After temperatures reaching 37 degrees yesterday, the Brno sky was completely covered in cloud today and the rain which fell as a consequence spoilt the plans of the team. The new exhausts brought by Honda for Sete Gibernau stayed in the box in the hope that the conditions improve sufficiently to test them out tomorrow. Intermittent rain throughout the official practice session meant switching between intermediate and wet tyres, but nevertheless both riders reported having a good feeling. Sete qualified on the provisional front row as the top Honda whilst Colin Edwards, who has recovered from the effects of a virus which forced him to undergo several tests during the holiday, was eleventh fastest after picking the wrong tyres for the crucial final ten minutes of the session but is confident of improving tomorrow.

SETE GIBERNAU

(3rd, 2’12”261): “This first day was a good chance to get back into the rhythm of a race weekend after the summer break and we’re working on it. Honda have brought us a new exhaust system to try here but I haven’t been able to take the new bike out on the first day and that will be a slight handicap when it comes to deciding which bike to race with. Hopefully I will get chance to ride it tomorrow if it doesn’t rain. In any case I don’t want to confuse matters too much; if I can’t see a clear difference between the two then I’ll go with the old exhaust. The track was quite slippery but we’ve been able to try a few different things and there is no need to panic because we have a good rhythm.”

COLIN EDWARDS

(11th, 1’29”919): “We started with the setting we used at Donington until it began to rain. I feel good with the bike and we have a good base set-up for this circuit. In the last ten minutes we made a mistake with the choice of tyres, going out on mixed when it was still wet. It was a shame but I’m feeling okay about tomorrow.”

FAUSTO GRESINI

(Team manager): “Today was a bit of a strange day because we were hardly able to get any laps in this morning and in the afternoon the track was too wet. Sete worked to set the bike up, but we haven’t had chance to try the changes Honda brought for us here. Sete is satisfied and I hope that tomorrow he can ty the new stuff. Colin had a good session and it was a shame about the mistake with the tyre choice but I am sure he will improve his time tomorrow.”

LAP TIMES

1.      Carlos Checa (Spa/Yamaha) 2’11”188

2.      Troy Bayliss (Aus/Ducati) + 0”781

3.      Sete Gibernau (Spa/Honda) + 1”073

4.      Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) + 1”597

5.      Alex Barros (Bra/Honda) + 2”098