Just six months after the first MotoGP race at the Istanbul Park circuit, the world’s premier motorcycle race series is back on the Europe-Asia border for round three of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship. The Grand Prix of Turkey will hope to repeat the successful event from last year, which saw young gun Marco Melandri win his first ever MotoGP race. Melandri was back in Turkey today, and was joined in a pre-event press conference by championship leader Loris Capirossi. Whilst Melandri will hope to boost his disappointing start to the year with his first podium, Capirossi will be hoping to build on his successful start to the year, which has seen him take a first and third places at the opening two races. The Ducati rider will race at the track for the first time, having missed the 2005 event through injury. He made a couple of laps on a paddock scooter today in order to familiarise himself with the Istanbul Park circuit, which is generally acknowledged as one of the most popular racetracks on the 17-round calendar. One of the riders to disagree with that assessment in the press conference was reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi, who admitted this isn’t one of his favourites. However despite this fact Rossi finished second in last year’s race, and arrives to the track in fine form, having scored his first victory of the year, and first win in four races. In what will be his 100th MotoGP race, Rossi currently sits in fourth place in the championship and will hope to close the fourteen-point gap to compatriot Capirossi. Casey Stoner won the 250cc race at Istanbul Park last year, and after taking pole position in Qatar the young Australian will be aiming to collect his first MotoGP podium. In the press conference he admitted to having recovered from the illness which affected him in the Middle East, whilst hoping his the base set-up which worked so well there will serve him well in Turkey. Whilst the riders met the press, other MotoGP riders took the traditional Thursday pre-GP culture excursion, which this time took place along the rolling waters of the Bosphorus which separates east and west Istanbul. MotoGP riders Sete Gibernau, Kenny Roberts Jr and Jose Luis Cardoso were joined by 250cc’s Roberto Locatelli and 125cc championship leader Alvaro Bautista as they took to the river by boat to soak up the Turkish atmosphere with a music and dance display provided by local performers. During the excursion the riders were taken along the river route, which cuts through the city to join the Marmara and Black Seas, enabling them to take in the sites of historic Istanbul including the Haghia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. There was also the chance to see the wondrous site of Topkapi Palace, the crown of the Ottoman Empire. As on the river, back in the paddock the day was one of sunny conditions and high temperatures, with a light breeze to keep the air fresh. The Turkish paddock welcomed several hospitality units for the first time today, to create a genuine racing atmosphere before practice gets underway tomorrow morning at 9am local time, with the races taking place on Sunday.