Grand Prix of Valencia
Valencia, Spain
Saturday 5th November 2005

YAMAHA FACTORY RACING FACE SUNDAY CHALLENGE AT VALENCIA

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Valentino Rossi faces an uphill battle in the final
round of the 2005 MotoGP World Championship tomorrow after qualifying fifteenth
fastest at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. Rossi slid from his YZR-M1
machine just over eleven minutes from the end of this afternoon's qualifying
session and, despite returning to the track on his second machine, he lost
several positions in the final push for times. The Italian will start from the
fifth row of the grid as he aims to score his twelfth victory of the season and
repeat the success he has enjoyed at this circuit for the past two years.

Rossi's Yamaha Factory team-mate Colin Edwards benefited from a more productive
afternoon, making major progress with his new riding style and knocking almost
two seconds off his best practice time from yesterday. For the second successive
race the American will start from the second row of the grid in sixth place as
he aims to improve his championship position with a good finish tomorrow. Pole
position went to Sete Gibernau (Honda) in a new record time of 1'31.874 and the
Spaniard is joined on the front row by Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden (both
Honda), who will fight for the runner-up spot behind Rossi in the championship
in tomorrow's race.

COLIN EDWARDS (6th - 1'32.456; 29 laps)

"I'm halfway happy with the result. We had a few problems early in the session
but we worked things out and I was able to set a decent time on a qualifying
tyre. The second row isn't terrible but we have work to do to find a better race
pace. We made more progress with the new riding style but in reality I need 100
laps to perfect it, so I can't wait for winter testing! It takes me five or six
laps to get going and we just need to get it ingrained in my system. The team
has worked hard today and Michelin has given us some good options for tomorrow -
I am determined to finish the season on a high. The stadium style atmosphere
here is always fantastic so I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

VALENTINO ROSSI (15th - 1'33.503; 27 laps)

"When I crashed I was pushing hard with the qualifying tyre and honestly I felt
confident that I could do a good time.  I was maybe a little too aggressive and
when I touched the brake I just lost the front and went down. I was going fast
and I have some small bruises on my elbow and on my leg, but I will be fine
tomorrow for the race. I was lucky. The grid position is not so good, my worst
for a very long time! The situation on the track is actually not so bad; the
rhythm is okay, although we do have some problems and for sure I am slower than
some of the other riders. The main problem is that it's hard to overtake at this
circuit. A lot will depend on how many riders I can pass at the start and in the
first lap. Anyway, we will try to make some progress tomorrow morning and see
what happens in the race. My target is to be in the top five, any higher is
maybe too difficult, but it's going to be a good battle!"

DAVIDE BRIVIO -YAMAHA FACTORY RACING TEAM DIRECTOR

"We are in a strange situation. Colin is on the second row but his race pace is
not as good as we would like, whilst Valentino is on the fifth row with a better
race pace than his team-mate. We need to combine the two! Valentino's starting
position is going to make it very difficult for him and it will not be his
easiest race, but that is the reality of the situation and we have to deal with
it. Luckily we have already won everything but we still want to have a good last
race. It's going to be tough but we'll work hard in the morning and see what the
race brings."

FRONT ROW:

 1. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Movistar Honda MotoGP,   1'31.874
 2. Marco Melandri (ITA) Movistar Honda MotoGP,  1'32.111
 3. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team,        1'32.217

SECOND ROW:

 4. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team ,    1'32.374
 5. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda Team,          1'32.384
 6. COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team,   1'32.456

THIRD ROW:

 7. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team,  1'32.482
 8. Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda,               1'32.518
 9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team,    1'32.663

15. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team, 1'33.503