Dutch TT, Assen, Preview
DUCATI MARLBORO MEN READY FOR FASTEST TRACK OF THEM
ALL
After two hot and dry races in Italy and Spain, this week
the MotoGP circus travels north to Assen, the most northerly
fixture in the Grand Prix World Championship. Ducati Marlboro
Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa are both fans
of the unique Dutch circuit, the oldest and fastest venue
in MotoGP racing, so long as the rain stays away.
Both men have high hopes of a good weekend's racing at Assen,
a track which in some ways is more similar to Mugello, where
they recently scored excellent third- and fifth-place results,
than Catalunya, where they had an altogether tougher weekend.
Like Mugello, Assen is fast and flowing, which should suit
the Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici.
"In the space of a few days we went from a wonderful
result at Mugello to a disappointing race at Catalunya,"
says Ducati MotoGP project manager Livio Suppo. "So now
we are analysing all the data, because we learned a lot at
both races, and that's how you keep growing. We knew after
the Catalunya IRTA tests in March that we were missing something
there. Bridgestone brought new specification tyres to the
race but it wasn't quite enough. They are working very hard
and moving forward all the time. We're optimistic about Assen
- the Ducati always goes well there and Bridgestone should
be strong too."
According to Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado
Cecchinelli at Assen. "You need good handling and good
stability in the fast changes of direction, plus a good engine
because it's a very fast circuit," he says. "But
even though you need a lot of horsepower it is a rider's track,
where the rider can make the difference. In some ways it's
a bit like Phillip Island - there are several fast changes
of direction and no real hard brakings."
CAPIROSSI: 'DUCATI SHOULD BE GOOD AT ASSEN'
Earlier this month Loris Capirossi scored a stunning third-place
finish at Mugello and the Ducati Marlboro Team man comes to
Assen aiming to build on that promising result.
"At Mugello we showed what we can do when everything
is good," says Capirossi, who finished that race less
than four seconds behind the winner. "We struggled with
rear grip at Catalunya but I think we should be better off
at Assen, which is very different. It's more flowing, like
a classic track. For sure the Ducati should be good at Assen.
It will be interesting for me because this year I'm using
a modified chassis, with more rigidity, which should help
in the high-speed changes of direction. I have always loved
Assen, it used to be one of the best tracks in the world but
maybe not any more because they keep changing it. I don't
like the new sections they've made."
Capirossi has always gone well at Assen, a racetrack that
rewards riding talent. He won the 1993 and 1999 Dutch 250
TTs, scored premier-class podiums in 2000 and 2001 and took
pole position in 2003 aboard his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici.
CHECA LOOKS FORWARD TO UNIQUE CHALLENGE
Like team-mate Capirossi, Carlos Checa enjoys the unique challenge
of Assen, the only current MotoGP track that originated as
a public-roads venue. The circuit is all about speed, but
not just straight-line speed, since the track barely has a
straight worthy of the name. The secret to a fast lap is getting
through the high-speed twists and turns as quickly as possible,
which calls for unerring kerb-to-kerb accuracy at speeds of
over 300kmh.
"Assen is a very different circuit, it's unique really,"
affirms Checa. "Even the straights aren't really straight
and most of the corners are banked and very fast. Also, there's
very little room between the white lines and the grass, which
means you've got to be perfect with your lines. I like the
layout a lot and I appreciate riding on different kinds of
tracks, it's great to have some variety. I'm really looking
forward to trying it for the first time on the Ducati, because
this bike is so fast and its chassis should suit the track's
flowing character. I've already put Catalunya behind me. Considering
our positive result at Mugello I'm hoping that Catalunya was
just a blip."
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