Lisbon, Portugal, Third MotoGP Round
Preview, Wednesday April 9th 2008
 ELIAS
WANTS TO WIN AGAIN AT ESTORIL AFTER HIS 2006 VICTORY. GUINTOLI
IN PORTUGAL FOR THE SECOND TIME .
Great anticipation for the third round of the MotoGP World
Championship at the Estoril circuit in Portugal. Situated
just a few kilometers from the portuguese capital, Lisbon,
and not too far from the Atlantic coast, the circuit is characterized
not only by a long straight and wide turns, but also from
the varying weather conditions. In fact, also for this weekend
of racing, the weather forecast seems to foresee rain until
Friday morning, sunshine for the qualifying day and, again,
some stormy clouds for Sunday. The circuit, today called Fernando
Pires da Silva, was built in 1972 and has been part of the
MotoGP World Championship since 2000.
The Alice Team is looking for redemption after the first,
not too exciting, two rounds in Qatar and in Jerez de la Frontera.
The Portuguese circuit hasn’t brought much luck to the
Italian-Hispanic Team last year, as both riders on the Ducati
GP7 Sat couldn’t finish the Grand Prix. Instead, Spanish
rider Toni Elias, has great memories related to this track.
In 2006 he managed to finish in front of everyone Valentino
Rossi after an exciting battle in the last turns with a gap
of two thounsandths of a second. Second appearance for the
other rider of the Alice Team, Sylvain Guintoli, who, after
becoming a father for the second time last Friday, can completely
focus on improving his Ducati Desmosedici GP8 Sat with Bridgestone
tyres. At his first appearance in the premier class on the
Estoril circuit, the french rider concluded the race in fourteenth
position.
Alice Team Principal, Luis d’Antin, is ready and determined
more than ever to improve the firsts results of the season:
“The season hasn’t begun in the best of ways for
us. Sincerely I expected much more, but we know we are a young
Team and both riders, at their first experience on a Ducati
Desmosedici GP8 Sat, still need some time to learn the secrects
of this bike in the best way possibile. No-one can doubt the
techincal potential we have at our disposal. Ducati is the
World Champion, therefore we can’t ask for more. Bridgestone,
also World Champion, has now reached excellent levels and
they always support us in the best way possible in improving
our performances. Toni (Elias) on this track has conveyed
incredible emotions to all motorcycle fans with his great
2006 victory. Who knows, maybe he will make us feel the same
emotions again.”
The word “Estoril”, in fact, stirs up particular
sensations for Toni Elias. As soon as you say it, his eyes
begins to shimmer: “Yes, it’s true, I will surely
never forget that day. My first, amazing, MotoGP victory.
But unluckily in this world, as in the entire world of sports,
you have to forget the past quickly. The most important challenge,
is the next one! I want to improve and together with my Team
we must find the right way in the shortest time possible.
I really like this circuit also because it suits to my characterstics
thanks to the great braking points. We hope that thanks to
the data achieved during the Jerez test we will be able to
prepare the bike at best.”
In the other half of the garage Sylvain Guintoli, who became
a father for the second time of his daughter, Layla, is ready
more than ever for this third world appointment: “I
feel such a strong adrenalin rush! I am really happy I was
present at the birth of my second baby girl. I really wanted
to be there. But now I have to concentrate on Sunday’s
race. This, in my opinion, is a very nice and difficult circuit.
We will have to work a lot on Friday and Saturday to prepare
the bike at the best. Last year didn’t go too well for
me and I hope I will be able to do much better this time and
to gain as many points possible for the me and for the Alice
Team.”
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