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PORTUGUESE GP. RACE


Fecha 05-09-2004



 

Sete Gibernau today missed out on a top three finish once again at Estoril, a circuit where he has yet to score a podium. The Telefónica MoviStar rider was just a tenth of a second off the Honda of Alex Barros but was typically keen not to look for excuses and recognised that the team had not found the ideal set-up this morning. Victories are hard to come by this season and, if things are not perfectly in place, it is tough to aspire to the top step of the podium. After making a bad start and dropping to fifth place, Sete gave his best until the end of the race and, with Rossi and Tamada clear at the front, tried to find a way past Barros for third place. Sete remains second in the championship, 29 points down on Rossi. Colin Edwards continues to be dogged by chattering problems, which were aggravated by the bumps at the Portuguese circuit. Despite that, Edwards is still fourth in the championship and will be back with the rest of the team to test tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

SETE GIBERNAU

 

(4th): “We got what we deserved today because we’ve had a bad weekend in general and we’ve paid for it in the race. I made too many mistakes in qualifying, we changed the bike again for the race and we didn’t get it right. These things happen when everything is nort perfectly in its place and we have to learn from it.”

 

 

 

 

COLIN EDWARDS

 

(9th): “The chattering was my biggest problem once again. It was worse than ever today and if you look at the lap times it was the same all the way through because I couldn’t push any harder. We chose a slightly softer tyre than Brno because there are more bumps here but even so I couldn’t do any more.”

 

 

 

 

 

FAUSTO GRESINI

 

(Team manager): “Sete gave his best but the setting wasn’t right for the race and his level is better than fourth. The whole weekend was tough and we lost precious time in the wet session. The important thing is that we are not beaten yet, even though the gap is increased. We will keep focused and fight for the championship until the end.”

 

 

 

PORTUGUESE GP

 

  1. V. Rossi (Ita/Yam) 46’34”911
  2. M. Tamada (Jap/Hon) + 5”111
  3. A. Barros (Bra/Hon) + 8”157
  4. S. Gibernau (Spa/Hon) + 8”312
  5. C. Checa (Spa/Yam) + 17”966

....

9. C. Edwards (USA/Hon) + 25”611

 

 

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

 

  1. V. Rossi 209 p.
  2. S. Gibernau 180 p.
  3. M. Biaggi 158 p.
  4. C. Edwards 111 p.
  5. A. Barros 102 p.
  6. C. Checa 93 p.