DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM TARGET ANOTHER PODIUM ASSAULT IN MALAYSIA After back-to-back wins in the last two races the Ducati Marlboro Team is hopeful of being amongst the frontrunners again in this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix. The Sepang Circuit hosts the majority of MotoGP winter testing and both Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden were on the pace in preseason, clocking the second and third fastest times respectively on the final day. Test conditions are always different to a race weekend but both riders have good records here, with Stoner victorious in 2007 and 2009, with Hayden boasting six top five finishes. However, nobody at Ducati Marlboro Team is taking anything for granted this weekend and the riders and staff are ready to give maximum effort in demanding conditions, with high ambient and track temperatures and the challenge of setting up the Ducati GP10 at a completely different kind of circuit to Motegi. CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team “Motegi was our biggest question mark about set up and we had to really work hard to make the bike stable for the really heavy braking. Sepang isn’t too much about that, so we can maybe raise the bike back up again and get our traction a little better and see what happens. But we can hopefully expect to have the bike working well there. We’ve all been giving 120% all season but it’s just these last two races we’re getting something back from it. It’s a huge, huge difference for us. Going into these next two races is a big clump in a small space for us, of course, but if things keep going like they are we definitely have a good chance of doing well again on Sunday” NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team “After we got a good result in Aragon it was frustrating not being able to back it up in Motegi, it’s not good. I think it shows the level of MotoGP – if you are off a little bit you are at the back. Anyway, now we go to Malaysia and a track where we tested a lot this winter, even though it is always very different when we come back for the race. At the tests we can ride all day long whereas at the Grand Prix we have just a few hours but it’s a track I like and I enjoy and we’ll just see how the bike works. The team is working extremely hard, Casey has won the last two races so the bike is working really good now and we will go there and try to get a good result”. VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager “After two wins at tracks with very different characteristics we go to another kind of circuit with fast corners and long straights, so we will need to work just as hard as we did at Motegi. We have to stay concentrated and we can’t take anything for granted. At the same time, Casey is in top form and if we can manage to give him another competitive bike he will be up at the front again on Sunday. Nicky also has the chance to do well in this race because he was very fast here in preseason testing and he will be keen to bounce back from a negative result at Motegi.” THE TRACK Sepang hosted a Grand Prix for the first time in April 1999, with races in Malaysia having initially taken place at Shah Alam and Johor. A much loved venue for the teams and riders, the circuit is located in the thick of dense tropical forest, a short drive away from the Kuala Lumpur International airport, and has a modern infrastructure with good safety features. The track is one of the longest on the World Championship and one of the widest, featuring a good mix of corners that put the machines and riders to the test. Intense heat and humidity, with the constant threat of torrential rain, increase the challenge for the riders, teams and anybody else in pit-lane! In fact, one such downpour in 2006 saw qualifying cancelled for all three classes and grid positions were decided by the free practice classification. SEPANG CIRCUIT RECORDS Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2009), 2’02.108 163.566 Km/h Best Pole: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha – 2009), 2’00.518 165.724 Km/h Circuit Length: 5,548 km MotoGP Race 2010: 20 laps (116.508 Km) MotoGP Schedule 2010: 16:00 Local Time PODIUM 2009: 1st Casey stoner, 2nd Dani Pedrosa, 3rd Valentino Rossi POLE 2009: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha 2009), 2’00.518, 165.724 Km/h DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM’S BEST RESULTS AT SEPANG 2009: 1st (Stoner) 2008: 6th (Stoner) 2007: 1st (Stoner)” 2006: 2nd (Capirossi)” 2005: 1st (Capirossi) “2004: 6th (Capirossi)” 2003: 6th (Capirossi) DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER INFO CASEY STONER Age: 24 (born 16th October 1985 in Southport, Queensland, Australia ) Residency: Switzerland Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP10 Number: 27 GP Appearances: 140 (79xMotoGP, 31×250, 30×125) GP victories: 29 (22xMotoGP, 5×250, 2×125) First GP win: Valencia, 2003 (125) GP debut: Great Britain, 2001 (125) Pole positions: 23 (19xMotoGP, 2×250, 2×125) First pole position: Italy, 2003 (125) World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2007) Stoner’s MotoGP track record at Sepang: 2009: Grid: 4th. Race:1st 2008: Grid: 7th. Race: 6th 2007: Grid: 2nd. Race: 1st 2006: Grid: 10th. Race: 8th NICKY HAYDEN Age: 29 (born 30th July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA) Residency: Owensboro, USA Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP10 Number: 69 GP Appearances: 130 (130xMotoGP) First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) GP wins: 3 (3xMotoGP) First GP win: USA, 2005 (MotoGP) Pole positions: 5 (5xMotoGP) First pole: USA, 2005 (MotoGP) World titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2006) Hayden’s MotoGP track record at Sepang: 2009: Grid: 7th. Race: 5th 2008: Grid: 4th. Race: 4th 2007: Grid: 6th. Race: 9th 2006: Grid: 2nd. Race: 4th 2005: Grid: 6th. Race: 4th 2004: Grid: 6th. Race: 4th 2003: Grid: 9th. Race: 4th More, from a press release issued by JiR Moto2 Team: Team JiR flies to Malaysia for the second of three races in a row outside of Europe. Sepang is a track where engine performance is heavily stressed by the climate and the team’s technicians will have a huge amount of work to do so as to best prepare the two MotoBIs for the conditions. The World Championship is just four races from its end and while the championship could be considered safe for Spaniard Toni Elias, the other top five positions are still open. Our own Simone Corsi is still competing hard as he heads towards the end of a season that has been positive for the Roman. In Motegi, despite the fact that he could not bring home many points, he showed to have strength and determination, with two positive comebacks made in the same race. Simone Corsi “Luckily we immediately have to run another GP, so that I can make amends for the unsatisfying result from Motegi. What a shame for that mistake that wasted my first fight-back through the pack, but the performance has shown yet again the good shape in which both myself and the bike are in. We are at least at the final push and I definitely want to gain positive results and keep myself in the Championship top five.” In Japan also Alex De Angelis put on a good performance, being part of an aggressive race that ended just off the podium by a whisker. Despite the reduced times between Motegi GP and Sepang, the team’s technicians analyzed the problem that Alex suffered in Motegi, finding that the engine suffered from fuel starvation for a spell during the last two laps. For the Sepang GP all the tank’s components have been verified to ensure everything will work properly. Alex De Angelis “I’m a little disappointed for the missed podium in Japan, but this is anyway this year’s best result and the first race I manage to finish with the MotoBI so we showed we can stay close to the leaders. I’m confident for the Malayisan GP because the team has already found and fixed the technical problem and we’ll arrive to two GPs in a row, so we have all the possibilities to make a good job.” More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing Team: THE PRAMAC RACING TEAM IS FLYING TO SEPANG TO REDEEM THE BAD MOTEGI RACE After the bad result achieved in the difficult Japanese Grand Prix weekend, where the Pramac Racing Team riders have respectively finished the race in the last and second last position, has already reached the possibility of redemption on the Malaysian circuit of Sepang. The Malaysian track, born outside Kuala Lumpur, where on Sunday will take place on the fifteenth race of the season, has become a fixed stage in the MotoGP Championship, it will be played Sunday the twelfth consecutive Grand Prix on this circuit. The Pramac Racing Team had good results in the past on this circuit having conquer here two podiums at the start of his motorcycle history in 2003 with Max Biaggi and Barros in 2004. These results have unfortunately not been followed in recent years. The tenth position won by Mika Kallio last year is the best result for the team in recent years. The Team is waiting from the Finn rider a fast surrender after the bad weekend in Motegi. Mika has scored here three podiu ms in the past on this track over the years in which he took part of the 125 cc Championship. Aleix, had on this track a quite good fifth place in the 2008 while he was riding a 250 cc, while last year he had finished his race in the eleventh position. Even from the young Spaniard is expected a significant improvement on the Malaysian track. Paolo Campinoti – Team Principal Pramac Racing Team “I cannot hide my disappointment for the bad Motegi’s result, we had high expectations for that race but unfortunately it has been completely dashed. Since Friday we have found some stability problems and feeling with the bike for both riders that did not allow us to be fast as our opponent. The gap of almost a second in every lap that didn’t allow us to fight for a better result. But we must immediately close the bad Japanese’s weekend track and focus on the next Malaysian Grand Prix. In the past we have had some success on this track where we had conquest twice the lowest rung of the podium with Biaggi and Tamada. The hope is that both riders can be able to redeem in the best way Motegi’s race and become involved in a great race. The goal is to win a double top ten. ” Aleix Espargaro – Pramac Racing Team “What can I say, the result of Motegi is not exciting. Unfortunately I had some problems with my forearm that is still not in perfect condition after Aragon’s fall. I hope I can be in good condition in Sepang where I had the possibility to ride my bike during last year race and during the winter tests we had here. I will have to further improve my feeling, but I have a bit of information on which I will work hard to fight for the top ten positions. ” Mika Kallio – Pramac Racing Team “We have to soon forget the disastrous Japanese Grand Prix and focus on the next Malaysian Grand Prix where I will try to redeem the bad weekend that just ended. I have a good score on the Malaysian circuit of Sepang, in fact I have won here three second places in the previous seasons and I managed to be very fast. Last year I have finished the race in tenth position after a good race where I had managed to climb back up to the ninth position. ” More, from a press release issued by FTR MOTO: FTR MOTO LOOKING TO BUILD ON LANDMARK SUCCESS FTR MOTO is hoping to add to its 2010 success in the Moto2 World Championship in Malaysia this weekend after Karel Abraham took third place at Motegi in Japan last Sunday to complete the achievement of all FTR M210 riders finishing on the podium in this year’s inaugural Championship. Abraham’s third place came after a determined last lap by the Czech Republic rider on the Cardion AB Motoracing Team M210, passing Alex de Angelis to record a career-best third place and a first visit to a World Championship podium. The FTR run of podium finishes began immediately, in the opening round, when Alex Debon secured runner-up place on the Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team M210 in Qatar. The run was then enhanced with a mid-season brace of victories in Italy and Holland for the FIMMCO Speed Up Team’s Andrea Iannone. Iannone then added a third victory at Aragon three weeks ago and his team-mate and fellow FTR M210 rider Gabor Talmacsi secured his first podium finish with third place, also at Aragon. “We’re naturally really happy with the performance of all of the FTR riders this year, especially in a new championship where the opposition was difficult to gauge in the beginning,” said FTR’s Steve Bones. He continued: “We’ve developed the M210 throughout the year and we believe that the changes have ensured the machine has always improved in the same, positive direction and the results would seem to confirm that pattern.” “There are four races left in the Championship and I’d like to think the run of podium finishes can continue along with the consistent performance of the M210. We’ve also got all four riders inside the top 15 of the World Championship now and we’ll be doing everything possible to ensure they stay there.” Iannone sits third in the Championship with Talmacsi sixth, Debon 12th and Abraham up to 15th place after his Motegi success. More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda: NEXT STOP MALAYSIA FOR THE REPSOL HONDA TEAM The busiest phase of the 2010 MotoGP season sees the Repsol Honda Team arriving in Malaysia’s capital city Kuala Lumpur this week for the second of three races in three weekends. After Sunday’s Grand Prix of Japan in which Andrea Dovizioso took a close second place, the factory Honda squad will be looking for another competitive showing from the Italian rider at a circuit he rates as one of his favourites. His team-mate Dani Pedrosa is still in Spain recuperating from the surgery he underwent on Saturday to plate the fractured collarbone he suffered during practice for the Grand Prix of Japan. The 25-year-old left hospital on Monday after the successful operation and returned for a further check-up today. Following the medical consultation, the target for Pedrosa’s return to racing is the Australian Grand Prix beginning on October 15, although Pedrosa said today as he left hospital that there remains a very slim chance he will st ill make the trip to Malaysia for this weekend’s race. Dovizioso’s impressive ride to second place in Japan last Sunday marked a welcome return to the podium and has elevated him to fourth in the World Championship ahead of Valentino Rossi, while reconfirming his status as a rider who can challenge for MotoGP wins. The 24-year-old took his first pole position in the premier class in Japan, and wasn’t out of the top two places in any session throughout the weekend. As he arrives in Malaysia, Dovizioso knows he has what it takes to extract the very best from his Honda RC212V over a single lap and also for the full race distance. Sepang is a circuit the Italian loves – it was the scene of his first ever MotoGP podium in his debut season in 2008, and was also the place where he clinched his 125cc World Championship in 2004. Nothing less than another rostrum appearance, preferably in top spot, will satisfy Dovizioso on Sunday. The S epang circuit is one of the favourites of the season with the MotoGP riders thanks to its varied nature: abundant fast corners, technical slower sections, fast straights and elevation changes. The Malaysian Grand Prix is also a very tough physical challenge thanks to the heat which often sees afternoon temperatures at Sepang rising to nearly 40 degrees. Combined with high humidity, this makes this event one of the most grueling races of the season for riders, testing their fitness and endurance to the limit. Track action begins on Friday with an hour of free practice beginning at 13.55 (GMT + 8 hours). ANDREA DOVIZIOSO World Championship Position 4th 159 points “I’m really looking forward to the Malaysian Grand Prix. We arrive in a strong condition after not only an important podium finish in Motegi last Sunday, but also an entire race weekend where we were fast and consistent during every session. We made some good progress with the electronics and the machine set-up through the weekend, and so we arrive in Sepang in even better shape than Motegi. Our performance last weekend was the result of hard work – it was not by chance – and in Malaysia we can do even better. I really like the Sepang race track – it’s one of my favourites and I have had good results in all GP classes, including my first MotoGP podium in 2008. I like Sepang because it is a ‘complete’ circuit with a nice combination of fast and slow sections, and also the circuit is wide so you can use different lines. All in all I’m very confident we can h ave another strong weekend.” DANI PEDROSA World Championship Position 2nd 228 points “I am still very stiff in my neck and across the back of my shoulders, so the target is to get back to racing in Australia. There is a very small possibility of going to Malaysia, but the realistic target is Australia. I had another check-up today and it shows clearly that the plate on my collarbone is very well fixed and the progress has been good after the operation. My condition has improved over the last two days and I’m doing passive rehabilitation with my physiotherapist at the moment. I am still not able to move the arm by myself but with massage it’s getting better. It’s a real pity that this happened when we had such a lot of momentum with our results, but we simply have to deal with it.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: MotoGP and Moto2 preview Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang October 6/9/10 2010 DOVIZIOSO AIMS TO KEEP MOTEGI MOMENTUM ROLLING IN MALAYSIA The 2010 MotoGP World Championship continues its quick-fire Far East tour at Sepang on Friday, when practice for Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix gets underway, just five days after last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. Straight after Sepang the paddock dashes to Phillip Island for the following Sunday’s Australian GP and then back to Europe for the season finale at Estoril, Portugal, and Valencia, Spain. It’s a high-energy end to a busy year, with five races in six weeks. Sadly, the 2010 MotoGP world title is now beyond the means of the Repsol Honda squad. Until Motegi, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) had a slim possibility of overhauling championship leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), having outscored his fellow Spaniard at the previous three races. But a crash during first practice in Japan left Pedrosa nursing a broken left collarbone which was pinned and plated the next day at the USP Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona. Pedrosa expects to return to racing at the Australian GP, though there is a slim possibility that the gritty 25-year-old may ride at Sepang. If he is absent, the Repsol Honda torch will be carried by Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda RC212V) who arrives in Malaysia still buzzing from a brilliant weekend at Honda’s home Grand Prix. Dovizioso started the Motegi race from pole position his first in the premier class and went on to score a close second-place finish, less than four seconds behind winner Casey Stoner (Ducati). During the Japanese GP weekend he made important advances in electronics settings for his RC212V, which he hopes will help him at other racetracks. The Italian will be doing everything in his powers to keep his Motegi momentum rolling at Sepang, a circuit with which he gels brilliantly. Dovizioso has scored podiums in all three classes at the superbly challenging venue and it was at Sepang that he scored his first MotoGP podium in 2008. He also secured the 125 World Championship at Sepang in 2004, so the omens are good. Dovizioso’s Motegi podium also made a little bit of history for the Repsol Honda partnership its 250th podium in the elite class, making it one of most successful relationships in the sport’s history. Repsol and Honda first got together in 1995 when Mick Doohan won the second of his five consecutive premier-class crowns on a Repsol Honda NSR500. Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V) goes into the final four races of 2010 with a battle on his hands. The Frenchman’s avowed goal for this season was to be MotoGP’s top non-factory rider, a target he was well on the way to achieving until he suffered a broken left tibia and fibula during July’s German GP. After a miraculously short four-week rehabilitation, de Puniet returned to action at the Czech GP, but he has understandably struggled to continue his dazzling early season form. He is still top privateer, holding eighth place overall, but he has three men Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V), Colin Edwards (Yamaha) and Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) within nine points of him. A good result at Sepang is therefore essential to maintain his position. Simoncelli had another great ride at Motegi, the MotoGP rookie duelling with veteran Colin Edwards (Yamaha) for a top-five result and finally getting sixth place, equalling his best finish in the premier class. The hard-riding Italian has dazzled with his aggressive riding style in his debut year in the big class and he has good reason to look forward to a return to Sepang it was in Malaysia that Simoncelli sealed the 250 World Championship in 2008. Team-mate Melandri’s big hope for this weekend is to work his way back into the top ten. Another former 250 World Champion but now in his tenth year of MotoGP competition, Melandri has struggled to find the form which took him to five MotoGP victories in 2005 and 2006. Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP RC212V) is delighted to be back at Sepang, a track at which he has won two Grand Prix victories, at the 2007 and 2009 Malaysian 250 GPs. Aoyama’s stunning win from pole position at Sepang last year was a crucial moment in his successful bid to win the final 250 World Championship. Still not fully recovered from the broken vertebra he sustained at June’s British GP, the Japanese may find Malaysia’s hot and humid conditions tougher than usual on this occasion. His goal is straightforward to repeat his top-ten result from Motegi. Toni Elias (Gresini Racing Moto2, Moriwaki) has the chance to secure the first-ever Moto2 World Championship on Sunday with three races remaining. Even if his only remaining title rival Julian Simon (Mapfre Aspar Team, Suter) wins his first Moto2 victory at Sepang, Elias will wrap up the crown if he finishes the race in second place. The Spaniard has ridden a remarkable season, winning exactly half of the 14 races so far. He is also the only rider to have won GP victories in 125s, 250s, MotoGP and Moto2. Amazingly, despite his glittering GP career, which began at Jerez in 1999 and has produce 17 victories across four classes, this will be Elias’ first World Championship. Of course, Elias will have to fight all the way to put the crown out of reach of Simon, because there will be plenty of other riders aiming for victory at Sepang. Reigning 125 World Champion Simon currently sits second overall thanks to some superb consistency six podiums including four runner-up finishes at the last four races having adapted brilliantly from a little 125cc two-stroke to a considerably larger 600cc four-stroke. If Simon has impressed with his constancy, Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed Up, Speed Up) has dazzled with his outright speed. Runaway winner at Mugello, Assen and Aragon, the Italian has proved he is untouchable when everything goes his way. Sepang may well suit his riding style which features awesomely fast corner speeds. Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2, Moriwaki) is another former 125 World Champion who has adapted superbly to his CBR600-powered Moto2 machine. And like Simon, the 2005 125 world champ has been a consistent top-three finisher with six podiums so far but has yet to stand on the top step of a Moto2 podium. The Swiss rider’s time will surely come. Sepang situated 40km outside the capital Kuala Lumpur and right next to KL international airport is arguably the most demanding race of the year for riders, bikes and tyres. High temperatures and sweltering humidity are the norm at this tropical venue, which is MotoGP’s second longest track (after Silverstone) and one of its fastest venues, with a challenging variety of medium-speed and high-speed corners. Sepang hosted its first GP in 1999, taking over from Malaysia’s original GP venue Shah Alam, which joined the calendar in 1991. Honda has won eight premier-class Malaysia GPs, at both tracks and with both two-stroke and four-stroke machinery. HONDA MotoGP RIDER QUOTES Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa says: “I am still very stiff in my neck and across the back of my shoulders, so the target is to get back to racing in Australia. There is a very small possibility of going to Malaysia, but the realistic target is Australia. I had another check-up today [Wednesday] and it shows clearly that the plate on my collarbone is very well fixed and the progress has been good after the operation. My condition has improved over the last two days and I’m doing passive rehabilitation with my physiotherapist at the moment. I am still not able to move the arm by myself but with massage it’s getting better. It’s a real pity that this happened when we had such a lot of momentum with our results, but we simply have to deal with it.” Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso says: “I really look forward to the Malaysian GP. We arrive strong thanks to an important podium finish at Motegi last Sunday and especially a very good race weekend where we were fast and consistent in all the sessions. We have improved the electronics and the set-up, and we arrive at Sepang stronger than Motegi. Last race weekend was the result of a hard and good job, it was not by chance; in Malaysia we can do even better. I really like the Malaysian racetrack, it’s one of my favourites and I have had good results here, including my first MotoGP podium in 2008. I like Sepang because it’s a complete circuit with a good combination of fast and slow sections, and also the circuit is wide so you can use different lines.” LCR Honda rider Randy de Puniet says: “The tropical weather always makes Malaysia a tough weekend for everyone, not only the riders, but also for the whole team, so we will have to work hard to stay focused on the job, especially in this busy period of three races on consecutive Sundays. My leg injury still isn’t perfect the reason I ran off the track during the Motegi race was that I couldn’t downshift properly but we still proved that I can get good results despite that. I am looking forward to racing at Sepang it’s a really great track which I like a lot. In 2007 I finished fourth there, so we will be doing our best to have another good result.” San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Simoncelli says: “I was happy with my performance at Motegi and I might have been able to manage fifth place but Edwards was faster than me at the end of the race. Anyway, I was still pleased because we showed that we have improved again and I hope to continue in the same way from here. Now we go to a track that I have never particularly liked but where I have managed to have some good races. I will go into it with full confidence in my ability and the hope that things can be very different and much more positive than our time here in the winter tests.” San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Melandri says: “Motegi went from bad to worse when I tried to follow Spies and made a mistake that cost me places even though I had a comfortable advantage over the guys behind. The problems we have are the same as the ones we’ve been struggling with since the start of the season with the electronics. I am hoping for something from Honda that can sort it out over the final four races. We are in slightly better shape traveling to Malaysia than we were for the preseason tests here because we have improved the suspension set-up but as I said before our big problem right now is with the electronics.” Interwetten Honda MotoGP rider Hiroshi Aoyama says: “Malaysia is my favourite track and I’ve had a lot of success there. Last year I rode from pole position to victory and I hope that this year I can do better than my tenth place at Motegi. I am looking forward to Sepang as now that I know my bike better I want to improve my results.” Moto2 RIDER QUOTES Gresini Racing Moto2 rider Toni Elias says: “I was really happy to win at Motegi because it was another small but important step towards the title although nothing is for certain just yet. Now I feel even calmer and I go to Sepang, a circuit I love, with the intention of having fun and working hard from the first session towards another win. We have to make sure we are close to Simon to make mathematically certain of the title but we can’t afford to become obsessed by that. At Motegi there was always the high risk of a crash but we won and there is no reason to change our strategy this weekend in Malaysia. Hopefully we can work well because I love the track and to win the title there would be a dream come true for me and the team. “ Mapfre Aspar Team rider Julian Simon says: “We are going to try something new in Malaysia that we hope will give us more rear traction, one of the biggest handicaps for our bike. We are being very consistent in this last part of the championship and I think we can be fighting for the podium or even the win once again this weekend. I feel strong both physically and mentally and I think all of the remaining races can be good for us. They will be tough because they are very close together but the objective is to keep going as we are and finish second in the championship. So far we are on the right line. Like Motegi, Sepang is a circuit I love, I won there last year and I know I can do it again. I won’t drop my guard and I’ll fight to make sure it happens.” Fimmco Speed Up rider Andrea Iannone says: “The title is now gone after our tough weekend at Motegi, but I will be doing everything in my power to win another race at Sepang. It’s a great track very interesting so I hope we can make a good job of set-up, get a good grid position and then have a strong race.” Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 rider Thomas Luthi says: “The racetrack in Malaysia is completely different to Motegi and I like it. We will have to concentrate on qualifying because this is my weak point. I need a better starting position, then I can be back in the front group and that is my target for Sepang.” HONDA 125 RIDER QUOTES Interwetten Honda 125 Team rider Marcel Schrötter says: “I hope I will be able to continue in Malaysia like I did in Motegi. I had a strong race and I want to repeat that at Sepang. Again this is a new track for me and also this is another country I haven’t visited before. Points will be my target again.”