From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

POWER, RELIABILITY AND FUTURE HOPES BOOSTED FOR BRNO

Proton Team KR have upgraded hardware for the resumption of hostilities at Brno this weekend – and a not-so-secret weapon in the back of the truck.

The two-weekend break since the last round in Germany has given the England-based team the chance it needed not only to solve teething troubles of the first version of their radical all-new V5 prototype MotoGP racer, but also to start to unleash more of the available horsepower.

According to rider Nobuatsu Aoki, “It feels as though it has about ten more horsepower. You can really notice the improvement.” Fellow Proton KR ace Jeremy McWilliams also tested the upgraded machine, and promised “at least a second faster lap times, compared with our last test at Brno.”

But the final decision on whether to race the newest version of a machine still in its infancy has yet to be taken. The team will be taking last year’s two-stroke 500cc lightweight machines along as well – after a strong double-points finish at the last round, the German GP. Brno’s fast sweeping corners are another happy hunting ground for the agile old-style two-strokes, and they will be ready to make one more racing appearance, if desired.

“The bike came to the tracks for the first time less than three months ago,” said team manager Chuck Aksland. “It’s still very new. Since its first race (the Italian GP, on June 8) we were putting out fires … trying to solve teething problems and reliability issues, and also getting the bikes ready for the next race.”

However, the new bikes were left at home for the last round at the twisty Sachsenring circuit, where McWilliams proved the trusty two-stroke’s amazing potential with a challenge for pole position, ending up a close second fastest in qualifying.

“Ever since the British GP, we’ve been focusing on the problems,” said Aksland. “The break allowed us to address a lot of the smaller issues.” These had included oil-control and seepage, as well as crankshaft weaknesses. “We have a lot of that buttoned up now,” said Aksland. “There are many things aside from overall performance that you need to give the riders more confidence.”

At the same time, the crew at Banbury – the biggest independent motorcycle race engineering facility – were working on improving performance. “The work was mainly on cylinder heads and exhausts, and has given us a little bit of performance increase from standard,” said Aksland.

The latest developments only came together on the Tuesday before the Brno race, illustrating the project’s punishing time schedule. The latest version of the bike was given shake-down tests at Bruntingthorpe airfield, with barely time for the engines to cool down before they left for the trans-Europe haul to Brno.

“The bike is still very new, and even this step since Donington Park is a small step forward. If we can keep doing that, then we will get there,” added Aksland.

The primary aim is to race the new four-stroke at Brno, but Aksland explained that they will have race-ready two-strokes on hand as well, not only as a back-up in case of unexpected problems, but also because of the chance of another strong performance from the state-of-the-art 2002 KR3 two-stroke.

“They’ll be there as an option, which we might take if it is to the benefit of the overall race result,” said Aksland. “We’re pretty sure the two-stroke can be quick at Brno, but we also know the four-stroke will be quicker than on our last visit to the track. We’ll be ready either way,” he said.

The Brno circuit is long, fast and profound, including a string of tricky high-speed downhill corners as well as a punishing climb back up the forested hillside. In spite of this power-sapping finale to the lap, the high corner speed of the three-cylinder two-stroke pays dividends over the rest of the distance, and last year McWilliams was able to climb through to a heroic seventh place from the back of the field.

Proton Team KR have another advantage with their Bridgestone tyres. Prior to their top-class debut last year, the Japanese company tested extensively at the Czech Republic circuit, and it is one place where the rubber’s already impressive performance shows to its best, especially in the likely hot conditions, as the European heat-wave continues.

The Czech Republic sits alone in the middle of the summer break this year, after two weekends off following the German GP, with two more before the Portuguese race. That is followed by the final four flyaway rounds in Brazil, Japan, Malaysia and Australia, and the last race at Valencia.

JEREMY McWILLIAMS: ANOTHER SECOND OFF THE LAP TIME
The shake-down tests went quite well, and I’m pretty pleased. There’s definitely more horsepower now, and it seems the oil problems we were having are cured. Not having to worry about whether there’s oil on your boots is probably worth another couple of tenths! I had thought we might be racing the two-stroke again at Brno, and it would be okay with me if we do end up with it. But the whole idea is to get the four-stroke racing, and the extra power should be good for about a second a lap. We’re making progress.

NOBUATSU AOKI: FEELS LIKE TEN HORSEPOWER MORE
The new machines at the tests were very interesting. One development idea I tried is not working correctly yet, but the old engine with new tuning feels like it has ten horsepower more. The team is preparing both two-stroke and four-stroke bikes. I don’t know yet which I would prefer. If the new four-stroke engine carries on working okay, then I’ll be happy with it. My basic wish is to race the four-stroke, and if everything goes well to get a good result. I have done a lot of tyre development at Brno with Bridgestone, and the tyres work very well there.


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

Preview Czech Grand Prix at Brno

15–16–17 August 2003

ROSSI HEADS HONDA CHALLENGE AT BRNO

The 16-race MotoGP season clicks over into double digits at Brno this weekend with reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V) still leading what has become a fascinating and increasingly close battle for overall championship honours between himself and two other RC211V riders.

Second place man in the series Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) scored his fourth win of the series at the Sachsenring round three weekends ago, closing to within 29 points of the otherwise irrepressible Rossi. Riding a wave of self-confidence since his return to the Honda fold this year, Gibernau has made himself the star of the current series and looks to Brno – the easternmost GP of the European season – as another opportunity to peg back some points on the leader.

Despite suffering his first no score of his 2003 season, after falling at the tight and twisty Sachsenring circuit, Max Biaggi (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) still finds himself the third player in a trio of Honda riders clearly heading the championship table. Three times a Brno race winner in the premier class of GP racing, Biaggi is going for win number two of his 2003 season, at one of his all time favourite circuits.

Such has been the efficacy of the RC211V and the experience and hunger of this year’s top three Honda riders that they have taken eight of the possible nine wins between them. The remaining win went to fourth place man in the championship Loris Capirossi (Ducati) who secured victory at Catalunya in round six.

The Brno track is a beloved venue for many riders and the old road circuits of yesteryear still encircle the current purpose built Automotodrom Brno track. Despite it’s contemporary levels of safety and facilities Brno is still one of the longer venues on the campaign trail at 5,403m and has been a MotoGP fixture since it opened in 1987.

For Rossi, a win at Brno would extend his lead in the championship, irrespective of Gibernau’s placing. With the incentive of going for thee premier class championship wins in a row, the idol of millions worldwide is in determined mood pre race, despite some bad luck at Brno in the past. “Brno is not one of my favourite tracks and I have not such good memories about last year’s race,” said Rossi, who, like many of his rivals, has also tested at Brno recently. “The testing we did with the team a few weeks ago was successful and we hope for a good result this weekend for the championship.”

Rossi, son of Grand Prix racer Graziano, has been a fan of bike racing since birth and believes that this season is a special one for MotoGP enthusiasts. “I think the fans will be in for a great show as the season moves on,” said the 24-year-old Rossi. “There are seven GP’s remaining and the championship is very tight. Some tracks will favour me; some will favour others. This season I have been lucky and unlucky. Sometimes I was beaten by the weather sometimes by the rules and sometimes by my own mistakes.”

Rossi has been beaten on four of those occasions by Sete Gibernau, who is motivated by the results of his recent outing at the Czech track.

“The test we did at Brno before the Sachsenring was a great help to us,” affirmed Gibernau. ” We have had a good base setting for he wet from the first time we ran the bike on a wet track. Our dry track set up was not as good but at the Brno we were able to concentrate our time on general machine settings without the pressure of qualifying. I can say that we are now very close to finding the optimum base line set up for the dry. I set some good lap times at the test, not just one fast lap, so I will go into first practice at Brno with confidence.”

Max Biaggi, who can count on four 250cc GP wins at Brno as well as his three in MotoGP, underlined before the start of race action that he has long since changed his approach to the Czech circuit.

“I cannot put up with my crash at Sachsenring yet, and it’s right I feel so! I’ll forget about it only winning. It’s impossible to fight for the title with just podium finishes: that’ why at Sachsenring I was pushing so hard. Now we are going to Brno a track which has a special place in my heart. I cannot explain exactly what I feel when I enter that long last uphill straight or when I ride through the corners in the last section. It’s exciting. There you need a great engine but a clean riding style help you to learn precious tenths. It’s a track very wide where you can find your own lines, not like the Sachsenring where you have just one line to follow. To be competitive here you have to be fast in the corners, to let the bike flow through them. I look forward to race there, indeed”.

Rookie Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) came of age in many respects at Sachsenring, scoring a career best fifth before heading off to a fateful Suzuki 8-Hour race, where he crashed on oil. The American hero sits tenth overall in the championship, learning more with each race that passes.

“I was hoping to come to the next GP off the back of a good Suzuka 8-hour but it isn’t to be,” said Hayden. “Despite that I’m really looking forward to Brno. We tested there just before the Sachsenring and tested a lot of different stuff. Nothing radical but things worked and the bike felt real good at the German GP straight after and the results showed. I wanted to be in a position towards the middle of the season to be running with the fast guys. I feel I am now.”

Tohru Ukawa (Camel Pramac Pons RC211V) sits sixth overall, having had a mix of results this season. He is going for his first podium finish of the year, at what is a good venue for him.

“It’s my favourite track,” said Ukawa simply. “I would have preferred to take a rest for a while after Germany but there was the Suzuka 8-hour to do. I’m happy to go to Brno though. There’s good grip and it’s nice and wide. I prefer the fast, wide tracks to the smaller places.”

Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda RC211V) has been running Bridgestone tyres this season and used his testing time at Brno to select suitable rubber for the challenge ahead.

“I’m looking forward to Brno and hope the days we spent testing the tyres will give us an objective advantage,” said the multiple SBK race winner for Honda. “Shinichi Ito was at the test and we both agreed that two tyre combinations, of the 40 or so combinations we tested, will work very well on that track at the Grand Prix.”

Another MotoGP rookie this year, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) used his Brno testing time well, and feels that he may well have an advantage compared to most circuits on the GP trail.

“I’m really looking forward to Brno, it will be the first European track I have any experience on before racing there,” he explained. “The test we made there before Sachsenring was good for me. I made many, many laps at the track during the test and my lap times improved each time I went out. I like the circuit a lot.” Nineteenth in the standings, Kiyonari is looking for his first top ten race finish in a MotoGP race this weekend.

A closely fought win for Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) at the Sachsenring 250ccc Grand Prix pushed the consistent Italian rider to within seven points of the championship lead in the run up to the Czech race.

Rolfo’s 100% finishing record has seen him on the podium three times, and never outside the top nine in races. His recent win makes the championship a three horse race at present, with Manuel Poggiali (Aprilia) and Fonsi Nieto (Aprilia) on 129 and 126 points respectively, while Rolfo has 122.

Understandably Rolfo approaches Brno with a keen sense of anticipation after his Sachsen success but another factor has elevated his mood still further.

“The win in Germany, and the test at Brno have boosted our confidence, particularly the Brno test,” said Rolfo. “We gathered a lot of valuable information about the Honda. It was a bonus at Sachsenring but it will be even more valuable when we go to Brno. I’m really looking forward to that race.”

Eighth overall could well be improved on by Sebastian Porto (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS250RW) another rider who is a real fan of the Brno layout.

“I like Brno very much, it’s one of the best racks we race on,” he said. “It’s also a nice place to visit. I think I can make a good race of it at Brno. If we start where we left off at Sachsenring we will be OK. The chassis on our bike is very good but we need a bit more acceleration up the hill. It will be a hard and difficult race but I always like racing there.”

After taking fourth at the Sachsenring race 125cc World Championship Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica MoviStar Junior Team RS125R) enjoys a 20 point lead – 137 to 117 – over his closest challenger Stefano Perugini (Aprilia), with third place man Lucio Cecchinello (Aprilia) slightly adrift on 105.

Perugini was the most recent 125cc race winner, and Pedrosa will have to keep the pressure on in the Czech Republic. A one position improvement on his second place at Brno last season would be the perfect solution for the young Spaniard, who has scored three race wins so far this year, at Welkom, Le Mans and Catalunya.

“I’m ready for the race. I only took a few days off but even then I worked on my physical condition because the rest of the season will be very hard physically, and mentally. The classification is quite close now. Brno is a circuit I really like, last year I finished second. The track has the type of corners I like, long fast bends, and some good slow corners. The only part of the track that I find hard is the final uphill section, my bike gives a little to the Aprilia’s there.” Commented Pedrosa.

Mika Kallio (Ajo Motorsports Honda RS125R) relishes the challenge Brno is about to offer him. “I like the Brno track, it’s a bit like Sachsenring only longer and faster,” he stated. “In fact the track is much faster but the up-and-downhill character of the track suits my style, I have a good feeling at Brno. I will aim to improve on last year when I finished 10th.

Masao Azuma (Ajo Motorsports Honda RS125R) spent some down time at home to collect his thought s for the end of season push. “I’ve had two weeks holiday, a relaxed time when I can think clearly,” he said. “I’m too nervous about the race performances. Back to Japan, I prayed a little and hope we can find the right direction again before Brno.”

Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) hopes for an upturn in his fortunes at Brno. “Brno will be much better than Sachsenring for me,” he explained. “I prefer racing at the Brno circuit. The track is a little like Sachsenring in character, but much bigger and faster. I’m looking forward to it. I took my holiday after Sachsenring and tried to forget my crash, I have to be positive.”

One exception to the rule that Brno is a track riders love comes in the form of Andrea Dovizioso (Team Scot Honda RS125R). “I don’t like Brno very much, in fact Sachsenring and Brno are the two grand prix tracks I like least of all,” he stated. “Last year we had a few problems, particularly front end chatter that cost me much time. I only managed to finish 21st, I have to be a lot better this year.”

Simone Corsi (Team Scot Honda RS125R) is a novice to Brno, but his team is not. “I’ve never seen Brno, not even for a test,” said Corsi. “But the bike is working well and the team have all the data necessary to help me in first practice so I’m looking forward to the race. I hear the track is really good to race on.”