PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP
Grand Prix of Turkey
Istanbul Park Circuit, Turkey (GMT+3)
Sunday 30 April 2006 - Race
 Improvements
for Alex HOFMANN during the race
Alternate luck today for the Team PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP.
The German ALEX HOFMANN improved 1,3 sec. his best time: from
the 1’57’’46 he did on the Friday (on Saturday
the conditions were wet) he made a good 1’56’’149
during the race, maintaining this rhythm nearly for the 22
laps of the race. HOFMANN fought with Checa to enter the area
of the points, during most part of the race. Then Checa passed
him and his motorcycle threw smoke and oil on the PRAMAC D’ANTIN
MOTOGP rider, that was afraid the engine of the Spanish could
break and so he slowed down a little bit, loosing the chances
to conquest some other point in the general classification
and be the first DUNLOP rider at the end of the race. He classified
himself 16th, while JOSE LUIS CARDOSO retired because of an
electronic problem.
The next race will be at Shanghai in China, on the 14th May.
ALEX HOFMANN #66 (16th): “At the beginning
of the race I kept it easy, then I reached my Team mate Cardoso,
Ellison and finally Checa. I managed to enter faster in the
corners, I had more trust on the front, lap after lap, and
all this allowed me to make improvements. I had a good rhythm
and I was the first DUNLOP rider from the 12th until the 18th
lap, fighting with Checa. Unfortunately, during the 19th lap,
the Spanish passed me and some smoke and oil went out of his
bike. I was afraid his engine could explode or lose oil on
the track; I didn’t want to crash and so I slowed down
a little bit. The bad luck is that not long after I retreated,
things went alright for him but it was too late for me and
I couldn’t get back the ground I had loosen. A real
pity, I would have obtained one more point in the championship
classification and I would have been the first DUNLOP rider
in the MotoGP class here in Turkey. I felt a lot of trust
around me today, and I believe more in the 2006 project”.
JOSE LUIS CARDOSO #30 (retired): “Unfortunately,
in the 5th lap, I had an electronic problem and had to go
back in the pits. We solved the problem and I went back on
track but my race was obviously ruined and we took advantage
of the situation to test another tyre. I improved my Friday’s
best time nearly one second but this has really been an unlucky
day and I’m quite disappointed. Anyway these things
happen during the races. We will make up for it in China,
in two weeks”.
EMANUELE MARTINELLI – Track Engineer of Alex
Hofmann : “All things considered, we are happy
even if we didn’t manage to conquest the third consecutive
point. When we have the opportunity to work in regular conditions
during the whole weekend, we know that we can get some good
results. Our aim is to conquest more points and enter the
Top Ten before the end of the season”.
1. Marco Melandri in 41’54’’065
2. Casey Stoner at 0.200
3. Nicky Hayden at 5.458
4. Valentino Rossi at 6.209
5. Toni Elias at 6.587
16. Alex Hofmann at 1’01.241
Jose Luis Cardoso: retired
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