Catalan Grand Prix, Catalunya, Qualifying
DUCATI MARLBORO RIDERS MAKE STRIDES IN SPAIN
Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa
used the improving track conditions at Catalunya to secure
sixth and eighth places on the grid, after a day spent working
out final race set-up for Sunday's 25-lap Grand Prix. Both
riders made huge improvements in lap time, bettering their
2004 qualifying efforts at the 4.727km Catalunya circuit,
with Checa also going a over a second faster than yesterday,
despite suffering a fall this morning.
"That was a very positive finish to our day because
we made ground consistently," said Ducati MotoGP Project
Manager Livio Suppo. "Carlos had a crash this morning,
but thankfully with no adverse consequences, and each rider
was able to make good use of their qualifying tyres in the
timed session. We have good race tyres but we still miss something.
We know that at some circuits we can take an advantage but
at this track probably we do not have. But we are at the start
of a growing partnership with Bridgestone and we can be reasonably
happy for the race."
CAPIROSSI ON ROW TWO AFTER FINAL CHARGE
Loris Capirossi made great leaps in qualifying this afternoon,
running his fastest lap almost a second better than his first
day Catalunya best. Working hard to find the optimum setting
for race conditions, his charge to a second row starting position
was a necessarily late one.
"This afternoon was much more positive than yesterday
and this morning," stated Capirossi. "We have made
a lot of modification in the set-up of the bike to suit the
tyres, and their durability for the race. With these changes
the bike is not super-competitive compared to our normal race
set-up but it seems to be OK for the tyres. I'm am satisfied
with the front tyre especially, as I had a lot of problems
with it yesterday. This makes us more confident for tomorrow.
We will need a good start and from the second row I should
be able to get away with the leaders. Today I lapped in the
44s in full race trim, which is not bad, but a lot of riders
were also very fast. So we will have to see what happens tomorrow."
CHECA ON THIRD ROW FOR HOME RACE
Checa had to wait until the very last minute of qualifying
to ensure his third row start, improving his previous best
times substantially to go eighth fastest. The Ducati Marlboro
Team man had been up in third place at one stage, early in
the final hour of qualifying, and found some of the confidence
in his race set-up that he was missing on day one.
"We are struggling to find competitiveness at this
GP, but we have improved a lot since yesterday and this morning,"
said the Spaniard at his home race. "The main problem
is the that the other competitors also improved a lot and
I think the asphalt is in much better condition, so everyone
could go faster. I am quite satisfied in many regards, and
in our circumstances, eighth position is acceptable. We will
keep working through warm-up as I would like to improve even
more for tomorrow."
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