Turkey puts an end to the transoceanic tour.
With Repsol rider Dani Pedrosa recently crowned World Champion, the new circuit and Hayden’s fight for the MotoGP runner-up spot will be the highlights of this weekend.
The new circuit of Istanbul Park will host this weekend the penultimate round of the Championship, before the MotoGP circus takes its way back to Europe to drop the curtain of a year filled with excitement. As it already happened at the Chinese Grand Prix at the start of the season, the World Championship is now going to a circuit nobody knows, having only references from the Formula 1 Grand Prix staged in August. The single-seaters had the premiere of the circuit designed by the architect Herman Tilke, who is also responsible for the circuits of Shanghai and Sepang, and although their times will not serve as a reference for the motorbikes, the experience of the Formula 1 drivers predicts that the MotoGP riders will find a fast and fluid layout, where the constant level changes and several overtaking points secure a big show.
The biggest appeal of the MotoGP class will be the fight for the runner-up spot between Nicky Hayden and Marco Melandri, second and third, who are level at 170 points. The North-American rider has shown himself much more comfortable and competitive in the last Grand Prix and will be looking in Turkey for his second victory of the season, which he almost managed to take at the Australian Grand Prix. The racing sense at the Istanbul circuit is counter-clockwise, a fact that will with no doubt favour the Repsol rider, given his experience in dirt track racing. Also fighting for the second place in the overall standings will be Colin Edwards, fourth (162), and Max Biaggi, fifth (159). Despite the evident improvement of the behaviour of his bike before the race, the Italian rider lost his second position in the overall standings after his sudden finish in Phillip Island. Eager to make-up in Turkey, Biaggi will once again give his very best to show a good performance, measuring up with his quality.
In the quarter-of-a-litre class, Dani Pedrosa arrives at the Turkish round with the World Champion title in his pocket. Not many believed that he would be able to take the title in Phillip Island, but his masterly race and the opportune crash of Casey Stoner at the beginning of the race, made it possible for the young Repsol rider to take his third consecutive World Championship title. Liberated both of the pressure of the title and the pain in his injured shoulder, Pedrosa arrives in Istanbul with the chance to close the year with more poles and victories than last year. The performance of the Repsol Aspar Team riders did not match the expectations created at the beginning of the season, although Sebastián Porto gave clear signs of a recovery at the recent Australian Grand Prix. The Argentinean showed his better side again in Phillip Island, and only Pedrosa, out of the slipstream, was able to snatch victory on the finish line. A revenge with a victory, taking the third place in the overall standings, less than 20 points behind the leader, are his aims for Turkey. His team-mate Randy De Puniet, seventh in the championship, will be working hard to find the right set-up and quickly adapt to the new layout, in order to finish a rather average season as much in the front as possible.
The only title left to be decided, the one of the 125cc class, will have a new battle field in Turkey. Luthi and Kallio will be fighting for the crown and Héctor Faubel will continue striving to take his first victory of the year, an aim he has been fighting for several times this season. His team-mate in the Team Aspar, Sergio Gadea arrives very motivated to the unknown Turkish circuit, where he expects to make up for his average performance in Australia and climb positions in the overall standings. Joan Olivé had cherished hopes at the two last Grand Prix, but he finally he got stuck in the start and couldn’t pick the fruit of the hard work of the weekend in none of the races. Third time lucky and considering that this is going to be a new circuit for all riders, Istanbul Park presents itself as a good venue to get back on the podium.
Repsol rider´s comments:
MotoGP. Max Biaggi:
Although the situation in the race was a disaster in Australia there was a small piece of sunshine in the morning practice when I was fastest and the bike felt good. I have to hold onto this memory of being at the top of the time sheets and aim for this situation again as soon as I get back on the bike next Friday. I am very sad at losing my second place in the championship as well but I always have hope. I am only 11 points off this position at the moment with two races to go and for sure I am a fighter and will do all I can to give my team something to be happy about in these final two races. They work so hard and I want to give them a reason to smile and to be proud. This is my style.
MotoGP. Nicky Hayden:
New track, new country, new experience – bring it on I say! It’ll be fun. We all start on a level playing field on Friday morning and that’s kinda’ good. A lot of the guys here have had years of experience on the tracks we race at through 125’s and 250’s and it’s good to get to a place and just start from zero. At this level it doesn’t take long to learn a track but it’s kinda’ fun to see who gets on pace fast. After the GP last weekend in Australia all I want to do is win another race this season and keep the second place in the championship.
250cc.Dani Pedrosa:
It was very important for the team to win the title in Australia, and also a great relief, after the weeks of tension wed gone through. Moreover, winning the race in Phillip Island was incredible after all what had happened to us in this circuit. We now arrive in Istanbul very motivated; even if weve already taken the title, we will continue giving our best, because the championship isnt over yet. There are two races left and we have to focus as always, and go for the victory. I hope to like the new circuit, that the track is clean and even if its cold, that were able to enjoy a good weekend, like in Australia. The tour is being rather long but the reward is worth everything. They are waiting for me at home and surely also in Valencia, where Ill be meeting all those fans who have been following and supporting me throughout the year.
250cc. Sebastián Porto:
After the podium finish in Australia, I feel in high spirits, looking forward to the Turkish Grand Prix. Its a new circuit none of us riders know, so well all be starting from cero. Well have to do a good job from the start to find the best set-up for the bike in order to be as competitive as in the previous races. Things started to get better in Malaysia and on Phillip Island. We didnt take the victory, but we where very close. I trust that things are going to be as good or better in this new circuit, to be able to get revenge for the snatched victory in Australia.
250cc. Randy De Puniet:
This is being a very hard season for us. Weve only taken one victory and two podium finishes. Its a shame, because I dont like being like this. Im having trouble finding a good set-up for the bike lately, and that is the reason why Im not performing at the races as I would want to. I’m still hopeful for the last two races in Turkey and Valencia, where Id like to end-up on the podium. Turkey is a new layout for all of us, nobody has got references, so well have to work hard to learn it and to find the appropriate configuration for the bike, to be able to ride comfortably.
125cc. Héctor Faubel:
There are still two races left, one in Turkey and the other in Valencia, one of my favourite circuits, so I still have two chances to take the victory. We had bad luck in Australia because I crashed during the qualifying practice and my shoulder was hurting during the race, so I only managed to finish sixth. But now Im only thinking about Turkey, a mystery for all of us, where I hope to be doing a good job together with my team from the first day to measure up all together.
The venue of the GP:
Iistanbul Park Circuit (www.istanbulmotogp.com)
Located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, the Turkish Republic borders with Bulgaria to the northwest, with the Black Sea to the north, with Georgia and Armenia to the northeast, with Iran to the east, with Iraq to the southeast, with Syria and the Mediterranean to the south, and with the Aegean Sea and Greece to the west. With a total surface of 779,452 km2 and a population of 68 million people, it became a Democratic Republic in 1946, and is administratively divided into 81 provinces. Ankara is the capital, the religion is Muslim and the Turkish Lira the currency (1¬ – 1.646 YTL). A country of transition between two continents, Turkey is also a cross of civilisations. Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, Byzantines, Hittites…have been there. All of these people have left their print in the architecture of its cities and in the lives of its people. They are happy people, who love to have fun, a fact shown by the festivities celebrated throughout the year, all of them filled with colours and beauty. Located in the area of Akfirat, on the Asian side of Istanbul, the Istanbul Park Circuit lies 5 km east from the centre of the Turkish capital and 8 km from the international airport.
Set in a beautiful spot surrounded by woods and green fields, the building works of the Istanbul Park Circuit began on 10 September 2003 and finished just in time to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix staged in August this year. The layout, designed by the famous architect Herman Tilke, who also did the circuits of Malaysia, Bahrain and China is 5,333 metres in length and between 14 and 21.5 metres in width. It is made-up by 14 corners six right-handers and eight left-handers which the riders have to cover counter-clockwise; something that only happens in four other circuits of the calendar: Laguna Seca, Sachsenring, Phillip Island and Cheste. Linked by the corners, the track has five straights: the main straight with the finish line is 655.5 metres in length, while the longest is almost 720m long.
The total area allocated to the circuit is of 32.500 m2, hosting not only the track but also all kinds of highest-level facilities. Istanbul Park has a maximum capacity for 145,000 spectators. While the main grandstand has a seating capacity for 26,250 spectators, there are also temporary grandstands and general admission areas. The main building of the paddock is made-up by two levels. On the first level there are the thirty-three team garages and on the second the hospitality areas, which offer additional 5,000 seats for guests. On either side of the main building there are two towers, of seven floors each where the different control centres and offices, terraces and VIP areas are located, as well as a medical centre with corresponding heliports. Complying with all safety requirements, the track has large run-off areas and 2.3 km of service roads and emergency lanes. In addition, the central area is reserved for the construction of a Go-Cart Racing Track. As regards the sporting aspect, it is a demanding track, since the large amount of gradient changes (with a maximum of 8%) makes it different to most of the other circuits, turning it into an ideal venue that will provide for new excitement both for riders and spectators. Unlike most of the circuits, the top speed is reached at the straight behind the finish, and the time established at the Formula 1 Grand Prix was 326 Km/h. Kimi Raikkonen was the winner of the race, followed by Alonso and Montoya, who was the fastest driver on the new Turkish circuit setting a lap time of 124.770. Now well have to wait and see the times that will be set by the MotoGP machines on their first time in Turkey.
