals 16 staff: the program manager, five engineers, eight fitters, one press officer and one security guard to watch over the tires at night.
Michelin takes around 1,000 tires to each GP.
- Rear tires (60 percent).
- Front tires (40 percent). Front tires are available in two profiles: 55 percent are 'wide' profiles and 45 percent are 'narrow' profiles.
- 30 qualifying tires per race for all of Michelin riders.
- The number of rain tires taken to each race fluctuates slightly as a function of the anticipated climate (slightly more are taken to Phillip Island where the chances of rain are higher). Rain tires account for around 10 percent of the total package.
Michelin's nine riders generally use between 200 and 300 tires in the course of a GP weekend. The other 700 tires allow Michelin to respond to all track and weather conditions.
MICHELIN MotoGP RIDERS 2006 Colin Edwards, Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin)
Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin)
Toni Elias, Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V-Michelin)
Casey Stoner (Honda LCR RC211V-Michelin)
Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V-Michelin)
Kenny Roberts Jr (Team Roberts KR211V-Michelin)
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HONDA RACING INFORMATION
Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island
September 15, 16 and 17 2006
TITLE CHASERS READY FOR PHILLIP ISLAND CHALLENGE
With just four races to go in this enthralling MotoGP World Championship, the tussle at the top gets tighter and tighter with Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) hanging onto his lead by just 22 points from Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V) - with 100 points from four rounds still left to fight for.
And there lurks Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) just four points behind the predatory Pedrosa who has steadily eroded Nicky's advantage in recent rounds finishing ahead of him in four of the last five rounds - and then coming a second to him at the American's home race at Laguna.
This clash at Phillip Island will be key to both Honda men's hopes. Nicky likes the place and his record here is respectable, but bears little comparison to Rossi's. The Italian has won five from his last five outings here and he beat Nicky into second place here last year with a combination of racecraft guile and sheer speed in the closing laps.
Nicky will be desperate to atone for that result. And this year he would seem to have the means to achieve that. But he will have to be on top of set-up from day one and use his new found raceday consistency to outpace his rivals. Although if it comes to a last lap showdown with either Rossi or Pedrosa he also has the fight in him to prevail.
Pedrosa has crashed here (badly) on a 125, but he put any doubts about his pace here firmly to bed when he won here last year on a 250 to clinch the title. He will need all his strength and will to last 27 laps of this 4.448km track at racing intensity - but he has proved he can go the distance when the conditions are tough - Laguna being a prime example.
This pivotal race will establish who has the guts to win out in this grinding test of nerve. No rider can afford a DNF and yet no rider can afford to lose the psychological fight here either. A win will require sheer speed and nerveless lap-by-lap attack - and although another 75 points will be available to all three contenders after this round - one feels this could be the determining race.
It would be unwise to ignore the title aspirations of fourth and fifth-placed riders Loris Capirossi (Ducati) and Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V), Capirossi is 17 points behind Rossi and 43 adrift of Hayden, while Marco is three behind Capirossi and 46 off Hayden. But both have the capacity to win and capitalise on any major errors their rivals might make.
For Toni Elias (Fortuna Honda RC211V) this race is another chance to show he can finish a race as well as compete bravely and the young Spanish rider knows he needs a good finish after a season where he started strongly and fell away slightly before injuring himself in Holland.
Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) is eager to get more than just a pole and a podium (so far) from a remarkable rookie season, a season that would look even more remarkable were it not for fellow 250 graduate Pedrosa's exploits.
Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR211V) has shown what the Honda-powered Roberts machine is capable of, but the American wants another chance to remind the world that he is capable of more than just one podium finish and several near rostrum misses.
Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) is desperate for the sort of results that marked him out as a possible title contender at the end of 2004. He has had little to celebrate since that season and try as he might, the results refuse to come his way.
This rollercoaster of a circuit is situated 130km south-east of Melbourne and is home to one of the climaxes of a 17-race season. Real talent is needed here, perhaps more than at any other circuit. Australia hosted its first Grand Prix race here in 1989 and the racing is almost always spectacular, the crowd vocal and the atmosphere spine tingling.
Tyres will be an issue here. The two long left-hand turns onto the main straight are particularly hard on rubber, so machine set-up will be partly aimed at conserving rubber on this 4.448km long circuit. It has just one short 900m straight, but five right-hand turns and seven lefts including the high-speed series onto the start/finish straight.
Much of the track requires rapid changes of direction at high speed, and sustained periods of high lean-angle test riders to the maximum. Competitors need to be comfortable on worn tyres towards the end of the race, while wind and trouble with wandering wildlife can also be determining factors.
Nicky said, "Phillip Island is one of my favourite tracks for sure. I love the layout, the atmosphere and the racing there, so I'm looking forward to having a strong weekend. Every day and every session needs to be fast and consistent so we'll be looking to come out strong on Friday morning and have some fun here. My boys are working really hard and I've got a strong team behind me so we'll give it all we've got for these final four races. Last year I was on pole position and I was second in the race so I've had some good results at this track - and I definitely need one this weekend."
Dani, still recovering from his Malaysian qualifying crash, said, "It would be nice if I can improve my physical condition before Phillip Island because the race in Malaysia was quite difficult and I was very tired at the end. We only have four days off which is not a lot for the body to recover, nevertheless I will be working to keep the flexibility in both legs and resting as much as possible. I tested at Phillip Island during the winter so I have some experience of a MotoGP bike on the track, though it's not one of my favourite circuits."
"I can't wait to race at Phillip Island, said Melandri. "A track I really love. I'm glad to be getting straight back on my Honda after a disappointing race at Sepang. I'm motivated to have a good race and get back to the competitive level I know I should be at. The Championship is really difficult for me now but I will still be going out to give it my best shot every Sunday. Hopefully we can start off on the right foot at Phillip Island, a track which requires a perfect set-up."
Elias said, "The team are doing a great job at the moment and we're taking steps forward every time. That's why I'm really looking forward to the next round at Phillip Island, a circuit I really like a lot. The design is beautiful and the track is one of the fastest and most spectacular in the world. Just the speed makes it very technical and difficult to understand. It's very demanding but I've always had good results here in the 250s and then last year in MotoGP when I qualified seventh. Hopefully I can do that again this year but with a better end result."
Local hopeful Stoner said, "It's good to be racing at one of the great tracks that's also a place where I go well. Now that we're making some progress with the front-end changes we should be able to have a good run here, but I'll have to make sure I get away with the front runners and that means qualifying well - let's hope qualifying goes smoother than it did in Malaysia."
For Roberts this is another opportunity to put the Honda-powered family machine on the front row again. "Qualifying will be really important here," said Kenny. "And if I get away well I feel we have the equipment to finish high up the order here. But we'll know more after Friday."
Tamada said, "I'm trying to make the best use of the few free days I have before the Australian race. I need to quickly recover energy and on the fantastic isle it will not be too difficult. The Phillip Island race will be hard especially for the temperature that will remain very low - completely different conditions from Sepang. I hope to be able to find a good feeling immediately because here it will be more important than usual."
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Preview - Phillip Island
DUCATI MARLBORO MEN AIM TO KEEP RUNNING STRONG
The Ducati Marlboro Team flies into Australia this week hopeful of another strong race following last Sunday's Marlboro Malaysian GP where Loris Capirossi finished a close second and Sete Gibernau took fifth in his comeback race following a lengthy layoff.
Capirossi's sixth podium of the season, which followed a brilliant win at last month's Czech GP, moved him to within 43 points of the World Championship lead with four races to go. The Italian, who missed last year's Australian GP through injury, goes well at the track, having finished third and established a new lap record in 2004. Gibernau also loves the spectacular seaside venue - he took pole in 2004 and finished that race a very close second.
The weather will be a big topic of conversation this weekend because while temperatures hovered in the mid 30s at Sepang last weekend they may struggle to reach ten degrees on the island.
LORIS CAPIROSSI, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 4th overall, 171 points
"The points gap is still big but the bike and tyres are good and I am feeling strong, so it's not impossible to win the championship. As they say, it's not over till it's over, we will do our best and see what happens. People talk about pressure but the pressure doesn't worry me. I've been racing in the World Championships for 17 years now, so I am used to this kind of situation! Normally when I'm under some strong pressure I become stronger, so I don't care about the pressure, it just makes me more focused.
Phillip Island is a good track for us. I got the lap record in 2004 and although I got injured there last year I watched the rest of practice and all the racing from my hospital bed and I could see that Carlos (Checa, Capirossi's 2005 team-mate) was going really well. It's a very technical track where a good rider can really make the difference. I'm expecting a close and exciting race, but I know that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us over the last four races."
SETE GIBERNAU, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 11th overall, 69 points
"The weather is going to be very different from Sepang, but then you always expect to be surprised by the weather at Phillip Island. Hopefully I'll be a little bit stronger than I was last weekend and I'm really looking forward to getting some results at the last four races. We did preseason testing at the track which will help. It's one of those places where if I click it right away and feel comfortable I have a good weekend, but if I start without that boom I can struggle. It's a set-up thing, you need to have a good feeling for all those fast corners. If I'm not confident with the bike it's difficult to ride around the problems whereas at other tracks I can ride well even if the bike isn't perfect. You need a stable machine because there are a lot of direction changes, with the front wheel always in the air. There are some really fast corners and some heavy braking. The last corner is always important because it's where I judge whether I'm going to be okay for the whole lap."
LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project manager
"The weather looks like it will be pretty cold, though I hope not much colder than last year because otherwise things could be tricky. Race tyres need a minimum track temperature of around ten degrees to work properly and last year it was 12 degrees. We were very fast at Phillip Island last year and the year before. Even without Loris last time we got third with Carlos. We got into this race feeling confident, with Loris on incredible form and Sete feeling good after his superb comeback last Sunday."
THE TRACK
Phillip Island is the fastest MotoGP track and demands much of man, machine and tyres. There are three essentials for a good result at the Victorian state venue: guts, determination and a sweet-handling motorcycle. Most riders count the track as one of their favourites because unlike many modern circuits that have been built to contain the speed of F1 cars, the Island is dominated by super-quick curves that test rider skill and daring to the limit.
The Australian GP's only negative is the area's unsettled early spring weather that can whip up dangerously strong winds off the nearby Bass Strait. Situated 130 kilometres south east of Melbourne, Phillip Island hosted its first motorcycle races way back in the 1920s, when riders competed over a dusty 12-mile street circuit and the only access to the island was by boat! The circuit fell into disrepair but was redeveloped in the late 1980s and hosted Australia's first bike GP in 1989. Since then the circuit has been renowned for creating ultra-close racing action.
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PREVIEW AUSTRALIAN GP
WELCOME TO PHILLIP ISLAND
A round the world trip continues for the MotoGP paddock this weekend, moving from Malaysia to Australia for the next race of the season at Phillip Island. The Australian Grand Prix is the fourteenth round of the season and promises to be crucial to the outcome of the title chase, with five riders still holding out hope of outright glory. Marco Melandri, fifth in the series on 168 points and with a 46 point gap to leader Nicky Hayden, is keen to once again show his true potential at a circuit he particularly likes .It was here that the Italian lifted the 250cc world title in 2002 at the age of 20 and he currently holds the MotoGP lap record there having clocked 1'30"332 last season.
MARCO MELANDRI:
"I can't wait to race at Phillip Island, a track I really love. I'm glad to be getting straight back on my Honda after a disappointing race at Sepang. I'm motivated to have a good race and get back to the competitive level I know I should be at. The championship is really difficult for me now but I will still be going out to give it my best shot every Sunday. In Malaysia we worked hard over the three days to find the right feeling with the front end. Hopefully we can start off on the right foot at Phillip Island, a track which requires a perfect set-up."
TONI ELIAS:
"The team are doing a great job at the moment and we're taking steps forward every time. That's why I'm really looking forward to the next round at Phillip Island, a circuit I really like a lot. The design is beautiful and the track is one of the fastest and most spectacular in the world. Just the speed makes it very technical and difficult to understand, it's very demanding. I've always had good results here - firstly in the 250s and then last year in MotoGP, when we had two really good days of practice and I qualified seventh. Hopefully I can do that again this year but with a better end result."
THE TRACK: Right on the coast, the Phillip Island circuit is perhaps the favourite of most of the riders, a simple and original layout that casts the mind back to days of old. Here there is no huge grandstand looming over the start-finish straight as there are at so many modern circuits; the grey of the track mixes with the rolling green hills and the bright blue of the ocean. Adding to the natural beauty of the place, the track is technical and complete, characterised by slow sections mixed with fast, hard acceleration, strong braking and frequent changes in line and elevation.
A LAP WITH TONI ELIAS:
"Phillip Island has some of the fastest corners in the world and it is a spectacular and fun place to be - for the riders and for the fans. It is a technical track which requires a perfect bike set-up. The main unknown is the weather because the climate can change very quickly and within a matter of a few minutes it can go from bright sunshine to rain. There is also a constant wind that whips up onto the circuit from the sea."
Marco Melandri AND Phillip Island:
Marco has celebrated victory at this track on two occasions in the past - firstly in the 125cc class in 1999 and then secondly in 2002 when he took the win and the world title in 250. In total Marco has visited the Phillip Island three times. Last year he missed out by a hair's breadth, finishing fourth in a truly spectacular race.
FOCUS: PADDOCK TRAVEL
The MotoGP World Championship circus continues its journey around the planet over the next couple of weekends as the season enters its final phase. Next Sunday the paddock will be ready to host another race some 17,000km away at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia, some 22 hours of flight time away from Europe and with an eight-hour time difference.
The tiredness and pressure that the riders have to put up with at this stage of the season is not just limited to the track as they attempt to deal with the dramatic time changes, hours of travel, airport queues and climatic differences between the countries.
Over the course of a season each member of a MotoGP team takes around 50 flights, without including the IRTA tests at the start of the season. Each team covers an average of 110,000km - around eight and a half times around the world - and each member of staff spends between 230 and 250 hours sat on board an aeroplane.
The logistical arrangements of each team falls on the shoulders of one person, who is in charge of making all of the hotel bookings, car rentals and transport of team materials. Fulvia Castelli is the person in question for Team FORTUNA HONDA.
Alongside the structure of each team, within the MotoGP World Championship paddock there is also a specialised travel agency, Fly Away Sports Travel, which also journeys around the world during the season. The agency has its own office with satellite connection so that it can connect to the Internet from anywhere in the world. It began in 1994 and currently employs nine people, three of whom regularly travel.
"On occasions we've even bought flight tickets whilst travelling in the car!" says Massimo Bertozzi, who runs the business alongside his wife Daniela.
TRAVEL IN NUMBERS
110,000 - the number of kilometres covered during a season by a MotoGP team - around eight and a half times around the world.
50 - the number of flights taken by a member of a MotoGP team each year.
230 - 250 - the hours spent on an aeroplane by a member of a MotoGP team each year.
17.000 - the number of kilometres a team member must cover to attend the Australian GP.
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CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM PREVIEW
Australian Grand Prix
Phillip Island, Australia
15, 16, 17 September 2006
TITLE CHASE CONTINUES FOR CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM IN AUSTRALIA
The Camel Yamaha Team take their global points quest to the southern hemisphere this week as the MotoGP World Championship makes the transcontinental trip from Malaysia to Australia. Round fourteen of seventeen takes place at the Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne almost a month earlier than usual, promising brisk spring temperatures and another unpredictable weekend of top class motorcycling action.
Valentino Rossi arrives Down Under on top form, having clinched his fifth victory of the season just last Sunday in Malaysia. That morale-boosting win over fellow title contender Loris Capirossi (Ducati) has left him just 26 points shy of series leader Nicky Hayden (Honda) with four rounds to go and his most successful premier-class circuit on the horizon. The 27 year old has taken MotoGP victory at Phillip Island for the past five straight seasons, adding to two previous successes there in the 250cc class.
The target for Colin Edwards is a return to the early season form that culminated in a victory challenge at Assen in round seven. Like the Dutch TT circuit, Phillip Island is a place the Texan enjoyed huge success at during his World Superbike career and it provides the ideal scenario for him to work around the set-up problems he has encountered with the YZR-M1 machine in recent races.
VALENTINO ROSSI: A SPECIAL PLACE
Valentino Rossi can't wait to get back on track after one of the most exhilarating races of his career at Sepang on Sunday. The Italian is relishing every opportunity he gets to close in on series leader Hayden and can't wait for his next bite of the cherry at one of his favourite venues.
"Honestly I always look forward to this race a lot, and especially now, when my M1 is working so well," says Rossi. "Phillip Island and Australia in general is a special place, very beautiful. This race is very important for my team, because many of them are Australian and it's their home race, like Mugello for me. I want to thank them for all their hard work by doing well!"
"Phillip Island is a magic track for me. I've won a lot of races there and some championships too, I love it! It's one of my favourite tracks, an ?old style' track. We didn't test there this year but anyway the M1 always works well there and I love riding there. It's very cold this year, so it's going to be difficult with the tyres, but I am really looking forward to it.
"After Laguna I didn't entirely believe in my chances for the championship anymore, but then after Brno I said to myself ?okay we still have a chance, we can try.' Now my objective is to win as many races as possible, then we see in Valencia."
COLIN EDWARDS: THE NEXT CHALLENGE
Colin Edwards also has a special affinity with Phillip Island having built a strong record at the track during his World Superbike career, finishing on the podium on no fewer than eight occasions, including a win in 2001. The Texan also benefits from the backing of strong local support, with friends and family always amongst the crowd.
"My Dad is actually Australian so Phillip Island is always a bit of a home race for me," explains Edwards. "The Australian fans are amazing and I always have a lot of mates there which makes it fun. I am looking forward to it; I just need to put Malaysia behind me and focus on the next challenge.
"Like Valentino I really love the track and I've had some brilliant races there over my career, with the Superbikes as well. It seems to suit our bike, although it's going to be pretty cold there at this time of year so it's hard to predict the situation with the tyres. Obviously I had a tough time in Malaysia, where I was expecting to go well, so we're going to have to find something new this week. I really need a good result here."
DAVIDE BRIVIO: KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE
Camel Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio could not wish for a better venue to be heading to on the back of a successful weekend in Malaysia, with the riders sharing a fondness for the track layout and several of the mechanics hailing from Australasian shores. The second of three races in as many weeks, Phillip Island promises to be another stern challenge of the team's organisation and mettle.
"It's great to be going to a place and a circuit that both our riders love," says Brivio. "A lot of the team are Australian too and for them to be heading home after such a long and demanding season can only help them to recharge their batteries and stay fully focused for another important weekend ahead. From Japan to Italy, all our staff have been working extremely hard to keep the championship alive and that's the goal again this Sunday.
"These three races in such a short space of time put a lot of demands on the team but we are just keeping our heads down, keeping focused and taking each race as it comes. The win in Malaysia was a fantastic emotion for everybody and I'm sure the show will be just as spectacular on Sunday. Hopefully Colin can be involved up at the front too and help Valentino take another step closer to the top of the championship."
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: PHILLIP ISLAND ACCORDING TO PIERRE ALVES
Phillip Island demands far more than just a fast bike to make for quick and consistent lap times. The sweeping and flowing circuit is possibly one of the ultimate tests of machine control and throttle accuracy, not to mention the sheer bravery and forcefulness required of the rider. Its exposed location on the cliffs facing the Bass Strait means that weather is a constant talking point, especially this year, when tyre choice will be a crucial consideration.
"It's going to be a big change from what we're used to at Phillip Island because we've never been there at this time of year and we're expecting it to be very cold!" explains Pierre Alves, Michelin Tyre Technician for the Camel Yamaha Team. "Generally for Phillip Island you need a tyre that's quite hard on the left side and much softer, but not too soft, on the right side. Because of the temperature it's going to be much harder than usual to find the right combination and balance for the track, as tyre efficiency will be reduced with such a low track temperature.
"Usually we have quite a good base to work from at Phillip Island, because we test there, but this year we didn't so we don't know so much about how the new M1 will go there. However the biggest factor, as far as tyres go, is the weather; it's quite difficult because we've really never faced a situation like this! It's certainly going to be one of the most challenging, and interesting, races of the year for us!"
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Vermeulen heads home for Australian Grand Prix
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Racer Chris Vermeulen will be racing in his first ?home' Grand Prix as a full factory rider during this weekend's Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
Vermeulen has impressed during his rookie season - including taking two pole positions - and will be looking to put a good display in front of his home crowd. It will be the second time he has raced at Phillip Island in a MotoGP after making his debut there last season as a replacement rider.
Team-mate John Hopkins will be going to Australia on the back of a string of top 10 finishes and a great performance in Malaysia last time out. Hopkins finished sixth in Sepang after fighting back from 14th place. He will be looking to extend his run of eight consecutive top 10 places and challenge for that as yet elusive podium.
The 4,445m long Phillip Island circuit is the only track to stage a GP in the southern hemisphere and this year is the second leg in the three week flyaway tour. The Australian circuit is one of the most picturesque on the calendar, as the track looks out over the Pacific Ocean. This doesn't take anything away from the racing though because the layout of the circuit with its flowing curves and long hairpins make this a riders favourite and a track that has produced some memorable racing.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will be in action on Friday for two free practice sessions. This will be followed on Saturday AM by the third and final practice session before Vermeulen and Hopkins go all out to secure the best grid positions possible during the hour long qualifying session. Sunday's race is round 14 on the MotoGP Calendar and will get underway at 15.00hrs local time (05.00hrs GMT).
Paul Denning - Team Manager:
"We are going to Australia in a very positive frame of mind after the Sepang race. It was a very tough weekend for us in Malaysia with the cancellation of qualifying - leaving both riders with poor starting positions and uphill battles - and Chris' illness. But the Team worked hard as a unit and the new spec engine that Suzuki delivered to us there certainly showed great potential over race distance.
" We are under no illusions that it will be tough at Phillip Island and the possible cold conditions could play a huge part, but the riders and all the crew are up to the task and will be working as hard as possible for the best results.
"It will be great for Chris to ride at ?home' for the first time for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP and I'm sure he will have many friends, family and fans cheering him on!"
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ENDS
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Quote:Preview ÔÇô Australian Grand Prix.
MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi will continue hunting 2006 points leader Nicky Hayden in this weekend's Australian - and is now almost close enough to smell blood.
The Italian has won the premier-class race at the magnificent 2.764 miles Phillip Island circuit for the last five years and, following his brilliant victory last weekend in Malaysia, the Camel Yamaha rider is just 26 points adrift of the American with four rounds and 100 points remaining in which to retain his title.
However, there is the small matter of Spaniard Dani Pedrosa between them. The 20 year Repsol Honda rider, team-mate of Hayden, is four points in front of Rossi following his brave third place in Malaysia. He suffered a deep cut under his right knee in a practice accident but fought through the pain to finish on the podium. The short rest between races will give the cut more time to heal and he has a good record in Australia, winning the 250cc race to clinch the world title last year.
Hayden was desperately disappointed to finish off the podium in Malaysia but he still holds the lead and must stay mentally strong as the pressure mounts at the race weekend in which cold, windy, weather is forecast.
Loris Capirossi left Phillip Island in a helicopter last year after a big practice accident at turn one, but returns in high spirits to ride the Marlboro backed factory Ducati. The Italian finished second to Rossi in the classic Sepang duel and won the previous race at Brno in the Czech Republic to retain a slim championship chance. Loris is currently fourth in the standings and 46 points behind Hayden.
However, fellow Italian Marco Melandri dropped to fifth after a disappointing ninth in Malaysia and the Fortuna Honda rider's title hopes now seem to have been all but extinguished. One place in front of him in Sepang was 20 year old Australian Casey Stoner who will ride a MotoGP bike for the first time in front of the home crowd this weekend.
It will be a big day for Stoner when he starts on the LCR Honda and he's joined by another Australian: Chris Vermeulen knows Phillip Island well from his World Superbike days and returns on the Rizla Suzuki, after making his MotoGP debut with Camel Yamaha one year ago.
Kenny Roberts will be looking to improve on his seventh place in the championship for his father's the Oxfordshire-based team, while Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano and Melandri's team-mate Tony Elias will be looking to bounce back after crashing out in Sepang.
19-year-old Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo increased his 250cc championship lead to 12 points after his seventh win of the season in Malaysia. His nearest challenger Andrea Dovizioso won the 125 race at Phillip Island two years but the Italian knows he must start beating the Fortuna Aprilia rider if he's going to add the 250cc title to his list.
21-year-old Spaniard Alvaro Bautista needs to finish in front of Mika Kallio on Sunday to clinch the 125cc World title. He won his sixth grand prix of the season in Malaysia riding the Master MVA Aspar Aprilia to open up a 74 point advantage over the KTM of Kallio.
