French GP
First day / GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM PLANS HIT BY RAIN
IN FRANCE
 The
Gauloises Yamaha Team’s preparations for the fourth
round of the MotoGP World Championship in France were hit
by rain on a typically gloomy first day of action at Le Mans
this afternoon. Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards had made
a positive start to the weekend with consistently fast times
in the first free practice in the morning, with Edwards topping
the time sheets by 0.366 seconds from his team-mate, who was
fourth fastest. However, the dense grey clouds hanging ominously
over the legendary circuit finally gave way halfway into the
afternoon session and the riders were forced to take shelter
in the pit box. Whilst the rain quickly ceased and allowed
the riders to return to action for the rest of the session,
the track remained damp and prevented the riders from improving
any further, with Edwards and Rossi both unable to better
their morning times and completing just fourteen laps between
them. The only option for the team was to concentrate solely
on gathering information about the performance of the Yamaha
YZR-M1 in the damp conditions, with the unpredictable weather
expected to continue for the rest of the weekend and a very
real possibility of a third wet race in succession. Alex Barros
(Honda) holds the quickest time overnight after posting a
lap of 1’31.171 on his ninth lap of the afternoon session,
just before the rain struck, with Colin Edwards fourth and
Valentino Rossi fifth overall. The action continues with the
third free practice and single qualifying practice on Saturday.
COLIN EDWARDS (1’34.701, 36 laps)
"I get along with this track and so does the bike. This
morning I was turning out 1’34 after 1’34 and
I was comfortable, the bike felt great. We began the afternoon
session testing out a couple of tyres for Michelin but they
weren’t really what we were looking for; then we returned
to the same tyre we had in the morning and it started raining.
We don’t know what to expect for the rest of the weekend
in terms of the weather but whether it’s rain, hail,
snow or sunshine, I’ll be ready.”
VALENTINO ROSSI – (1’35.067, 30 laps)
“I was also trying a different tyre for Michelin at
the start of the afternoon session and we stayed out there
maybe a bit too long as it wasn’t right. I came in to
change but then it started raining and we ended up further
down the time sheets than we would like to be. It’s
only free practice, though, so it doesn’t matter. After
that the conditions were very difficult as it was drying in
some areas but very wet in others so we didn’t really
learn anything. This morning things went well and I was confident
of a good session in the afternoon. We used the base we had
found for a dry race in China and it was working well. The
weather is not looking good and if it rains I’m just
hoping we can find a good setting, like in China, although
I’d prefer it to be dry. I’m a bit fed up actually,
it seems as though the bad weather is following us around.
Where is summer?”
DAVIDE BRIVIO – TEAM DIRECTOR
“In the dry conditions this morning both riders were
consistently fast so that’s a good sign for the rest
of the weekend, regardless of the weather this afternoon.
I think it’s important to set the record straight about
some comments reported in the Italian media this morning as
they seem to have appeared elsewhere now. I said that we are
going to start working on an extension to Valentino’s
contract and we will be discussing it after Mugello. I was
then asked about any plan Valentino might have to drive in
Formula One and I said that would be Valentino’s decision
and it might happen. I certainly did not say that he would
be in F1 from 2007. From Yamaha’s side we hope that
he will still be riding for us but I cannot predict Valentino’s
future!”
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