PREVIEW / GRAN PREMIO DE ESPANA
THE CHALLENGE BEGINS
The waiting is over. After an intense winter of preparation
that has seen the Team Fortuna Honda riders visit circuits
in Malaysia, Australia and Spain, the battle for the 2006
world title is finally underway. The venue for the opening
round of the MotoGP World Championship takes place at Jerez
de la Frontera, a circuit where both Team Fortuna Honda riders
hold fond memories. It was at this track where Marco Melandri
scored his first podium of the 2005 season on his debut with
the Team Gresini RC211V, whilst Toni Elias took his MotoGP
bow in the colours of Fortuna. The final test session at the
Andalusian ten days ago confirmed the good job done by the
team during the preseason and now Marco Melandri and Toni
Elias are ready for the first race.
Fausto Gresini – Fortuna Honda
“This is an important moment because it is the start
of a new season, for which we have high hopes. It is the start
of a new project alongside Fortuna, with a young team and,
thanks to Marco Melandri and Toni Elias, wityh massive potential.
Marco is 23, he became the MotoGP World Championship runner-up
with this team last year and scored his first wins in the
premier-class. With two straight victories and five podiums
in all he was a real star in an incredible season and he’s
now ready to challenge at the very highest level.
After a tough winter I am sure that Marco can fight for the
front positions from the first race.
Alongside him Elías, also 23, a Spanish rider who this
year joins our team, where so many young talents have come
through over the years. In the preseason tests Toni has proved
that he is a talented and determined rider, e desideroso di
imparare. During the last test at Jerez he showed that he
has character and good potential. I’m sure that we can
now start to reap the fruit of his hard work during the winter.”
Marco Melandri:
“I can’t wait to get out onto the track at Jerez,
a circuit I like a lot because it is technical and complete.
There is so much expectation for the start of the championship
and it’s guaranteed to be a real spectacle. Jerez will
be a very combative race with so many riders in the right
shape to challenge to win. I am also ready. I can already
feel the adrenaline and I am sure that will push me to take
that extra step forward and be competitive. I am quite satisfied;
after a tough winter we have managed to create a good base.
We still have to improve a little bit and then I can be fast,
like I showed I can be last season.”
Toni Elias:
“Finally the testing is over and the championship is
starting. Over the winter we worked a lot, keeping a philosophy
of taking small steps forward. I tried to remain calm and
focused to try and understand the bike and adapt it to my
style without just going for a lap time at all cost. I’ve
covered a lot of kilometres, I now feel more comfortable on
the bike and my race rhythm has improved. I’m looking
forward to the start – I can already feel the tension
of a race. I’m happy to be starting out in Spain, in
front of my fans. Jerez is a nice Grand Prix, not just for
the track but also for the fans – the feeling when you
enter the ‘stadium’ section is unbelievable.”
A RACE TO REMEMBER
“Jerez is a special occasion for every rider in the
championship and even more so for a Spaniard. It is a particular
GP because of the amount of passion transmitted by the fans,
so many of them and so close you can feel it in your helmet.
I’ve always hhad really strong emotions at this circuit.
It was here that I produced one of the best races of my life,
the Spanish GP In 2003 was I was racing in 250. I remember
starting from the third row after a difficult weekend caused
by a broken thumb injury I had picked up in the previous race.
I started to make up positions and only on the last lap I
managed to join the lead group. My thumb was hurting but the
desire to win in front of my home fans was bigger. One final
effort, the finish line and e un pianto lungo quanto il giro
d’onore. I dedicated the victory to my family, my team
and Daijiro Kato. I had wanted to do it at Welkom, the first
race after his death, but the dream came true at Jerez, where
I was able to dedicate victory to a good friend and a great
rider.
Jerez 2006: a new challenge, same emotions. This will also
be my first race on the Honda and my 23rd birthday. I hope
I can give myself a nice present!” Toni Elias
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