DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RETURNS TO EUROPE FOR IRTA TEST AT BARCELONA, FIRST OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT OF THE 2005 MOTOGP SEASON After a lengthy series of winter tests, Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa are ready for the first official confrontation of the season. After a positive conclusion to the winter test schedule, which saw the Ducati Marlboro Team involved at faraway circuits in Sepang, Phillip Island and Doha, the Italian squad returns to Europe for the first official appointments of the 2005 MotoGP season: the IRTA Tests at Barcelona and Jerez. Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa will be back on their Desmosedici GP5 machines, ready to face up to their rivals in what promises to be a long season ahead but motivation is high due to the excellent results achieved by both riders in the past at the Montmelò circuit. Loris, on his debut with Ducati, set quickest time in the IRTA Test two years ago and then, a few months later, took the top podium slot in the race. Carlos, in front of his home crowd, scored a first-ever 500 win here in 1996. The positive results of the winter tests have helped fuel the motivation of Ducati Marlboro Team engineers and riders in view of the start of the 2005 MotoGP championship. “It is with great pleasure that we return to Barcelona. On this track Loris has given us some incredible moments of joy, such as the surprising fastest lap he set during the 2003 IRTA Test or the first win of the Ducati Marlboro Team in the sixth Gp of the same year. This is also Carlos’s home track and it is particularly dear to him as he scored his first 500 win here in 1996. I am sure that both our riders can’t wait to take part in this first real confrontation” declared Livio Suppo, MotoGP project manager. “The results of the winter tests are very encouraging and they demonstrate that the technical decisions taken have put the development of the Desmosedici on the right track. The collaboration with Bridgestone is also continuing well and is giving great satisfaction to both parties. I believe that all the conditions are there for an interesting season ahead! Now all we have to do is wait for Sunday afternoon, when we will see what the lap times are like”. Encouraged and motivated by the pre-season tests, Loris Capirossi is raring to get back onto his Desmosedici GP5 at the Spanish circuit. “We worked a lot during the winter, both on the track and in the company, and I am curious to see how we go against all the other riders at what is universally considered to be more or less the first ‘race’ of the season” declared Loris. “I have splendid memories of Barcelona and hopefully I’ll be able to add some new ones!”. Ready for his first official outing on a factory Ducati machine, Carlos Checa is also anxious to face up to all his rivals. “Here I took part in my first race in the 125 world championship as a wild-card and three years later I scored my first win in 500. All of my friends will be there to cheer me on and this year they will see me on a Ducati: that’s an emotional feeling!” commented Carlos. “I am pleased with the way the bike improved over the winter, I know that we still have to work hard to be up with the front-runners but I am ready. I know that the Desmosedici adapts well to this track and I hope that we can get the most out of these three days of testing”. At Barcelona the Ducati Marlboro Team factory riders will also be flanked by Vittoriano Guareschi with the Development Team and Shinichi Ito, who will be working with the Bridgestone technicians. Vitto will continue the development, which began at Jerez in February, of a new system of engine braking modulation. This is a special software designed by Ducati Corse that acts on engine and clutch management parameters to give greater stability under braking by reducing the rear-wheel braking effect which is common with four-stroke machines. MotoGP Test Schedule Friday 10.00 – 18.00 Free Practice 1 Saturday 10.00 – 18.00 Free Practice 2 Sunday 10.00 – 13.00 Free Practice 3 13.30 – 13.50 Photo opportunity 14.05 – 14.45 Televised MotoGP Practice session 14.45 – 15.00 BMW award ceremony 15.15 – 18.00 Free Practice 4 Circuit de Catalunya: Lap record: Sete Gibernau (Honda), 1m44.641s, 162.624 km/h (101.050 mph) Pole position 2004: Sete Gibernau (Honda), 1m 42.596s Inaugurated in 1991 Modified in 1995 Length: 4.727 km. Length of pit straight: 1.047 km Corners left: 5 Corners right: 8