MotoGP news

Improvement for Konica Minolta

In the final qualifying session of the year the Konica Minolta Honda Team made plenty of progress around the 2.764-mile Ricardo Tormo circuit. With temperatures warmer than yesterday Team rider Shinya Nakano found more grip from his Michelin-shod Honda RC212V and with 14 minutes to go in the qualifying hour was as high as 4th place on the grid. As other riders improved, Shinya put his final qualifying tyre on and was setting a fast first and second sector time before a mistake at the end of the back-straight lost him valuable time. Despite this, the 30-year-old Japanese rider had cut almost two seconds from his Friday lap-time during the session to record a best of 1'32.730" to place him 13th on the grid for tomorrow's final race of the year. Times were close at the top again, with less than one second covering the top ten grid positions. 

Gianluca Montiron, team manager commented, "Shinya used his final qualifying tyre very well in the first two sectors as he was quite near to the top of the timing sheets, but then in the final sector he lost the front and lost valuable time. For this reason he didn't reach his potential best lap time. This was a mistake but these things happen. I think in any case tomorrow the race will be exciting, even if at Valencia it's not always easy to overtake other riders. I think all the riders want to end the season in the best way possible, so it could be a very exciting race. I'm hoping that we can get a top eight finish to end the season with our best result of the year." 

Shinya Nakano commented, "I had a good rhythm in the first and second sectors on that last qualifying lap, and pushed hard in that final third sector - I was giving 120%! Things felt really good but then after the back straight under braking I lost the front, which meant I lost around four or five tenths of a second. On the positive side of things, conditions were much better today with higher temperatures which have given us more grip so I could push much harder than yesterday. We didn't make many changes to the bike today as we found a good balance on Friday and we've also found a good tyre for the race. The start is vitally important here, as things can get busy in the first turn and for the whole of the first lap. I will have to be pushing hard right from the beginning of the race."

more news

• 06 Sep.
  • Pedrosa and Hayden to race pneumatic-valve at Indy
• 05 Sep.
  • Suzuki extends contracts Capirossi and Vermeulen
• 01 Sep.
  • Pedrosa tops Misano test on Bridgestone debut
  • Photos: Sunday in Misano
• 31 Aug.
  • Pedrosa happy with fourth
  • Stoner bitterly disappointed
  • Rossi delighted with record-equalling win
  • Lorenzo celebrates return to podium
  • Win puts Rossi 75 points clear
  • Hayden to sit out San Marino GP
  • Stoner fastest in warm up
• 30 Aug.
  • Photos: Saturday in Misano
  • Stoner extends record with seventh straight pole
  • Pedrosa satisfied with second row
  • Lorenzo happy to be back
  • Rossi ready for another battle with Stoner
  • Stoner storms to last gasp pole
  • Stoner still fastest on Saturday morning
• 29 Aug.
  • Stoner confident despite aggrevating injury
  • Positive start for Rossi
  • Improvement for Lorenzo
  • Stoner fastest on Friday
  • Stoner sets morning pace
• 26 Aug.
  • Stoner determined to bounce back
  • Gresini riders aim high for Misano
• 22 Aug.
  • Repsol Honda back to full strength
• 20 Aug.
  • Melandri confirms Kawasaki move
• 19 Aug.
  • Nakano wraps up positive test for Gresini
  • Stoner ends test with threatening pace
  • Rossi confident for final rounds after test
• 18 Aug.
  • Good test ends strong weekend for Rossi
  • Ducati top test with Stoner
• 17 Aug.
  • Dismal end to disappointing weekend for Pedrosa
  • Stoner rues costly mistake
  • Encouraging results for Gresini
  • Rossi celebrates crucial victory
  • Rossi storms to win as Stoner crashes
  • Stoner still ahead in warm-up
• 16 Aug.
  • Photos: Saturday in Brno
  • Pedrosa struggles in qualifying

Homepage