Rossi - 'I am unbelievably happy'

[Newsbot]

After a spectacular race on Sunday, we see what the riders had to say. Unsurprisingly, for race winner Valentino Rossi it was a Big Deal. Not only did he get a win in front of his home fans and come out on top after a close-fought battle from flag to flag, but the gap between him and the championship lead just shrunk.

Valentino Rossi



"That was for sure one of the toughest battles of my entire career. I got a really good start and after I passed Sete I tried to escape but it was impossible, he was so strong today. For a long time I didn't know where Loris was because he had a bad start but once he arrived I knew I was in for a hard fight. I decided to let him pass and run behind him for a while but I didn't realise so many other riders were so close and they all came through! Suddenly...

Read the full article.

[Dom]

Yamaha Quotes

Valentino Rossi (1st; 42'39.610)

"That was for sure one of the toughest battles of my entire career. I got a really good start and after I passed Sete I tried to escape but it was impossible, he was so strong today. For a long time I didn't know where Loris was because he had a bad start but once he arrived I knew I was in for a hard fight. I decided to let him pass and run behind him for a while but I didn't realise so many other riders were so close and they all came through! Suddenly I was down in fifth and had it all to do again. It was just an amazing fight for everybody and I think it is fantastic that it went down to the final lap between two riders, two factories, two tyre manufacturers but just one Country! This is great news for our sport. If I had to bet on who would win the last lap I honestly wouldn't have been able to choose. I don't think I took a breath over the last two laps but I made it and I am unbelievably happy. To do it in front of so many fans, family and friends is a special emotion and I won't be thinking about the championship tonight - just this wonderful race."

Colin Edwards (12th; + 0'30.678)

"We made a dramatic change this morning and I went for the new chassis with Valentino's settings because I knew the bike we had from yesterday was not going to be good enough for the race. Basically I braked a little earlier than normal into turn one and Makoto Tamada drafted up the inside, pulled straight in front of me and left me with nowhere to go but the grass. After that the race was just a test session for me really with the new chassis. It felt good but we need to adapt the setting to me because I didn't have enough grip on the rear. We've got a day of testing tomorrow so we will have time to do that and get the chance to complete some of the work that we weren't able to do during the Grand Prix."

Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director

"It has been a perfect day for Valentino and for Italy after this fantastic battle to the final corner. It was just what we needed after the bad luck of recent races - Valentino needed to win and you could see how much it meant to him. Yamaha have done a great job to bring our package back up to a competitive level and now I hope we can keep fighting for wins until the end of the season. My sincere thanks to all our staff because it has been difficult over the last few weeks but once again we have seen that this is a team that never gives in and this is a great reward for all the hard work and belief. Colin's race didn't go as we had hoped it might, after the problem he had on the second lap, but he's taken some important information away from here and hopefully he can come back to the top in Barcelona next week."

Carlos Checa (16th, Fastest lap 1'51.652: lap 3)

"I am very disappointed in the result as I really expected that we would have a good race pace especially after what we learnt at the Le Mans test. We thought the tyre we chose for the race was a strong one but it only lasted a few laps. After three laps the performance dropped off, then after eight laps it dropped again and so for the final half of the race the feeling from the rear was very bad. "I was in a good battle with some riders on factory bikes and I was sure that I could stick with them and fight hard but unfortunately this didn't last very long. "Again the problem is with the consistency of the rear tyre and this is why I couldn't keep the right pace for the whole race. We tried one way to go and everyone was optimistic after the Le Mans test and what we learnt during practice and qualifying for this race. "Now we have lost that optimistic feeling so I guess we just have to keep on trying to improve. We have the test tomorrow so hopefully we can learn some more things and find another direction that we can move forward.

James Ellison (16th Fastest lap 1'52.224: lap 2)

"The race wasn't too bad at the start. I got off the line well and picked off a few riders through the first few turns. I thought that I could get away from them and stick with Carlos but only a few laps later the rear tyre lost grip and I couldn't maintain the pace of the opening laps. "It's very frustrating as before the grip drops off, we know we can run with these guys and you can see where you are faster. We lose out when the tyres start moving about. "There are some good tyres in Dunlop. It's a matter of finding the mixture and obviously going to all the different circuits it's always changing. I'm sure for the test tomorrow we will get some better results but truthfully it is really, really frustrating not being able to race so hopefully we will find some solutions very soon and we can all get back to riding hard for the entire race."

Herve Poncharal - Tech3 Yamaha Team Director

"Honestly this is a disappointing result because after qualifying yesterday we thought we would be much closer to Vermeulen an de Puniet . Although we did an ok start and the first few laps were quite quick, we lost grip so the second part of the race was quite long. Carlos tried everything but it was impossible to finish in a better place. After the good test in Le Mans and the first two days at Mugello we thought we would be much closer. We hope we will have good weather tomorrow for our one day test and we also have something to try from Yamaha. We just have to keep on working "For James his first three or four laps were quite fast as well but then the same thing happened, so it is all very frustrating. "We knew this year would be hard but to get a good direction that lifted the team and for this to happen is difficult to accept but this is racing and we have to understand that sometimes it will be very hard. We can just hope for better weather at the next race in Barcelona and that we can continue the direction we were heading before this race."

[Dom]

Honda Quotes

Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: 3rd:

“After Le Mans I needed to come back this weekend and answer the bell, and today I did that. I didn’t help myself with the start - I mean there’s no excuses for getting a start like that!
Regardless, it was a good battle and everybody was out for blood today.
I’ve had a few hard battles like that for seventh but it’s fun when it’s for the lead. Everyone was trying hard but nobody did anything too crazy.
Melandri came up under me one time and I got into the corner hotter than I had all weekend - and he was in two bikes hotter than me so I didn’t think he was going to keep it on the island. With the atmosphere here and the crowd, these are the days you really enjoy. Towards the end I was on the leaders and I actually felt a little bit stronger so I thought I might be able to try and spoil it for them a little bit. But there’s no excuses today - I didn’t get it done. Thanks to the Repsol Honda Team. We made some big changes on Friday which helped me a lot. Now the season has really started, we know who’s going to be there every week and it’s starting to get good. We’re coming to a few tracks I really like and tomorrow we’ll do some testing which should help. I’m having fun but I definitely want to win some races along the way.”

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 4th:

“Today was a good race for me – I’m happy with the result because this track is very tiring to ride and I was expecting to lose more time on the leaders. So I’m happy because being only two seconds behind the winner at my first time on a MotoGP bike at Mugello is perfect for me. We had some problems with the settings during the race , especially in the last ten laps, but it’s not serious and is something we can fix. I was always behind the pack watching what was going on rather than being in the middle of the battle. I’m looking forward to watching it on TV which because I know Capirossi was sliding a lot. I got fourth and I’m quite happy.”

Marco Melandri, Fortuna Honda: 6th.

"I knew it would be a long and hard race from the off so I tried to take it easy early on, although I stayed with the lead riders. My bike was a little slower in changing direction and so tried to make up some time on the braking. By the end I was pushing very hard and, as I was battling Nicky Hayden for third, I made a mistake which put me back to sixth, well behind the lead group. It was a shame as I would have loved to have got a podium for these great fans."

Toni Elias, Fortuna Honda: 7th.

"I have the potential to be getting better results but am being troubled by a traction problem. After qualifying yesterday myself and the team decided to make a radical change to the set-up of the bike and that made a real difference. I am quite satisfied as I started in 12th and finished seventh in the end. Tomorrow I hope that the weather is kind to us and that we are able to stay at the circuit to do some testing. I am really looking forward to racing in front of my home fans in the next round."

Kenny Roberts Jnr, KR Honda: 8th.

“We are getting closer now. This is the first time I have felt the bike doing what we need it to. It was good to be racing again we were all so close that not one of us could break out of the group and getaway. I’m really pleased for the team, everybody has work real hard on this project. Basically we were making changes to the bike but we were not getting the results we wanted. At China we sat down with Honda and got a few suggestions from and together with our own theories we built the chassis we raced today. We were half-way there at Le Mans and we’re closer now but we have to work a bit more on stability under braking and I have to work on my pace early in the race, its not fast enough. Give us two more races and we will be even better.”

Makoto Tamada, Konica Minolta Honda: 9th:

“Today the temperature definitely rose and we had to revise our decisions regarding the racing tyre.
Unfortunately I had a little rear tyre grip and this impeded me to try to stay in touch with the leaders. In the end, I tried to force the rhythm to overpass Elias and Roberts but I did not have enough trust to try to be more aggressive.”

Casey Stoner, LCR Honda: dnf – crash

I feel a little average, my neck is quite sore but I’ve had it checked out at the medical centre and there is no problem. Unfortunately I made a small mistake, I lost the front and then I got it pulled back, but then the bike got nervous and the front-end went again on a bump. I was frustrated by Melandri holding me up, he was very hard on the brakes but overall I’m happy -- there are lot of positives because I was very competitive with the top Italian riders on their home track and running a fast pace up front .”

[Dom]

Ducati Quotes

LORIS CAPIROSSI, finished 2nd, 1st overall (99 points)

"My start was so bad and I had chosen quite hard tyres so I was a little bit quiet in the first few laps. When my rhythm came good I started overtaking guys, though it wasn't easy because everyone was going so quick today. The battle with Valentino and Nicky was great, we overtook each other many times but always in a correct manner, it's always so nice to ride with Valentino. I enjoy races like that even if I don't win! To win here at Mugello is the best, but today I'm happy with second. Everyone in the team made a really great job this weekend, so thanks to them all. Bridgestone are coming better and better, we're at a very high level now and I hope we can continue improving. Our season started so well and it continues to go well, now I want more of this!"

SETE GIBERNAU, finished 5th, 9th overall (44 points)

"We had a few moments out there but we had good fun and I enjoyed it a lot, it's been a while since I've been riding to win a race. I led a few laps, it was nice to be up there again and we fought good, so it was perfect. The team did a great job and Bridgestone did a great job too, they gave me a real good bike and tyres, so all credit to the guys, though the bike was a little wobbly on the main straight! When I had the problem with my boot it was difficult to adapt, it took two laps or so to adjust, then I came back. It was just a pity what happened with my boot, but that's racing. I'm starting to enjoy riding again and I'm beginning to really understand how to get the best out of the Ducati."

FEDERICO MINOLI, Ducati Motor Holding CEO and president

"That was a great way to mark the three anniversaries we are celebrating this year. We had a one-two on the grid and we were in the thick of the action for the race win. Loris rode like a lion, making an unbelievable comeback, while Sete showed once again that he's a great rider, without that boot problem he would also have fought for the win. "

[Dom]

Kwakka Quotes

Shinya Nakano: 11th

"I've been practicing my starts this weekend, and it seems to have done the trick; today I got my best start of the season to jump from fifth to third place by the first corner. But that's where the problems started. I just couldn't stay with the leading group, they simply drove past me on the straight and they were gone. The same was true with the second group; I could run with them through the corners, but they'd just disappear when we reached the straight. I had no problems with the bike today, the tyres worked well throughout the race and I was pushing as hard as possible. But we still ended up outside the top ten, after John Hopkins passed me on the very last lap. I knew he was coming, but there is little you can do to defend your position when it's so easy to pass our bike on the straight. We know we need to find more top-end power, and we know we need to improve the driveability of the Ninja ZX-RR, and I think this can be seen quite clearly from today's result."

Randy de Puniet: 13th

"That was a very difficult race, mainly because I started so far back on the grid and then made things worse by getting a bad start; I think I might have been close to last going into the first turn. I got my head down and managed to pass a few riders to move up to twelfth position, but then I started to get a lot of pain in my back, which I injured in the crash at Le Mans, and that made it difficult to do a good lap time. When Edwards came past me at the end I tried to stay with him, but it was impossible. But, although I would obviously have preferred to finish higher in the race, it wasn't such a bad result given our qualifying position. I've got one more race finish under my belt and I learnt a lot this afternoon as a result of having to fight through the field. Without the handicap of a bad start from the sixth row, and the problems with my back, I think there was potential to be up there fighting with the group that Shinya was in today. The bike worked well this afternoon, my crew did a great job and I just hope we can go to Catalunya in two weeks and come away with a good result."

Harald Eckl: Team Principal

"This weekend we have a number of key people from KHI in Japan visiting the team, and I think that they will leave here with a better understanding of where our development efforts need to be focussed after today's race. Improvements in the driveability of the Ninja ZX-RR are important, but as Shinya showed today, we also need more top speed if we are not to concede positions on the straights at fast circuits like Mugello and Catalunya. Both riders rode a good race today, but the end result doesn't really do their efforts justice."

[Dom]

Suzuki Quotes

John Hopkins:

“I didn’t get the best of starts and never got off the line like I normally do. It was a horrible first lap really and I wasn’t where I wanted to be and I had to fight my way up. I tried to claw my way towards the front, but as it happened I got involved in the second group and basically just hung in there with them and at the end I just managed to get past Shinya for 10th. I can’t say I’m ecstatic with the race but I’m certainly not too disappointed, as Mugello is a tough track for us. We needed to get through this and now we will move onto Barcelona with some high hopes as we tested well there earlier in the year. I am now looking forward to the rest of the season with a positive attitude and to getting some good results.”

Chris Vermeulen:

“My first time in Mugello and I really enjoyed it, there was a big crowd and a great atmosphere! It wasn’t the result I would have liked, but it was a very tough race. I didn’t get the best of starts and I got eaten alive into turn one. I finally got through the field and was doing similar lap times to the group in front – which I was happy with. I brought the bike home safely and got some points and next it is off to Barcelona – a track that I know – so I will certainly be looking to improve on today’s position.”

Paul Denning – Team Manager:

“Rizla Suzuki MotoGP’s results today don’t look spectacular, but to be honest I’m not dissatisfied. Essentially we were beaten by Valentino, the two Ducatis and a group of Hondas. On a track like this where you need a lot of power to maintain a good lap time that really isn’t too bad. To some extent John’s start dictated his result, but I am pleased that he hung in there and managed a top 10 finish.

“Chris certainly learnt a lot from the race and I’m sure he will learn more from the test tomorrow. During the middle section of the race he maintained a very good pace. This is a difficult track to come to for the first time and get a top result.

“We are looking forward to testing a new engine specification tomorrow and hope that will take us to the next step in performance. Our improvement from 2005 is significant but it is still not enough. My personal target was a top eight finish for John and as it was he was half a second off seventh. With further improvements from Suzuki with the motor and Bridgestone with the tyres we are looking forward with optimism to Barcelona.”

[Gobbuktag]

To early.