From a press release issued by Camel Honda:

Sepang GP – MotoGP

CAMEL HONDA TEAM PREPARES FOR SECOND LEG OF INTERCONTINENTAL TOUR

The Camel Honda team is ready to tackle the second stage of the tour which sees the championship visit three continents in three weeks. From the intense heat of Qatar they move on to the similarly intense Malaysian climate, where it seems a tropical downpour is always on the horizon. In the Middle East the team had a challenging weekend but both riders stood up to the test in the race, overcoming the difficulties and getting the best result possible. In Sepang, the aim is to be at the very top once more.

Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)
“Sepang is a circuit we know well after the complete unknown of Qatar. The Malaysian track is sand and dust free for starters, and that made life hard in Qatar. I also hope not to have any unwanted surprises like the penalty last weekend which sent Max to the back of the starting grid. Sepang’s climate will be similar, with extreme heat, although we did well in the pre-season tests there earlier this year. I’m sure the team will find the right track once more, and we will be big protagonists in the final three races of the season.”

Max Biaggi #3: (Michelin Tyres)
“They say ‘bad luck comes in threes’, and we’ve had three really unlucky races from whichever way you look at it. They’re done with now and I now hope to turn the page over on all that. I actually think I did that already in Qatar, when I came sixth after a particularly difficult race. Sepang is a track I like, I’ve won there twice and I was on the podium in 2003. The tests there went well too, even if the RCV back then was different. Everything is set-up for us, so we hope to achieve something, not only for me, but for my team as well and for Honda, who are pushing themselves to the limit to get a good finish to this season.”

Giulio Bernardelle – Camel Honda (Makoto Tamada’s Technical Director)
“In Malaysia last year we had some problems with tyre endurance on the rear but since then Bridgestone has manufactured some completely new material, so from that point of view, on paper we should be ready. In Qatar the problem that stopped Makoto was a lack of feeling in the front tyre, but it’s possible that it was more about the type of track and the precarious grip levels of the track. We hope that’s the case, because if it is, Makoto has already shown that he is well capable of fighting with the best and coming out on top.”

Makoto Tamada #6: (Bridgestone Tyres)
“It was disappointing in Qatar, and even harder because it came after the great race in Motegi. Above all I didn’t feel confident in the front end of the bike, a nasty sensation for any rider. I hope therefore that in Malaysia this problem doesn’t repeat itself because I want to fight for the win. Not really for the championship, because if I can’t fight for the title the most important thing is to win the race, seeing as I have shown that I’m more than able to do so.”