HOLIDAYS TO BRING A CHANGE OF FORTUNE
After an especially difficult weekend, both Toni Elias and
Ruben Xaus are already thinking about the second half of the
season. The three week break before the next race in Brno
will allow the FORTUNA YAMAHA riders the chance to rest up
and recharge their batteries ahead of the remaining GPs where
they will be hoping for a change of fortune. After a promising
showing in the warm-up at the Sachsenring, the two Spanish
riders found their plans for the race disrupted by the red
flag which followed John Hopkins’ huge crash. Elias
made a couple of changes to his set-up after the flag but
still could not find the rhythm he had in the warm-up. Xaus
overcame his poor grid position to achieve his objective of
finishing the race and scoring more points, and of course
spending more valuable time on the bike.
TONI ELIAS (24):
WARM UP: 13th, 1.24.617 + 0.750 (7/14 laps)
RACE: 12th, + 47.304.
CHAMPIONSHIP: 16th, 29 points
“I can’t be happy because it was a very difficult
weekend and the circuit here really accentuated the injury
problems I have had recently. We worked very hard all weekend,
though, and this morning we made a big change to the bike
which was positive but not quite effective enough. We have
a good base now to work from at Brno and I am sure I can go
much better there. In the end I had an injection before the
race and up until the final ten laps, when the effect wore
off, I didn’t feel any pain really. Of course I would
have liked to have finished higher up, but the important thing
is to keep scoring points and improving from race to race.
The holidays have come just at the right time for me to recover
properly from my injury and improve my fitness levels.”
RUBEN XAUS (11):
WARM UP: 17th, 1.24.999 + 1.132 (7/12 laps)
RACE: 13th, + 1.00.175.
CHAMPIONSHIP: 14th, 36 points.
“This morning we were a lot closer to the pace, but
in the race we started a long way down because of our qualifying
time. I was lucky not to get caught up in the crash on the
first lap which saw Bayliss forced out. After the restart
I rode the bike well and believe I learned quite alot about
the concept of how you need to ride a Yamaha. What I must
do now is work on how to set up the bike. I am going to Andorra
during the holidays to prepare for Brno and think that will
be the last race of adaptation before I can really beging
to attack.”
HERVE PONCHARAL, FORTUNA YAMAHA Team Manager:
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: 7th, 69 points.
“It was quite a positive race for the FORTUNA YAMAHA
team. It would have been better if Toni had made a better
start after the restart, although he did lap very consistently
after that. As concerns Ruben, he finished 13th and scored
points that could prove important in the future. These holidays
will help us find even more energy!”
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