Round 5: Mugello, Italy
Track length: 5245 m
Opened: 1974
Fastest Lap Ever: 1′ 49.553 (Sete Gibernau, 2004)
MotoGP lap record: 1′ 51.133 (Sete Gibernau, 2004)
Last year MotoGP winner: Valentino Rossi
Circuit tel: +39 055 8499111
Circuit web site: http://www.mugellocircuit.it

2004 MotoGP race summary
Valentino Rossi held his nerve and maintained his race-long aggression to outpace his rivals not once but twice at Mugello during the 2004 Italian Grand Prix. In doing so he seized his second win since joining Yamaha, in outstanding style. The initial race was stopped with five laps remaining after rain interfered. Ultimately a six-lap restart would determine the final classification of the race, with the first section now nullified under the 2004 rules.

Rossi, who’d led Sete Gibernau’s Honda on the last of the laps in the first running, repeated the trick in seemingly impossible damp conditions while on slicks. The 25-year-old (at the time) from Tavullia won by 0.361 seconds in the restart. With treacherous conditions to deal with Rossi was last in a six-rider group at one stage, before asserting his class and quality to outrun Gibernau and third placed Max Biaggi (Honda) in what proved to be a sprint race run on a knife-edge.

If the second running was a minor classic, the opener was conducted on a no less grand scale. Rossi drew roars from the crowd as he took the advantage from the start, leading into the first corner with his great Italian rival Biaggi in second place. A huge 300kmh crash on the main straight for Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) saw debris littering the track surface; the Japanese rider escaped serious injury by a whisker, although the race continued until the rains descended on lap 17.

2005 MotoGP Set-up report YZR-M1
Located in the beautiful Tuscan hills, Mugello boasts a sequence of undulating medium to high-speed corners combined with a straight where even the former 500 two-strokes were capable of producing an outright top speed of 315kmh. The four strokes are now comfortably pushing beyond the 240kmh barrier.

Although picturesque, the Italian circuit has a reputation as a very demanding venue on chassis set-up and engine performance. In fact Mugello is a circuit that requires the best from every aspect of a race motorcycle. The main aim for each team will be to find a balanced geometry that will provide the rider with the ability to change direction quickly through the high-speed switchbacks, and especially through the tricky right-hander at the end of the main straight. This corner, to some extent, is the key to a fast time around Mugello as it influences the next sequence of turns dramatically. Make a mistake in this area and the lap-time will pay the price through the next series of turns.

Yamaha’s chassis technicians will also need to provide a front-end which will offer the rider the feedback while braking into the numerous downhill Mugello turns. This is especially the case onto the front straight as it influences corner exit speed and eventual top speed.

The set-up involves lowering the front of the M1 to improve front-end feel and lighten the handling response through the chicanes. Mugello doesn’t require a front-end to be dialed in as firm, regarding fork springs, as some circuits, but still the braking needs aren’t quite as extreme – especially at the end of the mai9n straight. There is no major issue concerning bumps entering the turns, as at some circuits of similar age, resulting in a more linear medium-damping characteristic, a must to aid feel.

Where bumps are an issue will be on the exit of the turns. To ensure Yamaha riders will be able to find the necessary drive a medium to high rear spring-rate will be used, along with progressive rear suspension linkage rates. It will also be necessary to prevent squatting as riders wind the power on in the well-banked, high G-force corners.

Valentino Rossi’s Honda and Yamaha career compared After winning the premier-class title for the third time riding Honda machinery, Valentino Rossi moved across to ride for the Yamaha factory at the start of last year and has now competed in 20 races on the Yamaha. .

It is clear that Rossi’s performance since joining Yamaha have been superior in terms of percentage of wins, pole positions and average points scored per start. Only in terms of percentage of podium finishes have the results on the Yamaha been inferior to those achieved on the Honda. Rossi has also set several new records for Yamaha, milestones that the other premier-class riders will have to work hard to surpass.

The list below compares his performances on the Honda to those achieved on a Yamaha. – He has finished on the podium for the last seven races, which is the longest run of podium finishes by a Yamaha rider in the premier-class since Wayne Rainey, who had nine consecutive top three finishes between the end of the 1992 and start of the 1993 season.

- In the first race of the year at Jerez, Rossi became the first Yamaha rider since Eddie Lawson in 1986 to take four consecutive victories in the premier-class.

- This victory was also the first in the premier-class at Jerez for Yamaha since 1988.

- Last year Rossi scored nine victories, which is the highest number of wins ever achieved by a Yamaha rider in the premier-class in a single season.

- Rossi’s total of 304 points last year set the record for the highest ever score to be achieved by a Yamaha rider in a single season.

- Rossi’s victory last year in Italy was the first in the premier-class for a Yamaha rider at Mugello since Wayne Rainey back in 1991.

Starts: 64 with Honda, 20 with Yamaha
Wins: 33 with Honda, 12 with Yamaha
% wins: 51,6% with Honda, 60% with Yamaha
Podium finishes: 54 with Honda, 15 with Yamaha
% podium finishes: 84,4% with Honda, 75% with Yamaha
Poles: 20 with Honda, 7 with Yamaha
% pole: 31,2% with Honda, 35% with Yamaha
Points per start: 19,46 with Honda, 19,95% with Yamaha

Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi extended his lead at the top of the MotoGP World Championship with a victory from pole position at the French Grand Prix this afternoon. The Italian World Champion recorded the fastest ever motorcycle lap of Le Mans in qualifying yesterday and followed it up with a new lap record on the very last lap of the today’s 28-lap race. He was joined on the podium by team-mate Colin Edwards who took an excellent third place from the second spot on the grid.

With Rossi making a poor start, Edwards charged to the front and led the way for the first 20 laps. Meanwhile, Rossi made his way through the pack from sixth place and joined the American ahead of the field, making his first attempt to pass on lap 18 as Sete Gibernau (Honda) closed in from third place. The Italian’s attempted manoeuvre failed as he ran wide on the exit of the corner, allowing Edwards to recover the lead and Gibernau to steal through for second. However, three laps later the World Champion was back on the charge, passing Gibernau and then Edwards on consecutive laps and this time hanging on to the lead.

With Gibernau passing Edwards in the same corner as Rossi, the pair went head-to-head for the final eight laps and set a scorching pace. The breathtaking battle went all the way to the final lap, when Rossi set a sensational new circuit record to secure victory by 0.382 seconds from the Spaniard. His championship tally now stands at 95 points from a possible 100 giving him a 37 point advantage over Marco Melandri (Honda) whilst Edwards now moves up to sixth overall. The result also extended Yamaha’s lead in the constructors’ and teams’ World Championships. The next round of the season takes place at Mugello in Italy in three weeks’ time.

Full MotoGP race results from the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, round four of the 2005 world championship.

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Gauloises Yamaha 44min 12.223 secs
2. Sete Gibernau SPA Team Movistar Honda 44min 12.605 secs
3. Colin Edwards USA Gauloises Yamaha 44min 17.934 secs
4. Marco Melandri ITA Team Movistar Honda 44min 19.499 secs
5. Max Biaggi ITA Repsol Honda 44min 19.926 secs
6. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda 44min 33.933 secs
7. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro 44min 36.887 secs
8. Shinya Nakano JPN Kawasaki Racing Team 44min 48.163 secs
9. Toni Elias SPA Fortuna Yamaha 44min 50.285 secs
10. Troy Bayliss AUS Camel Honda 45min 4.83 secs
11. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 45min 5.525 secs
12. Ruben Xaus SPA Fortuna Yamaha 45min 12.565 secs
13. Kenny Roberts USA Team Suzuki MotoGP 45min 12.737 secs
14. Jurgen van den Goorbergh NED Konica Minolta Honda 45min 30.216 secs
15. Roberto Rolfo ITA D’Antin Ducati Pramac 45min 44.456 secs
16. John Hopkins USA Team Suzuki MotoGP 44min 50.726 secs
17. Franco Battaini ITA Blata WCM 45min 22.642 secs

DNF:
Alex Barros BRA Camel Honda 19min 10.033 secs
James Ellison GBR Blata WCM 3min 26.375 secs
Shane Byrne GBR Team Roberts KTM lap 1
Carlos Checa ITA Ducati Marlboro lap 1

Gauloises Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards took the front two positions on the starting grid for the French Grand Prix in a grandstand finale to today’s qualifying session. After a wet morning practice the thick clouds were broken by bright sunshine that warmed the Le Mans circuit in the afternoon, giving the riders a crucial opportunity to work on their race set-up for tomorrow’s fourth round of the MotoGP World Championship. It was the most intense practice session of the season so far as the teams worked frantically in the pit boxes and the riders pushed harder and harder towards a dramatic climax.

After setting the fastest time in the only other dry practice so far this weekend, which took place in cool conditions yesterday morning, it was no surprise when Edwards surged to the top of the time sheets with eight minutes remaining. Having used a softer compound Michelin tyre for that lap, Edwards then moved on to his qualifying tyres and posted two more scorching times, only to be denied pole position by his irrepressible team-mate with a pair of stunning laps of his own. Rossi’s first effort proved decisive as he stopped the clock at 1’33.226, some 0.199 seconds inside the pole position record, before setting a second lap within a tenth of that time.

VALENTINO ROSSI – (1’33.226, 29 laps)

“This track wasn’t so good for me last year so this pole position is very important. We suffered a little bit in the practice but we did a great job in the hour we had this afternoon. The weather was good, the track surface was good and we were able to take advantage of every available second, working a lot on the tyres and the suspension. The race configuration is not bad. I put in a qualifying tyre and I wasn’t at 100% on the first lap, but the second lap was perfect and the grip was excellent. I’m really happy for Yamaha because Colin is second today. He is a fast rider and his performance shows the potential of the YZR-M1. I think we can both have a good race tomorrow.”

COLIN EDWARDS (1’33.449, 28 laps)

"At last our hard work in the preseason and over the first three races is paying off! We pulled the bikes off the truck on Friday morning and basically they worked straight away. One of them had a simple base set-up and we dialled a few things into the other one that we thought would work here, and they turned out to be perfect. My race pace was really good and Michelin had the idea of putting a slightly softer tyre on before switching to the qualifiers, which really helped. The whole team have worked tremendously hard so far this season so this is a welcome boost. The first corner should be a bit gnarly but I’m feeling confident and, as I said yesterday, I’m ready to race whatever the weather.”

DAVIDE BRIVIO – TEAM DIRECTOR

“The team did a great job today, especially the riders. It is only Saturday but we’re very happy to have the top two places on the grid. We’ve worked hard for the race and it seems both riders can keep a good pace and use all of the potential of the bike. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow but my dream is for the same result!”

The Gauloises Yamaha Team’s preparations for the fourth round of the MotoGP World Championship in France were hit by rain on a typically gloomy first day of action at Le Mans this afternoon. Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards had made a positive start to the weekend with consistently fast times in the first free practice in the morning, with Edwards topping the time sheets by 0.366 seconds from his team-mate, who was fourth fastest.

However, the dense grey clouds hanging ominously over the legendary circuit finally gave way halfway into the afternoon session and the riders were forced to take shelter in the pit box. Whilst the rain quickly ceased and allowed the riders to return to action for the rest of the session, the track remained damp and prevented the riders from improving any further, with Edwards and Rossi both unable to better their morning times and completing just fourteen laps between them.

The only option for the team was to concentrate solely on gathering information about the performance of the Yamaha YZR-M1 in the damp conditions, with the unpredictable weather expected to continue for the rest of the weekend and a very real possibility of a third wet race in succession. Alex Barros (Honda) holds the quickest time overnight after posting a lap of 1’31.171 on his ninth lap of the afternoon session, just before the rain struck, with Colin Edwards fourth and Valentino Rossi fifth overall. The action continues with the third free practice and single qualifying practice on Saturday.

Round 4: Le Mans, France
Track length: 4180 m
Opened: 1965
Fastest Lap Ever: 1′ 34.088 (Max Biaggi, 2004)
MotoGP lap record: 1′ 34.088 (Max Biaggi, 2004)
Last year MotoGP winner: Sete Gibernau
Circuit tel: +33 2 43402430
Circuit web site: http://www.lemans.org

2004 MotoGP race summary
Carlos Checa took a well-earned second in the 2004 French Grand Prix after a close-fought race with Sete Gibernau (Honda) in Le Mans, France. Although his Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi was unable to overcome the set-up problems which had plagued his YZR-M1 all weekend, the young Italian still finished a strong fourth after a hard fought battle with Max Biaggi (Honda).

Checa managed a strong start from second place on the grid to immediately take the lead, with Rossi in third. Pole-sitter Gibernau gradually closed the gap from behind before overtaking Checa on lap 11 and then continuing on to take his second successive Grand Prix win of the year.

Meanwhile Biaggi made his move on Rossi and before making up the lost ground on Checa. The Spaniard rode a hard race to fend off the Roman Emperor, eventually crossing the line just three tenths of a second ahead of Biaggi. In the midst of all this Rossi closed the gap between himself and Biaggi, considerably, in the closing stages – passing him momentarily on lap 25, but was unable to stay ahead at the line.

2005 Set-up report YZR-M1
Le Mans is a circuit made up of a number of second gear hairpins linked together by a series of long straights, with only the occasional chicane breaking up the run to the next hairpin. A design of the past, the French circuit causes little concern for engineers regarding set-up. Turns three and five are the most likely passing points and all efforts will be focused towards finding stability under brakes in these areas.

The YZR-M1 therefore requires a heavier spring rate on the front to deal with the aggressive weight transfer as the rider dramatically decreases his velocity, while still providing the ability to soak up any bumps entering each of the slower turns. The latter will be taken care of by the Öhlins front-end compression damping. Meanwhile the fork rebound will be dialed in to offer a more controlled return to the fork’s full length. This will be done in an effort to offer stability as the rider makes the somewhat aggressive, almost light switch like transition from the brakes to the throttle in the chicanes.

In addition to the heavy fork springs the bike’s attitude will be set to ensure stability with the rear. This is achieved with a slightly lower rear ride-height, lowering the center of gravity, in turn helping to prevent the rear tyre from rising off the track’s surface. Progress made on braking stability throughout pre-season testing and during the first two rounds of the 2005 season will pay dividends at the stop-go styled Le Mans circuit, as will the M1’s lightweight steering character – especially through the quick chicanes.

This approach is in fact a compromise, but it’s a set-up that will be the most efficient on a circuit with this classic character. The improved stability will affect the cornering characteristics by reducing its turn-in agility slightly, but experience has shown the Yamaha is one of the most agile bikes in the championship and the slight loss here is minimum compared to the gains made up under brakes.

Meanwhile drive off the turns must not be neglected; but with the rear ride-height reduced for stability the ability to hold the racing line, while exiting a corner, is compromised to a certain degree. Therefore a softer rear spring rate will feature on the M1 for good predictable feedback, but it will be dialed in with a high degree of preload to prevent the rear-end from squatting under power as the weight transfers to the back of the bike. As the Le Mans corners are short and sharp the rear shock linkage ratio therefore plays an important role at compensating for the softer spring rate by providing a movement which is initially firmer.

Full MotoGP race results from the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai, round three of the 2005 world championship.

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Gauloises Yamaha 50min 2.463 secs
2. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 50min 4.163 secs
3. Marco Melandri ITA Team Movistar Honda 50min 19.037 secs
4. Sete Gibernau SPA Team Movistar Honda 50min 21.369 secs
5. Max Biaggi ITA Repsol Honda 50min 22.014 secs
6. Jurgen van den Goorbergh NED Konica Minolta Honda 50min 24.085 secs
7. John Hopkins USA Team Suzuki MotoGP 50min 28.346 secs
8. Colin Edwards USA Gauloises Yamaha 50min 33.496 secs
9. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda 50min 41.762 secs
10. Ruben Xaus SPA Fortuna Yamaha 50min 43.454 secs
11. Alex Barros BRA Camel Honda 50min 46.477 secs
12. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro 50min 46.864 secs
13. James Ellison GBR Blata WCM 50min 55.912 secs
14. Toni Elias SPA Fortuna Yamaha 51min 8.316 secs
15. Tohru Ukawa JPN Moriwaki Racing 51min 11.943 secs
16. Roberto Rolfo ITA D’Antin Ducati Pramac 51min 17.756 secs

DNF:
Franco Battaini ITA Blata WCM 37min 35.911 secs
Kenny Roberts USA Team Suzuki MotoGP 12min 36.308 secs
Carlos Checa ITA Ducati Marlboro 9min 31.76 secs
Troy Bayliss AUS Camel Honda 9min 29.777 secs
Shinya Nakano JPN Kawasaki Racing Team 5min 38.031 secs

Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi made history once again today, becoming the first rider to take a MotoGP victory at Shanghai, with a stunning performance in torrentially wet conditions at the inaugural Grand Prix of China. Despite starting from sixth place on the grid Rossi took control of the race on the fifth lap, passing early leader Kenny Roberts (Suzuki) and opening up a clear gap over the chasing pack.

It was an advantage the reigning World Champion would never let slip, holding his concentration for the next seventeen laps despite the attentions of surprise challenger Olivier Jacque (Kawasaki), riding in place of the injured Alex Hofmann. Jacque passed Sete Gibernau (Honda) for second place with seven laps to go and closed in on Rossi at the front, but was unable to seriously threaten the Italian’s charge to his second victory from the opening three rounds of the championship.

With Marco Melandri (Honda) eventually passing Gibernau on the final lap to snatch third place, Rossi’s advantage at the top of the World Championship now stands at 25 points over his Italian compatriot. A determined performance from his team-mate Colin Edwards, who rode from thirteenth on the grid to take the flag in eighth, means Gauloises Yamaha now lead the teams’ championship, with Yamaha also on top in the manufacturers’ standings.

If Valentino Rossi finishes in the top three in China he will be the first Yamaha rider in the premier-class since Wayne Rainey in 1993 to have scored podium finishes at the first three races of the year. Sixth place on the grid is his lowest qualifying result since the Qatar GP last year. Rossi is more than one second slower than the pole position rider for the first time since the British GP in 2001 – a race he went on to win.

Sete Gibernau starts from pole position for the eighth time in his Grand Prix career and for the first time since the Australian GP last year.

Marco Melandri starts from second place on the grid, his best ever qualifying result in the premier-class. Melandri has scored more points in the first two races of this year than he did in the final ten races of 2004.

Loris Capirossi starts from the front row of the grid for the first time since the Australian GP last year.

John Hopkins starts from fourth place on the grid, his best qualifying result since he was second on the grid at Motegi last year.

Nicky Hayden will be aiming to get on the podium for the first time since the German GP last year.

For the first time since the Rio GP last year there are no Yamaha riders qualified in the top five places on the grid.

Toni Elias has qualified just a quarter of a second behind Valentino Rossi in only his third ride in the premier-class.

The 2000 World Champion, Kenny Roberts, will be making his 150th Grand Prix start, 18 of which were in the 250cc class.

Shinya Nakano is making his 100th Grand Prix start, which include 34 races in the 250cc class.

Alex Barros will be aiming to take back-to-back wins for the first time in his Grand Prix career and in doing so would become the oldest rider to score back-to-back wins in the class since Phil Read in 1974.

Max Biaggi, who has qualified down in 14th place on the grid, is starting his 200th Grand Prix race.

After winning his first race in the 250cc class in Portugal, Casey Stoner starts from pole for the first time in the class. Stoner becomes the third youngest rider ever to start from pole in 250 after Marco Melandri and Dani Pedrosa. This is also the first pole in the 250cc class for an Australian rider since Greg Hansford at the French GP in 1979 riding a Kawasaki.

Since crashing out of the Spanish GP last year, in what was only his second race on a 250cc machine, Dani Pedrosa has had 16 consecutive top four finishes.

Andrea Dovizioso starts from a best ever third place on the grid, in only his third start in the 250cc class.