MAX FACES TOUGH FIGHT FOR RUNNER-UP POSITION Max Biaggi (Repsol Honda RC211V) will have to draw on his vast reserves of grit and experience to secure runner-up in the World Championships now that the title has gone to Valentino Rossi (Yamaha). The Roman is under severe pressure from Loris Capirossi (Ducati) with just four rounds to go. Max currently enjoys a 17-point lead over his challenger who has revitalised his season with two consecutive wins from pole position in the last two races at Motegi in Japan and Sepang, Malaysia. But with a maximum 100 points available from the remaining four races Sete Gibernau (Team Movistar Honda RC211V), currently languishing in eighth place overall, is still a mathematical contender for the runner-up position. And even Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) in 11th overall, his season blighted by injury, is still in with a theoretical chance too. But reality dictates that the fight is between the five riders with 130 points or more, Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) on 134, Marco Melandri (Team Movistar Honda RC211V) on 137, Colin Edwards (Yamaha) with 139, Capirossi on 142 and Max with 159. Alex Barros (Camel Honda RC211V) has 122 points and as one of only two Honda men to have won a race this season (the other being Nicky Hayden), he is surely overdue another good performance if he can recapture the form he showed at Estoril in Portugal. The veteran Brazilian will be fired up for this race. Shane Byrne, standing in for the injured Troy Bayliss (Camel Honda RC211V), is still getting to grips with his RCV, but the chirpy Londoner lacks nothing in enthusiasm and he can always be expected to shine in difficult conditions. The Losail International circuit lies ten kilometres from Qatar’s capital of Doha. The 5.4km track is now a known quantity for most riders across the classes, but not for all. The track was only used for the first time last year. Losail, built in 2004, features more turns than any other track on the calendar, six lefts and ten right-handers in all. Nor is there a chicane of any description. This puts a high premium on machine agility and it also brings tyre wear issues into sharp focus. But the artificial grass placed along the track to allay riders’ fears of sand being blown onto the surface was only partially successful last year. Sand tended to collect on anywhere other than the racing line, making overtaking tricky. The same trouble is likely this year too. The heat will be relentless with track temperatures of up to 45 degrees expected. Ambient temperatures will be equally elevated and any rider not at absolute peak fitness will suffer in these oppressive conditions. Set-up will be directed at making the machines manageable with a minimum of physical input from the pilots. There is also the matter of a 1062m straight, 20m longer even than Catalunya. This puts power and top speed among the primary requirements and also braking at the end of a 320km/h blast flat out in top gear. Gibernau won here last year and is desperate for a change in fortune this season. “I look forward to the Grand Prix of Qatar,” he said. “Last year we won and this year we tested in winter. I hope the data gathered in the March pre-season tests will be useful for the set-up and I hope that next race represents a turning point in what’s been such a difficult season. It seems that when things go bad, they go really bad. But mentally I believe in myself more than ever.” His team-mate Marco Melandri said, “I did a lot of laps on this track last winter. I am sure that the data we accumulated will be helpful to find a good set-up. In 2004 Qatar was new for all of us, now we’ve all had the experience of a race and winter testing and this track will be more familiar for all of us. My right foot is healing correctly and I hope to I hope to arrive in Qatar in better shape.” Max said, “I go here with high expectations but things are not easy at the moment. The situation in the World Championship table looks better than it is. We have second place in the Championship even though we struggle at nearly every track this year. I can only dream about where we might be if things had gone well. However I never give up and will be looking to work hard with my team to get the machine to work well for the race next week.” Max’s team-mate Nicky Hayden said, “I struggled here last year and never felt that comfortable from the start. We’ve moved on as team a lot. We have a real tight group of guys at the moment and I’m sure we can come up with something that should feel good round here. I’ve got to keep up the pressure for the rest of the season. I don’t want to be finishing were I am now in sixth. I’m only 25 points behind second place and that’s where I’m aiming with 100 points still to play for.” Alex Barros said, “The track will be dirty and slippery on day one. I remember in last year’s first practice I hardly managed to even get my knee down. So we hope that this year it will be a bit better because the track is nice and technical, I really like it. We also hope that Michelin can bring something new, even though we will obviously be trying to do everything possible to get a better set-up for the bike.” His team-mate Shane Byrne said, “When I found out I would get this chance to ride the Honda, I thought to myself, ‘Fantastic, I can get into the top ten, maybe even the top five!’ But after Sepang, I’ve got a better idea of where we are and also how the bike works over a race and what it gives you. I don’t know the Qatar track, but I hope this weekend sees some more progress from us. I hope to be able to battle in the main group and take a few points.” Makoto Tamada said, “Because of two consecutive falls on Friday and Saturday at Sepang I didn’t have the confidence to push hard during the race. Last year Doha was good for me, I like the track and I hope to improve on last year’s result. I am tired of what has happened this season when I have only been really good in Japan. At Doha I hope to give something to those who’ve never stopped believing in me.” Dani Pedrosa (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) knows he needs a strong result here to take back the initiative in what is turning out to be a tense end to a season that at one stage looked as if it would be a relative breeze for the young Spanish star. But after his crash in Malaysia Dani is under pressure from his rival Casey Stoner (Aprilia) who won in Sepang. With a 38 point advantage there is no need to panic, but Dani knows he needs to notch up another win to add his tally of six so far this season to put the pressure back on Stoner. Dani’s team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama (Team Movistar Honda RS250RW) couldn’t get the result he wanted in Malaysia. He was keen to follow up his maiden class win at Motegi with at least another rostrum, but could do no better than fifth. He will be attacking this race hard. Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Racing Team Honda RS250RW) also fell at Sepang and the Italian 250cc rookie knows he needs a big score here if he is to overhaul Stoner for the runner-up spot this season. Jorge Lorenzo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW) resumes racing this season here at Losail after his suspension in Malaysia for over-enthusiasm at Motegi. Dani, who finished second to Sebastian Porto (Aprilia) here last year, said, “The two days rest in Malaysia were good for my shoulder and hopefully this short break before practice on Thursday in Qatar will help me forget about it altogether and get back to riding to the best of my ability. Let’s see if we can get up there from the start and have a good weekend.” His team-mate Hiro said, “Qatar is really tough because I am not used to racing in such heat. Last year was the first time and we suffered, but at least we know what to expect now. It’s important to get used to the heat as soon as you arrive and drink lots of water during the day to stay hydrated. We had a good race last year and I finished third so I hope to be at a good level once again and try to improve on that result.” Dovi said, “I don’t really like the track at Doha, it’s a strange circuit. The track conditions are not very good I just hope it is better prepared than last year. One good thing is I don’t think it will be much more difficult to find a set up for the 250 than it was with the 125.” Jorge Lorenzo is itching to get back on the grid. He said, “I like Losail very much and after a weekend of no racing I am looking forward to this race more than ever. The track is very dirty so I hope the wind will not bring more sand onto the surface and affect the race. I need to take as many points as possible out of the last four races and this is a good starting point for me.” In the 125cc class brave Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) takes up the challenge just a week after his remarkable win in Malaysia just a week after dislocating a shoulder in a huge crash at Motegi. The young Swiss is a fighter who locked in a tense battle with Mika Kallio (KTM). Luthi has 189 points to Kallio’s 181 and neither rider is giving an inch to the other as the season reaches its climax. Luthi will have drawn great strength from the fact that he beat Kallio while not at full fitness, but he knows that his eight point lead is a fragile one. Thomas said, “Doha is okay for me although I must say honestly that I don’t remember too much about it from last year. One thing for sure it’s going to be tough for all of us again in the high temperatures. But my bike is really strong and I will go there and spend time working on my injured feet and shoulder.” Fabrizio Lai (Kopron Racing World Honda RS125RW) said, “Last year, after the qualifying practice, I decided I didn’t like this circuit. During the race, I found a good feeling with my bike and finished fifth. This track will probably be very dirty like last year. If you go off the good line, you lose a lot of time.”