FINAL TEST ENDS AHEAD OF GRAND OPENING
The second and final evening of testing concluded in Doha,
Qatar, last night. After spending the first part of the test
putting together impressive race times, both Team San Carlo
Honda Gresini riders used the final few hours to improve the
set-up of their machines in race trim, reacting to the constant
changes in temperature and humidity. Alex De Angelis and Shinya
Nakano both crashed but escaped without serious consequences.
 Alex
de Angelis (60 laps, 1.56.249): “I’m
happy with the race pace we found in the opening part of this
final test session. The problem is that from 10 o’clock
onwards it starts to get really cold and humid. The track
conditions change a lot and I crashed. Luckily I wasn’t
badly hurt – I’ve got some pain in my right forearm
but generally I’m okay. I’m optimistic for the
race although we’ll have to pay attention over the first
few laps because it takes a while for the tyres to get up
to the right temperature.”
Shinya Nakano (71 laps, 1.56.704): “I’ve
worked a lot on refining my setting for the race. We had a
good base setting until the conditions changed and when I
tried to push a little harder to improve the lap time I crashed
on the humid track. That interrupted the race simulation we
were carrying out and actually made for an early end to the
session. I didn’t pick up any serious injuries and a
few days’ rest will be enough to prepare for the race.”
Fausto Gresini – Team Manager: “I’m
happy with Alex’s lap times in his race simulation –
he went well. On the qualifier he tried to push a bit harder
but the front closed on him and he crashed, which is a shame.
In general we have managed to find a good pace on race tyres
but we know that we have to improve on qualifiers. We have
arranged a technical meeting to discuss the set-up we will
need for next weekend but we are confident. Alex has done
a good job whilst Shinya had a few more problems and has room
for improvement. It’s a shame about the two crashes
because we didn’t need them.”
Final lap times
1. Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha) – 1.54.552 (29/58)
2. James Toseland (Yamaha Tech3) – 1.54.592 (34/47)
3. Randy De Puniet (Honda LCR) – 1.54.973 (69/72)
4. Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech3) – 1.55.464 (36/48)
5. Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro) – 1.55.485 (28/28)
6. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda JiR Scot) – 1.55.550 (20/53)
7. Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda) – 1.55.674 (41/77)
8. Chris Vermeulen (Rizla Suzuki) – 1.56.119 (59/59)
9. Alex De Angelis (Honda San Carlo) – 1.56.249 (45/60)
10. Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) – 1.56.256 (26/68)
11. Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) – 1.56.450 (30/48)
12. John Hopkins (Kawasaki Monster) – 1.56.612 (27/38)
13. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) – 1.56.704 (38/58)
14. Shinya Nakano (Honda San Carlo) – 1.56.792 (50/71)
15. Marco Melandri (Ducati Marlboro) – 1.56.902 (35/55)
16. Toni Elias (Alice Ducati) – 1.56.986 (42/50)
17. Sylvain Guintoli (Alice Ducati) – 1.57.055 (24/45)
18. Anthony West (Kawasaki Monster) – 1.57.459 (30/44)
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