With an exceptionally close situation at the top of the FIM MotoGP World Championship standings, the premier class riders could be forgiven for focusing exclusively on their immediate rivals. However, Mugello is a special track for the 800cc competitors and merits added attention from them, as they explained on Thursday ahead of the Gran Premio d’Italia Alice. The pre-event press conference for the Italian round brought five riders out of the pleasant sun present at the track and inside to face the gathered media. Sat at the centre of the table, World Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo was flanked by teammate and Mugello dominator Valentino Rossi, former titlist Casey Stoner and local stars Marco Melandri & Niccolò Canepa. The quintet had unanimously positive opinions of the track, noting the impressive atmosphere and enjoyable layout. Despite this, nobody was making predictions on a final result for Sunday. “We recovered 24 points in one race at Le Mans, with perhaps a bit of luck. To get a podium here would be great; to fight with Valentino would be amazing, but it’s not my objective,” said Lorenzo, leader of the series by a single point. “I want to finish races and improve my result from last year. I will try not to repeat what happened at Jerez (where he crashed out whilst fighting for the rostrum) but who knows? It could happen.” Lorenzo was justified in his citing Rossi as a key rival on Italian soil. His Fiat Yamaha teammate has won the past seven visits to Mugello, and always has extra motivation for his home round. “This Grand Prix is, from one point of view, more important than the others,” admitted reigning World Champion Rossi. “It’s Italy, there’s a huge crowd and a great atmosphere. But there are 25 points available like at any other race.” Ducati rider Stoner dismissed any hopes of Rossi buckling under pressure by stating that “he normally performs,” before saying that he is, “confident of a good race even if a win might be another matter.” Expectations were left at the door for Melandri and Canepa, both hoping to spring a surprise at tracks where they have much experience. Pramac Racing rookie Canepa has more experience than anyone of the track over the last twelve months from his time as a Ducati test rider but, whilst he has the track knowledge, things haven’t been all good at Mugello. He reminded the media that the last time that he tested at the track, he left with two broken ankles and a broken elbow. With the help of lower cylinder category riders Álvaro Bautista, Thomas Luthi and Julián Simon, the premier class five had opened the press conference by signing the FIM Environmental Charter to pledge to help make for a more eco-friendly championship. The stamping of approval was part of the 2009 World Environment Day. In addition, the local ‘Sbandieratori’ flagsmen paid a visit to the scene of this weekend’s race decked out in full ceremonial dress, meeting up with the likes of De Puniet, Lorenzo, Vermeulen, Capirossi, Takahashi, De Angelis, Canepa and Edwards among other riders on the home straight to pose for photos and give a lesson in ‘flag throwing’ part of the Sbandieratori’s traditional dance. More, from a press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway: MotoGP PREVIEW: GRAND PRIX OF ITALY EVENT: Grand Prix of Italy WHERE: Mugello Circuit, Mugello, Italy. Circuit is 3.259 miles (5.245 km), with 15 turns. Race is 23 laps. WHEN: Sunday, May 31. It is the fifth of 17 events this season. 2008 RACE WINNER: Valentino Rossi, by 2.201 seconds over Casey Stoner 2008 POLE WINNER: Rossi, 1 minute, 48.130 seconds U.S. TV: 4-5 p.m. (ET), Sunday, May 31, SPEED THE AMERICANS: U.S. riders Colin Edwards (Houston, Yamaha Tech 3) and Nicky Hayden (Owensboro, Ky., Ducati Team) will compete in this race. Edwards is seventh and Hayden is 15th in the MotoGP standings after four races this season. “¢Colin Edwards: “It’s a good track. Between the track and the fans, it’s one of those places that it’s hard to explain. It has so much culture, as well. It’s back in the woods, out in the middle of nowhere, seemingly. It’s just awesome. It is a great event. It always has been. All those things combined: culture, history and atmosphere. It’s definitely one of the races that everybody looks forward to going to just because it’s Mugello. All the track really is is just a load of chicanes kind of placed together. Bike agility is the biggest factor to running Mugello. You want to have that thing flicking left to right as easy and effortless as possible, and with confidence. You can have the bike flick left to right, but it needs to plant itself instantly.” “¢Nicky Hayden: “It is going to be really nice for me to race at Mugello as a Ducati rider because I can remember from past seasons seeing all the fans dressed in red and cheering on their riders from the grandstand. It is an honor and a privilege for me to now be a part of this team and this tradition. I hope with all my heart that I can be competitive because those fans don’t deserve to see a Ducati at the back. The track is awesome. There are maybe a few too many bumps, but the layout is incredible and, in general, it is one of the best GPs of the whole championship. I’d really like to have some better results on the board and be going into the factory’s home race with some more experience under our belts, but we are making progress and now I hope we can make a good step on Friday so that we can build on it over the rest of the weekend.” THEY SAID IT: “Mugello is a unique place in terms of atmosphere, and although it’s part of the World Championship, for me it’s an event that stands alone. It’s like a kind of ritual with so many memories from previous years: Tuscany, the colors and smell, the people, the food and the passion of the fans.” Repsol Honda Team rider Andrea Dovizioso about riding in his home Grand Prix FAST FACTS: Six-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi will aim for his seventh consecutive premier-class victory at Mugello in his home Grand Prix. Rossi began his streak in 2002 “¦ Despite his amazing record at Mugello, it’s one of only two circuits on this year’s schedule where he has not turned a fastest lap in the MotoGP class. The other circuit is Laguna Seca in California “¦ Marco Melandri revived his career and the fortunes of Kawasaki in MotoGP with his second-place finish for the Hayate Racing Team in the Grand Prix of France on May 17. It was Melandri’s first podium finish since finishing second for Honda in the 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix. The result at Le Mans also equaled the best-ever finish for a Kawasaki in MotoGP “¦ It took Melandri 12 races last season with Ducati to reach 41 points. He already has 43 points this season in just four races with Hayate “¦ Melandri also joined Alex Barros and Loris Capirossi to record podium finishes for three different manufacturers since the MotoGP formula was introduced in 2002 “¦ American Colin Edwards finished fifth last year at Mugello, his best MotoGP result in six starts at the track “¦ American Nicky Hayden’s best finish at Mugello was third for Honda in 2006, the year he won the World Championship “¦ This will be Hayden’s first Italian Grand Prix riding for Ducati, the iconic Italian manufacturer “¦ Hayden needs to finish in the top 12 at Mugello to become the 16th rider all time to reach 1,000 career points in the premier class “¦ Mugello is one of just four circuits on this year’s schedule where Ducati has not recorded at MotoGP victory. The others are Indianapolis, Estoril and Le Mans “¦ Ducati and Yamaha have dominated the 800cc era of MotoGP, combining to win 35 of the 40 Grands Prix since the formula was introduced at the start of the 2007 season. Ducati has 18 victories, Yamaha 17 “¦ American Cameron Beaubier will continue his first season in the 125cc class at this event. Beaubier, 16, from Roseville, Calif., is tied for 24th in the World Championship standings after four races this season for the Red Bull KTM 125 factory team. *** 2009 IMS tickets: Established in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has long prevailed as an icon of motorsports excellence. Beginning in 2009, the Speedway celebrates its Centennial Era, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the facility in 2009 and the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 2011. Tickets for the two remaining events in 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and Red Bull Indianapolis GP can be purchased online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com at any time. Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.