Ducati
Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi scored a thrilling
second-place finish in yesterday's searing-hot Marlboro
Malaysian Grand Prix after a spectacular duel with World
Champion Valentino Rossi. Team-mate Sete Gibernau
completed a great day for the team, finishing fifth in
his first race for seven weeks.
Capirossi's
stunning ride was his sixth top-three finish of the year
and moved him to fourth in the title chase, 43 points
behind leader Nicky Hayden. Starting from the front row
of the grid after two days of hard work, the Italian was
third after the first lap, moved into the lead on lap
three and then settled into an enthralling contest with
Rossi, the pair swapping places time and again, the lead
changing for the last time on the last lap. Capirossi
ended the race 0.849 seconds down on Rossi, having
established a new lap record on lap ten. Gibernau hadn't
raced since undergoing further surgery in late July to
the left collarbone he broke in June. He came back in
fine style, qualifying sixth and finishing just nine
seconds behind the race winner.
LORIS CAPIROSSI, finished
2nd, 4th overall (171 points): "The whole weekend has
been great for us. At the start I overtook a few guys, took
the lead and tried to go away but realised I couldn't. When
Valentino overtook me the first time, then Dani, it was
because I'd opened the gas too early and lost some grip. But
I wasn't worried because I knew my rhythm was good. The
battle with Valentino was great, we overtook each other many
times but always in a correct manner. It was easy to win or
lose this race, no one could say who was going to win before
the last corner, but I think a battle like this is so good
for the sport. My problem wasn't the last corner, it was the
one before where I had a bit too much spin on the exit. Now
I am ready for the last four races, I know the bike and
tyres are good and I know I am strong enough to fight with
Valentino.
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Loris Capirossi's stunning ride
in Malaysia yesterday was his sixth
top-three MotoGP finish of the year and moved him to fourth
in the title chase, 43 points behind leader Nicky
Hayden. |
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Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi scored a
thrilling second-place finish in yesterday's
searing-hot Marlboro Malaysian Grand Prix after a
spectacular duel with World Champion Valentino
Rossi. |
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"But I'm not thinking about the championship, I will just do
my best and then we will count the points. I am really
looking forward to Phillip Island, though yesterday it was
only eight degrees there..."
SETE GIBERNAU, finished 5th,
11th overall (69 points): "That was a perfect return.
Once again I'd like to thank everyone for an outstanding
job, without them I could never have done what I did today.
The team, the guys back home and Bridgestone gave me a great
bike and great support, making my life as easy as it could
be coming back from an injury. I wasn't as aggressive as I
should've been during the first laps, just because I've been
back home for two months, but I think we needed to do a race
like this to come back. I'm very pleased because I regained
a good feeling with the bike and I was up there with the
guys who are fighting for the championship, that's what we
needed. I was a bit worried about the injury, I was thinking
?oh man, what's going to happen?' but it reacted well. I
think the bone is pretty good shape, so all credit to my
physical trainer Dani Sune and to the doctors back home. The
only thing I don't have right now is full strength. Now I'm
looking forward to Phillip Island."
LIVIO SUPPO, Ducati MotoGP
project manager: "That was a great race! We must be
happy because Loris rode brilliantly and Sete made a
fantastic comeback, finishing very close to the leaders. The
bike worked very well here, the tyres too, so thanks to
Bridgestone, and also to Shell Advance whose input is
especially vital in the extreme conditions we experience
here."
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