Second season race

Rossi: ‘The circuit is very technical with no long straights so we know the 2-strokes will be good’.
Valentino Rossi: ‘It was great to come away from Suzuka with 25 points. The pressure was very big. We had tested there quite a bit and I knew the bike was good. However, two crashes in qualifying knocked my confidence a little. I was really pleased with pole position and it was great to win for Honda with the new bike on its home circuit. We now move to Welkom, a track I like a lot. I won there last year and hold the lap record. I won in 1999 as well on the way to my 250cc title. It’ll be interesting to see how the 4-stroke goes at Welkom. We haven’t tested there so it’ll be a lot of guesswork. The circuit is very technical with no long straights so we know the 2-strokes will be good. I think it will be a great race’.Tohru Ukawa: ‘I have to look forward after a really disappointing start in Suzuka. In all the qualifying for last week’s race I was in the top three. We made some adjustments for the final qualifying and we went the wrong way. I should have taken points at Suzuka but fell in the closing stages. I’m determined not to do this at Welkom. I like the track and had my best result in the 500s last season there with a podium position. In fact I’ve never finished lower than fourth at Welkom; I like the layout of the circuit. My only concern is that the 4-strokes might be not so well suited to the tight track but we’ll see. As we haven’t tested there before with the RCV we are going to have to work very hard and quickly to learn how the bike performs on this track, especially as the high altitude of the circuit affects the engines in different ways’.Fonsi Nieto: ‘Welkom is one of my favorite circuits of the Championship, and last year here I had one of my best races. In Welkom the choice of the tyres is very important, the high temperatures and the track which isn’t too grippy, makes the tyres wear quicker. In South Africa we’re going to keep on working in the same direction as in Suzuka, but this time I hope I can finish with a good result for the team and sponsors. My crash in Suzuka was really a pity because now I could be fourth in the Championship. During this next races my aim is to do my best and get the maximum possible points’.Toni Elías: ‘After Suzuka’s result I’m really looking forward to ride again my bike and mostly, I want to do a race in dry conditions to compare the differences with the rest of the riders. Welkom circuit is less complicated than Suzuka, which means that lap times will be much closer. Last year I did some good testing and I qualified sixth in the grid, but during the race, while I was fighting for the first positions, my tyres started to wear and I finally ended up quite behind. The tyre choice will be determinant for the race. My aim here is to finish and try to get some more points’.Dani Pedrosa: ‘Our target for South Africa is still the same, to get points and experience. The results achieved in Japan haven’t changed any of our plans. Last year in South Africa I got my first points in the World Championship and I remember the race especially due to the heat and the incredible wear of the tyres. Choosing the right tyres is very important in this circuit, because they wear out very easily and the asphalt doesn’t have much grip. In Welkom I only hope to finish the race and to get more points’.Joan Olivé: ‘In Japan, things went much better on Sunday than during practice and I even managed to take some points and finish a wet race. Last year I took part in three wet races and couldn’t finish any of them. South Africa is a circuit I remember due to the strong heat and the slippery asphalt. The choice of the tyres is therefore a fundamental aspect, as well as the rider’s physical condition. The rain is probably not showing up in Welkom, so I hope to be able to make a dry race and good practices. My target will be the same as in the preseason: to learn, to develop and to keep on improving day by day’.