The MotoGP World Championship reaches the penultimate round of the season this weekend as the series lands at one of its most interesting stopping points: Australia. The scene of Marco Simoncelli's last ever MotoGP podium is the ideal place for Team San Carlo Honda Gresini to hit form with both Alavaro Bautista and Michele Pirro. The Spaniard, who picked up an important sixth place finish in difficult conditions at Sepang on Sunday, is hoping to improve his form in the dry this weekend and above all resolve the front-end problems that have dogged him in recent weeks. The team's goal is to find a set-up that helps Alvaro in corner entry and gives him the opportunity to be competitive at a circuit where he celebrated the 125cc World Championship back in 2006. Michele Pirro is also a big fan of the circuit and after improving his own dry set-up in the warm-up at Sepang the Italian rider is hoping for a similar level of confidence at Phillip Island so that he can fight for CRT honours.
Alvaro Bautista
“The result in Malaysia was positive and it gives us confidence for the future even though we know that we need to keep working with the same level of enthusiasm so that we can improve further. Phillip Island is a circuit I love because I have great memories of winning the 125cc world title there. Of course we have to work hard to find a good setting because it is a high speed track and you need a stable bike. We will keep working along the same lines as recently and hopefully we can be as competitive as we were at Motegi. ”
Michele Pirro
“I was very happy with the result Sepang especially because I was hoping for a dry race after the pace we showed in warm up. That was a shame but hopefully we get good conditions at Phillip Island this weekend, even though the temperatures will be chilly. I really like this track and if we get the same feel from the bike that we had on Sunday morning in Malaysia then I could have a good race. There are two races left and I would really like to take a CRT win, that would make me really proud.”
Fausto Gresini
“It would be nice this weekend if we can honour the last ever podium of Marco Simoncelli with a great result this weekend. That energy would give us all a lift. The hard work being done by Alvaro is bearing fruit and his confidence in the bike is steadily building. Alvaro likes this track and he has good memories of it because it was here that he won the 125cc title. Michele Pirro is also a fan of the track and he is also in good shape after a good job by him and his crew with the bike in Malaysia. The chatter problem is almost completely solved and he has more confidence in the bike. Unfortunately because of the rain he didn't get chance in the race to confirm the positive feedback from warm-up but he has the opportunity to verify it this weekend at Phillip Island.”
San Carlo Honda Gresini Press Release
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