Nieto: ‘I have realised that in this championship you cant slack off for a second, and Im not disposed to let this title escape me’.
Repsol driver´s comments about British 1st qualifying practiceValentino Rossi, crash: I dont remember exactly what happened. The last thing I remember was seeing Ukawas crash and just after I see a flash of myself flying I imagine I lose some grip. I went to the hospital with Claudio Costa the results of the check were fine. I have a bit of a headache now and I have a small fracture in my left thumb that is very painful. I hope that it wont affect my riding tomorrow but until I ride I wont know. Tohru Ukawa, from Doctor Claudio Costa: Tohru had a big crash and is pretty sore, especially around the hip and rib area, and his left foot. He will stay in hospital overnight. Hes resting now and will undergo further checks tomorrow. Fonsi Nieto, 1st: I came to this GP with a lot of hope of being in front. In the last three races, we didnt get the results I would have liked, and today I got on my bike knowing I was going to give my maximum. I have realised that in this championship you cant slack off for a second, and Im not disposed to let this title escape me. In todays sessions the official Aprilia have taken the top three positions. Both sessions were tough. I and my mechanics have been working hard all day. We set one bike similar to how it was in France, where I was on pole and won the race. We made some small changes to the second bike, which gave me a better result, so we chose those settings. The truth is that we rode very fast, and we were within 28 thousandths of the best ever lap of the circuit. I am very satisfied with the way things are going, and I hope to keep on the same line tomorrow. Toni Elias, 3rd: Today we made a great job, and I am really satisfied with the result, although we still have a lot of work to do before the race. Step by step we are progressing, and winning ground from our rivals & but we mustnt be too confident. The important thing is to have a good pace for the race, and that I have been riding alone all day. I feel very comfortable at this track, which is one of my favourites. Last year I was second in the 125 race, after a crazy last lap. For tomorrow, we already have a good setting, but we must refine the little details to win some more tenths. It has been a pity that Melandri took second in the last lap. Tomorrow I will fight to be in front of him. Daniel Pedrosa, 2nd: At the end of the session, I had several problems at the same time. The front tyre didnt feel safe, and also one of the clip-on handlebars came loose, so it was impossible to ride to the maximum. I dont like Donington. The turns are very narrow and tight, and some of the sections are incredibly bump. All the same, Ive been able to ride quickly from the first session. But we still have to solve some details to end up with the correct setting. Joan Olive, 15th: Were working hard on settings and suspension. This aspect is the key for this circuit, because it is very bumpy in places, especially on the corner before the straight. If the bike is not well set up, its very easy to crash. We improved by one second from morning to afternoon, but the time differences over the grid are very small, so only a little time difference can really spoil your position. Im sure that tomorrow I can improve my lap time & I hope it doesnt rain. After my good race at Assen I am feeling very positive, but the memory is worthless unless you work hard from the first day.