Round 8, San Marino (at Misano)
Circuit: 4.226 kms Conditions: Dry, hot, sunny 30-34C
Friday qualifying, 27th June
HARD WORK IN THE HEAT.
Temperatures rose to 34C this afternoon at Misano circuit
and Max, Fonsi and Yukio had to work hard in difficult conditions
as they began finding good set-ups for their GSX-R1000 Suzukis.
Maxi ended the fastest of the trio, in ninth place, with Fonsi
eleventh and Yukio twentieth. Yukio’s was suffering
from his injured left hand and there was some speculation
about whether or not his it would be strong enough to ride,
but the gritty Japanese rider is determined to be on the grid
on raceday and today was just the start. Troy Bayliss (Ducati)
ended with the day’s fastest lap, with Jakub Smrz (Ducati)
second, Troy Corser (Yamaha) third and Max Biaggi (Ducati)
fourth.
Max - 9th, 1:37.751
We began with one bike with the Nurburgring set-up and the
other bike with a slightly lowered front and that was the
one that worked better. I had some problems exiting the corners
because the bike was spinning a bit and that caused me to
lose time. Otherwise I probably could’ve finished much
higher up. I think we’ve more or less decided on which
rear tyre to use in the race, but we’re not sure about
the front yet. One thing I do know, is that it’s going
to be a very difficult day on Sunday to do two races in this
kind of heat!
Fonsi -11th, 1:37.759
After Germany, today was much better and I was happy to be
amongst the fastest in the morning session. Later, it was
hard to find that last three or four tenths of a second, but
the lap times are very, very close, so I am not unhappy. Tomorrow
I want to be fast straightaway and do a good Superpole so
that I don’t have to start way down the grid again.
I don’t think I have ever ridden in such heat as today.
After five or six laps, it was difficult to breathe properly
and there’s no air coming inside the helmet. Sunday
is going to be very tough for all of us.
Yukio - 20th, 1:38.636
It was very difficult for me out there today because of my
hand. The doctors told me that it would be three weeks before
the bone would be OK and longer for the ligaments I damaged.
The ligaments are causing me problems when I am trying to
get the bike to change direction - especially from left to
right. Tomorrow I might try a pain-killing injection. It will
be good for the pain, but the problem is that it will reduce
the feeling in my hand!
Friday qualifying
1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:36.863, 2 Smrz (CZ-Ducati) 1:37.139,
3 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:37.224, 4 Biaggi (I-Ducati) 1:37.477,
5 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:37.542, 6 Laconi (F-Kawasaki) 1:37.574,
7 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:37.618, 8 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:37.710, 9
Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki) 1:37.751, 10 Fonsi Nieto
(E-Suzuki Alstare) 1:37.759, 20 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare)
1:38.636,
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