Pics of the day: San Marino GP, Sunday

Bravo Bati! Bravo Talma!

San Marino GP - Misano - 250cc quotes after the race

Álvaro Bautista -Winner
"Alongside my mechanics and Aprilia we found a really good setting in the warmup, and I was very excited about the race. The only setback was the fact that I was starting from far back and the race was shaping up to be difficult. With the high temperatures the physical effort involved was enormous. In the end I tried to catch up with the leading group, and they were bothering each other so much that I was able to do it. At the end of the race Hector and Marco touched and that allowed me to reach the line more comfortably. I'm really happy because the result takes us closer to the top of the standings, and because this weekend looked to be a difficult one. I would also like to dedicate this victory to the victims of the recent Spanish air disaster."

Héctor Faubel (DNF)
"It was a pity about the crash, because all weekend we had been working well and had a great race pace. The start was a good one, but Debon hit me from behind and I lost positions. The when I regained positions I also had a problem with Debon, because he fell just as I was opening the gas. I had no way of avoiding him, and looping back at my pace I Could have had a good result without that happening. Racing is like that. Now I am hoping for the same kind of early conditions at Indianapolis."

San Marino GP - Misano - 125cc quotes after the race

1º Gábor Talmacsi
"From the start I tried to escape from the others, and I used the confidence picked up over the weekend. I think that the strategy worked, because Smith was the only one able to keep up with me at any point in the race. In the middle of the race I made a mistake, slipping the gears, and Bradley passed me and made me think twice about the victory. However, lap by lap I got stronger and more confident in the grip of the Aprilia, so I tried to break free again when I passed him. With Bradl and Di Meglio crashing, the championship is wide open again, so we have to keep doing what we've been doing and try and win as many races as possible."

Sergio Gadea 10th
"I gave all I had, but it was very difficult to find regular pace from lap to lap. I didn't have confidence with the Aprilia during the weekend, above all with the rear end. I wouldn't mind the result that much if it hadn't have been so unenjoyable to ride. I started angry, trying to be aggressive in order to catch up positions quickly, but I didn't have any feeling with the bike and a lot of riders passed me. This put me off and I had to try and come back again. The team's work was good, but we have to keep working in order to find solutions to these problems."

Adrián Martín (DNF)
"I started well and soon realized that a good race was possible. I overtook a few riders on the start and was keen to keep doing so, but on the closed corner after the chicane two riders touched and I couldn't avoid them. I tried to brake, suddenly I saw the KTM on the track and had to go over it. I tried to restart the bike, but the front wheel was stuck and there was nothing to be done about it. Although I only did a few laps, I am happy because of my good start. I think that I can do well next time."

San Marino GP - 250cc Race Results: Bati wins!

Pos. Rider Nation Team Total time

1 A. BAUTISTA SPA Mapfre Aspar Team 43'15.831
2 Y. TAKAHASHI JPN JiR Team Scot 250 + 2.088
3 H. BARBERA SPA Team Toth Aprilia + 3.752
4 R. LOCATELLI ITA Metis Gilera + 7.472
5 J. SIMON SPA Repsol KTM 250cc + 10.862
6 M. SIMONCELLI ITA Metis Gilera + 21.180
7 T. LUTHI SWI Emmi - Caffe Latte + 29.440
8 R. WILAIROT THA Thai Honda PTT SAG + 33.882
9 L. PESEK CZE Auto Kelly - CP + 35.051
10 K. ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing + 45.405
11 F. LAI ITA Campetella Racing + 47.260
12 F. SANDI ITA Matteoni Racing + 1'10.664
13 M. HERNANDEZ SPA Blusens Aprilia + 1'10.882
14 T. WIRSING GER Racing Team Germany + 1'33.332
15 S. GROTZKYJ ITA Campetella Racing 1 Lap
16 D. PRADITA INA Yamaha Pertamina Indonesia 1 Lap

Not classified
A. ESPARGARO SPA Lotus Aprilia 7 Lap
E. LAVERTY IRL Blusens Aprilia 12 Lap
I. TOTH HUN Team Toth Aprilia 14 Lap
M. PASINI ITA Polaris World 15 Lap
H. AOYAMA JPN Red Bull KTM 250 23 Lap
M. KALLIO FIN Red Bull KTM 250 23 Lap
H. FAUBEL SPA Mapfre Aspar Team 24 Lap
A. DEBON SPA Lotus Aprilia 24 Lap
A. BALDOLINI ITA Matteoni Racing 25 Lap

San Marino GP - 125cc Race Results: Talma wins!

Pos. Rider Nation Team Total time

1 G. TALMACSI HUN Bancaja Aspar Team 40'03.679
2 B. SMITH GBR Polaris World + 5.402
3 S. CORSI ITA Jack & Jones WRB + 14.388
4 M. MARQUEZ SPA Repsol KTM 125cc + 17.058
5 N. TEROL SPA Jack & Jones WRB + 17.321
6 A. IANNONE ITA I.C. Team + 17.482
7 S. CORTESE GER Emmi - Caffe Latte + 17.485
8 D. AEGERTER SWI Ajo Motorsport + 18.657
9 E. RABAT SPA Repsol KTM 125cc + 19.148
10 S. GADEA SPA Bancaja Aspar Team + 34.650
11 E. VAZQUEZ SPA Blusens Aprilia Junior + 34.855
12 J. OLIVE SPA Belson Derbi + 39.394
13 M. RANSEDER AUT I.C. Team + 47.304
14 D. WEBB GBR Degraaf Grand Prix + 53.241
15 J. FOLGER GER Red Bull MotoGP Academy + 53.349
16 J. CLUZEL FRA Loncin Racing + 1'01.903
17 M. RAVAIOLI ITA Matteoni Racing + 1'04.165
18 T. KOYAMA JPN ISPA KTM Aran + 1'06.235
19 T. NAKAGAMI JPN I.C. Team + 1'06.260
20 R. LASSER GER Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing + 1'07.200
21 G. FERRO ITA Metasystem RS + 1'21.814
22 B. CHESAUX SWI WTR San Marino Team + 1'22.521
23 L. ROSSI FRA FFM Honda GP 125 + 1'35.247
24 H. VAN DEN BERG NED Degraaf Grand Prix + 1'39.723
25 L. VITALI ITA Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing 1 Lap
26 R. KRUMMENACHER SWI Red Bull KTM 125 2 Lap

Not classified
M. DI MEGLIO FRA Ajo Motorsport 9 Lap
S. BRADL GER Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing 9 Lap
L. ZANETTI ITA ISPA KTM Aran 9 Lap
P. ESPARGARO SPA Belson Derbi 11 Lap
L. SAVADORI ITA RCGM 11 Lap
R. DE ROSA ITA Onde 2000 KTM 13 Lap
A. MASBOU FRA Loncin Racing 17 Lap
G. SABATINO ITA Junior GP Racing Dream 17 Lap
P. NIETO SPA Onde 2000 KTM 19 Lap
S. BONSEY USA Degraaf Grand Prix 20 Lap
S. REDDING GBR Blusens Aprilia Junior 22 Lap

Not finished 1st lap
A. MARTIN SPA Bancaja Aspar Team
R. MORETTI ITA CRP Racing

Double win for Team Aspar!

The San Marino GP in Misano saw splendid results for Team Aspar.

In 125cc Gabor Talmacsi took a dominant win after taking pole in qualifying yesterday and fighting briefly with Bradley Smith in the race today.

And in 250cc Mapfre Aspar rider Álvaro Bautista won the race with extremely clever and hard riding after starting from only 11th position.

Congratulations to both of them!

San Marino GP - Misano - 250cc quotes after QP2

8th Héctor Faubel, 1.39.058 (21 laps)
"Our pace is good and we're starting from the second row. Our hopes are high for tomorrow's race and I think we can take the fight to the factory Aprilia RSA machines - it could be a good race. We've worked along the same lines as yesterday and only made some small changes to the front suspension because of the heat. I have to refine my riding a little during the warm-up but I think we're ready for the race. Above all it will be important to get a good start and then stay with the leaders for as long as possible. The main objective is to improve on the result from Brno."

11th Álvaro Bautista, 1.39.217 (22 laps)
"I'm struggling to find a set-up that allows me to have fun on the Aprilia. I'm lacking confidence on the way into the corners. We've improved today but we're still a long way off a good feeling. We'll see what we can do with the engineers tonight and try to take a step forward in the warm-up. I'm not happy with this result but we just have to work harder - especially at a time when things are tricky. It's going to be tough to stay with the lead group if the pace is high but we'll give 100% to try and catch them and never give up."

Misano - Circuit Notes

The Misano World Circuit (until 2006 called Circuito Internazionale Santamonica) is located next to the town of Misano Adriatico (Province of Rimini) in the frazione of Santamonica. Originally designed in 1969 as a length of 3.488 kilometres (2.17 mi), it hosted its first event in 1972. In 1993, the track length was increased to 4.064 kilometres (2.53 mi).
In 2007 it hosted the San Marino and Rimini's Coast Grand Prix as part of the MotoGP World Championship for the first time.

Misano World Circuit was designed in 1969; it was built from 1970 and 1972, and inaugurated that year. Its initial length was 3,488 km and had a little and open pit area. This version of the circuit hosted three editions of the San Marino motorcycle Gran Prix, from 1985 to 1987. In 1993 it was modified for the first time: the track length was incremented to 4.060 kilometres (2.52 mi), with the possibility to race both the long and the old short loop; moreover, new facilities and new pit garages were built.

Between 1996 and 2001 all facilities were improved further, adding more pits and stands. In 2005, a new access point to the circuit was built, in via Daijiro Kato (Daijiro Kato street) in honor of the late Japanese pilot, killed during the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix, who loved to live in the frazione Portoverde of Misano Adriatico.

In order to host again the World motorcycle championship, the circuit was deeply modified in 2006. The circuit direction was changed to clockwise direction, the track length was brought to 4.180 km, track width has been incremented to 14 meters, facilities were improved, and all security measures have been applied. The first MotoGP race held on the circuit after the modifications was the 2007 San Marino and Rimini's Coast Grand Prix, which was won by "home" marque Ducati.


FACTFILE
Location: Misano Adriatico, Province of Rimini, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Time zone: CET, UTC+1, GMT+1
Major Events: MotoGP; SBK; Formula Renault; FIA Sportscars
Circuit Length: 4.064 km (2.525 mi)
Turns: 11
Lap Record: 1:33.918 (Casey Stoner, Ducati, 2007)


Sources: www.wikipedia.org www.misanocircuit.com
Map source: etracksonline

San Marino GP - Misano - Event Schedule

Friday August 29th

125cc :: Free Practice 1 :: 09:00-09:45 
MotoGP :: Free Practice 1 :: 10:00-11:00 
250cc :: Free Practice 1 :: 11:15-12:15 
125cc :: Qualifying 1 :: 13:10-13:40 
MotoGP :: Free Practice 2 :: 13:55-14:55 
250cc :: Qualifying 1 :: 15:10-15:55


Saturday August 30th

125cc :: Free Practice 2 :: 09:00-09:45 
MotoGP :: Free Practice 3 :: 10:00-11:00 
250cc :: Free Practice 2 :: 11:15-12:15 
125cc :: Qualifying 2 :: 13:10-13:40 
MotoGP :: Qualifying 1 :: 13:55-14:55 
250cc :: Qualifying 2 :: 15:10-15:55


Sunday August 31st

125cc :: Warm-Up :: 08:40-09:00 
250cc :: Warm-Up :: 09:10-09:30 
MotoGP :: Warm-Up :: 09:40-10:05 
125cc :: Race :: 11:00-11:45 
250cc :: Race :: 12:15-13:00 
MotoGP :: Race :: 14:00-15:00


(*All times local: GMT +1)

GP San Marino - 250cc Preview Quotes

Alvaro Bautista:
“We come to San Marino with a lot of desire and especially after the race in Brno, where we were close to the victory, we will try to win here at all costs. Misano is the track where I tested the Aprilia RSA for the first time last season, so we already have references and that is a very positive aspect. In 2007 we were fast from the first day on, our intention is to repeat that and to continue improving. We must continue to cut down points and therefore we will have to get out our best weapons. It will be a very difficult task because we are on the home turf of the "enemy", but that doesn't mean we won't try.”

Héctor Faubel
“Misano is a circuit that I like a lot, but of which I do not have a very good memory, because last year I crashed at the end of the race. I hope to have a good result this season to make up for that. The last GP and the testing afterwards helped us to get back some good feeling, but we know our limits, so our goal will be to continue working in the same direction, to be able to get a Aprilia RSA in 2009. It is clear that there's always some space for improvement and that is what we try, to continue going in that direction.”