IN THE SLIPSTREAM OF ANOTHER GREAT DAY FOR HONDA
The 2006 MotoGP Wold Championship ended today at Valencia
with an exciting race that saw the Fortuna Honda riders take
a secondary role in a race that decided the destiny of the
title. After two tough days both Marco Melandri and Toni Elias
rode with great determination, with the Italian fighting for
third place in the championship. After getting a great start
and moving up to fifth place, Melandri kept pace with the
lead group before his rhythm eventually faded. Eventually
he was forced to settle for fifth behind Dani Pedrosa and
Nicky Hayden who clinched the title with third place. The
race was won by Ducati rider Troy Bayliss ahead of Loris Capirossi.
Melandri ends the 2006 season in fourth place overall with
228 points, just one behind Loris Capirossi, with Valentino
Rossi runner-up behind Hayden. Elias followed up his win in
Portugal with another determined race, charging from 13th
place to finish just behind his team-mate in sixth. The Spaniard
ends the season ninth overall on 116 points.
MARCO MELANDRI: (5th):
”I’m disappointed to have lost third in the championship
by a single point. I had a good feeling with the bike and
I was sure I would have a good race. I was really fast over
the first few laps but when the tyres heated up, it got tough.
I was racing hard because I wanted third in the championship
and I put a lot of stress on the left of the tyre.I couldn’t
ride as I wanted to and just had to focus on finishing the
race as high as possible. My compliments to Nicky”.
TONI ELIAS: (6th)
“I am happy because I made a good comeback from thirteenth
to sixth. At the start I found it tough but as the laps went
by I got a good rhythm together. I made a mistake on the 20th
lap but other than that I am satisfied. I have to thank my
team, Fausto Gresini, my chief mechanic Cecchini and all the
guys. And my compliments too to Nicky Hayden for the title.”
The Valencia race also sees the end of the partnership between
Honda Gresini and Fortuna, an Altadis Group brand, which has
been the main sponsor of the team in 2006.
FAUSTO GRESINI:
“I want to thank Fortuna for their support in such
a great season. Together we have taken four victories and
a total of seven podiums. My compliments go to all the staff
at Fortuna who have enjoyed this season with us and given
us the chance to fight at the very top level.”
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