MARCO MELANDRI AND TONI ELIAS READY TO RACE
All eyes on the 800cc adventure as new tyre restrictions
come into force.
The countdown is over. The 2007 MotoGP World Championship
got underway today at the Losail circuit in Qatar, the first
of 18 mouthwatering rounds that will cross fifteen nations
and four continents over the next eight months.
 The
Team Honda Gresini riders took to the track today with great
enthusiasm as they began preparations for the first race of
the year. New limitations on the numbers of tyres each rider
can use in a weekend (14 front and 17 rear), has changed working
procedure inside the box. The riders have instead been able
to focus purely on bike set-up as opposed to running endless
tyre tests, like last year.
Both Marco Melandri and Toni Elias are happy with the progress
they have made on race rubber. Melandri, in particular, enthused
about the cycle part of the bike and the tyre choice made
by the team. Elias was also in good spirits as he continued
to improve his feeling with the bike. Melandri finished 7th,
6 tenths behind Valentino Rossi who scored the best time (1’56”467)
ahead of his team mate Colin Edwards, 2nd oh Yamaha and Casey
Stoner, 3rd on Ducati. The Spaniard Toni Elias finished 9th
with 1’57”382.
MARCO MELANDRI (7th, 1’57”112):
“I like this track. The climate is perfect and there
isn’t the same pressure as in European rounds. I like
the bike and I’m happy with this first day of practice.
The reduction in the number of tyres available to us over
the course of a weekend has changed the way we are working.
Now it is really important to set a strategy out before we
start because we can’t test too much. Today I tried
a few tyres that gave positive feedback although we still
need to improve the race rhythm. I’m feeling relaxed
though because we have a good base to work from in the cycle
part and the tyres.”
TONI ELIAS (9th , 1’57”382):
“I’m quite happy. Compared to the last test here
not even a month ago we’ve taken a big step forwards
thanks to the new tyres that Bridgestone brought for me at
Jerez. My feeling with the bike has improved and I feel much
more comfortable. We’re still a little behind on the
set-up of the bike but the most important thing is that we
are working in the right direction.”
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