MELANDRI FIFTH IN QATAR
Marco finishes as second Honda after fighting hard in a high-paced
race
 The
opening round of the 2007 MotoGP World Championship matched
all expectations as the new 800cc machines lapped faster than
the 990s and allowed for an incredible pace to be set in the
Grand Prix of Qatar.
It required a determined performance from both Team Honda
Gresini riders - Marco Melandri and Toni Elias getting good
starts as they moved up to fourth and fifth place. From that
point they did their best to stay in the lead group, squeezing
every ounce of potential out of their bike and tyre package
for the race. Melandri managed to hang on to fifth place,
boosting his confidence ahead of the next round in Jerez.
Elias, meanwhile, paid heavily for a mistake on lap 16 and
finished back in 14th place.
Tomorrow the Honda Gresini riders will be back on track for
an important day of tests ahead of the Grand Prix of Spain,
which takes place on the 25th March.
MARCO MELANDRI (5th) : "I knew I had
a good race pace and I was actually hopeful of a better result
than this. I got a good start and that allowed me to make
up positions from the first lap. I tried to hang on to fourth
place because I felt confident but we were losing time in
the straight and I had to brake really late to make up time.
That put a lot of stress on the front tyre and that forced
me to slow down. In the second half of the race when the fuel
load started to lighten the bike was more balanced and I was
able to push again. The race was tough and the pace was really
high. We still have a lot of work to do - the bike is new
and we need to develop it."
TONI ELIAS (14th): "I'm disappointed
with this result because I was expecting something much better.
We worked well and I got a good start but lap after lap I
started to suffer. We need more consistency and have to work
hard to find a good setting over race distance."
THE RACE
Stoner (Marlboro Ducati)
Rossi (Fiat Yamaha)
Pedrosa (Repsol Honda)
Hopkins (Rizla Suzuki)
Melandri (Honda Gresini)
14. Elias (Honda Gresini)
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