German Grand Prix
Sachsenring, Germany
Friday 29th July 2005

GAULOISES YAMAHA RIDERS IN A SPIN AT TWISTY SACHSENRING

Gauloises Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards both struggled to get
comfortable at the Sachsenring circuit as the first free practice sessions for
the German Grand Prix took place today. Rossi fell for only the second time this
season in the morning session, losing front grip in the downhill, left-hand
corner at turn two, but escaped without injury. Despite returning to the track
with an improved time in the afternoon the Italian could only manage the
thirteenth fastest lap on the day's combined time sheets, as he struggled to
find front and rear grip for his Yamaha YZR-M1 machine. 

Edwards got off to a better start than his Gauloises Yamaha team-mate, setting
the third fastest time of the morning session, before suffering similar
difficulties in the afternoon. The American found it hard to make progress as he
tried to tame the track's notoriously twisty turns and was unable to improve his
lap times from the morning to the afternoon, dropping to ninth on the overnight
time sheets. Alex Barros (Honda) set the fastest time of the day with a lap of
1'23.808, despite crashing twice in the space of just fifteen minutes in the
second session.

COLIN EDWARDS (9th - 1'24.320; 55 laps)

"We tried a few different things in the afternoon but we've basically been
having the same problem all day; we just can't get the bike to stop being so
nervous. We need to start driving forward instead of wiggling around and it
looks like it's going to take a lot of work. It doesn't seem to be a simple
set-up issue - I've spoken to Valentino and he is having the same problems, so
to me it seems the bike doesn't like this track in general. The Yamaha turns so
well that the tight sections in the first two splits are great, but once the
track opens out in the second half it just gets very bumpy on the exit of the
corners and the bike starts dancing around. From there it's a case of trying to
hold on and ride smoother, but then that feels too slow. I'm not going to lie;
it's a handful, but we're working on it."

VALENTINO ROSSI (13th - 1'24.508; 52 laps)

"It was a very difficult day. It started from the morning when I fell off the
bike and after that we worked a lot to try and improve the feeling, but at the
end of the day it wasn't any better. We started with the setting from Donington
but we had a problem with the front. Also it is really hard to find the right
tyre because there is so much time spent on the left side and it gets so hot,
which means you slide a lot. I can't ride the bike at 100% and Colin has some
problems too. I am a little bit worried because I am in thirteenth place, but I
am sure that tomorrow we can work really hard and find a good way forward. This
really is a bad track for me - I don't like it. It is different to the other
tracks and we need to work hard to get the right set-up."

DAVIDE BRIVIO - GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR

"It was a difficult day and we have to find some ideas to improve the setting.
Both riders are having the same problems - we will find out more from them later
but it is clear we need to adjust some things. We have had difficulties on
Fridays in the past but the team always found a way to solve the problems, so I
am confident they can do the same here. Valentino's crash this morning was his
first real one of the season and the guys worked really well through lunchtime
to fix the bike, so a big 'thank you' to them. There is a lot more work ahead of
them tonight but I am hopeful we can get out of this."

COMBINED FREE PRACTICE TIMES:

 1. Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda                1'23.808
 2. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Movistar Honda MotoGP    1'23.915
 3. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team         1'23.995
 4. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team      1'24.054
 5. Shinya Nakano (JAP) Kawasaki Racing Team     1'24.113
 6. Makoto Tamada (JAP) Konica Minolta Honda     1'24.130
 7. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda Team           1'24.248
 8. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Camel Honda               1'24.258
 9. COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team    1'24.320
10. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP       1'24.382

13. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team  1'24.508