DETERMINED KAWASAKI FOCUS ON ESTORIL
This weekend sees the return of the MotoGP series to Portugal
for the 14th round of the world championship, at Estoril.
The Kawasaki squad, represented by Randy de Puniet and Anthony
West, will be there to persevere in their mission to gain
points and continue the relentless development of the Ninja
ZX-RR which, already, has made it very much a machine to beat.
Both riders stayed at Misano for a day's testing after the
last round two weeks ago, evaluating some new components and
perfecting the set up of their bikes.
De Puniet will be determined to perform at the highest level
after his crash at San Marino. After putting in some increasingly
powerful performances this season, including a superb top
five finish at Catalunya in June, the 26-year-old, who lives
in Andorra, is unwavering in his pursuit of a podium place
in this, his second season at premier class level.
History shows the Frenchman has a strong record at the 4.182km
circuit: he managed no less than four top ten finishes here
in his 250cc days, including three thirds, and managed 10th
spot last year on the erstwhile 990cc ZX-RR. With his increasing
mastery of the new 800cc machinery and ample confidence in
the Bridgestone tyres used by the squad, de Puniet will be
fast, agile and unyielding as he fights for a good outcome
this weekend.
West, meanwhile, is steadily coming to grips with the advanced
bike and tyre technology of MotoGP and is proving a strong
team member and reliable, fast and consistent rider, gradually
learning his way around the 200+bhp Ninja.
The 26-year-old Australian has managed to score points in
every race he's run for the team, having joined Kawasaki in
June. Last time out, at Misano, he grabbed another fine placement,
crossing the line in 8th position and, like de Puniet, arrives
at Estoril with a number of previous top ten results at the
circuit from when he competed in the 250cc class. He will
be out to maintain the positive momentum of his achievements
so far, which have impressed both team and fans alike, ultimately
aiming for a personal best, which will mean beating the remarkable
seventh he scored at Laguna Seca in July.
Sited near the Atlantic coast and close to the Portuguese
capital, Lisbon, Estoril is a circuit of long corners (including
the famous Parabolica), a tricky chicane towards its northern
parameters, bumpy sections and a long start/finish straight,
which demands plenty of top end power as the bikes stretch
their legs past the paddock.
Given its proximity to the bike-mad racing fans of Spain,
the Estoril round of the championship always proves a popular
one. Furthermore, with the possibility of the title being
claimed this weekend by Casey Stoner, there's likely to be
even more interest in Sunday's 28 lap race than usual. Either
way, it's a complicated and varied circuit which makes for
a major challenge to all the riders and, therefore, a great
spectacle for those who will be watching.
Randy de Puniet
Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #14
"We stayed at Misano to test, which was very constructive.
I was trying out a new swingarm, and immediately got a good
feeling from it, so hope to use it in Portugal. Estoril's
a very technical circuit. There's a long straight, which should
be good for the ZX-RR, and another back straight, but the
rest is really slow, especially the chicane at turns nine
and ten. I think we're going to do really well there with
the 800cc bike. We can certainly be at the top."
Anthony West
Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #13
"At the test after the Misano race, we made some changes
to the set up which immediately made me quicker and helped
with the chatter problems I've been having, which means I
should be able to run faster in Portugal. I like the track
at Estoril, although it's quite complex. It will be better
than Misano for seeing what the revised engine's capable of,
especially down the long start/finish straight, but the slow,
tight sections will keep us on our toes as well!"
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