Fresh challenge awaits Camel Yamaha Team at historic Assen
Assen, the Netherlands
The MotoGP World Championship returns to its oldest venue
this weekend with a fresh new challenge awaiting it at the
legendary Dutch TT. With major changes having taken place
at the Assen circuit since last season, the whole of the Northern
Loop section making way for a new car park and expanded viewing
areas, the Camel Yamaha Team venture into the unknown this
weekend as they look to extend their winning run to three
straight races.
The 76th edition of the Dutch TT welcomes MotoGP World Champion
Valentino Rossi in top form, the Italian having taken consecutive
victories at Mugello and Catalunya in the last two rounds
to put his title defence firmly back on track. Rossi has won
at Assen for three of the last four editions of the world-famous
race and nothing less than another success will do as he aims
to cut back a 29-point deficit to current series leader Nicky
Hayden (Honda), who has yet to win a race this year.
Rossi's team-mate Colin Edwards himself took three victories
at Assen in the World Superbike series, including a double
win on his way to the title in a gripping climax to the 2002
season. Last season he joined Rossi on the MotoGP podium after
finishing in third place and, after continuing set-up work
on the new version YZR-M1 chassis at Catalunya, he is confident
of rejoining the battle for a top three position in Holland.
Valentino Rossi: A great emotion
Valentino Rossi is looking forward getting back out on track
just five days after the 56th victory of his illustrious career
in Barcelona. Despite his opposition to such a hectic run
of races, which will almost certainly see some of the riders
injured last Sunday missing at least one round, the Italian
sees the next two weekends as a valuable opportunity to maintain
his momentum and pull even closer to the championship lead.
"Having three consecutive races is a problem because
if you are injured in the first then you risk not being able
to ride for two more races," comments Rossi. "By
the third race the riders are also tired and begin to lose
concentration so it's very tough for everyone. In the past
Assen was one of my favourite tracks and it was always a great,
great emotion to ride a MotoGP bike at the limit there. Sadly
the track has been changed so I am not as excited about it
as usual, because it seems from reports that some of the 'Assen
magic' has gone. Anyway, I hope that it's still a good track
and I know it will still be fun to race there; it always has
a fantastic atmosphere and the Dutch fans are wonderful.
"We have now won two races in a row and if we hadn't
had the problem in Le Mans then that would be three, which
means we are now more or less at the same level that we were
at this time last year. These races are really important so
I hope that we can manage to win as many as possible. I have
moved up to third in the championship now but I still only
took five points from Hayden in Barcelona and he is 29 points
ahead of me, so we need to keep winning because he is a consistent
podium finisher and he always fights to the end."
Colin Edwards: Familiar Territory
Colin Edwards returns to one of the most successful circuits
of his career this weekend but, like Rossi, he is concerned
that some of the natural character will have been lost with
the recent modifications. After picking up a solid fifth place
in the last round at Catalunya the American is now targeting
a return to podium form as he heads into three important races
at Assen, Donington and Laguna Seca.
"I grew up on the next three tracks and I've finished
on the podium at all of them in MotoGP so hopefully this can
be a good spell for me," says Edwards. "On paper
the Yamaha should work well at the new track and some more
time with the new chassis will help us get up to speed. We
know that what Valentino is using works so it's a case of
adapting it to me, making a few small changes and getting
as close to his pace as possible - if not improving on it.
"Like a lot of the riders I have a lot of affection
for the old Assen circuit and I hope it hasn't lost too much
of its character. Whatever the track is like you can bet that
the atmosphere is going to be just as crazy as ever and I
always have a lot of fans there - especially some of the Brits
who come over for the party. Hopefully I can give them something
to shout about on Saturday afternoon."
Davide Brivio: A team effort
Such a hectic schedule of races is a major strain on any team
and Camel Yamaha is no different. It requires a special effort
from the riders and engineers right through to the catering
staff and it is a point of the season where every member of
the workforce plays a crucial role. Team Director Davide Brivio
says everybody has a major part to play as the points quest
continues with a second race in the space of just six days.
"It was amazing watching the boxes being packed up in
the pit garage and the hospitality unit being dismantled on
Sunday night to think that in just two days' time they would
all be put back together at a circuit 1800 kilometres away,"
says Brivio. "It is a huge challenge for the whole team
and a lot of pressure but it is another example that shows
how a rider cannot be successful on the track unless he has
the right staff behind him to put everything in place.
"Our target before Mugello was to win the next four
races so now you could say the job is half done. We want the
same level of performance at the next two rounds and the same
result, although we know it will be difficult. Assen will
be a very interesting challenge because it is virtually a
new track - like going to China, Laguna Seca or Turkey last
year - but the base setting of our bike has improved vastly
and we hope it can be adapted quickly."
Technically speaking: Assen according to
Andrea Zugna
Despite the dramatic changes to Assen's unique layout over
the winter, it still promises to be one of the most technically
and physically demanding circuits on the calendar for the
MotoGP riders. With barely a straight piece of tarmac in sight,
handling remains a major focal point due to high-speed chicanes
and dramatic camber changes - the latter, in some places,
resembling the profile of the public roads that the original
circuit was based around 76 years ago. Andrea Zugna, Data
Engineer for Colin Edwards, says the information gathered
last season will still be highly valuable.
"It will be interesting to see how the track is without
the Northern Loop because that was a very characteristic section
of the circuit, with high camber and left-right switches,"
says Zugna. "I suppose the first section of the circuit
will now be similar to China, with a series of tight right-handers
from turns one to four causing strain on the right hand side
of the tyre, and that will also make it physically demanding
on the riders.
"As far as the setting is concerned we will still start
with the same as last year because we know it works for around
90% of the track. On Friday morning we will analyse the data
from the final 10% and the engineers will be able to make
the adjustments based on that information. We expect Assen
to be more like a 'normal' circuit now. It has always required
only partial throttle and that will still be the case, so
it is not too critical on gearbox and engine settings but
does require a good compromise to cope with the fast direction
changes and the slow chicane which was modified last year.
Our setting worked well last year and we finished on the podium
so hopefully that can be the case for both riders again."
Valentino Rossi: information
Age: 27
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1
GP victories: 82 (56 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 164 (104 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 41
World Championships - 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc,
1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP)
Colin Edwards: information
Age: 32
Lives: Conroe, Texas
Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1
First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 55 x MotoGP
World Championships - 2 World Superbike
Assen Lap Record: New Track
2005 Dutch TT Results:
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha, 38'41.808
2. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda, +1.583
3. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha, +7.643
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