LANZI FORCED TO GIVE UP RACING, TOUR DE FORCE FOR NANNELLI AT MONZA
WITH THREE STARTS

(Monza 2005, May 6)

Finally some smiling face at Scuderia SC Caracchi after a definitely unlucky
long period. Lorenzo Lanzi, despite the surgery operation to reduce the left
collarbone fracture suffered at Valencia, has been declared unfit to race on the
very fast, hystorical, Monza circuit and his Ducatis 999RS have been assigned to
Gianluca Nannelli, which will be forced at an heavy job on Sunday, with three
racing starts during a three hours and half time. To respect the time limit
allowed in a practice day for every rider the Race Direction reduced to the
Tuscan rider the time available for free practice sessions, shorting it at a two
sessions of 30 minutes each. In such conditions very precious have been the test
days made at the beginning of the week by Gianluca for Ducati Corse, because
Nannelli held soon a fast pace and give to his engineers correct information to
find soon a good set up, cancelling so the shorter practice time handicap. The
fourth fastest recorded today, fastest between twin bikes group, it's the
logical consequence of a good group job, held also sparing the best of the time
tyres looking at tomorrow's afternoon Superpole session.

Nannelli scored a good result in Supersport too, recording the fifth fastest
just 0,001 seconds behind the fourth position; a crucial moment has been when,
at the end of the session, the presence of oil on the track at the Parabolica
corner dampened the enthusiasm of all which, like Gianluca, was waiting the
final minutes to wear soft tyres and try to improve their fastest laptime.

"It has been a strange day, but at the end I'm quite satisfied." - commented at
the end of the practice day Gianluca Nannelli. "When the Supersport free
practice session started this morning I had subit the same trouble like in
Australia: the engine stopped suddenly, so i ended the first free session quite
nervous.. Then in Superbike everything was running well, and I recovered my
calme. In the same time Farnéand the guys looked to find the problem on the 749R
and during afternoon session I had any problem. On the 749R we return to
previous set up solutions, giving up  the new setting we tested in Valencia, and
I get soon a good feeling. The bike it's not very very fast, that's strange
because the top speed has been always his best quality, but I'm confident too;
to go to the bottom of today's result I failed a provisional front row just for
0,001 seconds, but when I get softer tyres the track was dirty and I managed to
avoid any risk. On the 999RS everything has been fantastic. Looking at the end
of the practice all team guys, as well Ducati Corse's people, happy around me
for my result it has been unbelievable. I'm really unhappy that Lorenzo couldn't
be fit to race today, I'm sure that he could got a very good result too. Today
the weather has been warm and fine, forecast for tomorrow say unsteady weather;
I hope that the rain will not spoil the racing day."

Satisfied Fonsi Nieto too. The Spanish rider focused himself today to learn a
track which is all unknown for him, scoring ath the end the 16th fastest. At the
end of qualifying session Fonsi collided with his friend  Cardoso at the first
chicane braking, but any serius damage for both riders in the accident.

"This track is all new for me and the Superbikes are very fast bikes; the
corners are coming in front of you very quick and to find the correct bracking
point is very important. Three times today, once in the morning and twice this
afternoon, I took the decision to cut the chicane at the end of the finish line
because I failed the braking and I was too quick. The bike looks to perform
well, it's always one of the fastest, as the use of the trails distort any
correct evaluation". - said at the end of the practices Fonsi. "Anyway I feel
quite well and I'm confident to find tomorrow more feeling and finally to
challenge the leaders."