Rizla Suzuki will have more than the Sachsenring hills to climb tomorrow after a tough qualifying left them with plenty to do in tomorrow’s race.
Loris Capirossi (P14, 1’23.040, 32 laps) will start from the middle of the fifth row with team-mate Álvaro Bautista (P16, 1’23.193, 34 laps) just behind him on the front of the sixth row. Both riders pushed hard today and made many changes to their Suzuki GSV-Rs in an attempt to unlock the potential around this demanding 3,671m German circuit. Just a few tenths-of-a-second by either rider would have seen them significantly jump up the grid, but neither was able to find that breakthrough as the session wore on. Capirossi and Bautista will both be aiming for a good start in tomorrow’s race, as passing opportunities around the Sachsenring track are few and far between.
Today’s qualifying was held in much cooler conditions than yesterday, as the temperature only reached 24ºC and overcast skies kept the track at 31ºC. Pole position was taken by current championship leader Jorge Lorenzo for the fourth race in succession.
Tomorrow’s race is the eighth race of the season and the action begins for the 30-lap race at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).
Loris Capirossi:
“Today we worked a lot on setting and everybody tried their best, but we are still struggling to get it right. The front feeling is still not right even though the bike has improved a bit since yesterday. We also had to work with the electronic settings today as we struggled a bit there as well, we improved the traction control, but we still need to take a couple more steps. In the warm-up we have a clear idea of something we want to try and we will have a meeting later to try and decide on what route we are going to take tomorrow.”
Álvaro Bautista:
“We improved from yesterday, but the problem is so did all the other riders! We have stayed in about the same position as yesterday and the same difference between first and me. The good thing is that I have good feeling with the used tyre and I was able to run at a consistent pace. The problem is that I am starting from a long way back and it will be difficult because in this category the first few laps are very important. I will try to get a good start and keep a good position in the first part of the race. The good rhythm I have means I can possibly fight in the top-10, but it will be important to get a good start to be able to do that and I will try to get my best one of the season. I feel I can go faster when the tyre is used so we are pleased with the setting and I will give it 100% tomorrow to do well.”
Paul Denning – Team Manager:
“We found a decent step in speed today and undoubtedly improved the bike, but the result is as it is and the team is bitterly disappointed. Sachsenring is one of the hardest places to pass and starting that far back – even though the guys have both got a decent race rhythm – is going to make life extremely difficult. The positions are made more disappointing by the fact that two tenths-of-a-second would’ve seen Loris on the third row and he would then have had a much better opportunity for tomorrow’s race, but it’s that kind of track and apart from the very front guys everyone is very close and anything can happen over 30 laps tomorrow.”
eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland Qualifying Practice Classification:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1’21.817: 2. Casey Stoner (Honda) +0.024: 3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +0.131: 4. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) +0.446: 5. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +0.578: 14. LORIS CAPIROSSI (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.223: 16. ÁLVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.376:
