Quelques infos sur Shangaï et Honda

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The Championship debuts on the very modern, science fictional track of Shanghai, built just one year ago to hold the Formula 1 GP. This track can boast a record cost; the Chinese authorities in fact spent over 250 million dollars to build the track and its infrastructures. It is a spectacular sight that left our F1 colleagues speechless cause of the amazing architectural work undergone such as the two wings that cover the starting straight.

From a technical point of view the track – designed with the greatest technological expressions - is complete and presents a various mix of situations by alternating slow and quick stints where the power and velocity of these bikes can be used to their potential.

The peculiarity of this track is the two long straights. The starting straight measures 1202 meters in length, the longest of the entire championship, even longer than that of the Mugello track which is 1141 meters long and Barcelona’s which is 1047 met! ers.

The track is also characterized by two nearly 360º corners which will put the tyres to the test.

Like the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, the Shanghai circuit is very large, designed for Formula 1, and presents many places where overtaking is possible.

The IRTA, the association of teams and riders, tried to organize a winter testing session on this circuit, but failed to do so because of the difficult bureaucratic situation in this country. The track is new for everyone; there are no previous references for the bikes.

The Motorcycle world arrives in China with a lot of curiosity and high expectations, as this is a country that allows for important commercial and economical opportunities for the various motorcycle manufacturers who are present in the championship.


CURIOSITIES OF THE SHANGHAI TRACK:

Time difference: + 7 compared to Italy
Location: the track is situated 20 miles of Shanghai! , north east of Anting Town next to the Shanghai International Automobile City. You need to allow for at least an hour and a half from the centre of town to the track.
Remember: In China you cannot rent cars, the team will need to use a shuttle service provided by the hotels.
Spectators: Last year 150.000 spectators gathered to watch the F1 GP.
Tickets: You can buy tickets directly on line.
Web Site: For all information you may log onto www.icsh.sh.ch, the official web site of the Shanghai circuit.


SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT - TECHNICAL DATA

Opened : 2004
Modified 2004
Length: 5281 m
Width: 14 m
Pole position: left
Right Corners: 7
Left corners: 7
Longest Straight: 1202 m
MotoGP Race: 22 laps, 116,182 kms
Track Record: new track
Pole position: new track


#15 SETE GIBERNAU: A NEW TRACK FOR ALL
! Sete arrives in China, third GP of the season, with the desire to get back on track and compete.

Absolute protagonist of winter testing where Sete – busy developing the bike – dominated for consistency, rhythm and speed. The Spanish rider demonstrated to have all the right cards to fight for the Championship title.

“I’ve never been so strong” comments Sete Gibernau “thanks to the work done with the Team, HRC, Honda and Michelin, compared to last year I have grown and matured another year of experience. We all worked in the same direction during the winter tests. To strengthen the relationship between HRC, Honda and Michelin was one of my objectives, and I think I have succeeded.
During the first two GP’s I have proved to be a stronger rider. Together with the team we did an incredible job and it is a real shame to not have been able to gain those precious points we hoped for. I think we did the most for what we could control. Even dur! ing the Portuguese GP we worked at the top level, proof being the large advantage I acquired compared to the rest of the group. I was conducing the race with a 1.2 second advantage on Alex Barros, and 11 seconds on Valentino Rossi. I couldn’t have done more and I paid because I was leading the race. Being the race leader I had no point of reference when it started to rain, the racing conditions were really difficult. In the end we’ve paid for it because the other riders saw the crash and dropped their pace by three seconds.”
After the GP of Portugal, Sete spent a few days resting in Switzerland to undergo an accurate rehabilitation therapy to his left shoulder, which was hurt during the contact with Rossi on the last lap of the Spanish GP, and aggravated with his fall during the Portuguese GP.

With Estoril behind him, Sete Gibernau looks with optimism to the Chinese race, a new track for all.

“The only aspect we know of this track is th! e design of it. It is in fact new for all of us. The distinctive characteristics of this track seem to be the two long straights, and the two 360º corners, but the track still remains a big incognito. We will only be fully aware of our situation when we begin the first practice session. Not being able to undergo winter testing here, this Shanghai track will be a real challenge for both the teams and the riders. We all begin from scratch; there are no reference points for the bikes. It will be important to try and understand the track as quickly as possible in order to find the correct setting. We only have 4 practice sessions, that is 3 hours of free practice sessions, and a one-hour qualifying session. These hours will be decisive for the starting grid, learning to interpret the track, finding the right setup and being as competitive as possible. I am curious to race in China, an interesting country with a lot of tradition.”



#33 MARCO MELANDRI! :“A TRACK WHERE WE ALL START FROM SCRATCH, A POSITIVE OPPORTUNITY TO USE TO THE BEST”

Marco Melandri takes on the third race of the season with tranquillity and confidence which come from the great job he did during winter testing with his new team and a start to the season which has been better than he could ever have hoped for. The podium in Jerez, the third of his career for this young Italian rider in the MotoGP class, and fourth place in Estoril has allowed Marco Melandri to be in third position in the Championship ranking.

“I am very happy and satisfied with the results of the first two races of the season. Just a short time ago I thought third place in the championship would have been impossible. The GP of Portugal was particularly difficult cause of the climatic situation; the track was wet in some places, dry in others. You couldn’t take advantage of the perfect setup of the bike and the tyres, as the track was very slippery, dirty ! and unreliable. It was easy to make a mistake, our goal was to finish the race and I am happy to have brought home a fourth place.”Now Marco looks positively to the third race of the season on the track of Shanghai, China. It is a new track where we are racing for the first time. This makes an even bigger challenge for all the techs, mechanics and riders as it means having to use to the maximum of their capabilities the four hours of practice sessions they are allowed hoping that rain doesn’t interfere with their plans.

“I am very optimistic about the Chinese GP. I saw the design of the track for the first time only a week ago. It seems to be very interesting, strange, and innovative for sure. There are two particularly long corners, which will be hard on the front end of the bike, as it will be put under a lot of strain. The Shanghai track is a new track for everyone, we all start from scratch and this is a good occasion to use to our advantage.
! I am curious to go to China and race with the RC211V on this spectacular and modern track. I know a challenging weekend awaits us because we will only have four hours to use to the best of our abilities. Who adapts to the track quicker will logically have the advantage on the rest.”


MICHELIN TAKES ON A NEW CHALLENGE IN CHINA

For the first ever time the Championship arrives in China, to the Shanghai circuit, a racetrack yet to be explored. We asked Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s Chief of motorcycling competitions, how the number one tyre manufacturer will be taking on this new challenge.

It is the first time the Championship will be taking place in China, what problems do you think you will encounter? With which elements are you basing your choices on?

“When you run on a new circuit, like Shanghai, we begin with a careful analysis of the track. The design itself gives us important data. Shanghai in partic! ular has two very long straights, the starting straight measuring 1202 meters, the longest of the entire championship, it is even longer than Mugello’s straight away which measure 1140 meters and Barcelona’s which is 1047 meters long.

The track is characterized also by two nearly 360º turns, these are particularly dangerous for the tyres as they will get very hot in these points.

We also analyzed the possible climatic situation; the temperatures shouldn’t be very high. Rain remains a fundamental risk factor. For example, last year Qatar was a new track for us and the stable climatic conditions allowed us to use the four practice sessions in dry weather to the max, and luckily enough, the race was dry too. In China, rain could ruin the work program, leaving very little time to tyre testing.”
Being a new track will you bring a higher number of different types of tyres?

“Every time we go to a new circuit we always bring! a vast range of tyres compared to what we would bring to an already known track where we have experience and reference points to use.”

Have you sent a technician to study the track conditions?

“No, we based ourselves on the design analysis of the track and on the experience of our Formula 1 colleagues.”

In what way have you used the Formula 1 experience of this track?

"We did a comparative analysis of the data our F1 colleagues gave us. The data they gave us was also useful to understand the type of asphalt of this track and the level of abrasiveness of it.”

Looking at the Championship which has just begun, what progress has been made compared to last year and what have you looked to implement?

"Compared to 2004, we have made a huge step forward, especially regarding the rear tyre. We have improved the grip on the maximum angle and the traction. Based on the indications! of our riders, this is the direction we began looking at during the pre season testing sessions. During the season we must adapt the various compounds of the tyres to the characteristics of the different tracks. Each time we must keep in mind three fundamental factors: the track characteristics, the asphalt conditions and the weather.”

How important are the riders of the Team Movistar Honda MotoGP for the development of the tyres?

“Sete Gibernau and Marco Melandri’s support gave us important indications during our winter testing session. We have worked a long time now with Sete, a rider of great experience.
Marco was a very nice surprise. We worked a lot with Melandri as well because he is a rider capable of answer quickly to our requests; he gives precise indications and is capable of rapidly analyzing the characteristics of a tyre.