GREAT PERFORMANCE BY ELIAS IN ISTANBUL
Toni Elias will start from the second row at tomorrow’s
inaugural Turkish GP after an incredibly consistent display
on the second day of qualifying. The Catalan, who suffered
a light fall in the morning session, is in his best form of
the season and is edging ever closer to the top positions.
However, he was still bothered by problems with the rear-end
of the bike that he will want to solve as quickly as possible.
For his part, Ruben Xaus is continuing his progress on the
M1. On race tyres the Spaniard looked a lot more comfortable
than on Friday and reduced his time from yesterday by a second
during the course of the day.
TONI ELIAS
3rd free session: 8th, 1,54.850, + 2.113 off Gibernau
Qualifying session: 6th, 1.53,230, + 0.896 off the pole of
Gibernau
“I am very happy. We have worked very well, and always
with the bike’s tank full as in race conditions. I think
we have a good rhythm, but I hope we don’t have any
unforeseen problems as we did at Phillip Island. It would
be really good to start well tomorrow. The M1 is not an easy
bike to ride, I have learnt a lot this year and am very happy
with how things have gone. This morning I fell when trying
to keep pace with Melandri as his tyres were fresh and mine
were not.”
RUBEN XAUS
3rd free session: 16th, 1,56.460, + 3.723 off Gibernau
Qualifying session: 16th, 1.55.414, + 3.080 off pole of Gibernau
“With race tyres on I have improved a lot, but I was
not able to improve with qualifying tyres on. I will try to
make best use of the warm-up as I want to have a good race.”
Antonio Jiménez, Toni Elias’ chief mechanic
“We are very happy. We have been working along the
same lines for five races now and are getting better all the
time. For the first time we are starting on the second row.
The pace of the race will be quite good, but the temperature
will rise in the afternoon which we have to bear in mind.
At the moment we are satisfied and hopeful of at least keeping
our place in the race. I believe the sinergy between rider,
tyres and bike is very good.”
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