Preview - Catalunya
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RETURNS TO SPAIN ON FINE FORM
The Ducati Marlboro Team visits Spain for the second time
this year to contest the Catalan Grand Prix, the seventh round
of what's turning out to be the best World Championship since
MotoGP kicked off in 2002.
This is a big weekend for both the team's riders because
Loris Capirossi currently leads the World Championship chase
and Gibernau is nicely up to speed for his home GP. At the
previous race in Italy Gibernau qualified on pole with Capirossi
second and the pair were also the fastest two riders in the
race, Capirossi quickest, Gibernau a close second quickest.
The duo's impressive pace is further proof of the continuing
evolution of Ducati's Desmosedici MotoGP bike, which now combines
superb rider-friendly performance with massive horsepower.
LORIS CAPIROSSI, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 1st
overall
Loris Capirossi leads the 2006 World Championship after finishing
a brilliant second in the Italian GP. Although equal on points
with Nicky Hayden, the Ducati Marlboro Team rider leads the
series because his best result of the year (victory at the
season-opening Spanish GP) is better than Hayden's best (two
runner-up finishes).
Capirossi has every reason to feel confident about Catalunya
because it was here three years ago that he made history by
winning Ducati's first premier-class GP victory.
"We are all looking forward to this race because we are
in great shape, really competitive at pretty much every track.
The year started so well and it is continuing to go well,
thanks to all the work done by Ducati and Bridgestone. Catalunya
is another fast track with a big straight but while our bike
is fast, these days we focus on rideability, which is more
important than top speed. I love Catalunya and I love racing
in Spain because the fans are great. The circuit is very technical
and you can have a lot of fun sliding the bike through turns
three and four."
SETE GIBERNAU, Ducati Marlboro Team rider, 9th overall
Sete Gibernau looks forward to his home race with real enthusiasm
after a storming ride in Italy. Like his team-mate, Gibernau
also has good form at Catalunya, having started the 2004 and
2005 events from pole. Although he has yet to win at the track,
he has finished on the podium on four occasions.
"Catalunya can be strange because the grip changes a
lot according to conditions. The new surface was better last
year, though F1 racing always leaves a lot of rubber which
may still affect grip. But I enjoy it, I always have done,
it's a complete racetrack with a little bit of everything.
And, of course, for me the atmosphere is quite big! The important
thing is to get the bike to give good traction through turns
three and four. If you can do that you have good traction
around the whole track. I had a good race in Italy, up front
again and really enjoying myself because I'm starting to understand
how to get the best out of the Ducati. With this team I feel
better than ever and happier than ever."
LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP project manager
"It's great to go to Catalunya leading the World Championship
and with the team in top form, Loris leading the title chase
and Sete proving that he can fight to win races with his Desmosedici.
I think we should be able to maintain the high level of the
last few races, even though we had a tough time at Catalunya
last year. Bridgestone have done unbelievable work since then,
their tyres working well during the IRTA tests at Catalunya
in March and also at Qatar, a hot, low-grip circuit. This
gives us real confidence."
THE CIRCUIT
Catalunya is another challenging racetrack, characterised
by long, constant-radius corners that place the emphasis on
a flowing riding style, as well as excellent chassis and tyre
performance. The circuit was resurfaced last year. Catalunya
is in the centre of Spain's motorcycle racing heartland and
joined the GP fixture list in 1992, hosting the Grand Prix
of Europe. Wayne Rainey (Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha) won
the first-ever 500 GP at the track in May '92. In '96 the
event was renamed the Catalan Grand Prix.
Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 1m 43.195s, 164.903kmh/102.466mph
(2005)
Pole position 2005: Sete Gibernau (Honda), 1m 42.337s
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS
LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 33 (born April 4, 1973)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6
GP starts: 237 (67xMotoGP, 59x500, 84x250, 27x125)
GP victories: 26 (4xMotoGP, 2x500, 12x250, 8x125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
Pole positions: 40 (7xMotoGP, 5x500, 23x250, 5x125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Catalunya 2005 results: Grid: 6th. Race: 12th
SETE GIBERNAU
Age: 33 (born December 15, 1972)
Lives: Switzerland
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP6
GP starts: 166 (71xMotoGP, 76x500, 19x250)
GP victories: 9 (8xMotoGP, 1x500)
First GP victory: Valencia, 2001 (500)
First GP: Spain, 1993 (250)
Pole positions: 13 (12xMotoGP, 1x500)
First pole: South Africa, 2000 (500)
Catalunya 2005 results: Grid: pole. Race: 2nd
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