LEad positions for Talmacsi and Gadea on opening day in China

MotoGP

pubblicato il 02 maggio 2008

LEad positions for Talmacsi and Gadea on opening day in China

The 34 125cc World Championship riders began their work for the fourth round of the 2008 series in Shanghai, with the opening sessions once again a tightly contested affair. At the track -one of the longest on the calendar- nine riders at the head of the standings rode within 6 tenths of each other.

Reigning World Champion Gabor Talmacsi finished fifth on the provisional grid, after leading for a large part of the qualifying session. He expects to be competitive again with the Aprilia RSA, and today's result has boosted his morale as he looks to find the perfect setting.

In the morning session Sergio Gadea stuggled to finish 10th, but some intensive work in his garage from the Bancaja Aspar and Aprilia crews bore fruit in the qualifying run. The Puzol rider finished sixth, just behind his team-mate Talmacsi and only three tenths of a second behind provisional poleman Stefan Bradl.

The youngest member of the Bancaja Aspar Team, Pere Tutusaus had his maiden ride in Shanghai and finished a creditable 23rd in the classification. The young Spaniard used the day to learn the track, and ease his way in to further development of his World Championship experience. He clocked a 2.15.959 lap as his best time in the qualifying session.

5º Gábor Talmacsi: 2.13.445 (11 laps): "I'm very happy, because we've been more competitive today than maybe at any time so far this season. We haven't completely got the setting worked out, but it's only the first day so I expect things will pick up tomorrow. The engine is going well and I really feel that right now I have a good bike, with which I can give my all. The aim is to get the setup right and try to be up there in the qualifying session. I think that we can fight for the win, so that's what we have to go all out to do."

6º Sergio Gadea: 2.13.574 (12 laps):"We had a few problems in the first session, and I finished way behind. The team and Aprilia have worked their hardest and things worked well later on; I'm happy with the position and it really isn't bad for a first day, although the time isn't what I'd consider great. The rear end was sliding about on some corners, but we're working on that and hoping to go faster tomorrow."

23º Pere Tutusaus: 2.15.959 (11 laps): "Everybody told me that this is a strange track, and that I wasn't going to like it. I'm used to riding in kart tracks and slow circuits. Despite this, I loved riding here today. We need to drop our times down, but I don't have anything in particular to focus on, because my team are doing a stupendous job. We made some changes from Portugal, and the Aprilia is going really well now. I have my reference points from the first sessions, and now I will be hoping to improve things on the three or four corners that I feel we are slowest in taking. Hopefully tomorrow I can choose a good tyre to cut my times."