Portugal GP. Driver´s comments

Valentino Rossi: ‘The team and the bike are in good shape for the rest of the season’.
Valentino Rossi: ‘The last race was such a great emotion for me and really was the result we needed before the second summer break. I am really happy to be able to make such a great show with the other fast guys in Brno. Many people have said to me since the race that they enjoy the show; from my side it was a good experience as well. We return to Estoril where I have done OK in the past. We hope for another good result before the very hard flyaway part of the season. We did some tests after the last GP in Brno with new Michelin tyres and some new and improved engine parts. The test was positive and the team and the bike are in good shape for the rest of the season.’Nicky Hayden: ‘It’s been real good getting’ home for a bit and just chillin’ with my friend and family. Just kinda’ kickin’ around the house! I’ve ridden quite a bit with my brothers; flat track, motoX and even bicycles. I’m lookin’ forward to gettin’ back on the Honda. Things seemed to be commin’ together in the last few races and I’m really wanting to push higher up the tables. Six races to go; I’ve even ridden the last four, Motegi, Sepang, Phillip Island and Valencia in testing so should be able to push from the start – not that I won’t from the two I’ve never seen before!’Fonsi Nieto: ‘I keep good memories of Estoril. It’s a very special circuit for me because last year I clinched the victory after a complicated and hard race given the weather conditions. I crashed being second, but I managed to get up and rejoin the race. I had to make up a lot of positions and I was very lucky until taking the chequered flag because I had some frights. But in the end everything went perfect. I’m targeting a victory but above all, I’ll try to come out of the race leading the overall standings. The most important thing is to keep on being constant. Brno wasn’t very good for me, but in Germany, one of the most complicated circuits for Aprilia, I finished second. Mentally I’m in high spirits, I’m looking forward to be back on the highest step of the podium. There are six races left, a lot of points at stake, and the Championship is open to all of us’.Toni Elias: ‘Estoril is a quite complicated track with regard to the setting of the bike and the driving styles. It combines difficult slow and fast corners, heavy braking areas and you need a lot of acceleration. It has a long straight and the track is very bumpy and that makes the setting job even more complicated. The wind plays also an important role, so we’ll have to work hard to get a good result this weekend. Will follow the line we took in Brno and we’ll try to improve to be in the battle with the riders fighting for the championship title. I crashed three times during the race last year because of the rain, so I hope it’s going to be different this year, with no rain. My aim is to reduce the gap with the leader. Nineteen points aren’t many points considering that there are six races left and that anything can happen. It will be complicated but we’ll fight until the very end’.Dani Pedrosa: ‘The second half of the holidays served to rest and to prepare the final sprint of the season, that is going to be especially hard. Last year’s race wasn’t good for us in Estoril, it rained and I crashed during the race, having to settle for a final tenth place I wasn’t satisfied with. Now I feel more comfortable and secure driving with rain, but obviously, if I have to choose, I prefer no rain at all.’