Grand Prix of Germany Qualifying - Rossi
Ambient temperature: 20 degrees
Track temperature: 27 degrees
Humidity: 48%
ROSSI FINDS IMPROVED RACE PACE AHEAD OF GERMAN GRAND
PRIX
Valentino Rossi made significant strides with the set-up
of his Fiat Yamaha M1 at the Sachsenring this afternoon, finding
an improved race pace around the twisty German track. The
Italian will need all the help he can get tomorrow however
as he was only able to qualify seventh for the race, at the
head of the third row.
After a problematical afternoon yesterday, the team’s
difficulties were compounded this morning when heavy rain
left the track wet and rendered the majority of the first
session useless. Luckily the afternoon was dry, if significantly
cooler than yesterday, and Rossi and his team were able to
find a good balance between their bike and their Bridgestone
race tyres to set a string of consistent laps. He was disappointed
after this not to qualify better and starting from the third
row will complicate issues for him tomorrow as this track
is notoriously tricky to pass at, although he defied this
in 2006 when winning from 11th.
Jorge Lorenzo will start two places in front of his team-mate
in fifth for tomorrow’s 30-lap race, when Rossi will
set a new record for consecutive Grand Prix starts with his
202nd successive appearance since his first race in 1996.
Valentino Rossi
Position: 7th Time: 1'21.845 Laps: 31
“Today things didn’t go how we hoped with the
qualifying tyres! We had four as usual and, with the best
one, unfortunately I found Jorge on the last corner. He was
slowing down to enter the pits and he didn’t see me,
this was just unlucky because I think that lap could have
been good enough for the second row. Then with my last tyre
my lap looked like it would be good enough for the front row
but I had some problems with grip on the last two corners
and I lost about half a second, so finally we are on the third
row! I know I have passed many riders before here but everyone
is so close now that I know it will be very hard and so it’s
going to be very important that I get a good start. Luckily
after the problems of yesterday and this morning we have found
a good setting and a good Bridgestone tyre, and this afternoon
we were as fast as Pedrosa so I think if I can manage not
to lose too many places in the first few laps, then I can
fight for the podium. This is my target for tomorrow.”
Davide Brivio
Team Manager
“This afternoon we improved a lot and this qualifying
position is disappointing because we had a much better potential
and the latest modifications that the team and engineers made
worked very well. It seems that we have the pace to race and
therefore it’s just a pity that we are on the third
row; we just couldn’t put everything together on the
same lap today. We will continue in the morning to make some
final adjustments and then hopefully Valentino can get a good
start and try to fight his way forward and stay with the leaders.”
Qualifying Times
FRONT ROW
1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro 1'21.067
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda 1'21.420
3. Colin Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'21.519
SECOND ROW
4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) JiR Team Scot MotoGP 1'21.656
5. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1'21.795
6. Randy De Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP 1'21.821
THIRD ROW
7. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1'21.845
8. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 1'21.876
9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1'21.920
FOURTH ROW
10. Alex De Angelis (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1'21.977
11. James Toseland (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'22.126
12. Toni Elias (SPA) Alice Team 1'22.256
FIFTH ROW
13. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'22.542
14. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki 1'22.601
15. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Alice Team 1'22.938
SIXTH ROW
16. Marco Melandri (ITA) Ducati Marlboro 1'23.131
17. Anthony West (AUS) Kawasaki Racing 1'23.158
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