The World Championship started with strength and continues without a break in Portugal this weekend.
After the thrilling races in Jerez, the Repsol riders will try to finish off the job on the Portuguese track of Estoril.
The 2005 World Championship has just started but it promises to be one of the most thrilling of recent times. Last Sunday on the track of Jerez and in front of enthusiastic fans, the first Grand Prix of the season offered three exciting and very even races.
Only in the 250cc Repsol rider Dani Pedrosa managed to dominate the race from start to finish, although he didnt do it comfortably at any moment, because Sebastián Porto did not stop putting pressure on the current World Champion of the class, always keeping a gap of about three seconds. This weekend, in Portugal, we will experience the second part of the duel these two great riders will keep along this 2005 season. Behind them, there will be other young riders trying to get a place on the podium but right now, Porto and Pedrosa are one step ahead of the rest. Last year on the Estoril track, the victory was for Toni Elias, second Sebastián Porto, third Randy De Puniet and fourth Dani Pedrosa.
The MotoGP was a duel between the riders with the best shape in the class, Sete Gibernau and Valentino Rossi. Controversy included, the victory was for the Italian Yamaha rider and the second place for the Spanish Honda rider. For the riders of the Repsol Honda Team, the Spanish Grand Prix was somehow disappointing. Young Nicky Hayden expected a lot of this race; he had been fastest one week before during the tests and was again very competitive throughout the race weekend. On Sunday, however, having the third place already secured, he made a mistake that took him to the gravel at the end of the straight. Bad finish for an optimistic start of the season. And whilst the North American was pulling his bike and his hopes along the Andalusian asphalt, his team mate Max Biaggi, who started from a back sixteenth position, was recovering places throughout the race until finally taking the seventh place. It wasnt a good result for somebody who expects to enter the fight for the title, but the truth is that Max had at no time been on his usual competitive level during the weekend.
In Portugal, the brave Roman rider will have the first chance to rise again and position himself among the top. In the minor class, the best of the Repsol riders was Héctor Faubel, seventh despite some race incidents with other riders. The victory was for the Italian rider Simoncelli. Faubel and the rest of the Repsol riders will however continue enjoying the support of their Spanish fans at the Grand Prix of Portugal, an additional incentive when its about fighting for the best results in a Grand Prix that will almost be a home race for them.
Repsol rider´s comments:
Nicky Hayden:
After crashing out of the first race Im happy we can get back on the bike quickly and put Jerez behind us. Its hard to look at positives so soon after such a knock but the team are really strong and we are super-determined. There is a really good spirit with my guys. I gave my thumb a bit of a knock when I fell which I hope will be fine when I get on the bike on Friday for the first Free Practice. Its not the first time Ive hit it around! I missed the race last year as I broke my shoulder just before it so I havent got a huge amount of experience round the track there but that wont stop us from coming out strong as soon as the weekend starts.
Max Biaggi:
I left Spain hoping to have paid off my due to bad luck or whatever it was. I go to Portugal united with my team more than ever, with only one common goal: be main actors again. Jerez race did not really match my expectations nor those of my team mates. In Estoril we must solve all our question marks. Im sure this is possible. I trust completely HRC. We are very motivated and the first race, even if so difficult, didnt discourage us. I like the Portuguese circuit; there I rode some great races. Believe me, I never wanted so badly to be part of the game like now. In Jerez, when I entered the pit after the race everybody acclaimed me clapping their hands. It was fantastic: it meant that my entire team was on the bike with me and everyone of them understood how hard it was from the first to the final lap. On the wave of this great emotion Ill go down to the track next Sunday.
Sebastián Porto:
Im happy with the result in Jerez; second is always good to start the year. Estoril has always been a complicated track for all riders because the asphalt is very bumpy and theres also a lot of wind. Well have to work hard to find a good setting for the bike, although we have an advantage this year, because we already know the behaviour of the Aprilia quite well. Last year, during the race, I was fighting with Toni Elías for the highest step on the podium. It was a nice and contended race until the finish but I had to settle for second. Lets see how things work out this weekend. Were on the right path, but well have to work hard and avoid any mistake to keep on scoring points.
Randy De Puniet:
The truth is that Im very angry after the crash in Jerez, because the Championship didnt start well for me. At least the bike responded well during the race and Im adapting to my new team. Now that were going to Estoril I hope to be able to finish the weekend with a good result, both for me and my team and the sponsors of course. Estoril has a quite complicated track as regards the suspension settings. Its also a circuit with heavy wind and thats a disturbance for us riders when it comes to working. I stepped on the podium last year and set the fourth fastest time during the practices. Lets see of Im luckier than in Jerez.
Dani Pedrosa:
Estoril is a complicated circuit where well be having a lot of wind again, as always. Well have to be on the alert because the gusts are treacherous and its easy to crash. Well try to do a good job on the bike, because the setting is always complicated there. We all have to be really focussed from the very first moment to prepare the race really well’.
