Action gets back to Europe with Repsol riders in leading roles.
After the victories of Sebastián Porto in Holland and Nicky Hayden in the USA, the World Championship gets back into action this weekend in England.
Action gets back to Europe with the most intense World Championship in recent years. After the three-week break for the 125cc and 250cc riders and the last performance of the MotoGP riders, activity will focus on England and Germany in the next two weeks. The ninth round of the 2005 season will be staged this weekend at the Donington Park circuit. After the race in Germany, to be raced one week later, the World Championship will take a rest in the three classes until the end of August.
Three weeks that will be used to reload batteries and prepare the final sprint including intercontinental trips Japan, Australia, Qatar, Malaysia, Turkey- and three titles at stake. Nicky Hayden will be with no doubt the most congratulated rider after his recent victory in his circuit, in front of his fans and backed by his whole family. The victory in Laguna Seca, the first of the young Repsol rider, may have meant Haydens consolidation in the premier class, and many people will be watching him closely this weekend to confirm his performance. Hayden knows it and he says that he’s ready to keep on learning and to repeat a victory. And while young Nicky is already thinking about repeating the victory, his team-mate Max Biaggi, who had also a good performance in Laguna Seca, finishing fourth, arrives at a circuit he likes, where he will try to meet again with a victory, something that hasn’t been possible this season so far.
The 250cc is still an issue of only a few riders, although Dani Pedrosa, reigning World Champion of the class keeps his position in the lead of the standings. During the first seven races of the season, he has been sharing the leading role with Sebastián Porto, Andrea Dovizioso, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Randy de Puniet. For both of Jorge Martínez Aspars pupils, the 2005 season is not being an easy season. Frenchman De Puniet has suffered crashes and mechanical problems, more or the less the same as Sebastián Porto.
Only the victory of the Argentinean rider at the Dutch Grand Prix seems to indicate that theyve reached the end of the tunnel and that the taste of victory may be back for the Aspar Repsol Team. In the minor class, Héctor Faubel continues his performance as the fastest Repsol rider. After his last podium finish in Holland, second behind Talmacsi, Faubel will keep on fighting for the victory that has been so close on several occasion but still resists.
Repsol rider´s comments:
Nicky Hayden:
As I said at the end of the Laguna weekend the whole three days went to plan and it was like a dream come true. Race day was just amazing but we have to all move on. I said that we Hayden’s work well on momentum. It took me and while to win races back home in AMA but when I did they seemed to come – same thing with my brother Tommy. I now know I can do it at this level and I won’t be happy till we can do it again. I was very aware that we had important home advantage and I had good circuit knowledge but then so did some other guys! I go to Donington realistic that a repeat performance of Laguna will be a very long shot but I go there with a new spring in my step knowing that we – that is me, my team and Honda and Michelin and all my sponsors – have the capability to shock and that is what I want to do again – soon.’
Max Biaggi:
Doningtons circuit is a good one, I like it. In 2003 Ive got a pole position and I also won the race. We coming from a good performance in Laguna Seca one week ago, so Im thinking why we cant go for a great result?! Currently Im in the third position on the general championship, but I will do my best to go up. During the break after the American race, Ive trained a lot and I feel ready to go to Donington.
Dani Pedrosa:
It feels as if its been a really long time since the Dutch Grand Prix but I’ve had three quite amusing weeks. I saw the race in Laguna Seca on TV and Ive been in France with my personal trainer, working out with our bicycles. One day, as we saw that we were close to one of the stage finishes of the Tour, we decided to go to see the podium; it was great. After this three-week brake, Im really looking forward to getting back on the bike. Now well have two races in a row and its the time to put things on their place. Well have to be very concentrated to make a good weekend, because the rivals are pushing hard. Well all arrive fresh and eager to race. Last year we made a great race in Donington. Lets hope we can repeat it.
Sebastián Porto:
The next two circuits are more favourable for Honda than for Aprilia. Donington is not as slow as Sachsenring, but the important thing will be finding a good compromise for the set-up from the first day. If everything works out as expected, I think that well be able to be back in the front, fighting for the victory. Last year we missed the pole for only some thousands of a second and I was second in the race, so I hope to be able to improve the result this year. Ive been in Argentina these three weeks to spend some time with my family. But above all, I used the time to work out and hard, because the heat is going to be strong in the next races and we’ll need a good physical shape.
Randy De Puniet:
Im looking forward to Donington and to starting again after these three race-free weeks. After the Dutch Grand Prix we went to test in Brno for one day, and were able to draw some satisfying conclusions. Weve made some important changes on the bike and therefore I hope and trust that everything will be better in Donington. Im not being very lucky this year, but lets keep our fingers crossed hoping that everything will change from now on.
Héctor Faubel:
Im eager to get back on the bike. These weeks have been good to train hard and also to have a bit of rest. Donington is a rather slow track combining slow and fast sections in addition to several gradient changes. I couldnt race here last year after injuring my shoulder in Brazil and having to undergo surgery. If we manage to get a good level during the qualifying practices, we’ll have a chance to fight for a good final position; I think that were not far from it. The podium finish in Assen gave me a large injection of good spirits and I would like to stay on this line after the bad luck we were having.
The venue of the GP:
Donington Park (www.donington-park.co.uk )
Located only 20 Km from the legendary city of Nottingham, Leicestershire, the circuit of Donington Park was built 1931. It is one of the oldest circuits of the calendar and it was venue of epic racing confrontations, but with the outbreak of the Second World War, the circuit had to be closed and the events cancelled. In 1977, after several years of dereliction, Donington was re-opened thanks to Tom Wheatcroft, local businessman and motor sports enthusiast. The track was rebuilt with the intention of hosting a Formula 1 race, but the race never took place. Modified again in 1985, Donington Park has been hosting the British Grand Prix since 1987; the 2005 event will be the nineteenth in a row. Owned by the Wheatcroft family, Donington Park is the only private circuit of the calendar and is regarded as one of the best circuits in Britain together with Silverstone and Brands Hatch.
Its 4022 m long track, with 4 left-hand and 7 right-hand corners, is set in a natural amphitheatre, offering excellent viewing possibilities for spectators. The fast track makes its way through the British countryside, putting the riders abilities to the test with its steep descents and tight corners forcing them to last-gasp braking and hard acceleration. It is a twisty track running between green and swaying hills. The highlight of the challenging layout is the Craner curve, a downhill corner requiring a radical change from right to left, putting the riders to a test like nowhere else. It may seem an easy layout from the run-off areas although the perspective changes radically from the cockpit. The track seems to be unusually narrow when the rider hurls himself down to keep left, back on the track under the shadow of Spitfire monument.
The adjacent museum houses the Donington Collection, one of the best racing car collections of the world. Colin Edwards in MotoGP (129.973), Dani Pedrosa in the 250cc (133.217) and Álvaro Bautista in the 125cc (138.263) hold the records of the British circuit since 2004.
