Portuguese GP Preview
By Paul Kelly
indianapolismotorspeedway.com
Thursday, October 1, 2009
EVENT: Grand Prix of Portugal
WHERE: Estoril Circuit, Estoril, Portugal. Circuit is 2.599 miles (4.182 km), with 13 turns. Race is 28 laps.
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 4. It is the 14th of 17 events this season.
2008 RACE WINNER: Jorge Lorenzo, by 1.817 seconds over Dani Pedrosa
2008 POLE WINNER: Jorge Lorenzo, 1 minute, 35.715 seconds
U.S. TV: MotoGP: 6-7 p.m. (ET), Sunday, Oct. 4, SPEED. 250cc: 5-6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4, SPEED.
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THE AMERICANS: U.S. riders Colin Edwards (Houston, Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Nicky Hayden (Owensboro, Ky., Ducati Team) will compete in this race. Edwards is sixth and Hayden is 14th in the MotoGP standings after 13 races this season.
•Colin Edwards: "The characteristics (of Estoril) are that I go fast there. I don't know why. For some reason, I've just jelled with that place from day one. Probably, in 2007 trying to help Valentino out, I farted around, trying to hold guys back and let him escape. And he never escaped, and that was the race (Toni) Elias ended up winning. But I was running a second to three-quarters of a second slower than I could have gone, just trying to help him out for the championship. And I probably could have won that race. So we need to go back there and get some redemption."
•Nicky Hayden: "A few weeks off is always nice, but I'm definitely over it now and ready to get back to the track and on the bike. I am very excited for Portugal. We go there feeling pretty positive after finding some decent speed over the last few races. We go there at a different time in the season from last year, so it has been almost a year and half since we've been to the track, which makes it a little difficult. The track is nothing real special, but I like it. It's pretty narrow, with probably the tightest and slowest chicane on the whole calendar, but has a great fifth-gear kink on the back straightaway, and the final turn is a very long, cool corner. Also we will have Casey back, which is great for the team and the championship, and I'm sure he will be as fast as ever. Getting on that front row or podium just got even harder for me!"
THEY SAID IT: "I think he has made the right decision to come at this time. He is still quite young, and he has gained extra experience this year, so I expect him to be another great rival for next season. I think he is the only guy from (World) Superbike that is able to try to win in MotoGP at this moment." - Six-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, talking about the arrival of American rider Ben Spies in 2010 in MotoGP
FAST FACTS: 2007 MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner will return to the Ducati Team lineup at this event after missing the last three races, including the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, due to illness. His replacement during recuperation, Mika Kallio, will return to the Pramac Racing Team alongside Niccolo Canepa … American Ben Spies was named to ride in 2010 for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team in 2010, forming an all-American lineup with fellow Texan Colin Edwards, who received a one-year contract extension from Tech 3. The team already has been nicknamed "Team Texas." Spies, 25, has won 12 of 24 races as a rookie this season in the Superbike World Championship and is three points out of the series lead with four races remaining … Yamaha will clinch the 2009 Constructors Championship if any of its MotoGP riders finish in the top three at this event … Valentino Rossi has finished on the podium in all nine of his premier-class starts at Estoril, including five victories … Toni Elias edged Valentino Rossi by .002 of a second at this event in 2006, the closest finish in the premier class since the introduction of electronic timing … 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis GP winner Jorge Lorenzo earned his first career MotoGP victory last year at this event, which took place in April … 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP winner Valentino Rossi will make his 100th MotoGP start for Yamaha at this event. He has won 44 of his first 99 starts for Yamaha, which he joined in 2004 after starting his premier-class career in 2000 with Honda … American Colin Edwards' best finish at Estoril was fourth, in 2006 and 2008 … American Nicky Hayden's best finish at Estoril also was fourth, in 2007, after starting from the pole … Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen is the only MotoGP rider to have scored points in all 13 events this season … Julian Simon of Spain can clinch the 125cc World Championship at this event … American Cameron Beaubier will continue his first season in the 125cc class at this event. Beaubier, 16, from Roseville, Calif., is tied for 27th in the World Championship standings this season for the Red Bull KTM 125 factory team.
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