The fourth race of the season, the Dutch round of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at Assen, sees the best teenage racers in the World go head to head for glory. Cup leader Sturla Fagerhaug, the 17 year old Norwegian, knows that he will be under the greatest pressure from 26 other Rookies all looking to put a dent in his points lead. The 20 point advantage that Fagerhaug has over Danny Kent could all be reversed by a single mistake but Sturla knows what he has to do. “For sure during practice the important thing is to get a good race set up. I want to have a reasonable place on the grid but more important than that is that I don’t make a mess of the start. I think I understand a bit better what I have to do so I don’t flood the engine like in Mugello. I’ve just got to get it right this time.” “Assen is a good track with a really good flow, it has some easy sections and some difficult ones, the corner onto the back straight and the final chicane are quite tricky. The track isn’t as wide as Mugello so you can’t just run wide like you can there. If the other riders think about it they will be more accurate and not mess each other up when overtaking but I’m not sure they will change.” “For sure winning in Assen is not going to be easy, Jakub (Kornfeil) was riding very well in Mugello and he should be good again. There is Daijiro (Hiura) of course he is always fast, Mathew (Scholtz) was going fast in Assen last year until he crashed and Alex (Kristiansson) will be good, he has ridden there before.” “Im feeling good about the race, I think I am riding well and my second Wild Card ride in the Grand Prix in Barcelona was a great experience. Of course the level is very high and I think the way I rode in the opening laps was the best I have ever ridden. After about 7 laps the rear tyre started sliding a lot through the right handers and I thought something was wrong. I was lapping about a second quicker than I had in practice but it still felt strange so I dropped back. It was a great experience though and I am hoping to get other GP Wild Card rides in Mugello and Estoril.” Other Rookies with good Barcelona experiences to talk about when they get to Assen are Xavier Figueras, Arthur Sissis, Alejandro Pardo and Mathew Scholtz as they all spent 3 days there cross training the week before their race in Assen. “It was a lot of fun,” said 16 year old South African Scholtz. “We were working hard, and it’s a really good experience. I really liked the motocross and supermotard. The hardest thing was the gym work, the circuit training.” After crashing out of 2nd place in Assen last year Scholtz is determined to do better this year and also put the last corner fall in Mugello behind him, though that was not his fault. “Hopefully I’m going to do better than in the last few races because the Mugello crash was not so good. I really hope to do well because I really like the circuit.” For one Rookie Assen is even more important; Dutch 14 year old Guest Rider Thomas van Leeuwen has only his second ride on the KTM RC125, at least he knows his home circuit but it will not be easy, racing against the other 26 who have much more time on the bikes. “Every time I went out on the KTM in Mugello I got a better feeling for it,” says Van Leeuwen. “I think it will be the same in Assen, I will get more used to the bike and this time I know the track, I like Assen. “For me riding at the Dutch TT is a dream, very special. I don’t feel pressure but I know it will be hard work as well as a lot of fun.” Practice starts on Thursday June 25th and after more practice on Friday the 16 lap race is on Saturday, after the MotoGP event, at 15.30 CET. The race can bee seen live on the Rookies website www.redbullrookiescup.com with an improved feed rate over the earlier rounds. Those early races can also be found on the site, in the Rookies TV section. More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: TITLE-CHASING TRIO TAKE JOINT CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD TO ASSEN For the first time in the history of the MotoGP World Championship there are three riders tied at the top of the standings as the season enters its seventh round, each one of them having taken two wins each from the opening six races. Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi have filled the rostrum on three occasions already and whilst the Yamaha pair each have one more podium than the Ducati man, Stoner has not finished outside the top five yet this season. That his Ducati has allowed him to be competitive at different circuits and in different circumstances is a fact the Australian has been quick to underline, in particular after his hard-fought podium in Catalunya, when his physical condition was far from perfect. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider was even more satisfied after the post-race test in Barcelona and now he can’t wait to get back on track in Assen, where he has previously scored a first and a second place on the Desmosedici. Nicky Hayden also has a great relationship with the Dutch TT circuit, having taken a victory there in 2006, a third place in 2007 and a fourth in 2008 when his bike ran out of fuel in the final corner and denied him a certain podium. The American left Catalunya with mixed feelings last week pleased with his best race weekend of the season so far but disappointed with the test on the following day, when he wasn’t quite able to match the competitive lap times set by his factory colleagues. Always a man to look on the bright side, the Ducati Marlboro Team rider is confident that his team have taken a major step forward with his race set-up and he is desperate to prove it with another good result at one of his favourite circuits. LIVIO SUPPO, MotoGP Project Director “The weekend in Barcelona was really important for us. We started to see the fruit of all the hard work being done by Filippo and his guys, as well as Vitto, and it looks like the development route we’re taking with the GP9 promises to make it even more competitive. We need to continue to give our maximum both to Casey, who is fighting in one of the closest championship battles for years, and to Nicky, who has shown that he has the ability to adapt to the characteristics of our bike, which is more difficult for him than it is for other riders because he had spent so many years on the same machine before this. Both Casey and Nicky like Assen so I’m sure they’ll both be giving everything for a top result.” CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team (3rd in the championship on 106 points) “Assen is a strange track for me because before I rode there in MotoGP it was one of my favourite circuits but one where I never managed to get great results in the smaller categories. Then in 2006 I had a decent result and since then, with the Ducati, I’ve always been fast. Considering the fact that the GP9 has already shown that it is competitive on a variety of circuits, I can’t wait to get back to Assen. Ideally we’d like another weekend of consistent good weather so that we can work on the bike and find a bit more rear grip, which is the only thing we’re missing at the moment. The rest of the bike is great it is turning well and the front is really stable under braking. I wasn’t really fit at the test and I didn’t do a lot of laps but we did what we needed to and now we’ll try and take advantage of that work in the next race.” NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team (15th in the championship on 19 points) “Assen is a special circuit for me I love it here. The final split is my favourite because you have a run of fast corners that are crucial to a fast lap. The weather can change from one minute to the next so it will be important to make the most of all the track time available to us. I’ve had some of the best races of my career at Assen, like the fight for the win with Colin (Edwards) in 2006, which is my favourite. In 2007 I finished third and the last year I had the heart break to loose the podium in the last corner! We know we have a lot of work to do but myself and the team are hoping that the Catalunya race was the start of a major turnaround that we can continue to build on until the end of the season.” THE TRACK Assen is the only circuit that has stayed as part of the World Championship since the first season back in 1949. In 2006 it under went major alterations, with the removal of the majority of the Northen Loop section, making way for the TT World fans’ area. The rest of the circuit retains much of its original character, making it one of the most technical and physically demanding circuits on the calendar. Unlike a lot of other circuits, which feature long straights and medium-fast corners, Assen is tight, flowing and characterised by high-speed corners and quick changes in direction. Even the surface is unusual, with many sections cambered in the style of a public road to aid drainage. ASSEN CIRCUIT RECORDS Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’36.738 169.509 Km/h Best Pole: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’35.520 171.670 Km/h Circuit Length: 4.555 km MotoGP Race 2009: 26 laps (118.43 km) MotoGP Timetable 2009: 14:00 Central Europe Time Podium 2008 : 1st Casey Stoner, 2nd Dani Pedrosa, 3rd Colin Edwards Pole 2008: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’35.520 171.670 Km/h DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM’S BEST RESULTS AT ASSEN 2008: 1st (Stoner) 2007: 2nd (Stoner) 2006: 12th (Hofmann) 2005: 7th (Checa) 2004: 8th (Capirossi) 2003: 6th (Capirossi) DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER INFO CASEY STONER Age: 22 (Born 16th October 1985 in Southport, Queensland, Australia ) Residency: Switzerland Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP9 GP Appearances: 119 (58xMotoGP, 31×250, 30×125) GP Victories: 25 (18xMotoGP, 5×250, 2×125) First GP victory: Valencia, 2003 (125) First GP: Great Britain, 2001 (125) Pole positions: 20 (16xMotoGP, 2×250, 2×125) First pole position: Italy, 2003 (125) World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2007) MotoGP track record at Assen: 2008: Qualified: 1st. Race: 1st 2007: Qualified: 2nd. Race: 2nd 2006: Qualified: 12th. Race: 4th NICKY HAYDEN Age: 27 (born 30th July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA) Residency: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP9 GP Appearances: 105 (105xMotoGP) First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) Number of victories: 3 (3xMotoGP) First GP victory: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP) Pole positions: 5 (5xMotoGP) First Pole: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP) World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2006) MotoGP track record at Assen: 2008: Qualified: 4th. Race: 4th 2007: Qualified: 13th. Race: 3rd 2006: Qualified: 4th. Race: 1st 2005: Qualified: 5th. Race: 4th 2004: Qualified: 16th. Race: 5th 2003: Qualified: 12th. Race: 11th More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda: HIGH HOPES FOR REPSOL HONDA TEAM AS ASSEN AWAITS The Repsol Honda Team heads to this weekend’s Dutch TT at Assen with a spring in its step after the promising results from the test session that followed the last race in Catalunya. With the latest modifications to the RC212V allowing Andrea Dovizioso to set the fastest time of all the MotoGP riders a week ago – significantly quicker than race pace the previous day – hopes are high within the factory Honda squad that both riders will be competing at the front this weekend. Dovizioso made full use of the modified chassis he tried at the Catalunya test and will be eager to see if the improvements to handling he experienced at the Spanish track will translate to the famous curves of the Assen circuit. The 23-year-old Italian has finished each of the last three races less than a second from the podium and his motivation will be high this weekend. And though he has scored only one podium finish from his previous outings at the Dutch TT – a third place in 2006 in the 250cc class – his determined fight from 11th on the grid to 5th at the finish in the MotoGP race last year proves that Dovizioso has what it takes to master the challenge of Assen. Dani Pedrosa arrives in the Netherlands having taken some valuable time to rest after his remarkable injury-defying performance at the last race in Catalunya. The tough Spaniard is determined to reignite his championship challenge after a tough few weeks. Depending on the feeling from his injured hip as he prepares to take to the track on Thursday, he will decide with his doctors whether to once again make use of painkilling injections this weekend. Pedrosa took his first ever Grand Prix victory at Assen – at the age of just 16 on a 125cc Honda in 2002. In last year’s race he retook the lead of the World Championship by finishing second and, if he is able to ride at full pace this weekend, the 23-year-old triple World Champion is sure to figure at the front of the pack. The Dutch TT marks the first of four races in just five weekends and launches the Repsol Honda Team into the busiest part of the 2009 MotoGP season. Dovizioso and Pedrosa, who lie fourth and fifth in the World Championship for the factory Honda squad, know that the next few weeks will do much to shape the outcome of their season. As is traditional, the Dutch TT takes place on the last Saturday of June, meaning that the weekend programme begins a day earlier than usual, with first practice starting at 13.55 on Thursday afternoon. ANDREA DOVIZIOSO World championship position: 4th, 69 points “I’ve been really looking forward to getting back on the bike since we left Catalunya last week. We had a positive test on the Monday after the Barcelona race and that, combined with the constant improvement we’ve been making race after race, means I’m very confident. So I’m look forward to getting back in the garage with the team, continuing to work on our machine package and to getting a good result in Assen. I’ve been really close the podium in the last three rounds and at the same time closing the time gap to the race winner, so I’m determined to get into the top three as soon as possible – hopefully this weekend. Assen is not actually one of my favourite tracks though. Since the layout modifications, the fascination of the circuit has been lost a little, but still I have good memories of last year’s race where I finished fifth after qualifying 11th. It’s a circuit of two sections – the first part is quite slow while the second part is more technically demanding – and the weather can also play its part in the Netherlands too. But whatever happens, I’m looking forward to another strong weekend for me and the team.” DANI PEDROSA World championship position: 5th, 67 points “Since the race in Barcelona I’ve basically been resting, trying to give my hip as much chance to improve as possible. Obviously there hasn’t been a lot of time – just over one week – but I certainly feel a lot better now than immediately after the last race when I was totally exhausted. I’m feeling positive about the weekend and we’ll just have to see how it goes when riding starts on Thursday. My intention would be to ride without receiving any pain-killing injections because gradually they lose their effectiveness and they are not something I want to rely on – we’ll see how the feeling is when I start to ride. Assen is a track with good memories for me because I won my first GP here and I’ve had quite a few podiums here too. The recent changes where they shortened the circuit have removed some of its character but it still requires a lot of commitment to ride it well – especially through the fast direction changes where you need an agile machine set-up. The atmosphere is always special here because it’s such a historic place, so I’m looking forward to getting out on track again.” More, from a press release issued by Fiat Yamaha: ROSSI AND LORENZO PLANNING REMATCH IN ASSEN The all-conquering Fiat Yamaha Team of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo move north through Europe this weekend for the historic Dutch TT at Assen. Following their show-stopping performance in Spain last time out, which saw Rossi better Lorenzo by just a split second, the pair will be targeting a repeat performance this weekend. With two wins apiece already this season the World Champion and the Leading Rookie of 2008 currently share the championship lead with Casey Stoner all three are tied on 106 points with six races gone. After two wins this season Rossi is approaching yet another incredible milestone in his charmed career; he now lies on 99 wins and another on Saturday would see him as only the second rider in Grand Prix history to reach 100 wins, the other being the great Giacomo Agostini. The Italian maverick has six victories to his name at the track but has had a turbulent last few years there. Following a brace of wins in his first two years with Yamaha he injured himself in practice in 2006 but rode through the pain to finish eighth, before winning in stunning style from 11th on the grid in 2007. Last year he made a rare mistake and crashed on the first lap but made up a gap of more than 20 seconds with a damaged bike to finish 11th. Following a set-up overhaul in Barcelona the 30-year-old is in blistering form and will be hoping to make it two on the bounce at one of his favourite tracks. Assen is 22-year-old Lorenzo’s favourite circuit and the youngster certainly has an impressive track record there, having won there once in 125cc and twice in the 250cc class on the way to his two world championships. He finished sixth there last year but after his stunning performance at home last time out he will not be happy with anything but a return to the podium for the sixth time this season and he will be doing everything possible to take back the advantage from his team-mate following their Montmeló thriller. A hard day’s work at the post-race test in Barcelona has put the Mallorcan on an even sounder footing with his M1-Bridgestone package and he is confident that he will once again be a part of the story in Assen. One of the most technically and physically demanding circuits on the calendar for the MotoGP riders, Assen has barely a straight piece of tarmac in sight. Handling is a major focal point due to high-speed chicanes and dramatic camber changes the latter, in some places, resembling the profile of the public roads that the original circuit was based around features that have traditionally favoured the nimble YZR-M1. Valentino Rossi “A SPECIAL TRACK” “Assen is a very special track for all riders and it is a wonderful place to ride a MotoGP bike, even if it was better before they changed the layout. Last year I had my worst point of the season there so I want to make up for that with a good performance, because the fans are very passionate and they deserve a good show. After Barcelona we know how strong we are but also our rivals are strong too so we can’t afford to relax, we have to keep pushing. Montmeló was fantastic, one of my best wins ever, but the championship is very close between the three of us and so we have to try to win again to take the lead. There is still a long way to go but we have to remain consistent.” Jorge Lorenzo “MY FAVOURITE TRACK” “I could never have imagined after the crash in Jerez that I would have the opportunity to become leader again so quickly, but here we are at the front with Casey and Valentino! The last three races have been fantastic and almost unbelievable, and now for the three of us it’s almost like we’re starting the championship all over again. Assen is my favourite track and I am going there feeling very confident in my bike and my Bridgestone tyres and with all the team feeling very motivated. Last year I was sixth so the most important thing is to improve on that, but of course I am aiming for another podium, because consistency is the way to remain close to the top of the standings. We had a positive test in Barcelona and now I will hope to show our improvements with an even better performance in Holland.” Davide Brivio “SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!” “After such a great race in Barcelona we’re excited about getting back on track and seeing what happens next! We had a good test after the race and it was well worth the effort to go back out on track, even after such a hard day’s racing. We did some good work and collected important information, which we hope will be useful over the next few races, because now we have a very busy period with four races in five weeks. Valentino has had some great races at Assen, last year was a bad moment but we are feeling very strong right now and we’re confident that we will be able to put on another great show.” Daniele Romagnoli “ON A ROLL” “We’re approaching Assen on a roll and following a useful day’s testing in Barcelona. The race there was fantastic and we were able to make more progress on the Monday in order to improve our setting further for the next five weeks, which will be very intense. We need to keep working and keep focused, as we have since the start of the season, because this year is shaping up to be a great battle of which Jorge is a part. Assen is a totally different track to Montmeló and Mugello and it will require a different set-up we’re confident that we will be able to find a good balance straight away, It’s one of Jorge’s favourite tracks so we’re looking forward to seeing him put on another great show there.” More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: Round seven of the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship takes place this coming weekend in The Netherlands with the Alice TT Assen giving Valentino Rossi the chance to turn up the heat on his title rivals at one of the most popular circuits on the calendar. Last season Rossi had his worst result of the year at the Dutch track when he crashed early in the race and fought back to finish 11th, but he is traditionally a strong performer at Assen with victories to his name in all three categories there – four of those in the premier class. Following his epic battle with his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo in Barcelona Rossi will aim to maintain his championship momentum with another win, but he knows that Lorenzo and Ducati Marlboro’s Casey Stoner – who are both tied with the Italian on 106 points at the head of the standings – will also be pushing to the maximum at ‘the Cathedral of motorcycling’. Lorenzo also has a good record at Assen, having won there in the 250cc and 125cc classes, and the 22 year-old Spanish star refers to the circuit as his favourite MotoGP venue. Having been beaten by Rossi by just 0.095s in his home Grand Prix Lorenzo will be desperate for revenge in Saturday’s race. Last year’s Dutch race winner Stoner is likely to be a far stronger victory candidate than in Catalunya where he rode heroically to finish on the podium despite being unwell, finishing just in front of Andrea Dovizioso before almost collapsing as he dismounted his Ducati Desmosedici GP9. Repsol Honda’s Dovizioso has been fractions of a second off the rostrum in the last three races and should any of the current top three slip up in The Netherlands the young Italian will hope to take advantage. Two points behind his factory Honda colleague in the standings, meanwhile, Dani Pedrosa should be in better physical shape than in Barcelona where he took sixth place despite riding with the painful right hip injury which he sustained at Mugello in the previous round. Veteran American rider Colin Edwards is currently sixth in the classification and the visit to Assen takes him back to the scene of his infamous 2006 crash which saw him miss out on victory on the final corner. Edwards was seventh in Barcelona and is currently enjoying a consistent run of form. Also currently occupying top ten championship positions Italian competitors Marco Melandri (Hayate Racing) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki), along with Frenchman Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Capirossi’s Australian colleague Chris Vermeulen will all be in the hunt for good points at round seven. The Suzuki riders will get a second chance to use their new GSV-R 800cc engines which they debuted last time out in the Catalunya contest but were unable to use in the important Monday post-race test, whilst a number of teams will continue working with new material which they tested at the Montmeló circuit. 250cc The World Championship’s visit to northern Holland sees the riders in the 250cc category lining up for their seventh race of the 2009 season, before a short break whilst the MotoGP field heads onto Laguna Seca and then a return to action in the double header at Sachsenring and Donington Park later next month. After the Alice TT Assen the championship picture will be more developed, though Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista has already emerged as a strong title challenger, with four podiums and two victories to his name thus far in 2009. The Mapfre Aspar rider – who also won last year at Assen – was a highly popular winner in front of nearly 90,000 passionate fans in Barcelona, the crowd celebrating wildly as he crossed the line more than seven seconds ahead of nearest rival Hiroshi Aoyama. At the head of the general standings Bautista has a 12 point advantage over Aoyama, with the Japanese Scot Honda rider having one win and two further podiums under his belt this year. Aoyama has never achieved a rostrum finish on Dutch ground and he was sixth in last year’s race. Another Spaniard, Héctor Barberá, came home in third place behind Bautista and Aoyama in Catalunya and currently lies third in the standings, just ahead of Italian rider Mattia Pasini who was fourth in the last race and is fourth overall. World Champion Marco Simoncelli has dropped down the rankings to fifth place having crashed and retired in Barcelona and he now trails Bautista by 47 points, meaning he must improve his form significantly if he wishes to retain the title. Behind Simoncelli in the top ten are the likes of Thomas Luthi, Raffaele de Rosa, Héctor Faubel, Roberto Locatelli and Jules Cluzel, all of whom will aim to get straight on the pace on Thursday when 250cc free practice commences. 125cc The Assen trip cannot arrive quickly enough for Júlian Simón, who currently leads the way in the single cylinder class and is desperate to put the painful memories of the Barcelona race firmly behind him. Although Simón came out of the Catalunya weekend with a 1.5 point advantage over his Bancaja Aspar colleague Bradley Smith, the conclusion of 125cc contest was a complete fiasco for the Spanish rider who celebrated a victory one lap too early and was then heartbreakingly denied a podium spot by another teammate, Sergio Gadea, in a photo finish. Such is Simón’s strength of character and the general form he has shown in 2009, however, it would not be a huge surprise to see him bounce straight back with a win at Assen. One man who will aim to stand in his way will be Englishman Smith, who looked somewhat off-colour during the last GP, but is also generally having a fine season. Back in the title picture after a brief dip in results Iannone (Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.) took full advantage of Simón’s Barcelona mishap to win for the third time this season. The Italian sits 12.5 points beneath Simón in the classification and is likely to be amongst the frontrunners again in The Netherlands. Beyond the top three the aforementioned Gadea (also Bancaja Aspar) and his fellow Spaniard Nico Terol (Jack & Jones Team) are both also in good form and could well be in the hunt for podium places on Saturday. Free practice at the Alice TT Assen commences on Thursday 25th June at 12.40pm for the 125cc category, at 1.55pm for the premier class riders and at 3.10pm for the 250cc competitors, with the races taking place on Saturday as has traditionally been the case at this particular round. More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: The MotoGP ‘Cathedral’ of Assen in the Netherlands awaits Rizla Suzuki this coming Saturday, as the MotoGP field descends upon the famous circuit for the Dutch TT. Chris Vermeulen heads to the land of his ancestors determined to return a good result at the 4,555m Assen circuit. He has had some promising performances at the Dutch track – including pole position in 2007 – but has yet to break into the top-six in a MotoGP race. Vermeulen had a successful post-Catalunya test and will be using many of the improvements he took from there as he prepares his assault for glory. Loris Capirossi will be planning to build upon the form that has seen him take successive fifth places at the last two events. Capirossi is eager to get back on track and carry on from where he left off at Catalunya, believing that a lot of the data collected at the Spanish track will stand him in good stead at Assen. Capirossi will also be determined to extinguish the memory of the crash he suffered at last year’s Dutch TT that kept him out of the race and forced him to miss the next MotoGP event. Assen is one of the most famous circuits in Grand Prix racing, and although the venue has altered considerably from the original road track, it is the only location on the current calendar that has staged Grand Prix races since the inception of the championship in 1949. Although numerous changes were made to the present circuit layout in 2007 for safety reasons, it still retains its magic and most riders look forward to racing there. Rizla Suzuki takes to the track for the first free practice session on Thursday afternoon, followed by the second – and final – free session on Friday morning. Vermeulen and Capirossi will be out in the Friday afternoon qualifying session to challenge for the best grid positions for Saturday’s race. The 26-lap Assen Grand Prix is the only venue on the MotoGP calendar that holds the race on a Saturday and the main event gets underway at 1400hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT). Chris Vermeulen: “I really look forward to going to Assen. Holland is where my family came from so there are always people around that remember my Grandfather and tell me how they are related to me – so I feel like a bit of me is coming home! We had a good test after the Catalunya race and if we can translate that into the forthcoming weekend then I am sure we can be competitive. I enjoy riding at Assen and I have won there in World Superbikes, but I have never quite got the results I think I’ve deserved – or certainly wanted – in MotoGP. I hope this will be the weekend when that all changes!” Loris Capirossi: “I am still very happy from my performance in Catalunya, but this is a whole new race and we have to begin again. We used the new engine specification in Spain and then did a lot of testing with new parts on the Monday so we have a lot of data to use for this weekend. We hope we’ll use the new spec engine again at Assen but it is still being developed and Suzuki needs to check everything, so we will just have to wait and see. I really want to carry on with the good progress we are making, especially at Assen because I didn’t get the chance to race there last year. I also want to do well for Rizla – they deserve a good result at what is really their ‘home’ racetrack.”