Motourage

The MotoGP series has really picked up momentum as it enters its seventh round. After a disappointing race at Silverstone, the Pramac Racing Team hopes to be able to turn the page in Holland – at the legendary Assen TT Circuit – where the young squad earned a second-place finish in 2003 with Max Biaggi and a fourth the next year, with the same rider.

Pramac's Randy de Puniet has only managed to score 10 MotoGP Championship points so far this season

Since then, the circuit was modified in the winter of 2005/2006, reducing one of the series’ longest tracks – at nearly 6 km – to 4.555 km.

Pramac Ducati riders Loris Capirossi and Randy De Puniet hope to make up for the previous race in the UK. The Italian has collected numerous podiums at this track, including two wins in the 250cc class. The Frenchman, on the other hand, has a best finish of sixth place, which came last year.

Fabiano Sterlacchini, Pramac Racing Technical Director:
“We want to forget the bad outing at Silverstone. It won’t be easy, because the problems we’ve been experiencing for some time can’t be erased in just one race, but it’s possible to improve. At Assen, the weather conditions could shuffle the deck again. Although our riders are currently more likely to do well in the wet, we must work well at preparing a suitable bike.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team Rider:
“My morale certainly isn’t over the moon, as it’s hard to forget the disastrous outing at Silverstone. We need some positive results, for me and for the whole team. I like the Assen circuit a lot, but the unknown is once again the weather; they’re predicting rain here too, although it shouldn’t be as cold as Silverstone. We need to do well to be prepared for the next Grand Prix, at Mugello.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team Rider:
“I need to turn my season around. Sure, it’s difficult, but it’s possible to do better. I hope that with the help of my team, I’ll be able to solve the problems with the bike’s front end. Otherwise I’m fine; I just want to erase the last race from my mind, as it was the worst of my career.”

The starting grid for round 5 of the MotoGP Championship, the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya, was finalized in this afternoon’s qualifying session. Pramac Ducati’s Randy De Puniet will start from the fourth row, having posted the 12th-best time of 1:43.764, just .003” from Honda Gresini rider Hiroshi Aoyama. De Puniet’s teammate, Loris Capirossi (who was also the victim of a problem in FP3), was right behind the Frenchman on the time sheets, and will start from the fifth and final row. His best time was 1:44.068.

Randy DePuniet

Marco Rigamonti – Randy De Puniet’s Track Engineer
“We’ve had problems with rear grip all weekend, and things didn’t change for today’s qualifying session. We made some changes from this morning, but the results weren’t satisfactory because we also found problems with the front. We decided to return to the same setup from free practice, while also trying to fix the rear. Unfortunately, the result isn’t positive.”

Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team – 12th, 1’43.764
“It wasn’t an easy day, as I had problems with suspension and grip. Yesterday the front worried us a little, but today it was okay—not great, but not bad. It was impossible to ride with hard tyres today though, and the soft tyres were losing grip. I was losing a lot of time in the corners, so it was difficult to do better. Tomorrow is another day, and I’ll try my best in the race to get a good result.”

Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team – 13th, 1’44.068
“We worked well on the setup; it’s just a shame that in qualifying I can never take advantage of the bike as I would like. I’m not able to be fast for just one lap, and this situation is hurting me every time. On the other hand, I think we’re pretty competitive in terms of race pace. I hope that the problems with the rear from this morning won’t show up in the race. I’m optimistic—we just need patience and luck.”

The starting grid for the fourth round of the MotoGP World Championship at Le Mans took place this afternoon. There’s some disappointment inside the Pramac Racing Team garage, with Randy De Puniet suffering a fall during the first part of the qualifying session. Despite a hard knock to his left shoulder, the Frenchman immediately remounted his Ducati, managing to complete the session in eleventh place, just a few thousandths behind factory Ducati riders Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi. As for his teammate Loris Capirossi, the Italian was disappointed with what has thus far been a forgettable weekend. He’ll start from the fifth and penultimate row, ahead of Karel Abraham and Toni Elias.

Marco Rigamonti, Randy De Puniet’s Track Engineer
“We threw away this morning’s session because we started with the tire used during yesterday’s free-practice sessions. In the afternoon, the crash certainly didn’t help us, but Randy really did a great job by managing to do more than ten laps in a row with his qualifying tire. He put the crash out of his head right away and his feeling with the bike wasn’t affected. At the end of the session, he hit a little traffic and therefore wasn’t able to take advantage of the final minutes. The numbers speak clearly, however: we’re a tenth off Hayden’s Ducati, which means we’ve done our best. We know what the problem is; in some conditions, the bike doesn’t turn like it should. Now we’ll analyze the data together with Ducati to see if we can solve the problem.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team – 11th, 1’34.351

“I’m okay despite my crash at the beginning of qualifying. Looking at the pictures, I think I was lucky to make it back to the garage; I could have been seriously hurt, and instead I only have a little pain in my left shoulder. I don’t remember a lot about the crash, just that my head hit my shoulder. In the end, the time wasn’t so bad, especially because it’s the best I could do. We’re just behind the factory Ducati team, which means I gave everything I had. For tomorrow’s race, I hope to get back into the top ten; that would be a good result for me and my fans.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team – 15th, 1’34.866
“I’m still having a very hard time. Today I wasn’t able to find traction on corner exits, and this problem cost me a few too many tenths. Tomorrow we have to change something. I tried today, and in the end we’re all very close, within just a few tenths. Unfortunately, I can’t manage to get the most out of my laps. I have to give it my best effort and hope that everything goes well.”

Loris Capirossi

Just a few hundredths of a second separates both Randy De Puniet and Loris Capirossi from the leading group on the first day of practice session at the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France at the Le Mans Circuit in France, ending the day with satisfaction for the Pramac Racing Team. In the morning session, De Puniet stopped the clock with a time 1’35.687. In the afternoon, the Frenchman lowered his best time to 1’34.998, closing the day 11th. Capirossi had the 13th-fastest lap time at 1’35.383. The Italian rider improved his best time as well, lowering it by a second compared to that of the first practice session. The last free practice session is tomorrow, with qualifying in the afternoon.

Marco Rigamonti, Randy De Puniet Track Engineer
“Since this morning, we’ve tried different solutions to solve the problems that Randy found. We worked especially in the front of the bike, as Randy had difficulty finishing the corners. To solve the problem, the Franchman tried a pretty extreme solution. We’ll try to take a step forward tomorrow. We tested also the tires; we know how to make the race, although tomorrow we will have final answer. We are near to the leading group; I think that tomorrow we can improve our results.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team – 11th, 1’34.998
“I’ve improved my performance, my best lap time is lowered and the feeling with the bike is good. The front of the bike didn’t get the same problems since Estoril, although it’s not perfect. We took half step forward, tomorrow I hope to confirm my progress. I’m calm, run here, in my home, give me a lot of energies.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team – 13th, 1’35.383
“I’m satisfied. We took a great step forward changing the bike. Each time we came out of the garage we managed to improve our lap times. We know where to work; the bike is balanced, but gives up when braking as it doesn’t turn as it should. Let’s see if we can improve a bit more in the last free practice and solve the problem. I am a bit worried about tomorrow climatic conditions: ride with such a low temperature certainly doesn’t help to keep the tires on the asphalt.”

Pramac Ducati's Randy de Puniet (14) and Loris Capirossi

In was back to the sunshine for the MotoGP World Championship yesterday after two days of practice and qualifying in the rain and wind. There was good news for the Pramac Racing Team, which, for the first time this year, had both of its riders—Randy de Puniet and Loris Capirossi—finish the race. De Puniet, in particular, erased his disappointing results in practice and in qualifying by finishing the race in tenth place, and despite the sharp pain in his left knee, which recently underwent surgery, earning his first points of the season.  Capirossi, on the other hand, expected much more. Motivated by the continuing progress with his Ducati Desmosedici, the Italian had hoped to continue to keep pace in the early laps of the race; however, his twelfth place finish was good enough to earn him four points. There’s a test tomorrow at Estoril, but not for Randy: the rider will return at home for a check-up.

Marco Rigamonti, Track Engineer, Randy De Puniet
“We’re surprised. Randy’s race was affected by his knee pain, but we’re satisfied overall. We were able to take some points home in the end. We’ll try to solve the problems -which we didn’t manage to do this weekend- with the bike before Le Mans, which we didn’t manage to do this weekend. The bike seems to work well on some tracks, like Qatar and Estoril, whereas at others we can’t get it like we want it.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team – 10th in race – 16th in MotoGP standings
“I’m partly happy. Before the start of the race, if I knew I’d finish tenth, I’d have celebrated the result this weekend. But I don’t know what happened with my knee. It hurts very badly in the race, and I didn’t have enough strength in my legs. I had X-rays earlier this week, but I don’t know how my ligaments are. I hope it’s not anything serious, but tomorrow I will return at home for a check-up. As for the bike, we’ll try to fix the problems with the front. I’m happy for the six points earned, but without the pain in my knee, my result would undoubtedly have been better. We must work to find the same feeling glimpsed at Losail and Jerez.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team – 12th in race – 15th in MotoGP standings
“I expected a different outcome, certainly something better from this race. Whether the results obtained in these two days, both for started. I was just very aggressive; I spent a lot of motion. But the problems with the front slowed down my pace by a second per lap. It’s unfortunate, because we had worked well. Now we’ll focus on the test, where we’ll try to make some progress. We must be positive and have a winning mentality. We’re only at the third race.”

Although Pramac Ducati’s Loris Capirossi and Randy de Puniet improved their best time compared to the morning’s free practice session, during the second free practice session this afternoon, both riders dropped back in the final ranking. Capirossi logged the 15th-fastest lap time (1’39 .021), less than half a second behind De Puniet, who ended the session with a time of 1’39.137. Tomorrow’s sessions, which have a probably of rain, may give the team an opportunity to redeem today’s result.

Fabiano Sterlacchini, Pramac Racing Team Technical Director
“We cannot be satisfied with this day, because in the end, [it is] the time and the rankings that matters. Although we finally solved some small problems, others are left to deal with; we will have to do it tomorrow. Unfortunately, today we also had some bad luck saw that Loris was slowed by some riders when he tried to push.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team – 15th fastest lap time in 1’39.021
“The lap time was bad, no doubt, but I’m happy that we have finally found the right set up of the saddle. Now we will work on other important aspects. I also thank my technical director for realizing my new handlebars. I think tomorrow we will make further steps forward.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team – 16th fastest lap time in 1’39.137
“I’m not happy with the work done today. I still have problems with the front of the bike, sometimes it is uncontrollable. We tried different solutions, but none was acceptable for the moment. Tomorrow we will focus the work on this aspect. We have always worked well and I am sure we will continue on this path.”

The MotoGP World Championship is back on track for the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal at the Estoril Circuit this weekend after almost a month’s break. Estoril is one of the most technically demanding circuits on the calendar, putting all aspects of the bike-tire-rider package to the test. At this time of the year, the weather could also play a contributory role with conditions likely to be cooler and more unsettled than last season.

Randy De Puniet

The Pramac Ducati Team is ready to mount the saddle of the Ducati Desmosedici GP10. Loris Capirossi has been treating his right shoulder with therapy twice a week and a lot of work in gym. Randy De Puniet underwent surgery to remove a screw in his left knee that doctors inserted during surgery on the broken leg last year at Sachsenring. The Estoril circuit remains difficult and unfortunate for Loris Capirossi, who, in the past, has collected just one podium. Three third place De Puniet’s best finish, and he hopes to repeat on this occasion. The weather could play a significant role this weekend, with the forecast indicating a probability of rain for all three sessions of free practice, qualifying and the race.

Fabiano Sterlacchini, Technical Director, Pramac Racing
“Estoril is a difficult track, which combines slow sectors with other fast. The last corner is without a doubt the most difficult. The rain could shuffle the cards, just use the right strategy. I think our bike is best suited with a wet track.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team
“I like Estoril, although I’ve never done a great deal. In This week I have been training twice a day, I’m at 90% of my physical condition. Running in the water will not be easy, but the bike paradoxically be better in the wet. I am confident we will succeed in delete the first two outputs unfortunate.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team
“There is a great desire to start again. Physically I’m fine, and I hope that bike is ready for Estoril. I know that Ducati can give us many satisfaction if we work well. All that remains is to prove in these days. The weather? It may rain; it does not matter to me.”

After two bright, warm days of practice and qualifying, the skies over Jerez de la Frontera opened up yesterday’s MotoGP race, the first on the European continent for the 2011 season. Pramac Ducati’s Randy De Puniet recorded some good lap times, as he registered the fifth-fastest lap time in FP3 on Saturday morning. In the race, however, an imperfect start relegated him to13th position, but the Frenchman was able to climb back past six opponents. Unfortunately for him, his race finished on the 16th lap due to a slip on the wet surface. De Puniet’s teammate, Italian Loris Capirossi, completed the race in eleventh, the final position after the weather-induced attrition. In addition to the pain at the right shoulder, the Italian found some persisting problems in the front part of the bike. Then a technical problem, a defected spark plug, obligated the rider from Emilia to grit his teeth until the end of the race. The next event for Ducati Pramac is Estoril, Portugal in four weeks’ time, the third race of the World Championship.

Fabiano Sterlacchini – Pramac Racing Technical Director
“Really a shame, we could have a good race, because some of the fastest riders have fallen into the first laps. Loris started quite well, but after a few laps he had a technical problem. The sound of his engine in the main straight line was too strange and we realized that something was wrong, but we have shown to him to continue his race doing everything possible. When he returned to the garage, we took the parts of the bike down and we saw that a candle was broken. Also a pity for Randy, he has made a very positive weekend until the race”.

Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team – 11th in the race – 16th in MotoGP standing
“I see today as a positive day even if I finished so far from the first positions as I had to ride with a broken spark plug. We could have done better, we understood some things, we will try to put them in practice for Estoril. The break arrive at the right time, in fact, I’ll go to Monaco tomorrow for a consultation with the head of the hospital. I hope I will be able to begin soon therapy on the shoulder to face the next race in the best possible way”.

Randy De Puniet – DNF
“I’m disappointed and angry about what happened. I had a bad start; I was relegated in the last positions. Then I started pushing, I was doing well, until I found major problems with the front wheel. I tried to change the mapping, but I was not able to do it. I found it extremely difficult to manage the bike and when I slipped I couldn’t manage to restart the bike. Now I only have to think about doing well at Estoril, because this beginning of the championship hasn’t been good at all”.

Loris Capirossi

It was a sunny but windy first day in Jerez de la Frontera for the first European round of the MotoGP World Championship, leaving the Pramac Racing Team not fully satisfied after the first two free practices. Randy De Puniet, who improved his best lap time after the morning session, ended with the sixth-fastest lap time of 1’40 .982, just 26 thousandths of a second from Valentino Rossi. Loris Capirossi, on the other hand, is still fighting pain in his right shoulder, and finished with the 14th-fastest time in 1’41.810. The official qualifying session will kick off tomorrow at 2pm local time.

Marco Rigamonti – Randy De Puniet Track Engineer
“We are pleased with the work we did today. As in Qatar, we improve after every session. The sixth best time of this afternoon is a good result and we hope to keep up these levels throughout in the weekend. We need to refine some details on traction control to give even a greater confidence to Randy”.

Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Rider – 6th best time in 1’40.982
“I’m quite happy about the work we have done. We changed many little things compared to the morning and the results can be seen. The feeling with the bike is good on this track. We can do well if we remain consistent with the work done today. It remains to improve a bit with the traction control; we’ll do it tomorrow. The wind was strong, it is not easy to run in this condition”.

Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Rider – 16th best time in 1’41.810
“Compared to this morning we went a little bit better. I continue to struggle with the front of the bike, I don’t feel the right feeling with this part. We are trying different solutions, but we are not yet where we would like to be. The shoulder problems persist, even worst despite the infiltration that I did. I hope tomorrow the situation will change. We need to improve, we have everything to do so”.

The Pramac Racing Team wants to make a comeback after a disappointing first round of the MotoGP Championship in Qatar. That opportunity, for Loris Capirossi and Randy de Puniet, will come this weekend in Jerez, in the Andalusia province of Spain. Spain will host the largest number of GP events – four – of any country this season: Jerez, Catalunya in June, Aragon in mid-September that was selected after the further defection of the Hungarian GP and the de la Comunitat Valenciana, which will close the season.

MotoGP veteran Loris Capirossi hopes for success as he returns to Ducati for 2011

The Pramac Racing Team has a fairly good relationship with the track, having first scored a podium in 2003, courtesy of Max Biaggi for what was then Camel Pramac Pons Honda team. Following that season, there have been mixed results on the circuit, with several withdrawals and disappointing finishes. MotoGP veteran Loris Capirossi has had a good relationship with the track, having scored a victory in the premier class in 2006 and in the 250cc class in 1998. Randy De Puniet scored a 250cc podium in 2003 and a fourth-place MotoGP finish in 2009.

Fabiano Sterlacchini – Pramac Racing Technical Director
“We regret the departure of Qatar, but now we think future, then at Jerez. We have the opportunity to redeem after the unfortunate start to the Losail, I’m sure the results will come because the team is working well”.

Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team
“The disappointment has passed, now I just think the next race. For Jerez I hope that luck is on our side, as far we had so many problems. I’m fine, I have no problem, apart from the blow to the hand in Qatar and the control of right arm, I should be 100%. Jerez is a track I’ve enjoyed in the past, and I definitely enjoy racing there. The bike is very better than the beginning, as always, I remain confident”.

Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team
“It was not easy starting in a manner so unlucky. But Qatar is now
gone; now we look for redemption in Jerez, a circuit I know well. I do not lose sight of my goals; I think only to work hard to improve the feeling with the bike. The progress we have been since the early day test at Losail, then the race went bad. I have to keep up this path”.