ROUND 7 GP OF HOLLAND - PREVIEW
75 CANDLES FOR THE DUTCH TT
The championship arrives in Assen, described by many as the
‘Cathedral of motorcycles’ due to its long tradition
and the characteristics of the track. The Dutch TT can boast
being the only circuit being present on the Championship calendar
since its debut in 1949. This year the Dutch track is celebrating
its 75th anniversary. Having been in the Championship since
1949, Assen now looks forward: on the Wednesday of the Catalonian
GP in fact, an agreement was signed between the Dutch TT and
Dorna Sports, enabling this circuit to remain on the calendar
for many years to come. With this agreement, announced publicly
by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna and Jos Vaessen, President
of the circuit, Assen will host the Dutch GP until 2016.
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary, the Dutch TT will
unveil a “suspended” tribune, the ‘Geert
Timmer’, right on the finish line.
SETE GIBERNAU CELEBRATES HIS 150TH GP
With 19 GP’s in 250cc class and 130 GP’s in the
queen of classes, Sete Gibernau will be celebrating his 150th
career GP next Saturday on the Dutch track of Assen. The Spanish
rider, twice vice world champions with the colours of Movistar
of the Gresini Team, boasts a total of 29 podiums and 9 victories.
The only rider able to contrast the dominance of Rossi, Sete
Gibernau is a strong, determined rider who is not scared of
assuming responsibility and takes charge of his life. During
the pre-season test, he worked at the development of the RC211V
together with the HRC team. He was the fastest and more consistent
rider in the winter tests and in the first six races of the
championship, Sete conquered two poles and began five times
from the front row. With three second places, he is fourth
on the championship and continues to look forward with hope.
“The championship is still long, there are still 11
races to dispute, and I continue with the same determination,
knowing what my abilities are and the ability of my team”
comments Sete, from the second step of the podium obtained
during his home race on Sunday, the 12th of June, in Barcelona.
“Now I am thinking about Assen. I would have like to
have been able to test in Montmelo’, but this was not
possible due to the adverse weather conditions. We will have
to compensate in Assen during the two days of practice, where
we will have to understand what the best setup is, find our
race tyre and get in the maximum amount of laps we possible
can in race conditions in order to prepare for Sunday.”
ASSEN : A CHARISTMATIC TRACK – Sete’s
comment
“Considered the ‘Cathedral of Motorcycles’,
this Assen track is amongst the quickest and most technical
of the championship. The rider must always keep a very high
level of concentration as just one simple distraction can
make him pay for it. The track doesn’t really have a
straigh! t away, but the corners and the variations are very
quick.
The best point to overtake is definitely the last chicane
before the main straight. The secret to a good lap? The track
is made up of and joined by many different points, for this
reason it is fundamental not to make a mistake as if you error
during one corner, it will throw you off balance for many
corners to follow.
The track: the grip on this track is good both in wet and
dry conditions.
An incognito: The weather conditions here are always in doubt
as the climate can change very frequently.
The atmosphere: Assen is one of the most sought after GP weekends
for fans. It is a public characterised by passionate and knowledgeable
fans who every year meet in Assen.
MELANDRI MAINTAINS HIS SECOND PLACE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Marco Melandri arrives in Assen happy and serene given the
past two race weekends where he showed determination, maturity
and a lot of desire to continue learning. The rain ruined
the work programme planned during testing after the GP of
Catalonia. “Shame” comments Marco “I really
wanted and needed to test. I wanted to work in order to better
my front end. It was an important work programme especially
to prepare for Assen.”
Second in the Championship, Marco continues to gain experience
race after race, he continues to learn from the team, from
the race duels, the bike and the RC211V which adapts well
to his riding style.
“After the fantastic race in Mugello where only a podium
finish was missing from my great weekend, in Barcelona I was
able to once again step up onto it; a great satisfaction for
me and the team. The three podiums and three fourth places
of this beginning of the season confirm that we have been
working well. My objective is to progress little by little,
gain experience and learn from every race. Up until now we
have been regular, in continuous growth, and now I wo! uld
like to make on more step forward: be able to stay in the
front with the top two. This will be the most difficult step,
I don’t want to put a time limit or bit off more than
I can chew, I want to continue to work well.”
MARCO MELANDRI AND THE ASSEN TRACK
Marco does not hide his excitement to race in Assen, the track
he prefers above all. It is the first time he will be racing
here with the RC211V and it will be very important to use
the three hours of free sessions in order to find the best
possible bike setting. Not an easy task being that this Dutch
track is consider one of the most technical and difficult
tracks of the entire championship.
“This track is definitely different from the other tracks
because there are no long straight-aways. Assen is one of
the best tracks of the championship, very quick and a lot
of hard work when riding a MotoGP bike because there is no
one point which is completely straight, yet you are still
alway! s going really fast. It is because of the multiple
corners and series of variation that this track is so difficult
and so easy to make a mistake on. Errors are not allowed as
if you make a mistake on one corner, it will have repercussions
on your entire lap.
It is one of my most favourite tracks. The best sector? There
is no one part that is better than another, the part I like
the least is the straight behind the pits, a modification
made in 2002 which really slowed down the bike during this
sector.
It isn’t easy to overtake in Assen, there are very few
points in which it is possible. It all depends who is in front
of you and by the directions changes. I think that maybe one
of the easiest place to overtake is the last ‘S’
. The slowest part of the track is the corner before the straight
behind the pits (De Strubben).
The secret to a quick lap? You need to have a soft and agile
ride during the direction changes.
I like the Dutch TT a lot both for the design of the track
and for the atmosphere there is during the weekend: it is
beautiful, when riding on the 6 km of the track, you don’t
see one empty space. Being such a long track the stands aren’t
very high and the fans are therefore very close to the track.
It is a public comprised of real aficionados. You may not
hear them as you do the Italians or Spaniards, but you feel
the strength of the tradition and passion for motorbikes.”
TIME TO CELEBRATE
GP OF CATALONIA : 150TH GP FOR THE GRESINI TEAM
The team lead by Fausto Gresini last GP celebrated on the
Spanish track their 150th GP. The twice world champion in
the 125 class was able to put the fruit of his experience
as a rider to work, creating a team that in just eight years
has become one of the top teams in MotoGP. “In Barcelona
we celebrated our 150th GP in style: with two riders on the
podium, confirming the capability of the entire team. I want
to thank! Sete and Marco and all the guys on the team to have
given me my 150th GP with two important results” comments
Fausto Gresini, team manager and owner of the team.”
These are the numbers of the team:
150: the Gran Prix disputed from 1997 to today. 85 GPs in
the queen of classes, the 500cc and MotoGP, 65 GPs in 250cc.
26: the number of victories during Fausto Gresini’s
career as Team Manager.
74: The total number of podiums conquered by the team lead
by Fausto Gresini
1: one world championship title, won by Kato Daijiro in the
250cc class in 2001.
2: Sete Gibernau has been twice vice world champion in 2003
and 2004
1999: the first team victory with Loris Capirossi in Sepang
(Malaysian GP), 18th April 1999, 250 cc class)
2003: the first victory in MotoGP with Sete Gibernau in Welkom
(South African GP 27th April 2003)
FAUSTO GRESINI CELEBRATES HIS “PODIUM”
On Sunday, the 19th of June, Fausto Gresini became dad for
the third time: at 2.53 a.m. little Alice was born. A special
greating to his wife Nadia and the two brothers Luca e Lorenzo.
GP OF HOLLAND: 150TH GP FOR SETE GIBERNAU
15 the number on the fairing
32 Sete’s age, he was born in Barcelona on the 15th
December 1972
149 the GP’s in Sete’s career before the Dutch
TT (19 GPs in 250 cc., 130 GP’s in 500/MotoGP)
29 total number of podiums in his career
9 Total number of victories (1 in 500 cc., 8 in MotoGP)
2 Vice World champion in 2003 and 2004
1992 First GP Spanish Championship (250 cc.)
1998 first podium , GP Comunidad Madrid, 500 Class
2000 first pole, GP South Africa (500 cc.)
2001 first win – GP Comunidad Valenciana , Class 500
|
