Shanghai, China, Fourth MotoGP Round
Race, Sunday May 4th 2008
 ELIAS
IN EIGHT POSITION IN THE PRAMAC GRAND PRIX OF CHINA.
ANOTHER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINT FOR GUINTOLI
The fourth 2008 MotoGP race started with uncertain track
condition. The asphalt has completely dried out a few minutes
before the start of the Pramac Grand Prix of China, where
the Alice Team riders have respectively started from fifteenth
and fourteenth position. Guintoli has done better than his
team-mate at the beginning maintaining the thirteenth position
until the eighteenth lap when he lost two position and concluded
in fifteenth. The opposite has done Toni Elias, who in the
sixth lap was in seventeenth position, but after a few laps
the Spanish rider found the right rhythm which allowed him
to come back and finish the race in eight position. A pity
for the not so happy start, seen Toni has registered the fifth
fastest lap in the race, not too far from the fastest. A sensible
step forward for the Catalan rider who hopes to keep growing
in two weeks time, on May 18th, when there will be the Alice
Grand Prix of France.
Luis d’Antin – Team Principal
“We are happy we found the right way to work. With
Elias we miss a bit of competitiveness in the first laps.
Ducati is working very well to give us an even more competitive
bike. Toni is accumulating confidence and he is improving
race by race. Sylvain must improve. He has to work more on
the bike set up. Next race in Le Mans will be important for
him as he will have more motivations at his home race. I thanks
the Team who has given its best all the time, even when results
weren’t coming.”
Fabiano Sterlacchini – Technical Director
“Surely a positive race for us. We start to see the
results of our work. Unluckily we didn’t start too well,
Toni felt the bike too heavy in the front part. In addition
the track conditions, still a bid humid, have complicated
his work even more. We could have done better seen the rhythm
Toni had during the weekend, but this result give us morale
for the continuing part of the season. In the next race we
believe to do well also with Sylvain, who will give his best
at his home race.”
Toni Elias – Alice Team rider (8th position
in the race – 13th in MotoGP Classification)
“Better I would say, but I expected more. Unluckily
at the beginning of the race I lose too much time and after
five or six laps I always have to come back. If we manage
to solve the problems we encountered in the first part of
the race I am sure we can obtain better results. The race
rhythm was in fact good. I made it to pass other riders without
many complications, in fact, I registered the fifth fastest
lap in the race really close to Lorenzo who finished fourth.
We have to work hard and I am sure we can do better starting
from Le Mans. The Team is working well, like Bridgestone and
Ducati.”
Sylvain Guintoli – Alice Team rider (15th position
in the race – 17th in MotoGP Classification)
“In the first laps I made it to remain with the group,
but slowly I lost the rhythm not making to recuperate. A pity
that in the last few laps I lost two positions. The only thing
I can do is work even more to try to improve. I am trying
hard, the distance from the fastest is getting lower race
after race. I hope that in Le Mans I will make it also to
improve the final position. I really care of doing well there.
I must congratulate with Toni who has done a good race. He
has demonstrated that we have the potential to be competitive.”
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