REPSOL HONDA TEAM HEADS FOR PENULTIMATE RACE OF 2010

The Repsol Honda Team returns to action in Europe this weekend after the extended three-race excursion to Japan, Malaysia and Australia. The Estoril circuit is the venue for Sunday's Grand Prix of Portugal which promises to be a tightly contested affair as the 2010 season draws to its conclusion with the final two races on two consecutive weekends.

Dani Pedrosa arrives in Portugal relishing the prospect of his return to racing having benefitted from a further two weeks to recover from his injured left collarbone. Last Tuesday the Spaniard had the stitches removed following the operation he underwent on 2 October to plate the collarbone, and further physiotherapy has improved the mobility and strength in his left shoulder. The true test of his fitness will come in the first practice session on Friday morning, but Pedrosa is looking forward to getting back on board the Honda RC212V in Estoril - a circuit where he has taken podium finishes for the last three years.  

Andrea Dovizioso will also be hoping for a return to the podium in Portugal after re-establishing himself as a regular MotoGP frontrunner in the recent "flyaway" races in Japan and Malaysia. His unlucky DNF at the last race in Australia means that third in the world championship is now a difficult target, but the Italian won't give up while the mathematical possibility remains. Dovizioso enjoyed plenty of success at Estoril in the 250cc class, winning the race in 2006 and taking second place in 2005 and 2007. Although he hasn't enjoyed those kind of results in MotoGP, he is still confident he will have the pace to replicate his recent strong form and challenge for the rostrum this weekend.

Estoril has a reputation as a tight and technical track and one where the weather often plays a part in proceedings - indeed early forecasts suggest that rain may make an appearance this weekend. The circuit's standout feature is the increasing radius final turn which has the knack of producing some thrillingly close finishes as the riders exit side-by-side onto the start straight on the final lap. First practice for the Grand Prix of Portugal takes place on Friday morning at 10.05 (GMT +1 hour), with Sunday's 28-lap race starting at 13.00 (GMT +0 hours).

 
 
DANI PEDROSA - World Championship position 2nd 228 points 

"We get back on track this weekend at Estoril and, in principle, the situation should be much better than it was for me in Australia. The Estoril circuit is not as demanding as Phillip Island and this should help me to feel more comfortable on the bike. Plus I've had some more time to recover which should help too. This kind of injury needs time to heal and with two more weeks having passed I'm really looking forward to seeing how much the shoulder has improved. I went to visit the doctor last Tuesday to have the stitches removed, and the scar is fine. I've been doing some more rehabilitation on the muscles and I have some more strength, but I will not be able to fully judge how much difference there is until I get on the bike on Friday morning. Also, I think it can be positive for me that there will be two practice sessions on Friday again, as we had in Aragon. In te rms of the track layout, Estoril has some hard braking areas and it's bumpy, but the fact that it has more right hand corners than left can be good for us. So, I'm looking forward to getting there with my team and seeing how I feel."
 
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO - World Championship position 5th 179 points 

"We head into the Grand Prix of Portugal with a lot of confidence and I think we can get a good result at Estoril. We had two strong second place finishes in Japan and Malaysia, and we could have had another podium finish in Australia too, so there's no reason to expect anything less this weekend. I know that we are competitive in Portugal and we are determined to have a good race and to fight for another top-three finish. Estoril is a track where I have achieved some good results in the past and, even though I was seventh last year, this wasn't indicative of our potential. The circuit itself is quite difficult because the layout is slow and narrow, which makes controlling the power of a MotoGP machine a major challenge. This also means it's really important to understand the track's characteristics very well and to find a good compromise with the machine set up . We will make full use of the extra practice session on Friday morning and we're looking forward to these last two races of the season."

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SIMONCELLI RETURNS TO EUROPE TO SHOW PROGRESS AT ESTORIL AS MELANDRI AIMS TO SIGN OFF ON A HIGH

The final race of the flyaway triple in Australia saw Marco Simoncelli confirm his progress over the course of the trip, the Team San Carlo Honda Gresini battling without fear amongst the best riders in the class. His determination and pace kept him in touch with the frontrunners in the early part of the race although was unable to maintain his performance level on worn tyres in the latter stages - the main area he now needs to work on alongside the team. The Italian knows exactly where he needs to imrpove and he has the support of Honda, who after Phillip Island invited him to Japan for another wind tunnel test aimed at adapting the cowling more to his size. At a circuit where he won in the 250cc class last year and finished second in 2008, "Super Sic" is hoping Estoril can see him continue his recent progress and finally see him secure the top result he deserves. Marco Melandri hopes lie purely in achieving a satisfactory result as he brings a disappointing season to an end. Melandri's problems with the bike continued in the last round at Phillip Island and it seems only a miracle can help him find an optimum feeling with his Honda RC212V over the final two races.

Estoril is not one of his more successful tracks but you can never rule anything out with Melandri, who remains one of the most talented riders on the grid. Estoril is a magical circuit for Team Gresini, however, as this was the scene of one of its most famous victories - that of Toni Elias in 2006, when the now Moto2 World Champion beat Valentino Rossi by 0.002 seconds at the end of a heart-stopping race.

Marco Simoncelli "I was really satisfied with the race at Phillip Island but I want to see my performances reflected in numbers. It was a nice race in Australia but it was still a sixth place in the end so I need to work on my consistency. It won't be easy but that is what I will be trying to do alongside the team. After Phillip Island I had a 'bonus trip' to Japan for another visit to the wind tunnel. Honda are looking at using a new cowling so that I can tuck my oversize frame in. As soon as I got home to Italy I started thinking about Estoril, a circuit I like a lot. I won there last year and finished second in 2008 and it seems to be a place that suits my riding style so if we can find a good feeling with the bike I'm sure I can have another good race."

Marco Melandri "At Phillip Island we were dancing to the same old tune. I can't get a feel for the bike so it's hard for me to ride. It is a tough situation but I have not lost hope and at Estoril I will try again although I think we need a miracle. We'll see but I would love to finish the season with a good result."

Fausto Gresini "Simoncelli confirmed his progress over the three flyaway races at Phillip Island. He was focused and consistent for a good part of the race, battling with the front guys. He needs to take another little step to be really competitive and I am sure with the help of the team he can do it. He is brave and hard working and these are the characteristics you need to stand out in such a competitive field as MotoGP. Honda have once again shown their belief in his potential by inviting him back to Japan for another wind tunnel test. There are two races left and at Estoril he has the chance to show another example of his progress and positive approach towards another successful season. I am not happy with the current situation regarding Marco Melandri. Unfortunately over the course of the season he has had a lot of difficulties understanding this bike and adapting it to his riding style. We have done everything possible to help him find a good feeling and we will continue to do so because we have always believed in the ability of Marco Melandri and we still believe in it now. I would be really happy if over these last two races he can pick up a good result and sign off from MotoGP at the top before taking on his next adventure."

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DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RETURN TO EUROPE FOR FINAL TWO ROUNDS

After a positive weekend in Australia that saw a victory for Casey Stoner and a top performance from Nicky Hayden, the Ducati Marlboro Team is back in Europe ready to tackle the final two rounds of the season at Estoril, Portugal, this weekend and Valencia, Spain, seven days later. Both races will be preceded by four 45 minutes sessions starting on Friday morning.

After competitive recent displays at a variety of circuits both Stoner and Hayden are confident of finding a good set-up to get the best out of their GP10 machines at the Portuguese circuit, where weather conditions are always uncertain.

CASEY STONER, Ducati  Marlboro Team

"I have had a mixture of different results at Estoril - some good like my first 250cc win in 2005 and a podium in 2007, some not so good like when we had a problem with the on-board camera in 2008. Then we were back on the podium again in 2009... I was fast there last year but Jorge was a little faster. He is very strong at this circuit and I think we can expect him to be so again next Sunday. We just have to focus on the job of setting the bike up. We know that there are a lot of bumps here and our bike usually reacts quite aggressively over bumps, so we will have to see if we can adapt the set up. The GP10 has worked well in all kinds of conditions over the last few races so we're pretty confident".

NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team

"The end of the season is on the horizon but we have two races left to do well in so it's now or never as far as this season is concerned. Estoril is pretty normal, there's nothing really special about the track apart from a very fast section onto the back straight and then towards the end of the lap there's a chicane which I think is the slowest in MotoGP. The track is very tight, which makes it demanding, and given that the circuit is close to the ocean, like Phillip Island, you usually get wind and changeable weather. In any case we are ready for any conditions and looking to finish the season in a positive way."

VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager

"We are back in Europe after a series of positive results overseas, and in Portugal at a circuit that perhaps isn't one of our best, but still had some good podiums there. Even though he has not won here yet in MotoGP Casey has always been fast here and he returned after three months out to take an excellent second place last year. Both he and Nicky have found a set-up they feel comfortable with in all conditions and we will also try to adapt it to this circuit. We know it won't be easy because Estoril is a demanding circuit with an irregular and slippery track surface but we are ready to give our best as always." 
 
THE TRACK
Estoril is a circuit of huge contrasts. The main straight is one of the longest in MotoGP, allowing for speeds in excess of 300km/h, whilst the chicane is one of the slowest and alongside the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca one of the most difficult. The average speed of the circuit is the lowest of the entire MotoGP calendar and the contrast between the fast and slow sections requires a tricky compromise in the set-up of the chassis. The same can be said for the engine, which needs to provide good top speed as well as sweet performance in low revs. However, perhaps the most important variable for the riders is the circuit's close proximity to the Atlantic ocean, which can create strong winds that unbalance the riders and leave dirt on the track surface, reducing grip levels, The circuit plays host to the Grand Prix of Portugal for the eleventh time this year, with the race having previously been held in 1987 and 1988 in Spain, before Estoril met with the safety requirements.

ESTORIL CIRCUIT RECORDS
Circuit Record: Dani Pedrosa (Honda - 2009), 1'36.937 - 155.309 Km/h
Best Pole: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha - 2008), 1'35.715 - 157.291 Km/h
Circuit Length: 4,182 km
MotoGP Race 2010: 28 laps (117.096 km)
MotoGP Schedule 2010: 13:00 Local Time
Number of laps: 28
Total race distance: 117.096
PODIUM 2009: 1st Jorge Lorenzo, 2nd Casey stoner, 3rd Dani Pedrosa
POLE 2009: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha - 2009), 1'36.214 - 156.476 Km/h

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Capirossi to battle on in Portugal despite injuries

26/10/2010 07:57am

Loris Capirossi will compete at the Portuguese Grand Prix this weekend even though he has been diagnosed with fractures to the right foot he injured in Malaysia, on top of the groin injury he sustained in Australia.

Rizla Suzuki's Italian racer returned early from the Australian event after crashing heavily and injuring his Adductor muscle. Capirossi visited the clinic on his return home to have the injury checked and also had a scan on his foot to fully understand the cause of his pain. This revealed a compound fracture of the Cuboid bone, two micro-fractures of the fourth Metatarsal and severe bruising to the Calcaneus and lateral Cuneiform bones. Although Capirossi is still in some discomfort from the injuries, he is determined to compete this weekend at Estoril.

Álvaro Bautista heads to Portugal on the back of three strong racing performances during the recent Pacific Grands Prix. He is in a determined mood ahead of what he believes to be another ?home' Grand Prix, at a racetrack where he has previous knowledge of riding a MotoGP machine - following last year's November 'Rookie' test - and the added confidence from winning at the Estoril circuit on three of his previous four visits.

The 4,182m Automotodrom Fernanda Pires da Silva circuit at Alcabideche near Estoril has ultra-fast corners and an almost kilometre-long straight, plus one of the slowest sections of the season making for a very contrasting layout. Situated on a rocky plateau high above the towns of Estoril and Cascais, just to the west of the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, the circuit is only a few kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean and high-winds whipped up off the sea are a problem that riders have to contend with.

Rizla Suzuki takes to the track on Friday morning for the first practice session, as MotoGP again returns to four practice sessions in a weekend - instead of the usual three. The second and third sessions will take place on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning respectively, with qualifying taking place on Saturday afternoon. Sunday's 26-lap race is the penultimate Grand Prix of the 2010 season with the riders taking to the grid at the earlier time of 13.00hrs local time (13.00hrs GMT).

Loris Capirossi:

"It was disappointing to find out I had got some small fractures in my foot, but it won't stop me riding, because I was ok in Australia and it didn't cause me too many problems there - in fact it is easier to ride the bike than it is to walk! I have had some intensive treatment on the thigh muscle and that is also a lot better. I can't wait to get back on my bike and give the guys something back for all their patience and hard-work over the season, especially after the tough three-week tour we had on the other side of the world which gave us nothing but pain and bike damage. Suzuki and the team have always been good to me and I want to show them that I am here to do my best and compete with the best riders."

Álvaro Bautista:

"I really like it at Estoril, I have had lots of success there and it is a track I like to race at - it is as close to my home town as some of the Spanish tracks so it feels like a ?home' GP to me, especially because I know many of my family, friends and fans will be there to support me. I went there with the GSV-R last year so I will have a bit of an idea of the reference points on a MotoGP bike, similar to what I had at Sepang, so hopefully we can be as competitive right from the start in Portugal as we were there. We had a couple of problems at Phillip Island and they have all now been sorted and won't happen again, so we will be able to go right from the start and try to get back into that top-six, where I know we are capable of being."

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