From a press release issued by MS Aprilia Racing Press Information:

PREVIEW

Tuesday 8 October 2002

Three rounds from end of Championship at Sepang, Malaysia

Just the time it takes to pack up the flying cases, and the World Championship “circus” takes to the air on its way to Malaysia. This weekend, Sepang will provide the setting for the third from last round of the 2002 season. Another highly important week will follow, at Philip Island in Australia, before the season comes to an end in Valencia. Fifty kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur, the international circuit of Sepang is a colossal facility with one of the longest circuits of all – just short of six kilometres. Recently built, the track is a monument to entertainment and speed. It was constructed in little over a year, fully respecting all the most demanding safety standards. Four slow corners alternate with other very fast ones and the right amount of straights where the engines can unleash all the power they contain. The track is 25 metres wide and the length of the straights will make overtaking possible at extremely high speeds. An eye has to be kept on the climate, however: it can be hot, sometimes torrid, with a level of air humidity that can test the physical fitness of the riders to the limit. The weather is indeed an unknown factor and the latest satellite pictures suggest this weekend may not be exactly perfect.

The circuit. Length: 5,548 metres – 5 left corners – 10 right corners – longest straight: 920 metres – Maximum width: 25 metres – Year of construction: 1998.


2001 winners. 125 Class: Ui (JAP) Derbi – Class, 250 Class: Kato (Jap) Honda – 500 Class: Rossi (Ita) Honda.


Circuit records – 125: 2’16.138, Giansanti 2000 – 250: 2’09.116, Nakano, 2000 – 500: 2’06.839, Roberts, 2000.


APRILIA LEADING IN 125 AND 250

After winning the 250 manufacturers’ title in Brazil – the 18th world title for the Venetian company – Aprilia is still aiming for another three world championships: the 250 riders’, 125 riders’ and 125 manufacturers’ still need to be secured.

Aprilia is currently at the top of the tables in all three ratings, but Arnaud Vincent’s lead in the 125 was much whittled away by Sunday’s race at Motegi, meaning the young French Aprilia rider is in for a very tough fight if he is to secure the title.

125 CLASS

Arnaud Vincent (Aprilia 125), currently leading the World Championship standings, was forced out of the Motegi race by a technical hitch, losing much of his points advantage over Manuel Poggiali (Gilera). He still has 8 lengths to play with, and the last three races of the championship are going to be crucial for his attempt to win the title. In the manufacturers’ ratings, however, Aprilia is already 43 points ahead of the Japanese Honda, a margin which will be less dicey to deal with even though there are still 75 points left to be won.


250 CLASS

After last Sunday’s race, Marco Melandri’s lead is stronger than ever: 52 points over his closest rival Fonsi Nieto. If Marco manages to beat him this weekend in Sepang, it means he will have the 250 class championship for 2002 in his pocket. It also means he needs to have nerves of steel and cannot possibly afford to lose his concentration. Marco still has three races left to reach his goal, so if he is not able to make the final assault in Malaysia, Australia could prove to be the right opportunity for this long-awaited moment.


MARCO MELANDRI – 250cc class – Aprilia RSW 250

Marco missed his rendezvous with victory by a hair’s breadth at Motegi. Having stayed out ahead for the entire race, just a few moments from the end of the race, he had to reckon with Aprilia-mounted Toni Elias. The young Spaniard, who gave a textbook demonstration of how to make a last-minute dash, managed to get the better of Marco just moments before the end. Macio finished second but Sunday was a great day for his placing in the tables, and he could even make the coveted title his this weekend.


“I’d like to decide the ‘match’ as soon as possible. As I’ve already said, I don’t want to find myself having to fight for the world championship in Spain. That’s why I’m going to take the race in Malaysia with the greatest care, helped by the calm and confidence I’ve felt over the past few days. The lead-up to this Sunday’s race is no worry for me: we’re a long way away from Europe and I feel I’m under less pressure than I would be in the “Old World”. I’ve just got to try and do my best, to win if I can. We’ll see how things go. I felt a bit bad that I didn’t make it in Motegi, but the way Elias managed to surprise me on the last corner before the chequered flag was brilliant. He put on a fantastic race and deserved his victory. Malaysia’s going to be tough: the humidity and heat put your physical fitness to the test. Especially after you’re halfway through the race, your physical condition can make all the difference. The track’s very wide and this will certainly make for some very tough and exciting duels. There’ll be some real battles. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got some unfinished business with Malaysia: this is where I fell in the 125 class in ‘99 and lost my chances of winning the world championship. If I manage to win the title here on this track, it’ll have an even greater significance for me.”


REGIS LACONI – MotoGP – Aprilia RS3

Régis Laconi’s fine performance in the Motegi race has given further impetus and incentive to the official RS Cube rider. Leaving from the pit lane after a start failure, Régis shot his way up through the ranks until he was 11th past the chequered flag. Proof of out-of-the-ordinary determination, and a demonstration of his commitment to the development work being carried out on the three-cylinder bike from Noale during the races.


“We’ve made another great leap forwards. The work we did during the days leading up to the Motegi race helped give me a bike that was easier to handle, easier to take into the corners and more efficient in delivering horsepower to the ground. The set-up of the front fork meant I had a more fluid ride, and I could keep the bike up against the kerb on the corners, while the new rear tyre gave me the grip I’d been wanting for so long. I was able to open up the throttle early and deliver the power to the tarmac without skating, so my lap time was much faster both during practice and during the race. If we carry on like this, we can get back to a position in the ratings that better reflects our potential. We can go fast, and we’re not that far behind the leaders. I’m hoping that this week here in Malaysia will turn out to be another step forward, so we can show we’re working in the right direction and, more than anything, that we can stay up in the top 10 or 12 positions. We’ve got the potential to do well here in Sepang. There’s almost a kilometre of straights here and that’s just what the Cube enjoys best of all”