MELANDRI BETTER THAN EVER AT LE MANS
FRENCH GP - MOTOGP OFFICIAL QUALIFYING
 Gibernau
gives his all in a tough session and qualifies fourth with
a good lap time, hoping to make further progress in tomorrow’s
warm up
Marco Melandri clocked the third fastest time in the official
qualifying practice for the French Grand Prix and will start
from the front row of the grid for the third time this season.
Sete Gibernau missed out on the top three for the first time
this year but is happy with a late charge to fourth place
after suffering problems throughout the session.
Last year’s World Championship runner-up gave everything
he had in a tense finale to the session, knocking two seconds
off his lap time and making dramatic progress from thirteenth
on the grid. Sete is confident of making the most out of the
20 minute warm-up as he looks to recover the good rhythm he
quickly found in Friday’s free practice session.
Melandri once again found a good feeling with the Honda after
being uncomfortable yesterday and spent the whole session
at the top of the time sheets, improving his lap time and
race pace and building high ho! pes of continuing an impressive
start to the season that sees him lying second in the championship
 MARCO
MELANDRI (3rd, 1’33”465):
“I wasn’t expecting to do a lap time like this,
after having started the weekend with a few problems. Today
we were worried about the weather in the qualifying session
and for that reason we put the qualifying tyres on early,
which allowed me to set a 1’34”31. From there
on we improved my race pace and I set my fastest lap at the
end without taking too many risks. Tomorrow they’re
predicting rain but I hope they’re wrong because it’s
going to be a tough race”.
SETE GIBERNAU (4th, 1’33”467):
“In the end I was able to put a good lap together and
qualify fourth, but we’re suffering more than we should
be. Luckily I’m in good physical shape at the moment
and I was able to overcome the set-up problems with my riding,
but we’ve got a long evenin! g ahead of us analysing
all the data with the team. Our race pace is slower than yesterday
and we’ll have to have a look why. The 20 minute warm-up
session will be vital to prepare for the race. We’re
having a few problems with rear wheel traction”.
LAP TIMES
1. Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 1’33”226
2. Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 1’33”449
3. Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda) 1’33”465
4. Sete Gibernau (Esp/Honda) 1’33”467
5. Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda) 1’33”514
6. Shinya Nakano (Jap/Kawasaki) 1’33”536
7. John Hopkins (USA/Suzuki) 1’33”594
8. Max Biaggi (Ita/Honda) 1’33”699
9. Carlos Checa (Esp/Ducati) 1’33”727
10. Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1’33”773
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