Bridgestone MotoGP™ Race Preview – Round 3: Estoril, Portugal Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium; Rear: Medium, Hard (Asymmetric) Bridgestone wet compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative) Following an exciting second race of the season at Jerez, MotoGP™ stays put on the Iberian Peninsula for this weekend as Portugal’s Circuito do Estoril hosts round three of the 2012 MotoGP™ World Championship. With two of the eighteen rounds completed, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo leads the championship after victory at Qatar and a second place at Jerez, while Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner, fresh from a fantastic win at Jerez and teammate Dani Pedrosa are hot on his heels in the standings. Estoril’s layout features a wide array of corners with both fast and slow sections that generate dissimilar loads on the left and right-hand shoulders of the tyres meaning asymmetric rear slicks are essential to ensure riders have consistent levels of grip and the necessary durability over race distance. The left shoulder of the rear tyre is subject to much lower loads and so needs to be softer to offer good warm-up performance and initial grip, whereas the higher temperatures generated in the right shoulder, particularly as riders open the throttle out of Parabólica and onto the main straight, require a harder compound rubber. Traditionally, grip levels at Estoril are variable due to its proximity to the sea and susceptibility to unsettled weather and current long-term forecasts indicate that rain is a strong possibility over the race weekend. Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department “So far this season we’ve had two very good races and with Estoril giving us many memorable races in previous years, I believe this trend will continue this weekend. Jorge’s record at Estoril is very good but with so many riders in form I expect it to be another closely-fought contest. I also look forward to seeing how the battle between the CRT riders develops as the performance of the CRT machines at the last race was impressive. “Having had its competitive debut at Jerez, our new specification front slick tyre will be available at Estoril in the harder compound and following the positive feedback it received from riders at Jerez, I anticipate that it will be widely utilised this weekend. The change in wet tyre allocation regulation that was introduced at Jerez also worked well, with riders taking advantage of the extra flexibility in tyre choice it offers. Rain is always a possibility at Estoril and though the main wet tyre we are offering is the softer compound, the hard compound wet tyre will be available to riders if required. On Monday there will be a post-race test and our engineers will be on-hand to assist teams with tyre choice and data analysis, so it will be a busy weekend for Bridgestone.” Shinji Aoki – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Division “Estoril has quite a distinctive layout with an imbalance between right and left-hand corners and a combination of fast corners, such as the long, final corner that leads onto the main straight and very slow sections such as the chicane that makes up turns nine and ten. “The track layout, combined with the generally low track temperatures encountered at Estoril requires softer tyre compounds particularly at the front – to generate the necessary grip and warm-up performance, but for the rear tyre, the right shoulder of the rear tyre needs to be harder to cope with the high temperatures generated in the last corner. To address this performance requirement, Bridgestone will provide an asymmetric rear tyre at Estoril that features rubber on its right shoulder that is considerably harder than the rubber on the left shoulder for the optimum combination of grip and durability.” More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team: Estoril, Portugal – 02 May 2012: Marc VDS Racing Team riders, Scott Redding and Mika Kallio, head for this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril with a podium firmly in their sights, after an encouraging performance in Jerez. Redding finished an impressive fourth in Jerez, after coming through the field from 12th position on the grid to lead the race for six of the 17 laps. The result means the 19-year-old Briton now lies fourth in the championship standings, a position he is keen to improve upon this weekend. A near highside late in the Jerez race robbed Kallio of any chance of a top five finish, but his seventh place finish means the 29-year-old Finn is now sixth in the championship standings and just eight points behind his Marc VDS teammate. Neither of the Marc VDS riders count Estoril amongst their favourite circuits, but Redding took a hard fought fourth place in the Moto2 race in 2010, while Kallio secured his first ever Grand Prix win at the circuit with victory in the 2005 125cc race. Just like in Jerez, the weather could play a big part this weekend in Portugal. Rain is forecast for all three days, at a track that saw qualifying for all three classes cancelled two years ago due to flooding. Estoril is one of the slowest tracks on the Moto2 calendar but it nonetheless represents a huge challenge to the riders as it snakes its way through 13 corners, including numerous hairpins and a technically demanding chicane. Livio Loi will join the Marc VDS Racing Team once again at Estoril, where the 15-year-old Belgian rider will contest rounds three and four of the MotoGP Rookies Cup. Loi currently lies ninth in the championship standings, after 13th and eighth place finishes in the opening two rounds at Jerez. Scott Redding #45: “I head to Portugal this time off the back of a good result in Jerez, where I proved I had the pace to challenge at the front of the race, so I’m pretty confident going into this weekend. I know if everything goes our way in practice and qualifying at Estoril then I can challenge for the podium in the race. The Estoril circuit is quite technical with a lot of heavy braking areas and the forecast for this weekend is for rain, again. Hopefully it won’t be like 2010 when it was so heavy they had to cancel qualifying!” Mika Kallio #36: “For me Estoril is a bit of a Mickey Mouse track, very stop and go, with a lot of slow corners. I don’t like it so much but, for some reason, I’ve had good results there in the past, including my first ever Grand Prix win. Anyway, we head to Portugal looking for a podium finish and, after battling my way up to the leading group in Jerez, I don’t think that’s an unrealistic goal this weekend.” Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal “Scott and Mika’s performance in Jerez was very encouraging; it was good to see both of them on the pace and involved in the battle for the race lead. I hope we will see the same again this weekend in Estoril, where I’m confident a podium finish is well within their capabilities. The weather for this weekend looks to be decidedly wet, but having experienced almost every type of weather other than snow in Jerez, I think we should have a workable set-up whatever the conditions in Estoril.” More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: Ducati Team returns to the track for Portuguese GP The Ducati Team has transferred to Portugal for the third round of the MotoGP World Championship, which will take place on Sunday at Circuito Estoril, a track that, despite being notable for having the slowest average speed on the Grand Prix calendar, also includes some very fast sections like Turn 5, which is taken at approximately 200 Km/h (125 mph). In twelve premier-class races at the circuit, Valentino Rossi has won five times and scored some additional podium finishes, while Nicky Hayden’s best finish there was a fourth place in 2007. The team will remain at the track on Monday for a post-race test. VALENTINO ROSSI, Ducati Team “I like the Estoril track. It has some sections that are a bit tricky and the weather can be very unpredictable, but I like to race there. We had a decent race in Portugal last year with the Ducati, and we hope to do the same this Sunday. The plan is to start on Friday with the setting that we used in the race at Jerez, as I think it has some more potential for us to work toward. We’ll see if we can take a step forward and improve our result somewhat.” NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Team “There hasn’t been much time since Jerez, which is good, as I enjoy back-to-back races. I rode to Portugal in the motor home, and it was a really short, easy trip. I can’t say that I love or hate Estoril. It’s a tight track with a little bit of everything, and the wind can be challenging. My favourite part is the fast corner in the back, but the rest of it is pretty normal. I’m looking forward to Friday. We’ll see what the weather’s going to be like, as it’s pretty unpredictable here. What we don’t need is exactly what we had in Jerez: mostly wet sessions and then having to go into a dry race. It’s clear we need the whole weekend to try to sort some things out and put up a better fight on Sunday.” VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager “I wouldn’t be surprised if we find conditions in Portugal to be similar to those we left behind at Jerez, but although we went well in the rain there, we hope for a weekend with nice weather this time, which would allow us to take full advantage of all the available track time. The Estoril GP will be important for confirming that we’re on the right path in terms of the GP12’s setup, with both Vale and Nicky. Then on Monday we’ll have a day of post-race testing during which we can make some more checks as we continue our bike’s development.” More, from a press release issued by Avintia Blusens Racing: Avintia Blusens willing to take a step ahead in Estoril Last Sunday Iván Silva managed to score his first points in the top class and Yonny Hernández proved to be fast throughout the weekend even though it did not pay off. However the Avintia Blusens team is expecting more from the G.P of Estoril. The next round of the world championship will take place this weekend and on this occasion all the members of the team will combine their efforts in order to take a step ahead and rank among the best CRTs. They have already made it which proves they can also make it this time. It only takes more time and a bit more luck with the climatology so the work schedule can be completed. Both riders are really motivated and focus on the development of the bikes Iván splitting his time between the Inmotec and the FTR and are ready to improve. Yonny Hernández: “I feel fine on this track. I quite like it and I could ride fast in Moto2. Last year´s result was not the one expected as I slightly bumped into a rider and had to leave the track just to get back very delayed. But I have got good sensations on this track. My hand improved and I am going to Estoril in very good spirits.” Iván Silva: “I can hardly wait to get on my bike on this track as it is said to be good fun. The fact I have never taken part to a G.P in Estoril is a minor disadvantage but that should be fine. I am sure that we will adapt fast. I will carry on working with both bikes for this race and we will pick one of the two. I can hardly wait for the practices to start off just to see if we have moved on compared to Jerez and if we can improve our results.” More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing: ESTORIL PREVIEW After a good Championship start, the Pramac Racing Team can’t wait to face a new challange, that will take place on Estoril Circuit, Portugal, next weekend. This is the 13th edition of the Estoril GP, during which Hector won one race but made it the podium a lot. The layout of the Autodromo Fernando Pires de Silva is contrasting, featuring one of the longest main straights in MotoGP and one of the slowest corners. Several other twisty sections cause the lowest average speed in the Championship but the 200km/h at the fifth turn and the final Parabolica corner are two of the toughest tests of any rider’s skill and bravery. Besides, the circuit of Estoril, is just seven kilometres from the Atlantic and it is notorious for fastest changes in weather, with spells of warm sunshine often interrupted by wild gusts of cold wind and rain. In this circuit, Hèctor have had an ups and downs of strange emotions (thanks to several podiums and stirring races) and small disappointments. Certainly, the Spanish rider likes Estoril and he hopes to continue to be in the top ten this season aboard of his Ducati GP12. Hèctor Barberà Rider Pramac Racing Team “I like Estoril and on this track I have achieved great deal. Physically I’m fine, and I know that the bike is ready for Estoril. I know that our Ducati can give us many satisfaction if we work well as we did. In Jerez I wasn’t able to regain the confidence while I was riding my GP12, because of the tricky track conditions, even if the work of the team has been faultless. But a new and unpredictable challenge is starting..”. Francesco Guidotti Team Manager Pramac Racing “Estoril is a difficult track, which combines slow sectors with other fast. The last corner is without a doubt the most difficult. The rain could shuffle the cards: It may rain for all three regions of free practice, qualifying and the race. Despite that I’m confident with the team’s work and with Hèctor’s abilities, hope to achieve a good race result. More, from a press release issued by Avintia Blusens Racing: Maverick Viñales wants another podium at G.P. of Portugal After a frantic race at the G.P. of Jerez when he crashed and got off the track quite a few times because of the critical state of the track due to the weather conditions Maverick Viñales aspires to a “quiet” G.P. of Portugal at least weatherwise. The next round which will take place in the well-known neighbouring country is only the second out of the eighteen races which make up the world championship calendar a long way to go. Both Maverick and the rest of the Avintia Blusens team are aware of it and none would like to go too far too fast. No rush but no break. In spite of this decision Viñales and the team definitely have the potential to do a great race and end up on the podium. Maverick Viñales: “Our previous result in Jerez wasn´t as good as expected but overall it was positive into context. That´s what I said when the practice ended and let me just repeat it now the world championship is very long and must be tackled step by step. Which doesn´t mean I don´t fancy a great result or a win – of course I do! – instead I am always on the lookout for the right moment. I like the circuit of Estoril and I am convinced we can do a great job. Last year I was only a thousandth away from the podium. I will try and not allow it to happen this Sunday.” More, from a press release issued by JiR Moto2 Team: Johann Zarco and Team JiR look forward to Estoril Following on from the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, Team JiR and rider Johann Zarco are now travelling straight to the third round of the Moto2 World Championship at Estoril, Portugal. After his impressive ride to 10th place in Spain, the 21-year-old Frenchman is now raising the bar even higher, as he aims to finish further inside the top ten this weekend. Zarco has enjoyed some good results at the 2.6-mile Portuguese track, including a podium at last year’s 125cc race, as he battled his way to the runner-up spot in the championship. Gianluca Montiron We enjoyed a good result at Jerez, but over the winter we have spent a lot of time there, so for Estoril things could be very different. It is a new challenge, but we know we can improve the bike to Johann’s style and he is improving all the time. We have had positive feedback on the MotoBI from Johann and now I think he’s becoming more aggressive with the bike. I think in Portugal we may now try some different set-ups and geometry changes to see what suits him and his riding style. It’s all a part of making a step forward for Johann, making him more confident with the MotoBI. Johann Zarco At Jerez we hit our target of 10th position, but looking forward to Estoril, I think we must raise the target a little higher. To prepare for the weekend’s racing, I will be out on track from Thursday, on the scooter. This will help me a lot. At Jerez we have had many tests there and done many laps, but not so at Estoril. Even on a scooter you can check your lines and the more laps you do the more you’re learning the track, even at such a slow speed. The more information you get about a track into your mind, the better and it will help me when I finally get onto my MotoBI to ride the track on Friday. Last year at Estoril was good for me as I had a big battle with Maverick Viñales and took a podium. Also in my first year in 2009 I scored a 9th place finish so I have good memories there. It’s an interesting track with some hard braking points an uphill corner and a very long, fast straight. I want to get there and see how my MotoBI feels and then myself and the team can try and improve over the weekend. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha MotoGP Team: Yamaha Factory Racing head to Estoril this weekend on the Atlantic coast in Portugal for the second European round of the 2012 MotoGP World Championship, the first back to back race weekend of the season. Jorge Lorenzo arrives in confident mood as the Championship leader having taken victory in Qatar and a well deserved second place finish in Jerez last weekend. Estoril is another favourite track for Lorenzo with four consecutive premier class pole position starts, three race wins and one second place finish. He has never finished higher than second in the premier class there. The Mallorcan will be looking to defend and extend his four point lead in the standings. Team mate Ben Spies arrives in Portugal determined to get his 2012 Championship back on track after a frustrating start to the season. The Texan has yet to complete a MotoGP race at the Estoril circuit having suffered misfortune in both 2010 and 2011. The Autodromo Fernanda Pires de Silva sits just seven kilometres from the Atlantic coast and as such is notorious for dramatic weather changes; riders can see conditions change in seconds from warm sunshine to high winds and gusts of rain. Estoril provides one of the most challenging circuits for set up, featuring one of the longest straights of the MotoGP calendar combined with the one of the slowest corners. Lorenzo and Spies will need all their rider skills to negotiate the slow twisty sections then hold their nerve for the high speed 200km/hr kink at turn five and the infamous final Parabolica corner leading to the finish line. Jorge Lorenzo “We go to Estoril now, a track which has seen very good results for me. I have had some great victories here, and really enjoy the racing. I think we can be very strong in the race and as in Jerez I think the right tyres will be very important. We are leading the Championship but the competition is very tough so we must give everything to try and stay in front. We also will test on Monday which will be important to continue to make the 1000cc M1 even better.” Ben Spies “It’s been a pretty rough start to the season so far, we’re going to Estoril determined to get our championship back on track and get back up there. I’ve been pretty unlucky in Portugal so it’s time to change that and deliver a good result. We will work hard from the first session to find a good set up that works and see what we can do on Sunday.” Wilco Zeelenberg “It’s been a very good season so far, now we arrive in Estoril, another favourite track for Jorge, with him leading the Championship again, as was the case last year. We are definitely more competitive this year so we hope to be able to keep pushing at the front in all sessions and at least retain if not grow our Championship lead.” Massimo Meregalli “We expect Jorge to continue at Estoril as he started the season. It’s a favourite circuit for him, so we are confident he will be at the front again. Ben has had a difficult start to however we know that he is capable of running with the front group. We are working hard to give him the feeling he needs with the bike and we are confident that he will give 100% as always over the sessions and race.” More, from a press release issued by Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2: REA TAKES POINTS PLATFORM TO ESTORIL Gino Rea heads for the third round of the Moto2 World Championship at this weekend Estoril having boosted his confidence with a first point of the season last Sunday at Jerez. The British rider made small but important steps forward with the set-up of his Moriwaki in Spain and is now hoping to make significantly more progress in Portugal. Gino Rea “It’s another new track for me to learn so I’ll be playing the Playstation as much as possible over the next couple of days! In Jerez we made some progress with the new bike so I’m looking forward to trying it out at a different circuit. It will be another difficult weekend to try and learn the track layout whilst also working on improving the machine but this is the challenge we have signed up for and we are highly determined and motivated to do the job well. I have a great team around me, they are working well and hopefully we can leave Portugal with another solid race behind us like we did at Jerez.” Fausto Gresini “We took a small step forward at Jerez but it’s pretty clear all the Moriwaki riders are struggling at the moment and we have higher hopes than this. Estoril is around the corner and we don’t have much time to prepare but we’ll be working hard anyway to give Gino the best possible feeling with his bike and try to be more competitive than Jerez.” More, from a press release issued by Team Thai Honda Gresini Moto2: WILAIROT LOOKS TO MAKE UP FOR JEREZ DISAPPOINTMENT AT ESTORIL Team Thai Honda PTT Gresini Moto2 rider Ratthapark Wilairot has been sleeping uneasily since Sunday night, counting down the hours to get back on track and make up for his disappointment at Jerez. “Feem” has struggled to get confident with the Moriwaki over the opening two races of the season so his clear objective for round three is to improve his form and feeling for the Japanese machine from the moment he takes to the Estoril circuit on Friday morning. Ratthapark Wilairot “This is a difficult moment for me in my career and I am disappointed to be struggling so much for feeling with this bike. The team and I are working to our limit but we still haven’t found the right way forward yet. We’ll try again at Estoril and try to find the confidence we have been lacking so far.” Fausto Gresini “I feel sorry for “Feem” because I know his potential is much higher than he has been able to show so far and the team are doing everything they can at the moment without finding the right way forward. Unfortunately at the moment this is about the limit of every Moriwaki rider on track so the goal at Estoril is try again to give Ratthapark a machine he can utilise his potential on!” More, from a press release issued by Honda: HONDA MOTOGP MEN READY TO KEEP WINNING The third round of the 2012 MotoGP World Championship arrives with Honda riders ready to continue their winning ways on the Estoril Circuit near the Portuguese coast. Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner broke through with his first ever win in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, with team-mate Dani Pedrosa a strong third in challenging conditions. Stoner has not won in Estoril in the MotoGP class, though he has three MotoGP podiums and a win in the 250cc class 2005, his last year before moving to Honda in 2006. But he also had not won in Jerez before last weekend, and that is no longer the case. On a track blighted with wet patches, Stoner started strongly, taking the lead from Pedrosa on the third of 27 laps, then fending off the constant advances of Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo. What was not known until after the race was that Stoner was struck once again with same arm pump issues that had caused him to abandon a certain victory in the season-opener three weeks earlier in Qatar. In Jerez, Stoner adapted to the lack of feeling in his hands, modified his riding style and rode through the pain to a triumphant victory, one of his best, he said. Now the reigning world champion is in a race to be fit as he takes to the track just five days after his 41st grand prix victory. Before the Champagne had dried, he immediately returned to his European base in Switzerland to spend time with his wife and young daughter, while continuing the treatment regimen that he hopes will find his arms trouble-free in Portugal. Pedrosa kept intact his enviable record of never finishing off the podium in Jerez with his third place finish. He had started fast, fallen back into the pack, then mounted a comeback that had Lorenzo in his sights as the laps counted down. A few more laps and he might have finished second. Now he heads west to Portugal, where his record is almost as impressive. Pedrosa won the 2011 MotoGP race in Estoril, one of four podium finishes in the premier class. He was third in 2009 and second in 2008 and 2007. Of the 12 premier class races in Estoril, six have been won by Honda riders. Alvaro Bautista (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC213V) won a trio of races in Estoril in the 250cc class from 2006 through 2008, though he is not a fan of the circuit, which itself is often hit with weather challenges. His two years in the MotoGP class have not been as productive, but his proven record of success should serve him well as he rides the San Carlo Honda Gresini RC213V in Portugal for the first time. Bautista shook off a practice crash in Jerez to finish sixth in Jerez, a progression of one position on is finishing position in Qatar. Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP RC213V) won his first Moto2 race of the 2011 season from the pole position in Estoril, a victory that was the launching pad for the 2011 Moto2 World Championship. Bradl also won the 2010 running of the Moto2 race. Given his affinity for the track, and his continuing progress in his rookie year in the MotoGP class, Bradl believes he can improve on his seventh place finish in Jerez. Michele Pirro (San Carlo Honda Gresini FTR-Honda) has only raced in Estoril twice. Last year he finished out of the points, as he had done on his first race in Portugal in 2005. The Italian was in position to score valuable championship points in Jerez when he was forced to the pits with an electrical issue on the still developing San Carlo Honda Gresini FTR-Honda. Unlike team-mate Bautista, Pirro enjoys the Estoril layout and qualified on the second row last year. That mindset has him looking forward to continuing the development of the FTR-Honda and the most immediate goal of scoring his first MotoGP points. Moto2 championship leader Marc Marquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol Suter) was leading last weekend’s Moto2 race when rain forced race direction to throw a red flag. Scoring reverted to the end of the previous lap, when Pol Espargaro (Pons 40 HP Tuenti Kalex) was first across the stripe. With the race being called official, having passed the two-thirds distance, Espargaro was the declared the winner; it was his first Moto2 victory. Espargaro won the 125cc Portuguese Grand Prix in 2009 and has top ten finishes both years in the Moto2 class. The 20-year-old Spaniard is one of the few riders who likes Estoril, partly because he took his first podium there in 2007, when he took third in the 125cc race. Marquez won the 125cc GP in 2010, en route to the 125cc World Championship. Last year, the race was held in early May, during the early part of the season when he had yet to hit his stride. This year the early part of the season echoes to his strongest stretch of 2011, after his early missteps and before the crash that sidelined him for the final two races, and most of the winter. The 2010 125cc World Champion held off Andrea Iannone (Speed Master Speed Up) to win a thrilling Moto2 race in Qatar and led the most laps of the shortened Moto2 race in Jerez. Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Suter) earned his second podium in the 125cc class in 2005. He has a pair of fourth place finishes since then, but has not had much luck since the switch to Moto2 in 2010. The Swiss rider finished last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in third place. The first year of the Moto3 World Championship has been a pleasant surprise. The biggest part of that is because of the stunning performance of 16-year-old Italian Romano Fenati (Team FMI Italia Honda). In his first grand prix, grand prix rookie very nearly stole the opening Qatar season-opener from Maverick Vinales (Avintia Blusens FTR-Honda), only losing out by .046s. Three weekends later, he proved that performance was not a fluke. On a partly wet track that claimed more than half the Moto3 field, Fenati kept calm and stayed on two wheels. More than that, he was the fastest rider in the class by more than a second a lap and won the race by a stunning 36s. To win his first grand prix in only his second race was a major accomplishment. The last GP rookie to finish on the podium in his first two races was Japanese rider Nobu Ueda back in 1991. Fenati’s win was the first for an Italian in the smallest displacement class since Andrea Iannone won the 125cc race in Catalunya in 2009, nearly three years ago. Fenati’s victory brought cheers from the Italian contingent in Jerez, who have been waiting for homegrown talent to emerge. The likeable young rider from Ascoli Piceno is sponsored by the Italian Motorcycle Federation, which is active in a number of championships and also works with San Carlo Honda Gresini team owner Fausto Gresini in nurturing young Italian riders. Qatar winner Maverick Vinales was not a factor in Jerez. The 17-year-old Spaniard ran off the track after a big scare, but managed to rejoin the fight. He made steady progress to land in sixth when time ran out. Vinales was not the only rider to run off track. Of the 34 riders who started the Moto3 race, only 17 finished. The tortuous 4182m Estoril Circuit is not a favorite of many riders, partly because of the surface and partly because of the volatility of the weather blowing in from the nearby coastline in Cascais. Estoril is one of the slower tracks on the calendar, with 13 corners-nine rights and four lefts-and a longest straight of just less than a kilometre. The variety of corners places an emphasis on a well-balanced motorcycle, with riders needing the help of electronic aids to tame the brutish power of the new wave of 1000cc MotoGP machines. One of the more special features of the circuit, is the run to the flag. The final turn is a right-hander, the Parabolica, which sends riders onto the front stretch where the leader often falls victim to the chasing riders who make the most of the draft the steal victory. The first MotoGP race was held at Estoril in 2000 and this could well be the last. The track has never found a permanent place on the calendar, moving back and from the beginning to the end of the calendar. With the global financial crisis still gripping the Iberian Peninsula, and expansion plans already in place for other parts of the world, it is unlikely that Estoril is in MotoGP’s future. MotoGP Rider Quotes Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda RC213V) “A flying visit back home to Switzerland and now we have the Grand Prix of Portugal this weekend. After our win in Jerez, I’m looking forward to going to Estoril and hopefully we can maintain the form we’ve had in the past two races as we’ve shown good pace. However, we do need to fix the arm pump issue as it’s held us back a little and it’s disappointing we weren’t able to fix it before Jerez. We’ve had some really good results at Estoril in the past-I got my first 250cc win there-so I’ll be aiming for another good result, but it would be really nice if we can have some better weather for the weekend.” Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC213V) “I’m happy with our performance in the first two races, the results were good, but still not perfect. So, I will try to do the extra push in Estoril, where we achieved the first victory of the season last year after a very good weekend. It will be important to set up the bike well in a tricky circuit like this, with long corners and hard braking. It is the first time we go there with the 1000cc RC213V and a good position on the grid is always crucial in Estoril. We have to keep working hard like we did in Qatar and Jerez. Hopefully, we can have good weather and the grandstands are full of Spanish fans as we had in Jerez on Sunday, especially being the last season we race in Estoril.” Alvaro Bautista (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC213V) “It was a difficult weekend at Jerez because of the weather and my crash in practice, but thankfully we found some confidence for the race and picked up a result that gives us a platform to build on in the next round. We need to build my confidence still further with this bike at a circuit that I don’t particularly like even though I have three wins here, one in 125 and two in 250. It is a circuit with some hard braking and the grip levels aren’t great but I have had luck there in the past so hopefully that will prove to be the case again. It is important for us to get through a whole weekend without problems so that I can build the confidence I need to push the bike as hard as I want to. “ Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP RC213V) “I am really looking forward to Estoril GP. I know it will be more difficult for me on a MotoGP bike because this track is very small for those kind of bikes. I won the last 2 years races in Moto2 which is a good sign for me: I like the circuit and I like the atmosphere so I presume this will be another exciting week end for me”. Michele Pirro (San Carlo Honda Gresini FTR-Honda) “I was really hoping to score my first points for the team at Jerez, but I couldn’t manage it. They deserve that and more for the tireless job they are doing, but unfortunately the dream was shattered just a few laps from the end because of an electronic problem. That was a shame but at Estoril we carry on with what is a difficult job, but it’s a job we all believe in and now we just need a bit of luck to go with that belief. I qualified on the second row for the Moto2 race here last year and I like the layout so I hope it suits our bike. Naturally we can’t get too excited because our only goal right now is to make improvements from one race to the next. We have a long way to go but morale is high and we are determined to show our potential on track.” Moto2 Rider Quotes Marc Marquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol – Suter) “We are highly motivated heading to Portugal, after the win in Qatar and second place at Jerez. We are in really good shape right now, as we were only in action at Jerez a few days ago. We will be very focused, because it is a tricky track. We had a very positive test last year there and there will be some useful reference points to help me for the race. I am really looking forward to getting back on the bike.” Pol Espargaro (Pons 40 HP Tuenti Kalex) “Well, Estoril is a circuit that I like a lot. Sure will be difficult because there is an incredible level here in the Moto2 and it will be a hard race, as always. But I like that circuit. I had have been running in that circuit always and two or three years ago and it was fantastic; I take my first podium there. And I will try to do my best.” Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Suter) “I mean, after Qatar it’s nice to be back on the podium. I mean, the team worked very good, very well and they deserve it to be on the podium, now we are all the group looking forward to Estoril next week and we can fight for the victory, I think so. Yeah, I like it, and hope for better conditions than down here in Jerez and we are good, as well, in Estoril.” Moto3 Rider Quotes Romano Fenati (Team FMI Italia-Honda) “Yes, is unbelievable the start of this season. I don’t know what to say. The team works very good in helping me with new tracks. I don’t know Estoril, but I study at home the circuit and we hope to do our best.” Maverick Vinales (Avintia Racing Moto3 FTR-Honda) “Estoril is a track that I like. We had a great result there last year and this time around we have to be at 100% to give our best. Leaving Jerez with a sixth place means that we have to change our mentality and maintain our motivation. The good thing about having two races back-to-back is that we can quickly forget about Jerez and a difficult race, moving onto the Portuguese round with much excitement.” Alex Rins (Estrella Galicia 0.0 Suter-Honda) “Estoril is a circuit where I have ridden just the once, but I felt good there. We have to continue working in the same way with the bike, whilst also looking for a little more power in order to keep up with the KTM riders. I am very happy with the fourth place at Jerez; it serves as a boost for the Portuguese GP. Heavy rain is expected there, but it will be the same for everyone and we will all have to adapt to the conditions.” More, from a press release issued by Red Bull: The Red Bull Rookies barely have time to breath before the second weekend of the Cup gets underway as part of the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril this weekend. Two incredible races at Jerez result in reigning champion Lorenzo Baldassarri heading the points table going into Race 3 on Saturday. Despite that fact the 15 year Italian is having anything but an easy time trying to retain his title. He struggled through pre season testing in Estoril and was only 11th fastest, he also qualified 11th in Jerez and was down in mid pack for most of Race 1. He scraped 8 points for an 8th place finish in that 1st race but crowned his weekend with a brilliant victory in the 2nd to take the points lead. Running closer to the front consistently since the start of the year and brimming with home track confidence is Portuguese 15 year old Ivo Lopes. At the Estoril test he was 6th fastest and was placed 6th on the grid in Jerez. He was ahead of Baldassarri, 5th across the line in Race 1 and only 5 thousandths of a second separated them when the Italian got the verdict in Race 2. Lopes is 3rd in the points as he starts at home and between him and leader Baldassarri is the 14 year old newcomer to the Rookies Cup; Diego Perez. The Spaniard was a superb double 3rd at his home Grand Prix and also carries a great deal of confidence going to Portugal. He was 7th fastest in the test, siting interestingly between Lopes and Baldassarri. There are plenty of others who featured strongly in Jerez who will be looking to keep this trio off the podium in Estoril. Strongest on paper is Florian Alt. The German turned 16 on Monday. His missed last year’s Portuguese event through injury but he was 2nd fastest in the test and won Race 1 in Jerez. He was denied a possible double by an electrical fault in Race 2. Others who were candidates for victory in Jerez include Marcos Ramirez, the 14 year old Spanish Rookie newcomer who was 2nd in Race 1 and 6th in Race 2 after qualifying on pole. He was 12th in the Estoril test. Fastest at that pre season event was Kyle Ryde, the reigning British 125 cc Champion. The British 14 year old qualified 3rd in Jerez and was right at the front in both races, taking a 4th in race 1 before being knocked off in Race 2. Other stars of Jerez were Bradley Ray who led much of practice, qualified 2nd and crashed out of the lead in Race 1. He was pushed out of the lead group in Race 2 by the same incident that claimed Ryde but fought back to finish a very close 5th. The 14 year old Briton was 9th fastest at the Estoril test. Not to be forgotten is one of last year’s stars; Philipp Oettl, the German turns 16 on Thursday and as he only lost 3rd by a fraction in Race 2 seems to have overcome the 4-stroke to 2-stroke switch that saw him struggle to qualify 14th. Race 1 on Saturday starts at 17.30 CET and on Sunday, Race 2 gets under way at 17.00. Both races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world. More, from a press release issued by Team Italia: MotoGP Moto3 Grande Prémio de Portugal Circuito Estoril (POR) May 4-6, 2012 MotoGP Moto3: Team Italia heads to Portugal to dream on Without the time to celebrate Fenati’s maiden success, Team Italia is already back on track. After Jerez, Moto3 heads to Estoril for the third GP of the season. The memory of Fenati’s brilliant race on the Spanish track is still alive in the minds of spectators, as it brought Italy back on the top step of the podium in the smallest MotoGP category for the first time since 2009 (Iannone) and gave Team Italia a triumph that was missing since 1989 (Gresini). Jerez also saw Alessandro Tonucci score his first points after an unlucky start to his season. But it’s time to move on, with eyes on Friday’s first free practice session. The two Team Italia riders approach the next race with similar motivation: ‘Fenny’ wants to keep open his positive streak begun with the 2nd place in his Qatar debut, ‘Tonu’ aims to do better and close the gap with the front. “The Team has the right experience to live this moment without being too enthusiastic but using it as a stimulus to keep up the effort said Team manager Massimo Vergini The championship is a long marathon and we have to take one step at a time. We surely started the season well, but we have a long way to go. Romano enjoys his time on the bike, and we’ll try to protect him without making him feel the pressure of being the championship leader. As for Tonucci, he is also strong and we hope that Fenati’s results will push him to climb the standings starting at Estoril.” By tomorrow morning, the whole team and the riders will be in Portugal, ready to face a new challenge.