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Post by BADGER on Apr 12, 2008 21:24:14 GMT
Full qualifying times from the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, round three of the 2008 MotoGP season.
1. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 35.715 secs 2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 35.948 secs 3. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 36.199 secs 4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 36.266 secs 5. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 36.289 secs 6. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 36.790 secs 7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 36.998 secs 8. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 37.223 secs 9. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 37.253 secs 10. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 37.346 secs 11. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 37.664 secs 12. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 37.786 secs 13. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 37.843 secs 14. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 38.561 secs 15. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 38.775 secs 16. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 38.823 secs 17. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 39.115 secs 18. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 39.355 secs
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Post by BADGER on Apr 12, 2008 21:32:34 GMT
Valentino Rossi aims to fight for his first ever Bridgestone victory in Sunday's Portuguese Grand prix, after qualifying on the front row for the very first time with the Japanese rubber. Indeed, the Fiat Yamaha star's third position, behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and Honda's Dani Pedrosa, marked the first time that any Bridgestone rider has qualified on the front row this year.
But while Michelin riders dominate the top ten, Rossi - whose most recent MotoGP victory was in last September's Estoril race - is full of confidence for Sunday's main event.
"I'm really happy!" smiled Valentino, looking to break a six race losing streak. "It's very important to be on the first row here and now we can think about trying to win tomorrow.
"We've made some big steps forward with Bridgestone and considering that every time we use the qualifying tyre it's still a bit like a test, it's a great achievement to be here. Today my bike and tyres worked very well and I felt confident and strong. We have a good setting and I can ride how I want to, which is great fun as well!
"Now I really hope that we can have a good race tomorrow. The weather is a worry and we will have to wait until last thing to make our final tyre choice, but we have some good ideas. Lorenzo and Pedrosa are looking very strong but I think we are not so far and we have a chance to be there tomorrow," added the #46, who finished second to Pedrosa last time out in Jerez.
"We've had four very good practice sessions over the last two days and now to start on the front row is a big achievement from everyone," declared team manager Davide Brivio. "We have a good race pace as well and so it seems that everything is coming together for us. Valentino has a good feeling from his bike and tyres and we're really looking forward to the race now. It's going to be difficult as usual but we will hope to stay at the front and fight for the victory."
Rossi's rate of progress with his new tyres was illustrated by the next best Bridgestone rider - world champion Casey Stoner no less - qualifying just ninth on the grid. John Hopkins was tenth for Kawasaki.
Jorge Lorenzo made it an incredible three poles from three MotoGP attempts after another masterful qualifying display in Portugal on Saturday afternoon.
Estoril is one of only two circuits on the calendar at which the young Spaniard never claimed a 125 or 250cc pole position, but that - and the absence of any previous MotoGP Estoril experience - proved insignificant as Fiat Yamaha's new star dominated much of the hour long session.
The 21-year-old's first Michelin qualifying tyre lap saw him take provisional pole and he then improved on both of his next qualifying runs, despite a near miss with a slow moving Chris Vermeulen.
On his final soft tyre attack Lorenzo produced a record-breaking 1min 35.715secs lap to seal a perfect hat-trick of MotoGP pole positions by 0.233secs over Jerez winner Dani Pedrosa, while the Bridgestone-shod factory Yamaha of Valentino Rossi was 0.484secs behind the #48 in third.
Those two riders are likely to be the main men standing between Lorenzo and a debut MotoGP victory on Sunday but, having been coy about making any pre-race expectations at the first two rounds - where he finished second and third, Lorenzo admits he will 'hopefully fight for the win'.
"Each pole position has felt like a dream and I can't believe I am here again!" said Lorenzo, the youngest rider on the MotoGP grid. "I am very proud to have a record like this and in fact I'm especially happy to have qualified in front here because this track has always been quite difficult for me and I've never been on pole at it before.
"Our race pace is quite good and now the aim for tomorrow will be to make the most of my starting position, stay at the front and hopefully fight for the win. It's going to be a hard race and there are many strong riders, but I am looking forward to it.
"Our aim is to try to win but if that's not possible then the podium will be okay; it's still only my third race and I am still learning all the time! Anyway, I feel good on my bike and tyres, the team have done a great job and now we just have to cross our fingers for good weather tomorrow!" concluded Jorge, who has suffered arm pump problems in his first two rides. "Once again it's been another very exciting qualifying session to watch this afternoon and Jorge has done another fantastic job," added team manager Daniele Romagnoli. "We made some small changes from yesterday to improve our base set-up and today we've had a fast and consistent race pace. Then this afternoon Michelin gave Jorge the chance to fly and he took full advantage! It's great to be on pole as it gives us the best chance at the start and we will do our very best to maximise this chance to produce a good result tomorrow."
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