A VERY DEMANDING GRAND PRIX MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX PREVIEW The MotoGP World Championship leaves European soil behind once again this weekend as it heads east for three races in as many weekends. The chase for the title promises to be an exciting affair as five riders stake their claim over the remaining five races, which will take place over the next eight weeks. The season-long battle looks certain to go all the way to the wire. Marco Melandri, who lies fourth in the standings behind Rossi, Pedrosa and Hayden on 161 points, is one of the firm candidates for the most treasured prize in motorcycle sport. MARCO MELANDRI: “Now is the time to take each race as it comes because we are in the final stage of the championship and we have to give our best all the time. I’m happy to be racing in Malaysia – a nice track but one that at the same time is also technical. It is not easy because of the amount of long corners. Sepang is always very hot, with not much grip, and it is easy to crash. The rider’s conditioning is one of the keys to success and from that point of view I feel very confident. My physical preparation is designed specifically for the level of demands you are put under at this track – from supermotard riding to motocross and mountain bikes. We’ve got three very contrasting circuits coming up but I like them all and I can’t wait to get on my RC211V. Last year I arrived in Sepang with 35 stitches in my foot so I wasn’t in the right physical shape. Now I’m feeling confident because we have a good base set-up for the bike which I think can help me be consistent at each of the remaining tracks. Tyre choice at Sepang will be another of the main keys to success.” TONI ELIAS, who rode his RC211V in Malaysia during the winter tests, returns there determined to show his true potential. “The two day test in the Czech Republic was crucial to be able to better analyse the reactions of the bike. We worked a lot on weight distribution under braking and we know we are on the right lines and that the hard work will bear fruit soon. I like Sepang because it is a technical track which has some really hard braking areas hidden amongst .We are working very hard with my team and I hope to get a good result starting from this race”. FOCUS: HIGH TEMPERATURES AND TYRE WEAR High temperatures can be extremely wearing on the physical condition of a MotoGP rider and the case is even more so for the tyres. At a certain point the intense heat begins to reduce grip levels and at a circuit like Sepang the lap times are almost always faster during the morning, when the track registers around 40ºC than in the afternoon, when it can reach as high as 50ºC. In order to tackle the difficulties this presents MICHELIN have come up with a special rubber compound. “Independently of the track temperature each tyre is constructed according to the characteristics of the track,” explains Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s Director of Motorcycle Racing. “Its layout, the track surface (topology and design), the rider’s style and the machine. These are some of the most important factors to take into account. Track temperature can vary a lot during a single day at Sepang and go from 40ºC in the morning up to 55ºC by the afternoon.” When the tyres begin to go off, that is when the rider can make the difference. “Riding style is crucial to the lifespan of a tyre – especially when temperatures are as high as they are at Sepang, Laguna Seca or Qatar” continues Nicolas Goubert. “Heat reduces grip levels and then it is up to the rider not to slide too much and wear down the tyre – especially in the early stages of a race.” The experience gathered this season at Laguna Seca, where track temperatures soared to around 60ºC, has allowed the Michelin engineers to take another step forward in their analysis of tyre reaction to extreme heat. The experience on the American track could be useful next weekend on the Malaysian track. Heat in numbers 60ºC: Track temperature at Laguna Seca 2006 15°-20°: The lowest temperature recorded this season (during the IRTA tests at Barcelona). 48°: Track temperature during preseason testing at Sepang in 2006. 1,100: The number of tyres being taken to Sepang by Michelin for use over the weekend. SEPANG: CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS Inauguration: 1998 Latest modification:1999 Length:5.548 m Width:25 m Pole:left Right corners:10 Left corners:5 Longest straight: 920 m RECORD: Circuit record: 2005 Hayden (Honda) 2’02″993 Pole: 2005 Capirosi (Ducati) 2’01″731 Race 2005: 1st Capirossi (Ducati) 2nd Rossi (Yamaha) 3rd Checa (Ducati)