YRC News
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MotoGP : Weather interrupts race preparations at Sepang
Round: 13 - Malaysian MotoGP
Circuit: Sepang
Date: 23 September 2005
Temp: 30ēC
Weather: Changeable
High temperatures, intense humidity and an inopportune spell of afternoon rain
gave an ominous sign of things to come at the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix as
Gauloises Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards prepared
themselves for a weekend of unpredictable weather at Sepang. The day started
brightly for the pair as they reacquainted themselves with their principal test
venue and built on the settings they had found here during extensive winter
development of the YZR-M1 machines.
However, the ceiling of grey clouds hanging over the ultra-modern circuit grew
darker over lunch and eventually broke just moments before the afternoon
session, interrupting the team's programme and covering the track surface with a
greasy film that made life even more difficult for the riders.
Rossi ended the day in fourth place after lapping just over two tenths of a
second outside the circuit record time of 2'03.253, which he set on the way to
victory in last season's race. Edwards was fifth fastest in the afternoon but
conceded four places on the combined time sheets, with both riders hoping that a
day of dry weather tomorrow will provide a more realistic reflection of their
chances in Sunday's race. Sete Gibernau (Honda) ended the day on top of the time
sheets after clocking a best time of 2'03.299.
Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team), 4th - 2'03.485
"The conditions today were quite bad. Already in the morning the track was quite
dirty, with some sand in places, and the grip was not good. Then in the
afternoon it rained so it definitely was not a good day for the weather. Anyway
we were able to test the bike in all conditions and understand a few problems.
The dry setting is not bad but it could be a lot better and I am definitely not
riding as I would like to. In Japan we had problems with the rear of the bike
under braking and here it is similar but not exactly the same. I'm finding it
hard to control the bike through the corner but we have gathered enough data to
make some changes for tomorrow. Hopefully the conditions will be a lot better."
Colin Edwards (Gauloises Yamaha Team), 9th - 2'04.054
"The morning session was an absolute disaster for the first ten or fifteen
minutes and the rear tyre really wasn't working well. Michelin helped us out
with a better tyre, we made a few changes to the bike and by the end of the
session it actually felt good. The afternoon was about keeping a level head and
cha ecking how the bike worked in the damp conditions. If it rains like that
before the race starts then we're all in trouble because you'd have to change
tyres every five laps. As it dried out more towards the end I was able to put a
softer cut slick in, which really helped, but in those conditions it's always a
question of who is prepared to take the most risks. It would be fabulous to have
some dry time tomorrow so we can work on the bike and recover the time we lost
because of the weather and the tyre issue today."
Davide Brivio - Gauloises Yamaha Team Director
"The conditions were very strange in the afternoon - not completely wet for the
first half and not completely dry for the second! It was interesting to check
how the bike worked when the track was actually wet for a few laps and gather a
little information but other than that there is not much we can say, we can only
hope that the weather doesn't stay like this until Sunday. Whatever happens it
looks like it is going to be an interesting weekend and I'm looking forward to
seeing what tomorrow brings."
Toni Elias (Fortuna Yamaha Team), 13th - 2'04.576
"We had a good session the afternoon although it was difficult to choose the
right tyre as the track was still a bit damp. Also, it's not easy riding in
these temperatures as the heat is very intense. The important thing is that we
were able to get some work done despite the rain, but tomorrow I hope we get dry
conditions which is what everyone wants."
Ruben Xaus (Fortuna Yamaha Team), 17th - 2'06.919
"We still have another day so I didn't want to risk too much today as it was
difficult to tell whether the track was dry or damp. At least we were able to
work on the rain set-up as the predictions are that it could rain during the
race on Sunday."
Round: 13 - Malaysian MotoGP
Circuit: Sepang
Circuit Length: 5548m
Lap Record: 2' 3.253 (Valentino Rossi, 2004)
Fastest Lap Ever: 2' 1.833 (Valentino Rossi, 2004)
Date: 23 September 2005
Temp: 30ēC
Free Practice :
Pos.Rider Manufacturer Nat. Free Practice
1 S. Gibernau Honda ESP 2' 3.299
2 K. Roberts Suzuki USA 2' 3.435
3 L. Capirossi Ducati ITA 2' 3.477
4 V. Rossi Yamaha ITA 2' 3.485
5 A. Barros Honda BRA 2' 3.624
6 C. Checa Ducati ESP 2' 3.788
7 J. Hopkins Suzuki USA 2' 3.846
8 M. Tamada Honda JPN 2' 3.951
9 C. Edwards Yamaha USA 2' 4.054
10 M. Biaggi Honda ITA 2' 4.098
11 N. Hayden Honda USA 2' 4.220
12 S. Nakano Kawasaki JPN 2' 4.560
13 T. Elias Yamaha ESP 2' 4.576
14 M. Melandri Honda ITA 2' 4.600
15 R. Rolfo Ducati ITA 2' 6.268
16 O. Jacque Kawasaki FRA 2' 6.335
17 R. Xaus Yamaha ESP 2' 6.919
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