WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS OUT OF EUROPE
Almost 80,000 witnessed the Czech republic GP on Sunday at
the circuit of Brno. The race was yet another demonstration
by World Champion elect Valentino Rossi who is now just a
step away from his seventh world crown. The FORTUNA YAMAHA
riders had a difficult weekend at what is one of the most
technical circuits of the championship. TONI ELIAS finished
in fourteenth spot. After a difficult start in which he lost
a few positions, he became involved in a battle with Nakano
and Tamada that saw him having to fight hard to maintain his
position. RUBEN XAUS suffered with the problems he has been
struggling with all weekend and, although he got steadily
better as the weekend progressed, he finished outside the
points with a disappointing finish of 18th. Both Elias and
Xaus will stay in Brno for a few days following the race for
some testing as the FORTUNA YAMAHA team hope to find some
technical improvements for the last rounds of the World Championship.
TONI ELIAS (24):
Warm Up: 17th, 2.01.039 + 2.799 (9/9 laps)
Race: 14th, + 28.571
Championship: 16th, 31 points.
“When you get away well, and when you are winning,
that is when you really enjoy a race, not when you are fighting
to get in the points. But it seems we are slowly solving the
problems we have although starting from so far down the grid
does not leave you with any real options. The most positive
thing was the consistent rhythm I found especially when the
tyres were going and I still managed to match the times of
Hayden for example. I had a couple of shocks that made the
race more difficult. I am not happy with the result, but the
important thing is to fight and to progress race by race and
to try and challenge to be in the lead group of riders. These
two days of testing will be very helpful for us.”
RUBEN XAUS (11):
Warm Up: 20th, 2.02.020 + 3.780 (8/10 laps)
Race: 18th, + 1.08.082
Championship: 14th, 36 points.
“After the difficult situation that I experienced during
the days when I was supposed to be relaxing on holiday, I
came to Brno with my moral affected. I just wanted to get
through this race as quickly as possible. Now I have done
so, I will keep on working hard and I hope the Ruben Xaus
that everyone knows will now be back soon.”
HERVE PONCHARAL, Team Manager FORTUNA YAMAHA:
Team Championship: 8th, 71 points.
“Although fourteenth is, obviously, not a great result,
Toni rode his best race of the year. Although he had various
problems at the start, he lapped very consistently and was
in a very compact group. Ruben has had some difficulties over
the last few days, I hope all that is behind him now and that
he can show his enormous potential.”
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