Press releases from the Moto2 and 125 teams after the race at Barcelona:
MAHINDRA WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE
5 June, 2011, Montmelo: Bad luck struck the Indian Mahindra team in today's Catalunyan GP, when both riders were involved in a first-corner traffic incident.
Danny Webb (20, from England) was knocked down and out of the race before even reaching the second corner. Team-mate Marcel Schr?tter (18, from Germany) was radically slowed by the same incident, and spent the rest of the race trying to regain ground. He finished 16th, just one place out of the points.
It was a huge disappointment for the Mahindra team, the only one on the grid to make its own engine and motorcycle, after a weekend that had shown growing strength.
The race started on a drying track but with damp patches after more rain overnight and in the morning. Some other riders chose wet tyres, but both Mahindra riders chose treadless slicks, which turned out to be the right choice as the sun broke through by race end.
Webb had qualified 14th and was confident of a good result. Instead he had a lonely walk back to the pits. Schr?tter was 20th on the grid, but had already made up several places when he was dropped back again, finishing the first lap 21st. He climbed through to 15th, but grip problems meant he had lost one crucial place by the end, missing the last championship point.
But the team could take many positives from the enhanced performance and reliability of the new engine, in its fifth race. With the next race in just one week, at Silverstone in England, hopes remain high and confidence continues to grow.
MARCEL SCHR?TTER ? 16th Position
I got a good start and I was behind Danny into the first corner. Then he crashed and I had to close the throttle. Five or six people passed me right then. There were some damp patches so I was riding carefully, but then I found a good rhythm and came through to 15th. In the second part of the race my rear tyre was sliding ? we had soft suspension settings for wet conditions. It was difficult to keep the line, and though I could see the group ahead, I just couldn't catch up. No points, but still a good finish.
DANNY WEBB - DNF
In the first corner, someone in front of me slowed right down and I had to close the throttle ... then I got hit from behind. I can't say I'm not angry. We were on for a good result, but once again we had bad luck. I must have done something really bad in a previous life. I'm really sorry for the team, because they worked really hard and well this weekend. We deserve better, and I am sure we will get it.
Xavier Sim?on receives first championship points at the Gran Premio de Catalunya
Xavier Sim?on finished the Gran Premio Aperol de Catalunya in 14th position today and earned his first two well-deserved points in his first full Moto2 campaign.
After leading the group most of the session in Warm up this morning, which he finished second at the end he could build up on his confidence and ride a solid race afterwards.
The 22-year-old Rookie had a non-outstanding start, but was stable throughout the whole race and able to catch up the positions from his 31st starting spot to finish in 14th.
Sim?on is currently 28th in the Moto2 championship 2011.
Xavi?r Sim?on, 14th - 2 points:
"I am happy. Okay, we had some crashes in front, but that is racing. I had a normal start, nothing really special, but I was impressed as I could overtake so many riders. After the first lap I was already 21st. My rhythm was good, but at the end my tyre started to slide a lot and it was difficult to stay with the group. If I could have kept my pace I would have been able to be with the group of Bradley that was fighting for 5th but I could not get these three tenths. I am happy to get my first points of the year though. I think it was a good race. If I can qualify better in the future, I am sure I can also get a better position at the end."
Herv? Poncharal, Team Manager:
"We were really happy to see him on top of the time sheets this morning. He ended up second in warm up and I think that was something that gave his moral a boost. In the race he has not done anything spectacular, but he has ridden a solid race and we can see his improvements race after race. Scoring points in Moto2 is not easy and that is what he has done. I want to congratulate him for that. Carry on like you are doing now and I am sure the results will be coming."
Moderate race ends in crash
The Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya didn't end up well for RW Racing GP. After a good start RW Racing GP rider Luis Salom dropped out of the top 10 but was able to fight back to a nineth position. With only a few laps to go, the Spaniard unfortunately crashed out and scored no points this weekend.
The race started on a wet track but most riders opted for slick tires. The lap times were not fast in the beginning and it was very slippery at the start of the race. As the race progressed the track dried gradually and the best choice were slick tires for this conditions.
Luis Salom had a good start and climbed from eighth to a sixth place in the first lap. After a few laps the Spaniard dropped back and halfway through the race Salom came even outside the top 10. The lap times were getting faster as the track dried. For Salom it took a while before he found his rhythm but managed to improve his lap times every lap and was able to reconnect with the group that fought for the ninth position. At the moment the Spaniard took over this position from his compatriot Adrian Martin he crashed out and didn't score any points.
Luis Salom (DNF):
"Today wasn't a good day for me. I had a good start but was too cautious in the beginning. I dropped back further and further and even I dropped out of the top 10. A top 10 position is surely the least I wanted in my home Grand Prix and I took more risks. That turned out well and came right back in the group who fought for the ninth spot. I could lead the group but than I tucked the front and crashed. Fortunately I'm not injuried but I'm very disappointed. Next week will be next race on the Silverstone track and for sure I want to fight aga! in for a top 10 position."
CATALUNYA GRAND PRIX: DIFFICULT DAY FOR SPEED MASTER TEAM
The fifth race of the 2011 Moto2 World Championship was held today, at the circuit of Montmel?.
In the warm up, which was held on wet track, Andrea Iannone, Speed Master rider, set the best lap time of the session. As the sky cleared up, most of the layout dried up, and the riders from the Moto2 class took part in the race on slick tyres. Starting from the twenty-second spot on the grid, Andrea's comeback got complicated after a straight into the gravel, and he rejoined the group in thirty-fourth position. Andrea, however, didn't give in and he overtook many rivals, crossing the finishing line in fifteenth position and getting one point.
Iannone still holds the third position in the Championship Classification, with 49 points. The MotoGP circus will fly to Silverstone, in England, for the next weekend, where the team will do his best to achieve a good result.
Andrea Iannone, #29 ? race: 15th
"I'm really sorry for all the fans and everyone who believes in me. As usual, our goal was to achieve a good result. The position on the grid didn't really help us and the straight into the gravel made the whole situation harder. I tried my best and I did all I could, but things are complicated in this moment. I only hope that everything will get sorted out soon, so I can have fun once again and fight with the fast riders on the track."
Recovery and second position for Marc M?rquez in Catalunya
The Repsol rider gets to the second step of the podium for the first time in World Championship career after climbing back from tenth position
Marc M?rquez finished second the Catalunya Grand Prix in a very tough race where he was able to be patient and keep an upward progression. After a bad start, Emilio Alzamora's pupil was in eleventh position, a place from which he started a flawless second half of the race, steadily climbing his way back until reaching the second step of the rostrum.
M?rquez's start of the race was once again mediocre. From his fifth starting position the Repsol rider fell to tenth in the first laps of this Grand Prix. However, the rider from Cervera was able to be calm in the first half of the race, and despite some lack of confidence in the tyres, he climbed back progressively.
Lap after lap, M?rquez felt more secure and by half race he became one of the fastest riders on the Catalunya Circuit tarmac. Nine laps from the end, he was able to contact with the top group and in two laps he jumped from sixth to second place. M?rquez overtook two rivals nearly in a row at the end of the straight and the first chicane and, riding fourth, he was benefited by the incident involving Juli?n Sim?n and the Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu.
From that moment on, and with a disadvantage of more than two seconds, M?rquez decided not to push and apply the lesson he learnt in the first three races. The Repsol rider settled for the second place, the first he achieves in his World Championship career, and adds another 20 points that send him to the seventh place in the overall classification of the Motorcycling World Championship.
Marc M?rquez
2nd at 4.141 sec.
"We are very happy with this second position. I think it is the maximum we could ask for this weekend, as we did not start it very well and we had some problems getting the right set-up because we lost 45 minutes by my mistake.
This second place at home is very important, as I was able to be calm in the first laps, where I was not very comfortable, and improved steadily. This result strengthens us for Silverstone. The crashes penalized me in a way because I was climbing up and they made me lose a bit of pace. When Luthi and Takahashi touched I had to go wide and when Sim?n and Sofuoglu fell, whether you want it or not, an accident just in front of you makes you lose some tenths.
In the end I saw Bradl was a bit far and I preferred to preserve my position. I remember too well the first three crashes and it is better to finish second than on the ground".
No luck for sensational Smith in Catalunya
Tech 3 Racing Team rider Bradley Smith put on an all-action display for a crowd of over 81,000 fans during the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya this afternoon, but bad luck ended his bid for a maiden podium finish in the ultra-competitive Moto2 class.
Smith's 19th position on the result sheet doesn't do justice to a fantastic ride from the impressive British rookie, who set the fastest lap of the 23-lap encounter with a 1.47.762, while also producing an overtaking masterclass.
The 20-year-old lost eight places on the opening lap, but he immediately set about recovering from 14th and was straight into a fast rhythm. By the end of lap four he was already on the fringes of the top ten. But jus t when he was poised to continue his rapid progression through the field, he was lucky not to crash having been caught up in a high speed crash involving Thomas Luthi and 2010 Catalunya Moto2 winner Yuki Takahashi.
Smith's Mistral 610 machine suffered damage to the bodywork and he dropped back to 18th while he battled to adjust a bent clutch lever. The incident barely knocked Smith out of his stride and a series of breathtaking overtakes saw him move into the top six on lap 16. Eighth going into the final lap, Smith was trying to fight his way into contention for a top six when he ran off track having clipped a damp white line in the braking zone for Turn 10. He brilliantly kept control of his Mistral 610 machine to finish 19th, a result which didn't show his true potential. Today's race though proved Smith has the capability to fight at the front when he takes part in his crucial home race at Silverstone next weekend.
The fifth round of the 2011 World Championship was a tough affair for Mike di Meglio. Starting from a lowly 29th on the grid, the Frenchman made a typically aggressive start and was poised to break into the top 20 when he crashed out unhurt on lap six.
Bradley Smith 19th ? 27 points:
"That was a disappointing race obviously, even if I made a lot of overtakes and set the fastest lap of the race, it was not the outcome we wanted. I was on the wet part of the track at the start and then I had a lot of wheelspin, so I lost a few places. I was working my way through the field and then there was the accident with L?thi and Takahashi and my fairing broke and the impact affected the clutch, so I was playing around with the clutch for nearly half a lap to try and get it working again. But I was lucky not to crash and it was a big moment. Then I st arted to catch the group again and had a very good feeling and I was in the battle for fifth. But the clutch started to have a problem at the end of the race. It started with the incident earlier and I think it was just a little bit worn out at the end. I actually ran off because my rear tyre touched the white line and it was still damp from the rain and I was lucky not to crash. I am now really excited to go to Silverstone for my home race. It is another track that is fast and flowing like here, so I think that is definitely going to suit our bike. It is disappointing I didn't get any points at this race, but we can't be negative, there were so many positive things. I'm sure we will be fighting again at the front at Silverstone."
Mike di Meglio DNF ? 7 points:
"It has been very difficult for me this weekend. After the crash this morning my bike had some damage and I l ost oil because of that. I felt immediately that I was losing oil and I lost the front and my race was over. I am really disappointed as another time I had a really difficult weekend and we still are looking for the reasons. I hope we will find a solution for the next race at Silverstone."
Herve Poncharal ? Team Manager:
"Since the beginning of the season we've had a lot of bad luck, but I thought this period was over. Bradley's start was average, but he recovered incredibly well. When I saw him getting fastest lap after fastest lap I thought there was a really good chance of a really good result, maybe even a podium. But he had some bad luck again and that is frustrating, because he was really demonstrating his talent and the potential of the Mistral 610 machine, That he had the fastest lap of the race gives us some confidence that he had the chance to be a potential podium finisher today and we know Bradley's first podium isn't going to be too far away. Mike crashed today, as there was a very small crack in the crankcase that leaked some oil on the tyre and that was the reason for his crash. But he has never been on the pace the whole weekend, so he has to do something about that. The only good point is that Bradley is in a good shape and he is fast and we go to a track where he can be very competitive for the Tech 3 Racing Team."
JUSTICE PREVAILS FOR RACEWINNER NICO TEROL AT MONTMEL?
BANKIA Aspar rider equals Carlo Ubbiali's 1957 record of fourteen consecutive podiums.
Despite heavy overnight rain, Race Direction at Montmel? declared the 125cc race dry for the 11am start. The decision was the correct choice, although the track still presented a tricky surface for the lower cylinder category. That meant some cautious riding, from which Nico Terol and Maverick Vi?ales benefited to break free at the front of the field. There was a larger group fighting for the win than has become customary this season, with Johann Zarco joining in the fight towards the end. Vi?ales dropped off the pace and left a two-rider duel for the win. A hard block by Zarco allowed him to cross the line ahead of Terol, but Race Direction acted quickly to penalise him with a 20 second penalty -giving the win to the BANKIA Aspar rider.
Nico Terol returned to winning ways after getting pipped to the line at Le Mans. He claimed win number four from a possible five this season, earning a fourteenth consecutive podium in the process. He thus equals the record set by Carlo Ubbiali in 1957. Having started from pole, he set the pace in the contest. This win takes his advantage at the topo f the overall standings to 48 points.
H?ctor Faubel had another slice of misfortune in Catalonia, repeating the kina of bad luck that he suffered at Le Mans. Pushing hard in the chasing pack and running in fourth, Faubel was run off track by Jonas Folger at the start of lap fifteen. He eventually finished in seventh place.
Adri?n Mart?n took his second top ten of the season, equaling his best result of the year from Estoril. He and the rest of the team move on to Silverstone for the next round, which takes place next weekend.
1st Nico Terol: "I am very happy with the result. I entered the final corner in a lower gear in order to exit the turn more quickly. I knew that if Zarco pulled alongside me then I would come out on top, because my bike was running better. When I realised that he was by my side, I had been pushed onto the grass. I want to thank Race Direction for acting quickly and to the fans for their support this weekend. I felt powerless once the race had finished, but at the same time I knew that a move like that would not be permitted. The track was wet and thus I tried to keep focused. When Maverick broke away I stuck onto his back wheel rather than risk fighting with him. Once I had passed him, I made some attempts to leave him behind. I gave another push on the last lap, but on T4 Zarco caught back up so it was up to me to cover the gaps. I am very happy to win here, because I had some unfinished business after last year's race."
7th H?ctor Faubel: "I got a good start, but the track was really tough at the beginning of the race. I took things calmly because I didn't want to make any mistake and crash out. My goal was to finish the race as high up the order as possible. I had a battle with Folger and could see that we were matching the pace of the frontrunners, but he ran me off track at the end of the straight and that made me lose positions. It was a pity, but I am nonetheless happy with the bike's performance and the way in which we are fine-tuning things. I hope to continue working in the right way at Silverstone, only with a little more luck there than here today."
9th Adri?n Mart?n: "It was a difficult race -above all on the opening laps. The track was wet and there was always the risk of crashing. After the initial uncertainty I just had to grit my teeth and take some risks. I am happy with the result and felt comfortable riding. I still have the doubt as to what I could have achieved if I had pushed hard from the start, because I had a good pace later on and could have gained more places were I to have latched on to the leading riders. I am satisfied with ninth, but we still have to keep on improving."
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR MARC VDS IN CATALUNYA
The Marc VDS Racing Team ended its search for its first Moto2 World Championship points of 2011 today, as Mika Kallio and Scott Redding finished in eighth and 11th positions respectively at the end of an enthralling Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya.
Kallio produced his best performance of the season in the 23-lap encounter, the Finnish rider battling for the top six right until the final stages of a crash-strewn race that was played out in front of a huge Spanish crowd of over 81,000 fans.
Kallio was engaged in a nail-biting six-rider battle for most of the second half of the race, which was run on a completely dry track after heavy overnight and early morning rain had drenched the challenging Montmelo circuit for the warm-up session. The wet weather though changed grip levels for the race, with Kallio unable to find the same confidence and comfort with a new weight distribution setting that helped him qualify in a season best seventh position.
Despite giving his maximum effort to fight his way further up the field, Kallio settled for eighth place to score eight World Championship points
Scott Redding was also right in contention for a top six finish in the opening half of the race, the British rider surging into the top ten after seven laps as he illustrated his growing confidence with the Marc VDS Racing Suter MMXI machine.
The 18-year-old caught and passed Kallio on lap eight, but a mistake in the braking zone for the first corner dented his hopes of a first top ten of the season. Redding dropped from ninth to 14th on lap 16 but he showed his grit and determination to fight his way back into 11th, finishing just over 0.4s behind Yonny Hernandez in ninth. Today's result gives Redding confidence that he can fight for a top six result in his all-important home round in Silverstone next weekend.
Mika Kallio #36 - 8th Position
"Honestly I expected a little bit more because although I achieved our weekend target of finishing inside the top ten, a few riders crashed out in front of me and this made the result look better. But it is my first points scoring finish and this is a positive and we have found a good direction with the bike now we've put more weight on the rear. We didn't change the bike at all from yesterday but the rain this morning made the grip levels worse. It is the same for everyone, but I didn't have the same good feeling that I'd had on Friday and Saturday. With this set-up I can brake quite late but we sacrifice a bit of turning performance, which means we are a bit slower on the exit. So when I was in the group it was a problem because I kept losing ten metres on the exit and it is difficult to recover. And the guys behind can pass me easily under acceleration. We need to make a small modification to the bike to have better turning that will help us on the exit. Another positive is the gap to the winner was much less, so it proves we are making progress and are ready to fight for the top ten in every race."
Scott Redding #45 - 11th Position
"I would have liked to have been higher up but I'm relieved to have finally scored some points because with zero points from the first four races, I was beginning to worry it was never going to happen. I quickly found a fast pace and it didn't take me long to get into the top ten, so I was feeling pretty confident of even fighting for a top six. But then I got bumped wide in the first corner and that put me off the back of the group. I caught Hernandez and Neukirchner but each time I tried to pass them on brakes I couldn't stop the bike and at the first corner I kept running wide. At times I had to stand on the rear brake to stop running into the back of people. I feel ready for Silverstone now where I'm confident after today that I'm going to fighting closer to the front, hopefully with the support of a massive home crowd who have been amazing to me in the past."
Michael Bartholemy: Team Manager
"Today was mission accomplished because the main goal was for Mika and Scott to score some points and they did. Of course we want to be higher than eighth and 11th but after the first four races where we didn't score any points, we've got to be satisfied and this can give us a platform to build on for the next run of races now we're in a vital stage of the season. Mika proved by fighting in that group for fifth that he can battle with the fastest riders in this class. He could make up time on the entry but always on the exit he lost a bit too much, so we'll need to work in that area to help him fight even more. Scott needed a positive result with Silverstone coming up next week and thankfully he got his first points, which takes the pressure off a little bit. Everybody has to be really happy that we scored points because we've had a lot of pressure with so many questions to answer, but we can erase this from our minds and build on today's result."
SIM?N FRACTURES TIBIA AND FIBULA OF RIGHT LEG IN HEAVY CRASH, FOR?S RETIRES WITH MECHANICAL PROBLEM
MAPFRE Aspar rider en route to Madrid, where he will undergo an operation this evening at the USP San Jos? Hospital
The track for the Moto2 Catalan GP was seemingly less damp than for the early 125cc race, but the asphalt still presented a wealth of problems for the intermediate class riders. The equality in lap times shown during the practice sessions was mirrored on race day, despite Stefan Bradl trying to pull away. The hopes of the home riders looked stronger with every passing lap, with Julian Sim?n, Aleix Espargar? and Mark M?rquez all putting in strong lap times. In the end the German held on, taking victory on a day in which the Montmel? circuit celebrated 20 Grand Prixs.
Juli?n Sim?n could never be accused of lacking courage, something that he showed once more at his home round. The Spaniard had not had an easy weekend in practice sessions for the race, starting eighth on the grid -and with doubts in his head- as a result. Somehow he managed to move up into second place before the end of the opening lap on race day, thanks to a super take-off and sheer force of will. The MAPFRE Aspar rider was looking to be the most likely of the home riders to catch Bradl, until he was dealt a cruel stroke of luck on lap fifteen. Sofuoglu came on far too strongly when entering turn eleven, clipping the back of Sim?n's bike and sending him through the air. The Clinica Mobile diagnosed a fractured tibia and fibula in his right leg. Taken to the Catalonia General Hospital in Sant Cugat del Vall?s by ambulance, Sim?n was given a further verdict by Dr. Carlos Guinot. The doctor expanded upon the damage, confirmed as a "Third degree fracture of the distal tibia, with a 1/3 fracture of the fibula" in scans. The MAPRE Aspar rider will now be taken by medical plane -provided by MAPFRE with maximum urgency- to Madrid, where he will be operated on at the USP San Jos? Hospital by Dr. ?ngel Villamor.
Xavi For?s also had a dose of misfortune at his home race, experiencing a brake problem that obliged him to retire on lap eleven. He had expected better from a weekend in which he had earned his best qualifying result of thirteenth.
Juli?n Sim?n (DNF): "We could have fought for the victory today. I had doubts at the end of the day yesterday, but this morning I felt very comfortable on the bike. The start was almost perfect and gave me a big boost, and when I saw that I could keep up with Bradl I didn't think twice about trying. I was hit from behind suddenly by another rider and that was 'game over' for me. I immediately noticed that something wasn't right with my right leg, which has now been confirmed. Right now I just have to focus on recovering as soon as possible. I wish to thank MAPFRE for their efforts in making it possible for me to be transported to Madrid so quickly."
Xavi For?s (DNF): "I am pretty annoyed, because the weekend was going well and we could have ended it strongly. I didn't get off the line well, but I knew that we had the pace to be up there. I was fighting for eleventh place when I noted a loss off pressure in the front brake. I decided to overtake Cluzel, but when I grabbed the lever it didn't respond. That took me off track and, although I wanted to rejoin the race, it was too dangerous and I was forced to retire."
Thomas L?thi crashes out of Catalunya Grand Prix
Thomas L?thi had aimed at a podium finish at the Catalunya Grand Prix. But after sliding off the wet track in the warm-up practice session on Sunday morning, the 24-year-old Interwetten Paddock Moto2 rider ran into bad luck once again in the race and crashed on the sixth of 23 laps. With a poor start, L?thi had dropped back into the pursuing group of riders and was in ninth position after one lap. He recovered quickly, took seventh place from Yuki Takahashi on lap four and squeezed past Italian Simone Corsi on lap six to hold sixth place for a short while. But when, without any pre-warning, the rear wheel stepped out. L?thi almost managed to save himself from crashing after his highsider, but when Takahashi couldn't avoid his wobbling bike and ran into him, the race was over for both riders.
Tom L?thi ? did not finish
"I had a poor start. The bike made a wheelie and I had to cut the gas, which made me lose a few positions. But then I was riding within the pursuing group of riders quite comfortably. I saw that Stefan Bradl didn't manage to break away and I didn't think of attacking yet. But then the bike went sideways anyway, without any pre-warning. I had a highsider and landed somehow back on the bike. Then Yuki Takahashi touched me and we both went down. But even without him running into me I don't think I would have saved it. I didn't get hurt in the crash, which is good. But now we have to try to solve the small problems that contributed to this crash. I am always running close to the top, in practice as well as in the races, but I have to take man risks to be that fast. We have to think about changes to the bike's geometry to make the bike easier to ride!"
Terrell Thien, Team Manager:
"We are relieved that Tom didn't get hurt in that crash. Apart from a few bruises, everything seems to be okay, which is important also because the next three races will follow in short succession. In these races, we will attack the same we as we did up until now. We just hope to find a little more grip on the rear, then at Silverstone, we can make up for today's mistake!"
Daniel Epp ? PADDOCK Grand Prix Management
"Of course it's a pity that we have another no-finish after the race at Estoril. After his poor start, Tom was in a good position for the rest of the race and he didn't even plan to attack yet. But with Takahashi and Corsi right behind, he still had to open the throttle to keep them under control. In that moment, it was just a bit too much. Luckily, nothing much happened to the riders ? the way the accident looked, the consequences could have been much worse!"
RACE TO FORGET AS TAKAHASHI CRASHES AND PIRRO TWELFTH
The weekend started and finished under a cloud for Team Gresini Moto2, despite the shaft of light provided in the middle by a front row start for Yuki Takahashi. The Japanese rider was unlucky to be tangled up in a crash by Thomas Luthi when lapping in the lead group whilst Michele Pirro struggled to twelfth place due to technical difficulties no doubt caused by a crash in the morning warm up. Hopefully their luck changes next weekend at Silverstone.
Michele Pirro (12?) "I don't have words for today. After the crash this morning the guys performed a miracle to getting me on the grid after changing virtually everything on the bike. Unfortunately something wasn't working properly and we needed a few practice laps on the bike before the race. It's a shame."
Yuki Takahashi (DNF) "Bad luck in a Grand Prix to forget. First of all we had trouble finding the right set-up and then we got wiped out by a crash early in the race. Fortunately I wasn't hurt by the impact other than a blow to my backside. We will fight back next week in England."
Fausto Gresini "It was a race where nothing went well. Yuki's crash, caused by a mistake from Thomas Luthi, was a real shame! Overall this weekend we have worked hard and unfortunately Michele was also unable to take advantage of it in the race. Hopefully we can put it right and do better at Silverstone."
Top Ten result for Neukirchner
Tyre problem ruins West's race
With their poor grid positions, neither Max Neukirchner nor Anthony West started the Catalunya Grand Prix with very high hopes for strong results. The race of Neukirchner then turned out much better than expected, as the German MZ factory rider rode to a strong tenth place. But West ran into bad luck with a tyre problem and finished in a disappointing 22nd position.
On the first lap of the race, Neukirchner passed four of his rivals and made it to 20th position. On lap eight, he took 13th place and was then caught up in a fiercly battling group of riders that swapped positions numerous times. Several incidents helped Neukirchner to make up more positions, and in the end he crossed the chequered flag in tenth place, just 16.7 seconds behind race winner Stefan Bradl. It was the best Moto2 race for the former World Superbike star so far - in Jerez, where he also had finished in tenth position, the gap to the race winner had been 41.7 seconds.
Whereas Neukirchner was celebrating a good day, Anthony West was bitterly disappointed after a disastrous race. The rear tyre of Neukirchner's Australian team-mate lost grip after only a few laps, West dropped back almost to the end of the field, but battled on heroically to finish the race in 22nd place. "When we looked at the tyre after the race, it was obvious what had happened. It was a dual compound tyre that had been mounted the wrong way", said crew chief Anthony Dwight.
Max Neukirchner ? 10th
"I am happy with my position as I was only five seconds behind fifth place. But not everything is perfect yet, as I still don't feel entirely at home on my bike. I am battling with my bike more than with my opponents, which has to change. But all in all we are on the right track, things went much better here than at the last race in Le Mans. We are trying hard but we have a lot of catching up to do since nobody in our team has previous Moto2 experience and all the tracks are new for us. Considering that I never rode a race in Barcelona before, tenth place is a great result for us. Now I am looking forward to the next race at Silverstone, which is a track that I know and like. At Silverstone, I scored my best result in World Superbike last year!"
Anthony West ? 22nd
"It was a really bad race, I even was dead last for some time. We later found out that Dunlop had mounted the rear tyre the wrong way. If you run a dual compound tyre and the soft side has to put up with all the stress for the harder compound, it's no surprise that the tyre wears excessively. I had almost no grip at all and was much slower than in practice. It was a silly mistake that ruined my race!"
Marco Nicotari, Crew Chief of Max Neukirchner:
"I am happy about tenth place today. It was an achievement thanks to a lot of hard work, as we always start from scratch, learning the tracks and trying to find a set-up base before hoping for some points in the race. The fact that a few other riders crashed was of course of some help to us. But at the same time, Max rode a really good race. The most important thing for us is that we keep reducing the gap to the front runners. This season is a learning year for us and therefore we are happy!"
Race report
Just a few drops down from the clouds ? nevertheless, rain was the key-factor of today's GP. On the grid, in unpredictable weather condition, Simone Grotzkyj and Taylor Mackenzie opted for rain tires. Soon after the start, a wind swept the sky and the sun rapidly dried the tarmac. Both riders, who were in the top positions at the early stage of the race, lost places lap by lap. On the contrary Giulian Pedone, who did a different choice, run a more consistent race and, at the end of it, classified as the best rider of his team.
Giulian Pedone (44'25.135, 21st) "At the end, it was the right choice. Tires, I mean. On the grid, almost everybody, around me, opted for rain tires. I watched the sky, and said to myself,' lets try the slicks. In the early stage I was really worried, fearing I did a big mistake. Then the situation evolved, better and better. I could be in the top twenty, but had a tricky overtaking slowing me down just at the end".
Simone Grotzkyj (-1 lap, 25th): "A difficult week-end. And a difficult race. The tire choice decided the race. Being on rain tires, I had a clear advantage in the first laps ? at the end of the first, I was seventh. Later on, while tarmac dried more and more, it turned into a big problem. At the 17th lap I have been forced to pit to change and put slicks on. I wouldn't reach the finish line, otherwise".
Taylor Mackenzie (-2 laps, 28th) "Our choice ? rain tires ? didn't pay. What a pity: it could be a great GP. At the end of the first lap I was 13th, and electronics, who gave us quite a few problems on Friday and Saturday, was working perfectly".
Fiorenzo Caponera (Team Principal): "The tire choice determined the race. We leave our riders free with their preferences, believing they have the best possible knowledge of the track condition. Today, any choice was a gamble. My compliment to Giulian who, in such a tricky condition, had the clearer view".
Moto2 : In Barcelona, Technomag ?CIP team's potential shows up !
Barcelona, 5 Jun 2011 ? After two thirds of a fabulous race where they proved that victory was accessible, the 15th lap of the Catalunya's round was fateful for the Technomag-CIP's riders. Dominique was 5th and crashed. Three curves later, Kenan who was fighting for the 2nd place, crashed in turn.
Last week, the Technomag-CIP team did some private tests at the Mugello racetrack to help Kenan to discover the track and to validate some new parts of the fairing. These tests were efficient and an opportunity for the two Technomag-CIP riders to approach the Barcelona ?s race in a good way.
During the different practices, Dominique Aegerter showed an interesting progression and was qualified in 12th position with a gap of 8.05 tenth of second from the pole. Kenan Sofuoglu was only at 288 thousand tenth of his teammate but he was 17th on the grid.
After the warm up done on wet condition and the third lap time established by Kenan, the race started on dry condition. Dominique did a good start taking the 5th place when Kenan took the 11th place. During 3 laps, Kenan came closer to his teammate who was still in the leading group. At the first third, the Turkish rider passed the Swiss rider and took him to the head of the race. They were seven to pretend for the victory.
In the 15th lap, Kenan took the third place and fought with Simon for the second place. Dominique was still 5th under Marquez's pressure. Trying to brake as late as possible, Dominique lost the front and crashed. He was not hurt but the bike could not rejoin the race.
Three curves after, Kenan touched Simon's rear wheel and both riders crashed. The race was over for both of them. Medical investigations showed a cranial traumatism and some contusions. Even with this bitter taste's ending, the two Technomag-CIP's riders showed that they have the means to fight at the top 5.
Alain Bronec, team's owner: "Even with their crashes, I am glad with our riders' performances today. The team had work hard to help them to feel confident on the bikes and the potential is clearly there. Now we are going to fight for the first places for each races."
Next round is next week at Silverstone (UK).
FTR MOTO UP TO SECOND IN MOTO2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
FTR MOTO moved into second place in the Moto2 World Championship with the IODA Racing Project Team's Simone Corsi taking his fifth race finish of the year ? all inside the top seven ? from the five rounds so far.
Corsi took fourth place in Sunday's Catalunya Grand Prix on his FTR M211 which also helped promote FTR to third place in the Constructors World Championship.
The 23-lap race proved a success for other FTR riders as four of the M211 machines finished inside the top 10. Promising Esteve Rabat took his best finish of the year with seventh place on his Blusens STX M211.
Rabat's Colombian team-mate Yonny Hernandez also grabbed his best result of 2011 with a hard-fought ninth place on his FTR machine. Max Neukirchner was the first of the MZ-FTRs in 10th place ? equalling his best result so far this year and battling through from 20th place in the early stages.
Pol Espargaro, riding the HP Tuenti Speed Up FTR, finished 16th, an agonising 0.6s behind 15th and the final World Championship point.
Young Frenchman Valentin Debise continues to gain experience, he finished 20th on the Speed Up Team machine, one place ahead of the SAG Team's Santiago Hernandez with Anthony West ? on the second of the MZ-FTRs ? taking 22nd. Kev Coghlan ? on the Aeroport de Castello M211 ? was 24th.
"We're definitely improving in terms of performance and results although Simone Corsi's fourth place today could easily have been much better but for an electrical problem," said FTR's Steve Bones. "He rode exceptionally well and deserves to be second in the World Championship.
"Right from the start of the season we felt that most of the FTR riders would begin to show signs of improvement simply through more and more time on the M211. Since the last round in France just about every team went away and tested and I think these results in Catalunya confirm that we're heading in the right direction with our development.
"We're proud to have some young and very exciting riders on the FTR M211s and we're hopeful of challenging for a first win of the year when they get to our home round at Silverstone next week."
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