Shanghai, China, Fourth MotoGP Round
Day 1, Friday May 2nd 2008
ELIAS GRAZES THE TOP TEN. GUINTOLI SEVENTEENTH.
 The
improvements done in the last test at Estoril have helped
the Alice Team in the first day of free practice in China,
on the Shanghai circuit. In fact, the Alice Team Spanish rider,
Toni Elias, has concluded the firsts two hours of work with
the eleventh best lap time notwithstanding a small electronic
problem didn’t allow him to be on track in the last
ten minutes of the day. The other Alice Team rider, Frenchman
Sylvain Guintoli, couldn’t make it to do the same, ending
the day in seventeenth position. The asphalt temperature reached
this morning 42 degrees and 50 degrees in the afternoon. Tomorrow
another day of free practice for the Alice Team duo, before
the afternoon qualifying session.
Fabiano Sterlacchini – Technical Director
“We are mostly satisfied because after the Portuguese
test we have found some convincing solutions that allowed
us to improve our performances also on this track. The thing
that make us smile even more, is that probably this is the
first time that we kept on improving throughout the session.
Usually we would alternate, with improvements coming in between
total blackouts. We can be confident in our work for the future.”
Toni Elias – Alice Team Rider (11th best lap
time in 2’01.326 – Total laps 34)
“I am happy because we have really improved today.
After Portugal we have found the right way to take. Since
the morning we were in good shape and in the afternoon we
have improved by almost a second, which is quite good. At
the end of the second session, we had a problem that didn’t
allow us to ride in the last ten minutes. It’s a pity
because I could have finish in the top ten, but we have to
think positive and tomorrow I hope to be even more close to
the fastest riders.”
Sylvain Guintoli – Alice Team Rider (17th best
lap time in 2’02.348 – Total laps 45)
“This afternoon rhythm was much better compare to the
first session. Mostly in the last fifteenth minutes we have
found a good set up for the bike. We hope to be able to improve
our position tomorrow. I am happy of the Bridgestone tyres
and also of the suspensions. The bike was incredibly fast
on the straight, in fact, we have obtained the fastest speed
of the day grazing 330 km/h. I have to find the right way
to ride the bike as soon as possible, I know I have what is
needed to be much further up in the classification.”
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