MotoGP curtain to fall with Spanish fiesta at Gran Premio betandwin.com
de la Comunitat Valenciana

The MotoGP season reaches a fitting climax in the frenzied atmosphere of the
Gran Premio betandwin.com de la Comunitat Valenciana at the Ricardo Tormo
circuit in Spain on Sunday. A weekend crowd of over 200,000 will pack the
grandstands around the track on the outskirts of Valencia to witness the
continuing battle between World Champion Valentino Rossi and the pretenders to
his crown, Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden.

Rossi has won for the last two years in Valencia on both Honda and Yamaha
machinery and he seeks a hat-trick of victories to equal Mick Doohan's all-time
record of twelve wins in a season. The Italian knows it will not be easy with
Melandri, who won the 2002 250cc race in Valencia, thirsting for a repeat of his
historic first MotoGP win in Turkey at the last round. Melandri's win has given
him an eight-point lead over Hayden in their battle for second place in the
championship after the American finished third at Istanbul.

Mathematically Colin Edwards could finish second but Rossi's Yamaha team-mate
would have to win his first MotoGP race to have any chance. Max Biaggi, who
holds the lap record at Valencia, looks likely to end a disappointing season in
fifth place, thirteen points in front of an equally dejected Sete Gibernau. The
Spaniard has yet to win this season and he will be aiming to repeat his
emotional debut victory of four years ago before a likely move to Ducati at the
end of the season.

Loris Capirossi makes a welcome return to the Italian factory team after missing
the last two races because of injury. Capirossi was given the all clear after a
scan on his damaged lung on Saturday and will be hoping to hit the form that
brought him victories in both Japan and Malaysia two months ago. His team-mate
Carlos Checa makes his last appearance for the Ducati team and will seeking to
end on a high note after an impressive finish to the season.

Dani Pedrosa bows out of the 250cc World Championship after dominating the
series for the last two years. Pedrosa, who took victory at Valencia last
season, joins MotoGP next year with Repsol Honda and he will want to celebrate
his 2005 title in front of his home crowd with a repeat success on Sunday. Casey
Stoner could well spoil the party after winning three of the last four races.
The Australian is in tremendous form and could also be heading for a MotoGP
ride, whilst Randy De Puniet also makes his final 250cc appearance after signing
a contract with Kawasaki to move up to the premier class next year.

Thomas Luthi is on the verge of capturing the 125cc World Championship in the
final round. The Swiss teenager holds a 23-point lead over Mika Kallio and only
has to finish thirteenth to ensure his first title even if the Finnish rider
wins the race. For Kallio to win the championship he must take victory and hope
Luthi scores no more than two points.

INFO 2005/169. 1-11-2005
DORNA COMMUNICATIONS