Phillip Island October 13th, 2005 Australian GP Preview Bridgestone ready for Phillip Island high-speed action: Special tyres for special conditions Located on the Southern tip of mainland Australia, Phillip Island is a paradise for nature lovers and motorsport fans alike. Embedded in green parklands directly besides fabulous surf beaches and the rolling waves of the Tasmanian Sea, Phillip Island is not only one of the most beautiful, but also the fastest tracks in the MotoGP calendar. Its classical layout with fast and sweeping corners produces close racing with heart-stopping action every year, and tests skill and bravery of the MotoGP riders aboard their 250 horsepower machines to the maximum. Phillilp Island’s high-speed corners are also a real challenge for the tyre technicians. The unique high-speed layout, and especially the fast last turn, where the riders shift through the gears with high lean angles and wide open throttle, make the rear tyre spin for a long time, thus creating excessive heat in the tyre. A variety of corners without any camber make the tyres slide even more, and add to the overheating problem. Durability and grip consistency are the big issues, together with the warm up – performance of the tyres Phillip Island can be cold in the springtime of the Southern Hemisphere, with sudden drops in temperature of up to 15 degrees if the wind direction swings around and it starts blowing from the Antarctic South. “I love Phillip Island as long as the weather is nice”, smiles Ducati star Loris Capirossi. “I always love fast corners and Phillip Island has many beautiful ones. It is the kind of track where the rider can make all the difference, It’s also good for our Desmosedici, we have always been fast here. Bridgestone has done some great work recently, so we’ll wait and see what evolution tyres they bring to this race. I hope we’ve got a good package because I really want second place in the championship!” The 32-year-old Italian is currently sixth in the overall standings, just eleven points away from second place two consecutive victories in Japan and Malaysia, and another pole position in Qatar meant a miracle recovery from a difficult first part of the season, and made all the difference in the outlook for the rest of the season. “Since Bridgestone came up with their latest generation of tyres, I can ride the bike the way I really want to and I feel strong enough for more victories this year”; says Capirossi, who has sweet memories of Phillip Island: Back in 1990, he won his first world title there, and has enjoyed plenty more success here, including podium finishes at the last two Australian GP’s. Capirossi is also the current lap record holder. Phillip Island also marks the return of Kawasaki rider Olivier Jacque, who had dropped out of the last Grand Prix in Qatar due to lower back and shoulder pain. “Phillip Island is one of my favourites, and I have very happy memories there”, says Jacque who won his 250 cc title there five years ago as a team-mate of Shinya Nakano who is now his team-mate again. “Shinya has shown the potential of the latest Kawasaki motor and the new Bridgestone tyres, plus the ZX-RR has precise handling, which is critical at the island.”