With barely enough time to catch their breath after an awe-inspiring race in Malaysia, the MotoGP world tour moves south for the GMC Australian Grand Prix, the second of three races on the flyaway leg of the season. Some riders will be looking to carry their form over from Sepang to Phillip Island, whilst for others it will be the chance to improve on their result in Malaysia. One of the riders wanting to do the latter is World Championship leader Nicky Hayden. The Repsol Honda rider took fourth place in the Marlboro Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, and saw his lead at the top of the overall standings reduced to 22 points over title rival and team-mate Dani Pedrosa, and 26 over reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi. Pedrosa, suffering from a knee injury after an accident in practice for the Malaysian race, was a doubtful participant last weekend but, after taking the late decision to ride, defied the odds to take third. Taken immediately to the Clinica Mobile after ascending the podium, the rookie title contender has little time to recover after a hard Grand Prix. Valentino Rossi, victorious in the last round, is gathering momentum in his quest for a sixth premier class title. With the opportunity to leave the final race of the triple flyaway at the top of the classification, and two tracks where he has experienced success before coming up, the tide seems to finally be turning in Rossi’s favour after lots of bad luck this year. With his two main rivals either off-form or walking wounded, can the Italian star close the gap yet further? Loris Capirossi lies in fourth overall, having battled with Rossi in Malaysia. The Australian public will be eager to see a repeat of one of the numerous battles between the Ducati rider and Rossi which have provided some of the season’s most exciting moments so far. Marco Melandri could overtake his two compatriots in the standings at Phillip Island, and after failing to get on the podium in Malaysia he will be eager to pick up points in the next round. He is under little pressure from the chasing pack in the World Standings, 59 points ahead of Casey Stoner in sixth. LCR Honda’s Australian rookie heads to his home circuit for the first time as a MotoGP rider, and there is sure to be a huge turnout to support the local hero at the GMC Australian Grand Prix who will be keen to make up for disappointment last year when he crashed out of the lead in the 250cc race. A trio of American riders trail Stoner in the overall classification, with Kenny Roberts Jr, Colin Edwards and John Hopkins separated by just 12 points. Shinya Nakano completes the top ten as the riders head to Phillip Island expecting chilly conditions and bracing coastal gusts. 250cc In 250cc, Jorge Lorenzo comes off a run of four victories in five races and holds a 12-point advantage over Andrea Dovizioso. With both consistent podium finishers, the title race could take many twists and turns over the next two weeks, with the Phillip Island race perhaps giving a better idea of who will take this year’s quarter litre crown. Alex de Angelis and Yuki Takahashi are separated by a single point in their battle for third place, whilst Roberto Locatelli and Hiroshi Aoyama round off the top six places. 125cc Alvaro Bautista arrives in Australia knowing that he only has to finish ahead of Mika Kallio to take his first 125cc world title. The Spaniard won his sixth race of the season in Malaysia, and Kallio’s second place couldn’t stop the gap between them extending. With an advantage of 74 points separating the two, the crowd at Phillip Island could well see a new champion crowned in their homeland. Kallio did manage to increase the points margin between himself and Mattia Pasini in Sepang, and is now 25 points ahead in what is surely a battle for his second consecutive runner-up spot in the championship. The first six also includes Sergio Gadea, Hector Faubel and Lukas Pesek. Circuit information Phillip Island, the self-styled home of Australian motorsport, is steeped in motor racing tradition, with the first car races having been held there on public roads in the 1920s. The first motorcycle races took place in 1931 and a permanent track was built in 1956. The circuit fell into disrepair during the late 70s and early 80s until it was bought in 1985 and given a AUS $5m facelift. MotoGP returned in 1989 and 1990 before becoming a regular fixture once more from 1997 onwards. The Phillip Island circuit is blessed with breathtaking scenery and beautiful ocean views and, as one of the fastest, most fluid, tracks on the calendar, it continues to provide some of the most spectacular racing in the MotoGP season. More, from a press release issued by Camel Yamaha: TITLE CHASE CONTINUES FOR CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM IN AUSTRALIA Australian Grand Prix Phillip Island, Australia 15, 16, 17 September 2006 The Camel Yamaha Team take their global points quest to the southern hemisphere this week as the MotoGP World Championship makes the transcontinental trip from Malaysia to Australia. Round fourteen of seventeen takes place at the Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne almost a month earlier than usual, promising brisk spring temperatures and another unpredictable weekend of top class motorcycling action. Valentino Rossi arrives Down Under on top form, having clinched his fifth victory of the season just last Sunday in Malaysia. That morale-boosting win over fellow title contender Loris Capirossi (Ducati) has left him just 26 points shy of series leader Nicky Hayden (Honda) with four rounds to go and his most successful premier-class circuit on the horizon. The 27 year old has taken MotoGP victory at Phillip Island for the past five straight seasons, adding to two previous successes there in the 250cc class. The target for Colin Edwards is a return to the early season form that culminated in a victory challenge at Assen in round seven. Like the Dutch TT circuit, Phillip Island is a place the Texan enjoyed huge success at during his World Superbike career and it provides the ideal scenario for him to work around the set-up problems he has encountered with the YZR-M1 machine in recent races. VALENTINO ROSSI: A SPECIAL PLACE Valentino Rossi can’t wait to get back on track after one of the most exhilarating races of his career at Sepang on Sunday. The Italian is relishing every opportunity he gets to close in on series leader Hayden and can’t wait for his next bite of the cherry at one of his favourite venues. “Honestly I always look forward to this race a lot, and especially now, when my M1 is working so well,” says Rossi. “Phillip Island and Australia in general is a special place, very beautiful. This race is very important for my team, because many of them are Australian and it’s their home race, like Mugello for me. I want to thank them for all their hard work by doing well!” “Phillip Island is a magic track for me. I’ve won a lot of races there and some championships too, I love it! It’s one of my favourite tracks, an ‘old style’ track. We didn’t test there this year but anyway the M1 always works well there and I love riding there. It’s very cold this year, so it’s going to be difficult with the tyres, but I am really looking forward to it. “After Laguna I didn’t entirely believe in my chances for the championship anymore, but then after Brno I said to myself ‘okay we still have a chance, we can try.’ Now my objective is to win as many races as possible, then we see in Valencia.” COLIN EDWARDS: THE NEXT CHALLENGE Colin Edwards also has a special affinity with Phillip Island having built a strong record at the track during his World Superbike career, finishing on the podium on no fewer than eight occasions, including a win in 2001. The Texan also benefits from the backing of strong local support, with friends and family always amongst the crowd. “My Dad is actually Australian so Phillip Island is always a bit of a home race for me,” explains Edwards. “The Australian fans are amazing and I always have a lot of mates there which makes it fun. I am looking forward to it; I just need to put Malaysia behind me and focus on the next challenge. “Like Valentino I really love the track and I’ve had some brilliant races there over my career, with the Superbikes as well. It seems to suit our bike, although it’s going to be pretty cold there at this time of year so it’s hard to predict the situation with the tyres. Obviously I had a tough time in Malaysia, where I was expecting to go well, so we’re going to have to find something new this week. I really need a good result here.” DAVIDE BRIVIO: KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Camel Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio could not wish for a better venue to be heading to on the back of a successful weekend in Malaysia, with the riders sharing a fondness for the track layout and several of the mechanics hailing from Australasian shores. The second of three races in as many weeks, Phillip Island promises to be another stern challenge of the team’s organisation and mettle. “It’s great to be going to a place and a circuit that both our riders love,” says Brivio. “A lot of the team are Australian too and for them to be heading home after such a long and demanding season can only help them to recharge their batteries and stay fully focused for another important weekend ahead. From Japan to Italy, all our staff have been working extremely hard to keep the championship alive and that’s the goal again this Sunday. “These three races in such a short space of time put a lot of demands on the team but we are just keeping our heads down, keeping focused and taking each race as it comes. The win in Malaysia was a fantastic emotion for everybody and I’m sure the show will be just as spectacular on Sunday. Hopefully Colin can be involved up at the front too and help Valentino take another step closer to the top of the championship.” TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: PHILLIP ISLAND ACCORDING TO PIERRE ALVES Phillip Island demands far more than just a fast bike to make for quick and consistent lap times. The sweeping and flowing circuit is possibly one of the ultimate tests of machine control and throttle accuracy, not to mention the sheer bravery and forcefulness required of the rider. Its exposed location on the cliffs facing the Bass Strait means that weather is a constant talking point, especially this year, when tyre choice will be a crucial consideration. “It’s going to be a big change from what we’re used to at Phillip Island because we’ve never been there at this time of year and we’re expecting it to be very cold!” explains Pierre Alves, Michelin Tyre Technician for the Camel Yamaha Team. “Generally for Phillip Island you need a tyre that’s quite hard on the left side and much softer, but not too soft, on the right side. Because of the temperature it’s going to be much harder than usual to find the right combination and balance for the track, as tyre efficiency will be reduced with such a low track temperature. “Usually we have quite a good base to work from at Phillip Island, because we test there, but this year we didn’t so we don’t know so much about how the new M1 will go there. However the biggest factor, as far as tyres go, is the weather; it’s quite difficult because we’ve really never faced a situation like this! It’s certainly going to be one of the most challenging, and interesting, races of the year for us!” VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION Age: 27 Lives: London, UK Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1 GP victories: 84 (57 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc) First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc) First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc) GP starts: 169 (110 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) Pole positions: 43 World Championships 7 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP) COLIN EDWARDS: INFORMATION Age: 32 Lives: Conroe, Texas Bike: Yamaha YZR-M1 First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) GP starts: 61 x MotoGP World Championships – 2 World Superbike Phillip Island Lap Record: Marco Melandri (Honda) 2005, 1’30.332 Phillip Island Best Lap: Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2005, 1’29.337 2005 Australian Grand Prix Results: 1. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Yamaha, 41’08.542 2. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda, +1.007 3. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati, +4.215 6. COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Yamaha, +33.200 More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Honda: PREVIEW AUSTRALIAN GP – WELCOME TO PHILLIP ISLAND A round the world trip continues for the MotoGP paddock this weekend, moving from Malaysia to Australia for the next race of the season at Phillip Island. The Australian Grand Prix is the fourteenth round of the season and promises to be crucial to the outcome of the title chase, with five riders still holding out hope of outright glory. Marco Melandri, fifth in the series on 168 points and with a 46 point gap to leader Nicky Hayden, is keen to once again show his true potential at a circuit he particularly likes .It was here that the Italian lifted the 250cc world title in 2002 at the age of 20 and he currently holds the MotoGP lap record there having clocked 1’30″332 last season. MARCO MELANDRI: “I can’t wait to race at Phillip Island, a track I really love. I’m glad to be getting straight back on my Honda after a disappointing race at Sepang. I’m motivated to have a good race and get back to the competitive level I know I should be at. The championship is really difficult for me now but I will still be going out to give it my best shot every Sunday. In Malaysia we worked hard over the three days to find the right feeling with the front end. Hopefully we can start off on the right foot at Phillip Island, a track which requires a perfect set-up.” TONI ELIAS: “The team are doing a great job at the moment and we’re taking steps forward every time. That’s why I’m really looking forward to the next round at Phillip Island, a circuit I really like a lot. The design is beautiful and the track is one of the fastest and most spectacular in the world. Just the speed makes it very technical and difficult to understand, it’s very demanding. I’ve always had good results here firstly in the 250s and then last year in MotoGP, when we had two really good days of practice and I qualified seventh. Hopefully I can do that again this year but with a better end result.” THE TRACK: Right on the coast, the Phillip Island circuit is perhaps the favourite of most of the riders, a simple and original layout that casts the mind back to days of old. Here there is no huge grandstand looming over the start-finish straight as there are at so many modern circuits; the grey of the track mixes with the rolling green hills and the bright blue of the ocean. Adding to the natural beauty of the place, the track is technical and complete, characterised by slow sections mixed with fast, hard acceleration, strong braking and frequent changes in line and elevation. A LAP WITH TONI ELIAS: “Phillip Island has some of the fastest corners in the world and it is a spectacular and fun place to be for the riders and for the fans. It is a technical track which requires a perfect bike set-up. The main unknown is the weather because the climate can change very quickly and within a matter of a few minutes it can go from bright sunshine to rain. There is also a constant wind that whips up onto the circuit from the sea.” Marco Melandri AND Phillip Island: Marco has celebrated victory at this track on two occasions in the past firstly in the 125cc class in 1999 and then secondly in 2002 when he took the win and the world title in 250. In total Marco has visited the Phillip Island three times. Last year he missed out by a hair’s breadth, finishing fourth in a truly spectacular race. FOCUS: PADDOCK TRAVEL The MotoGP World Championship circus continues its journey around the planet over the next couple of weekends as the season enters its final phase. Next Sunday the paddock will be ready to host another race some 17,000km away at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia, some 22 hours of flight time away from Europe and with an eight-hour time difference. The tiredness and pressure that the riders have to put up with at this stage of the season is not just limited to the track as they attempt to deal with the dramatic time changes, hours of travel, airport queues and climatic differences between the countries. Over the course of a season each member of a MotoGP team takes around 50 flights, without including the IRTA tests at the start of the season. Each team covers an average of 110,000km around eight and a half times around the world and each member of staff spends between 230 and 250 hours sat on board an aeroplane. The logistical arrangements of each team falls on the shoulders of one person, who is in charge of making all of the hotel bookings, car rentals and transport of team materials. Fulvia Castelli is the person in question for Team FORTUNA HONDA. Alongside the structure of each team, within the MotoGP World Championship paddock there is also a specialised travel agency, Fly Away Sports Travel, which also journeys around the world during the season. The agency has its own office with satellite connection so that it can connect to the Internet from anywhere in the world. It began in 1994 and currently employs nine people, three of whom regularly travel. “On occasions we’ve even bought flight tickets whilst travelling in the car!” says Massimo Bertozzi, who runs the business alongside his wife Daniela. TRAVEL IN NUMBERS 110,000 – the number of kilometres covered during a season by a MotoGP team around eight and a half times around the world. 50 – the number of flights taken by a member of a MotoGP team each year. 230 – 250 the hours spent on an aeroplane by a member of a MotoGP team each year. 17.000 the number of kilometres a team member must cover to attend the Australian GP.