MotoGP Japan: Rossi crashes, Ducati wins
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Image Gallery ( 28 images )Tohru Ukawa, Camel Honda, DNF: “I’m really disappointed with how the race went, and would have loved to battle for a top spot here. Instead not long after the start I felt that there was something wrong and then on the fourth lap something happened to the engine and I was forced to retire.”
Shinya Nakano, Kawasaki, DNF: "Not a good day for the Kawasaki Racing Team. In the first couple of laps I was able to overtake and move forward to 11th behind the Honda riders, Barros and Hayden, although we were a long way back and it was difficult to see the front group. I thought I had the potential to pass the Honda guys, but then I suffered the same problem with the engine as I suffered yesterday. At this track you are using low gears and high revs a lot during each lap. I like both Sepang and Doha, the next races, but we have to fix this problem if we want to see the chequered flag."
Alex Hofmann, Kawasaki, DNF: "I'm absolutely devastated; yet another disaster and another stupid injury. We just don't have the top speed with our bike to overtake on the straights, so we have to pass into the turns on the brakes. But even then you have to make up at least 20 metres on the brakes before you're even close enough to pass. I went up the inside of Ukawa into the corner and I had no other option but to go under Roby as well, as he'd run wide of the apex. Unfortunately, he didn't know I was there and turned in right in front of me; we collided and both ended up in the gravel. I'm sorry for Roby, he did nothing wrong. I guess I will just have to wait and see what the doctors in Munich say about my ankle, but I'm fairly confident that a return to racing at Phillip Island will be possible."
Ichiro Yoda, Kawasaki Technical Manager:"Motegi has not been easy for us, with a crash for Alex and some engine problems for Shinya. I understand the problem with Shinya’s motor, but we have to fix the problem before the next race."
Harald Eckl, Kawasaki Team Manager: "This has got to rate as one of Kawasaki's darkest days since we returned to the MotoGP World Championship three years ago. I understand that bad luck is a part of racing, but it's so disappointing that we had to have today's result in front of representatives from Kawasaki, including the chairman, Mr. Tazaki. Alex was strong in qualifying and deserved better today than another injury. But now we need to put today's disappointment behind us and concentrate on improving our results at the next two races in Malaysia and Doha.
Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team), DNF: "We knew this would be a difficult race but the mechanics worked hard to improve the bike this morning in the warm-up and it worked well over the first few laps. I was able to pass a lot of people but I started to have a few problems with the front tyre when I arrived behind the front three. I knew it would be a risk to try and overtake and I expected Loris to pass Max in the final few laps. I knew I could be World Champion with fourth place and so I decided to just wait and do my race. Then Marco made a small mistake and suddenly I was behind him. It was the first time I had followed him into turn ten and we took completely different lines. He went to the outside of the track to cut across and get good acceleration out of the corner but I went to the inside to run wider on the exit. For the first 50m of braking we were at exactly the same speed so there was no warning, but he was able to stop the bike much harder than me and I couldn't avoid him. You can't see it very well on the television but I wasn't even trying to pass him, it was just one of those things. I apologised to Marco and he said 'it happens.' Now I am very concerned for him and I just hope he is ok."
Results
Race Classification MotoGP : (24 laps = 115.224 km) Pos/ Rider / Nat / Team / Motorcycle / Time/ KM/H 1 / Loris CAPIROSSI / ITA / Ducati Marlboro Team / DUCATI / 43'30.499 / 158.899 2 / Max BIAGGI / ITA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 43'31.978 / 158.809 3 / Makoto TAMADA / JPN / Konica Minolta Honda / HONDA / 43'46.726 / 157.917 4 / Carlos CHECA / SPA / Ducati Marlboro Team / DUCATI / 43'52.647 / 157.562 5 / John HOPKINS / USA / Team Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI / 44'03.711 / 156.903 6 / Colin EDWARDS / USA / Gauloises Yamaha Team / YAMAHA / 44'05.414 / 156.802 7 / Nicky HAYDEN / USA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 44'16.393 / 156.154 8 / Kenny ROBERTS / USA / Team Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI / 44'26.997 / 155.533 9 / Toni ELIAS / SPA / Fortuna Yamaha Team / YAMAHA / 44'42.536 / 154.632 10 / Ruben XAUS / SPA / Fortuna Yamaha Team / YAMAHA / 45'05.426 / 153.323 11 / Franco BATTAINI / ITA / Blata WCM / BLATA / 44'38.510 / 148.411 Fastest Lap (Unofficial new record): Loris CAPIROSSI 1'47.968 160.080 Km/h Lap 3 Lap Record: Makoto TAMADA 1'48.524 159.260 Km/h 2004
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