CHAMPIONSHIP ENDS AT VALENCIA
The 2007 MotoGP World Championship drew to a close at Valencia
today after eight months and 18 punishing rounds and, for
the Kawasaki Racing Team, it proved to be a tough race.
Randy de Puniet got off to a bad start from a promising fourth
on the grid, losing five places by the end of the first lap,
but was soon fighting back as the field tore around the Ricardo
Tormo circuit in front of an enormous crowd. The 26-year-old
Frenchman was back up to seventh by the start of lap nine,
having overtaken Makoto Tamada and Alex Barros during a blaze
of personal best laps.
He then closed in on Loris Capirossi, and passed the Italian
who immediately moved back in front on lap 12. De Puniet held
his position until problems with his tyres started to make
maintaining ultimate speed through corners too difficult and
he subsequently lost out to Chris Vermeulen, then Barros.
As his last race for Kawasaki, and after a weekend full of
promise, it wasn't the end he was hoping for. However, he
finishes the season with 108 points under his belt (very considerably
more than the 37 he scored in his 2006 rookie season), a podium
finish at Motegi and a very proud crew.
Team mate, Anthony West, had a tougher battle from 16th on
the grid. Having struggled all weekend to find his form at
the 4km track, he made it up to 14th in the early stages but
soon felt unable to keep with the pack.
The 26-year-old Australian, who has been competing in MotoGP
for only five months, now relishes the challenge of the forthcoming
winter testing schedule, optimistic, as are his crew, that
he will be able to further grasp the workings of his 800cc
Ninja ZX-RR and come back next year a stronger, more consistent
premier class contender.
Kawasaki did head the tables in one significant area at Valencia
today: de Puniet and West recorded the two fastest speeds
of the race at 298.8kmh and 297.8kmh respectively. Just one
pointer that Kawasaki, and the Ninja, are moving towards an
ever stronger season next year.
Randy de Puniet
Position 9th
"I'm disappointed because I used a harder rear tyre,
thinking that after ten or 15 laps it would prove a good choice,
but I got the opposite performance. It dropped down a lot
on the left hand side and the rear was locking at every corner.
When I opened the throttle, I didn't find enough grip. It's
a big shame because I never felt any of that during the practice
sessions. It was a tough race and hard work but I rode as
hard as I could to finish with as good a result as possible."
Anthony West
Position 16th
"The race, for me, was terrible and very long. But the
good thing is I realised what my problem's been all weekend
and I've been chasing the wrong issues. I thought it was all
about the rear grip but actually I've just been lacking confidence
in pushing the front. Now I realise that's what I should have
been working on all weekend. Thirty laps around here taught
me that! I'm glad winter testing's coming up and this result
is going to make me more determined to do everything I can
for next season. I'm going to spend the next few months training
and trying to get this bike working for me so I can get faster
and more consistent at every track."
Michael Bartholemy
Kawasaki Competition Manager
"I believe both our riders gave their best in this race,
in the circumstances. Randy had a bad start but was making
some excellent lap times, on a par with the riders in front
of him. Anthony has not had a good weekend and we need to
work with him to iron out the difficulties he's had. We now
have two days testing here so he can come back to Valencia
more confident next year but basically, I'm happy to finish
the season as we have. I think we will come back in 2008 ready
and stronger. It's been an amazing year for Kawasaki in MotoGP
and we've moved forward so much. I want to thank everybody
involved in making that happen. I'd also like to say that
we've had a great two years with Randy and wish him very well
for his future."
1. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1'31.517; 2. Casey
Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.086; 3. Nicky Hayden
(USA) Repsol Honda Team +0.386; 4. Randy De Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki
Racing Team +0.446; 5. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Tech 3 Yamaha
+0.557; 6. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Tech 3 Yamaha +0.634; 7. John
Hopkins (USA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP +0.648; 8. Loris Capirossi
(ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.744; 9. Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda
LCR +0.756; 10. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda Gresini +0.850;
16. Anthony West (AUS) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.714
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