PREVIEW / GRAND PRIX OF TURKEY
LORENZO FOR A THIRD VICTORY
Team Fortuna Aprilia are preparing to tackle the third Grand
Prix of the 2006 season in confident mood this weekend at
the Istanbul Park circuit in Turkey, with their sights set
on a third straight victory for Jorge Lorenzo and a first
podium finish for Héctor Barberá. After a dominant
win in Jerez and a head-to-head battle to the line with Andrea
Dovizioso in Qatar, Lorenzo is anxious to see what kind of
race awaits him at the Turkish track, where he finished fourth
last season. His objective is to open up his advantage at
the top of the championship and continue a winning streak
that is on course to be one of the best in history. Barberá,
who has missed out on the podium in the opening two rounds
of the season, is hoping to do so this weekend and firmly
establish himself as a title contender.
JORGE LORENZO
“We’re on a good run and we have to make the
most of it, picking up as many points as possible and making
sure were in good shape in case things don’t go quite
as well in the future. I’m not obsessed with records,
but obviously I would like to win the opening three races
of the year and follow in the footsteps of legends such as
Luca Cadalora, Jarno Saarinen or Tarquinio Provini. The victories
in Jerez and Qatar have given us a lot of confidence but we
know we can’t relax because the competition is pushing
hard and they won’t let up. I hope I can work hard from
the first session and be as well prepared for this race as
I have been for the last two. If that’s the case then
we can expect great things.”
HECTOR BARBERA
“I’m making steady improvements and I hope to
continue in the same way this weekend. The crash during practice
at Jerez was a bit of a setback but there is no time for feeling
sorry for ourselves. I was close to the podium in Qatar and
I was only knocked off it by a pass from Locatelli that was
on the limit of the rules. I’m happy with the bike and
the team and I would like to leave Turkey having been on the
podium. We have to work hard on the set-up, get the tyre choice
right and then hope for a bit of luck.”
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