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posted August 25, 2005 07:50 AM
Rossi and Gibernau promise another classic as MotoGP returns at Brno
 The MotoGP World Championship paddock reconvened after a four-week break at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic this afternoon as the teams and riders prepared for an intense finale to the 2005 season, with seven races scheduled for the next eleven weekends. As tales of summer frolics quickly subsided, attention turned to eleventh round of the MotoGP campaign, with the main protagonists of two stunning races over the past two years at this circuit promising more of the same on Sunday.
Valentino Rossi has returned refreshed from a brief holiday in his native Italy with his sights firmly focused on rounding off an incredible second season as a Yamaha rider with his fifth consecutive MotoGP title. After eight victories from the opening ten rounds the 26-year-old leads the series by 120 points and needs just two more wins to guarantee the title. If he needed any extra motivation for this weekend's race he will take it from defeat here last season by 3.5 seconds from Sete Gibernau.
"Last year we had a good race but I arrived second so this time we will try to do better," said Rossi, who beat Gibernau to take victory by less than half a second at the same event in 2003. "It has been nice to have a break and gather more power for the end of the season, also Yamaha have worked hard to get some new parts ready for the last few races so we are ready. This is the difficult part of the season, with a lot of flights and a lot of races in a short space of time but we have to keep working and hopefully our good form will continue."
Gibernau has only won once since last season's race here but, after losing out to Rossi on the final lap of the last round at Sachsenring, he has promised his fans a victory before the end of the season and sees no reason why it can't come this Sunday. "I'm looking forward to having fun on the bike again, having good races and Brno is always a circuit I look forward to," commented the Spaniard. "Last year we won in the Czech Republic and I remember it as one of the most enjoyable races of the season. That victory and the good sensations I left with from the last race in Germany mean that I'm returning to the championship feeling mentally strong. The holidays have been short but I managed to disconnect and I'm coming back to work with plenty of energy."
John Hopkins was the most noteworthy visitor to the Clinica Mobile today as he prepares to race just four weeks after breaking his foot and damaging ligaments in a nasty crash at Sachsenring. The American has undergone an operation on the injuries during the summer break but Suzuki Team Manager Paul Denning says he is expecting gritty return from the youngster.
"John is now back to full fitness and I'm sure he will be going all out to get the results that his performances this year have deserved," said Denning, who will also count on the services of experienced Japanese wildcard rider Nobuatsu Aoki this weekend. "We are looking forward to Suzuki running a three-man team and I know that Nobu will work hard as always. Race weekend experience and information is generally more relevant than pure testing and we hope that Nobu can show a good pace."
250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa is expecting another tough weekend as he aims to extend his lead at the top of the standings over Casey Stoner. The Spaniard currently leads the Australian by 50 points and is looking forward to competing again after just two races in the last two months for the quarter-litre category. "We already had a few days off before Sachsenring because the 250s and 125s didn't go to Laguna Seca but these were real holidays," said Pedrosa. "I was able to rest and disconnect for a few days and even though I only took a week off it is always good to come back to the battle at full strength. I'm satisfied with what we have done during the first half of the championship but I hope to finish it even better."
125cc World Championship leader Thomas Lüthi has never scored points at this circuit but the Swiss youngster will be counting on local support as he looks to defend a three-point lead over Mika Kallio this weekend. Lüthi rides for a Czech sponsored team and his logo is emblazoned on the grandstand hoardings that overlook the starting grid at the legendary circuit. "I had a lot of supporters at the last round in Germany so hopefully people will get behind me here too," said Lüthi. "I have had bad luck at this circuit in the past so hopefully that will change on Sunday because it will be another tough race."
Source: DORNA COMMUNICATIONS
Photo: Yamaha Factory Racing
   
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trenace
Needs a job
Posts: 3056
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posted August 25, 2005 03:14 PM
 Edited By: trenace on 25 Aug 2005 16:56
23 Aug 2005
BACK TO WORK FOR KAWASAKI AT BRNO
The Kawasaki Racing Team returns to work after a four week summer holiday, with factory riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann fully refreshed for this weekend's Czech Republic Grand Prix.
The race, at the classic and fast 5.4 km Brno circuit, is the 11th round of the MotoGP World Championship. It is the first of a hectic schedule of races that will see seven events conducted in 11 weeks to close the season at Valencia on November 6.
Motivation is high in the Kawasaki squad, with Nakano eager to back-up his outstanding sixth place finish at last months German Grand Prix. For Hofmann, the restart of the season is an opportunity to show his full potential after a run of misfortune.
Both riders spent time with family and friends during the holiday break, a rare opportunity given the unrelenting travel demands of the MotoGP season.
Hofmann split his time between his home in Switzerland and chasing the summer sun by visiting his father who lives on the Costa Blanca in Spain.
And that meant an opportunity to keep up his fitness with regular outings on his high-performance Kawasaki jet ski - an 800c powered stand-up model.
Nakano was keen to maximise his three week holiday, and a welcome break away from racing, with time at home in Japan. He flew from Tokyo directly back into Prague enroute to Brno for this week's race.
Nakano is in a positive frame of mind, upbeat about continuing his string of impressive results - eight top ten positions out of ten races.
The 27-year-old Japanese rider believes that his recent sixth place at the Sachsenring, and the response of Bridgestone to his tyre requests, can be the platform for a strong second half of the season.
Nakano is targeting a visit to the podium before the final race at Valencia in November.
The Brno circuit, critical on front-end tyre and chassis performance with its fast chicanes and downhill curves, has a lap average speed of 163 kph (101 mph), making it a classic riders circuit.
Shinya Nakano: #56
'Brno is more a classic style of track, long and fast, not a computer model and I like it very much - it's very challenging for a rider. With the right set-up a rider can make a difference at Brno, I learnt this from my 250cc days, and the latest ZX-RR specification gives me a lot of confidence. Also Bridgestone made a strong step forward at the German GP especially with race distance tyre life. After the holidays it is like a new start and my aim is some more top five results, even the podium. Why not? I started the season with fifth at Jerez and I know the potential of the ZX-RR and the Bridgestone tyres are improving so that is my goal.'
Alex Hofmann: #66
'I'm already in training for 2007 and the 800cc rules, that was my excuse for spending so much time on the jet ski! I also did a lot of mountain biking in Switzerland, so I'm ready to go for the final part of the season. My aims are simple; to show the full potential of myself and the ZX-RR and take it to the maximum. I had some strong expectations at the beginning of the season, but a lot of things happened that were out of my control. It's a fresh start now, I'm hungry for some better luck and strong results.'
Harald Eckl: Team Manager
'Brno is the start of a very busy period for the Kawasaki Racing Team and we are ready for the challenge of maintaining our third place in the Constructors' Championship. After the race the team will test for two days with the latest development parts from Japan and with our tyre partners Bridgestone. So that's a heavy, five day work load for our riders and technicians. While Shinya continues to show he is one of the fastest riders in the championship I'm hoping that the bad luck for Alex is now over, and he can show what he is capable of.'
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I wish Olivier Jacque was riding, either as a 3-man squad or if that were not practical, I'd take him over Hofmann, who isn't merely a victim of bad luck. At least with Jacque, as with Nakano, there's the possibility of a podium finish. With Hofmann, it's pretty much impossible to think that, at least not without mind-altering drugs, perhaps psilocybin.
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advocatt
Novice Class
Posts: 56
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posted August 28, 2005 05:51 AM
arghhh..pity gibernau...but well done rossi..another great performance. and brno is definately biaggi favorite track as he came from nowhere and overtook hayden, barros and melandri..bet he wish that the track is a lil bit longer..haha
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