DUCATI MARLBORO MEN ARRIVE IN QATAR ON THE CREST OF A WAVE

Last weekend, for the first time since its debut in MotoGP, the Italian team saw both its Desmosedicis take podium positions: a truly fantastic result for the new, but already harmonious and efficient Ducati-Bridgestone pairing. Capirossi has dominated the last two MotoGP events, taking superb back-to-back pole positions and race wins for the first time. Meanwhile Checa wants to continue his own superb form: last weekend the Spaniard took his first top-three finish with the team.

The Ducati Marlboro Team is now in fourth place in the Team classification while Ducati is third in the Constructors’ standings.

Morale is therefore high in the Ducati Marlboro Team as the crew arrives in Qatar aiming to give its riders the winning package once again, but knowing that this race will be more difficult than the previous two. “At Motegi and Sepang we had the best mix – rider, bike and tyres,” says Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “Since Brno in August we’ve been using a new generation of tyres from Bridgestone which helped us to win the last two races, but Qatar and Phillip Island will be a big test for us. Qatar will be a special challenge because we didn’t have a great winter test at the track during February. We suffered with tyre wear but the tyres have improved a huge amount since then, thanks to Bridgestone’s hard work. Qatar isn’t a special kind of track, but it’s got a special surface – very hot and usually very sandy! It’s tough on tyres because the conditions are so hot, because sand gets blown onto the track and because there’s a lot of corners. But we go into this race in great shape, excited by our success and trying 110 per cent.”

“I am really proud of the results we have achieved in the last few races, which have come about thanks to the work of everyone, both at the track and back home”, declared Ducati MotoGP project leader Livio Suppo, “and I am even prouder of the affection that Loris, Carlos, the team and everyone else have demonstrated to me in this particularly difficult moment”.

CAPIROSSI IS THE MAN OF THE MOMENT

Ducati Marlboro Team man Loris Capirossi is currently enjoying his most successful period in the premier-class. Now in his eighth season on big bikes, the little Italian with the big heart is the man of the moment, with two wins and a second place from the last three races and second overall very much in his sights. Loris has scored 70 points in these three races, compared with the 45 obtained by the seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi. He now lies third in the championship but is aiming to take the runner-up slot from Max Biaggi, who is just 17 points ahead.

Capirossi has shone thanks to new Bridgestone tyres that allow him to use his spectacularly aggressive style – stunning lean angles and big handfuls of throttle – to get the maximum out of his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici.

“Bridgestone have worked so hard with us this year,” he says. “Since Brno we’ve had different spec tyres that work really well, so everyone can see the potential of the Desmosedici. Earlier in the season you couldn’t see the bike’s true potential, but now we have a very strong package. Also, having good tyres helps in other ways because they help you develop the bike quicker and more effectively.

This is my 16th year in World Championship racing and I think I’ve shown that my potential is still really strong. I’ve signed for another year with the Ducati Marlboro Team because I really believe in them. We’ve had some tough times but we’ve stayed close and now we can see the fruits of our work. The big issue this weekend will be the sand – if sand gets blown onto the track, like last year, it’s a big problem. When we were last at Losail, in February, the track was much better because the World Superbikes had just been there, so they had cleaned the surface. It’s impossible to know what it will be like until we get there, so we wait and see.”

HIGH HOPES FROM 2004 POLE MAN CHECA

Carlos Checa has high hopes for the Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix – he comes to round 14 of the 2005 MotoGP series fresh from his first podium of the season and knowing that he took pole for last year’s inaugural race at Losail.

“Third place at Sepang was a great result for us, it shows we have made some good progress in recent races,” says the Ducati Marlboro Team man. “When I joined this team for 2005 they had a new package after switching to Bridgestone tyres, so it wasn’t easy to start with. It was a risk but now everyone can see that the risk was worth it. Bridgestone have been very brave, giving us tyres that give us a really good package. Losail isn’t the most fantastic track but it’s interesting enough. The only problem last year was that it was so slippery and there was no grip off the line. If you ran a few inches wide, you were in trouble. It was different when we went testing in February – it was grippier and you could use more of the track. Qatar is also the most extreme weather we face all year – very, very hot – but that’s fine by me, I work well in the heat. I also enjoy these flyaway races, there aren’t so many people around so you can be more relaxed.”

THE TRACK

Dominated by a 1.1km straight, the remainder of Losail’s 5.4km is a sinuous high-speed switchback, with most corners leading into one another, rather than separated by shorter straights. The circuit was designed using elements of other famous tracks. But the chief issue at Losail is likely to be sand. At last year’s inaugural Qatar GP windblown desert sand made the circuit treacherously slippery. The surface did improve with use, lap times dropping by an unprecedented ten seconds from first practice morning to race day. But even during the race riders couldn’t ride with their usual aggression, and if they got off the racing line there was very little grip at all. Of course, the heat is also a consideration at Qatar. Last year ambient temperatures nudged 40 degrees with track temperatures of over 50 degrees, asking much from riders, bikes and tyres, as well as the teams working hard in the air-conditioned pits.

LOSAIL DATA

Lap record: Colin Edwards (Honda), 1m 59.293s, 162.357kmh/100.884mph (2004) 2004 pole position: Carlos Checa (Yamaha), 1m 58.988s

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS LORIS CAPIROSSI Age: 32 (born April 4, 1973) Lives: Monaco Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 25 (3xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125) First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125) First GP: Japan, 1990 (125) GP starts: 229 (59xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125) Pole positions: 38 (5xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125) First pole: Australia, 1991 (125) World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998) Losail 2004 results: Grid: 6th. Race: DNF

CARLOS CHECA Age: 32 (born October 15, 1972) Lives: London, England Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5 GP victories: 2 (500) First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500) First GP: Europe, 1993 (125) GP starts: 181 (61xMotoGP, 92×500, 27×250, 1×125) Pole positions: 3 (2xMotoGP, 1×500) First pole: Spain, 1998 (500) Losail 2004 results: Grid: pole. Race: DNF