www.movistar-prensa.com - GP of Turkey. Preview

www.movistar-prensa.com

GP of Turkey. Preview
ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TO BE EASIER WITH THE TITLE ALREADY SECURE
With the 250cc crown already in his pocket, Dani Pedrosa arrives in Turkey this week focusing solely on victory
Fecha 20-10-2005

Dani Pedrosa has arrived in Istanbul as the recently crowned 250cc World Champion although his relief at clinching the title will not be reflected by his performance on the track. His impressive victory at Phillip Island sealed the title but Pedrosa has not finished just yet.

Dani is looking forward to discovering the secrets of the Turkish circuit and fighting for another victory before returning to celebrate with his fans in Valencia at the final Grand Prix of the season and his last in the quarter-litre category.

Sete Gibernau is hoping to feel comfortable at a circuit he liked the look of on the television and where all of the riders will start on a level playing field. For his team-mate Marco Melandri the chase for the runner-up spot in the MotoGP World Championship is on – a pipedream at the start of the season but now his main objective. Hiroshi Aoyama wants to recover the level of determination he showed on the way to his first victory in Japan as he aims to return to the podium.

The Grand Prix of Turkey is another historic event for the MotoGP World Championship after the addition of China and the return of Laguna Seca this season. Istanbul hosted Formula 1 for the first time earlier this year and now it welcomes the sixteenth round of the world’s premier motorcycle racing series.

The circuit has enough capacity for 155,000 seated spectators, including an impressive 30,000 grandstand. The circuit, surrounded by forests and farmland, is located on the Asian side of the city and was designed by the famous German architect Herman Tilke, the brains behind Bahrain, Shanghai and Sepang. The track itself is laid over four different levels, generating sections with dramatic gradient changes.

One major unknown is the weather. Istanbul welcomed the first teams to arrive from Australia this week with temperatures under 10ºC and sleety rain. The races are scheduled to run an hour later than usual in order to coincide with the regular European slots: the 125cc will open the action at 12pm local time, followed by 250cc at 1pm and MotoGP at 2pm.

RIDER QUOTES

Sete Gibernau:
“Istanbul is a new circuit for everybody – I’ve only seen it on the television but until we get there and get out onto the track on Friday we can’t get a real idea of what is waiting for us. We have no reference data and will all start from zero, so it will be important to get used to the track as quickly as possible in order to prepare for the race.”

Marco Melandri:
“I’m looking forward to racing in Turkey because it is a new circuit. This year we already visited Shanghai, where nobody had any reference data, but I felt comfortable straight away and had a good race. The circuit looks nice on television and it’s another important race for me. I am level on points with Nicky Hayden and even though it was a dream to finish second in the World Championship at the start of the season it is now my main objective. To achieve it would be a nice way to pay back Fausto Gresini and Honda for believing in me.”

Dani Pedrosa:
“It was really important for the team to win the title in Australia and it was also a relief after a few tense weekends. Furthermore, to win it at Phillip Island was an incredible feeling because of everything that has happened to me at that circuit. Now we’re really motivated to go to Istanbul because the championship is not over. There are two races left and we all have to concentrate as much as always and try to win. I hope that the track is to my liking, that the surface is clean and, even though it is cold, that we can have a good weekend like we did in Australia. This has been a long trip but the reward has been worth it. They’re waiting for me at home and I’m sure they will be at Valencia, where I will be back with the fans who have supported me all season.”

Hiroshi Aoyama:
“I have not been satisfied with the last two races and I hope this changes in Turkey. We’re starting from scratch here because it is a new track so it will be important to concentrate from Friday to adapt to it as quickly as possible and define the set-up. I’ve had some good races this season, I’ve been up there with the lead riders in the category and I want to finish the year with more good results. The team is working well and I know I can fight for the podium.”

THE VENUE

GP OF TURKEY

Circuit: Istanbul Park
Grand Prix: betandwin.com Grand Prix of Turkey
Inauguration: 2005
Length: 5,333 m.
Width: between 14 and 21.5m
Right corners: 6
Left corners: 8
Main straight: 720m

THE 2005 SEASON SO FAR FOR THE MOVISTAR RIDERS

	SETE GIBERNAU	MARCO MELANDRI	DANI PEDROSA	HIROSHI AOYAMA
JEREZ	Race: 2^nd Standings: 2^nd	Race: 3^rd Standings: 3^rd	Race: 1^st Standings: 1^st	Race: crashed Standings: -
ESTORIL	Race: crashed Standings: 5^th	Race: 4^th Standings: 3^rd	Race: 4^th Standings: 1^st	Race: 6^th Standings:10^th
SHANGHAI	Race: 4^th Standings: 5^th	Race: 3^rd Standings: 2^nd	Race: 6^th Standings: 3^rd	Race: 3^rdStandings: 6^th
LE MANS	Race: 2^ndStandings: 3^rd	Race: 4^th Standings: 2^nd	Race: 1^st Standings: 1^st	Race: 6^th Standings: 7^th
MUGELLO	Race: crash Standings: 4^th	Race: 4^th Standings: 2^nd	Race: 1^st Standings: 1^st	Race: 7^th Standings: 7^th
CATALUNYA	Race: 2^nd Standings: 4^th	Race: 3^rd Standings: 2^nd	Race: 1^st Standings: 1^st	Race: 4^th Standings: 4^th
ASSEN	Race: 5^th Standings: 4^th	Race: 2^nd Standings: 2^nd	Race: 2^nd Standings: 1^st	Race: 4^thStandings: 5^th
LAGUNA SECA	Race: 5^th Standings: 4^th	Race: crashed Standings: 2^nd	N/A	N/A
DONINGTON	Race: crashed Standings: 5^th	Race: crashed Standings: 2^nd	Race: 4^th Standings: 1^st	Race: crashed Standings: 7^th
SACHSENRING	Race: 2^nd Standings:3^rd	Race: 7^th Standings:2^nd	Race: 1^stStandings:1^st	Race: 3^rdStandings: 7^th
BRNO	Race: retir. Standings: 5^th	Race: 6^th Standings: 3^rd	Race: 1^stStandings: 1^st	Race: 5^thStandings: 7^th
MOTEGI	Race: crashed Standings: 7^th	Race: crashed Standings: 4^th	Race: 2^nd Standings: 1^st	Race: 1^stStandings: 4^th
SEPANG	Race: crashed Standings: 8^th	Race: 5^thStandings: 5^th	Race: crashed Standings: 1^st	Race: 5^thStandings: 4^th
LOSAIL	Race: 5^th Standings: 8^th	Race: 2^ndStandings: 3^rd	Race: 4^thStandings: 1^st	Race: 6^th Standings: 4^th
PHILLIP ISLAND	Race: 5^thStandings: 7^th	Race: 4^thStandings: 3^rd	Race: 1^stStandings: 1^st	Race: 6^thStandings: 4^th

LAP RECORDS:

New circuit. There are no lap records for this track.

SUNDAY TIMETABLE (CET)
11.00h. 125cc race
12.15h. 250cc race
14.00h. MotoGP race