Italian Grand Prix, Mugello
CAPIROSSI DELIGHTS MUGELLO CROWD WITH PODIUM FINISH
 Ducati
Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi helped send the 88,000
Italian GP crowd into raptures of delight at Mugello today,
grabbing third place with a breathtaking last lap to score
the team's first podium finish of the year. And team-mate
Carlos Checa wasn't far behind in fifth, confirming that the
Italian-based squad is well and truly back on form.
The race was a real thriller, Capirossi battling back and
forth with Marco Melandri, just a few seconds down on winner
Valentino Rossi and runner-up Max Biaggi, the four Italians
monopolising the action.
"I think this race shows that the Ducati Marlboro Team
is back!" smiled Federico Minoli, Ducati Motor president.
"It was a fantastic race, with Loris close to the front
all the way to the flag. As fans of racing, we were jumping
all over the place as he fought with Melandri during the final
laps. I think we really deserved this result, but we still
need a little more to get in front, we just need to open the
door a bit more. Congratulations to Loris and Carlos, who
also rode a good race, and I'd like to say that I'm very happy
that Livio can now shave off his beard!" (Ducati MotoGP
project manager Livio Suppo had recently vowed not to shave
until the team made it back onto the podium.)"
SMOOTHER CAPIROSSI ROARS TO THIRD PLACE
Loris Capirossi was back to his brilliant best at Mugello
today, unleashing a stupendous end-of-race charge to snatch
third place from Melandri and finish just 3.874 seconds behind
race winner Rossi. The Ducati Marlboro Team man led into turn
one (as he had predicted after qualifying), then slipped to
fourth as he battled to stay on terms with the other Italians.
But his best was yet to come. Having chosen a hard compound
rear tyre, he had enough grip to attack Melandri, the pair
swapping places maybe half a dozen times during the last two
laps.
 "Ducati
arrived in a good position today and we can expect better
and better from now on," beamed Capirossi after his first
podium finish since last October's Australian GP. "The
race seemed more like a 125 race, I was even looking at the
giant TV screens to see what was going on, but everyone rode
very correctly. The team worked well all weekend to get the
best settings and we also worked really well with Bridgestone,
the bike was perfect. After warm-up we chose a slightly harder
tyre, which is why I wasn't so fast early on, but I got better.
Also, I have changed my riding style to look after the tyres.
Normally I am on or off with the throttle, but now I am trying
to be smoother. I'm so happy for the team, especially after
our unlucky start to the year. Thanks also to my fans, there
were a lot of people cheering for me which gives me a lot
of emotion."
CHECA FASTEST MAN ON TRACK MID-RACE
Carlos Checa finished the race fifth, easily his best result
of the year so far, but possibly even more crucial was his
race time, just 7.898 seconds slower than the race winner's.
The Ducati Marlboro Team rider was most impressive mid-race
when he was the fastest man on track as he hunted down Nicky
Hayden.
"Overall I'm quite satisfied because Loris and I were
third and fifth, and not so far behind the winner," said
Checa. "This is by far our best weekend of the year,
and after two DNFs from the last two races I feel like I've
learned a lot about the bike. I wasn't 100 per cent comfortable
early on, I didn't have the grip to put the bike on its side
and it was also moving around on acceleration. But as the
fuel load went down I could keep a better rolling speed into
the corners and ride more smoothly. Tomorrow we stay to test
here, we have a few settings ideas to try out and we're also
going to try and improve my performance on qualifying tyres."
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