STARS AND STRIPES FOR THE MOTOGP US GP PREVIEW The Championship returns to the States after ten years. The last GP disputed in the States was in fact in 1994 when Luca Cadalora won on his Yamaha in front of John Kocinski (Cagiva) and Mick Doohan (Honda). Since then, the only international race disputed on the Californian track has been the SBK championship race. The track record belongs to Noriyuki Haga with a 1’25″475 (2002). This time is purely a reference as the MotoGP riders will find a modified track compared to what their SBK colleagues rode on. This fascinating track of Laguna Seca, famous for its “corkscrew” , an area in which the track contorts downwards and obliges the riders to exhibit not only their technique but their courage as well. This track underwent massive transformation during the winter months a Dorna and FIM created more run off areas and distanced some of the walls. The project comprised of all these changes cost 2 million dollars and changed the look of the track from a safety point of view: the work began in January involved the 2.238-mile track : the run off areas were increased and the curbs were replaced. Amplifying the gravel beds was the biggest job, just think that 15,000 tons of gravel were brought in during this period. Other major works were the repositioning of the bridge at turn 9 and taking away some of the hill side on the exiting of a corner in order to give more escape way. When the work finished on 16th June, the FIM gave the Laguna Seca track the homologation to host a MotoGP race. “The inspection went really well” comments Claude Denis, official inspector of the FIM, “the modifications we had asked for have been carried through completely. We will add airfence devices and hay stacks to the already existing structure before the race.” “The most substantial modifications have been done at the first corner after the pits, at the beginning of the corkscrew, at turn 9 and at the last corner before the pits” comments Franco Uncini, IRTA Safety Delegate, “the curbs have been modified as well. Now in Laguna we will find all the curbs which are standard in MotoGP, FIM homologated, which means negative 2.5. Structural modifications have been done to the pits and garages and are now ready to host a MotoGP. From a profile point of view the track is beautiful and sufficiently safe. I am sure that the Laguna race will be spectacular.” More than positive reviews have come from Kenny Roberts Jr. who, in quality of representative of the riders safety commission, visited the track. “Laguna put in 100% to make this track safe. The intervention project was huge, every corner had to undergo a modification. I think they have done a great job on the curbs, the best of the entire championship. As official representative of the safety commission I think Laguna has now become a very safe track.” The eighth round of the championship will see the MotoGP as the unquestionable main attraction. Sunday 10th July in fact only this top class will race. The MotoGP will share the paddock with the American AMA. SETE GIBERNAU LOOKS TO THE STATES FULL OF ENTHUSIASM AND MOTIVATION Sete Gibernau arrives in the States with much curiosity and enthusiasm as taking on a new track is always cause for greater motivation. The Vice World Champion has never ridden on this American track but does know Laguna as a spectator, both by having been there, and watching it on television. Sete also has a particular tie with the American Riding School. He spent a lot of time on Kenny Roberts Ranch in Modesto where he has practised and got into contact with some of the greats of American Riding School. His ties with the States continued: his passage to the 500 class happened thanks to Wayne Rainey, ex world champion of the 500 class, American, born in Los Angeles. Sete began the world Championship in 1996 with a private team. Noticed by Wayne Rainey, Gibernau gets called half way through the championship to ride an official Yamaha 250. Thanks to Wayne Rainey, in 1997 the Spanish rider passed on to the 500 class. From this point on he begins his brilliant career which has twice been crowned with a second place finishing in the championship. After a difficult begging to the season, the twice world champion looks to the States full of hope. SETE GIBERNAU AND LAGUNA SECA “I have never ridden in Laguna Seca but I have watched a race as a spectator in 1993. I was spending a couple of days on Kenny Roberts ranch in Modesto and on that occasion I accompanied Kenny to Laguna where he was racing as a wild card. I was very taken by the track, different than all the others and with its famous “corkscrew” which makes it unique and distinguishes it from all the others. I can’t wait to race on this track, Laguna is considered one of the classics to race on and I still haven’t! Considering its location and atmosphere, I am sure it will be an absolutely special Grand Prix.” MARCO MELANDRI, A SECOND PLACE THAT TASTES LIKE A VICTORY Marco Melandri just cannot hide that energy which his much deserved second place in Assen has given him. A race in which Marco demonstrated to be a rider in constant growth and who has proven to know how to take on a difficult race. To begin with, during the first half of the race, he maintained his cool when overtaken by Valentino. He stayed glued to him, trying to learn where the best place was to attack. An error cost him precious tenths of a second which did not allow him to recuperate the lost distance but the second place was celebrated as a victory. Thanks to his consistency (four podiums and three fourth places) Marco maintains his second place in the riders championship. Passionate for Motocross, Marco will be able to watch one of the American championship races of the National Championship in Red Budd, Mitchigan before taking on the legendary Laguna Seca. MARCO MELANDRI AND LAGUNA SECA “Laguna Seca is a surreal track, weird because there are lots of ups and downs. In reality the track is different than how it looks on television. Everything revolves around the corkscrew, you get to it by coming down from a long left hand corner, followed by a tight choke towards the bottom, very tight and in the opposite direction. You really need to be brave because it is a blind corner. I can’t wait to ride on this track as it is one of the legendary tracks of motorcycle racing.” LAGUNA SECA TECHNICAL DATA Name of the circuit: Laguna Seca Grand Prix : Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix Opened: 1957 Modified: 2005 Length : 3.610 m Width: 15 m Pole position: a destra Right Corners : 4 Left Corners : 7 Longest straight : 966 m MotoGP Race: 32 laps equal to 115,520 kms RECORD: Track Record: new racetrack for MotoGP pole position: new racetrack for MotoGP