Pablo Nieto: ‘The rider who is able to mentally stand it, will finish in a good position’.
MotoGP. Valentino Rossi, 1.44´256 sec, 1st, grid position Pole: Today was very, very difficult to improve on the lap time of yesterday because it was so hot. In MotoGP we seem to have problems on this track with grip and traction in the heat. The bike slides and spins very much under acceleration so it was difficult to go faster than yesterday. Im pretty happy as the time was only 0.3 sec slower than yesterday and we have a good constant rhythm. Tomorrow we try to make the right choice of rear tyre and we hope to have a good race. MotoGP. Nicky Hayden, 1.46´216 sec, 18th, grid position 18th: Same as yesterday really. In the morning I felt good and was really having some trouble in the afternoon when things got hot. It seems I just loose the feel when if get really hot. Hopefully thatll come with more experience on the bike in different conditions. I had really high expectations after this mornings session. I was sixth fastest and only 0.2 sec off the fastest. This afternoon is super hot kinda like Mugello and I just loose a bit of the feel. Something I just gotta learn. Weve got to decide the race tyre tomorrow. The race will be really tough. I need to make a good start and start movin up. 250. Toni Elias, 1.47´936 sec, 4th, grid position 3rd: The race tomorrow will be complicated due to the heat. No doubt our rivals are going to make things difficult for us, but I think that weve worked well and that we have a good set-up. We maybe didnt lap as fast as I would have liked to but we have a good rhythm and well be able to be among the top riders tomorrow. 250. Sebastián Porto, 1.48´022 sec, 5th, grid position 5th: Im happy. I think that Ive made a good job on both days. Ive been able to improve my time this afternoon, but the most important is that the bike is working fine and that we have a good rhythm. Tomorrow will be a difficult day, Ill try to overtake the Aprilias during the start, because they are some tenths faster than me during the race and Ill give it all to stay in the front from the beginning of the race. I think that at the end of the race, if I manage to stay among the leading riders, Ill be able to fight for the podium. 250. Fonsi Nieto, 1.48´122 sec, 6th, grid position 6th: We had a lot of problems this afternoon. I was having problems to be fast with the old tyres and for the moment I feel quite comfortable with the new ones. The real problems arrive in the afternoon, when the heat is stronger. That creates a lot of problems and its difficult to lap as fast as I would like to. 250. Joan Olivé, 1.49´708 sec, 13th, grid position 14th: Its been a very hard practice due to the heat, but I think that weve done a good job. Weve found the right set up for the race and have kept a good rhythm and thats the most important of all. I hope to make a good start and get a place in the front to finish in a good position. 250. Héctor Faubel, 1.49´824 sec, 14th, grid position 16th:Our aim today was to find a good set-up for the race and weve therefore made several changes during the practices. Besides, the heat has been extremely intense this afternoon and weve had several problems with the engine, and therefore the engine didnt work as it can. Im not happy because Ill be starting from the sixteenth place of the grid despite always having been among the top ten. Its a big problem but I hope to keep a good rhythm during the race and score as many points as possible. 125. Pablo Nieto, 1.51´043 sec, 1st, grid position 1st: Were happy, weve done a good job and its reflected in the results. Besides, making the pole in front of the Spanish fans is always something positive. During the race, Im sure were going to be many riders riding all together, as happened in Mugello, and therefore the resistance to the heat is going to be fundamental. The rider who is able to mentally stand it, will finish in a good position. Lets see if were lucky tomorrow and the lap times are similar to those of today; its going to be a very hard race. 125. Héctor Barberá, 1.51´349 sec, 4th, grid position 4th: Im very happy and in very high spirits, both with the results of today as well as with the weekend in general. I want to thank the team for all theyve done this weekend for me, because they have solved an important problem weve been having since the beginning of the season. If we keep on working like this I think that tomorrow well be able to be in the front. I hope not to get nervous, start as I always do, ride among the leading pack and finish in a good position. Im twelfth in the overall standings and my main target now is to improve that position.125. Dani Pedrosa, 1.51´715 sec, 7th, grid position 6th: Its been just impossible to improve the times this afternoon. Fortunately the bike worked much better during this mornings free practice and I took the chance to make a very good lap time. I hope that its not going to be that hot tomorrow during the race to be able to finish in a good position.