McCoy is still in search of his first win of the season and in 2001 is joined by Japanese team-mate, Haga who is making his debut GP appearance at the stadium- style, 4 km track on the outskirts of Valencia.

Haga has raced in the Superbike World Championship at Valencia so his track knowledge, combined with a repeat of his fast and robust racing effort in Portugal last week, points to a strong result for the final European race of the season. Although he failed to finish at Estoril, Haga's late race engagement with world championship contender Max Biaggi, in a battle for fifth place was a highlight and showed that Haga is as tough as any racer in the World Championship.

"Even though I crashed I was happy because when we have a good set-up on my bike I can race it," said Haga who make just his 12th 500cc GP start in Valencia. "It felt good to back there fighting with riders like Biaggi and for a change I am coming to a track where I have raced before so this is a good feeling."

Meanwhile McCoy is looking for a repeat of his impressive Valencia victory of last season and knows that a front row starting spot is the key to that plan. The lightweight Australian believes he is just a race away from his best form after an impressive comeback from injury and that the Valencia GP can be a turning point in a frustrating season.

At last week's Portugal GP, McCoy started ninth on the grid and feels that was factor in not being able to race with the leading group in the early laps. Still, he finished an impressive third in Portugal, his first podium finish since being second to Valentino Rossi in the Japanese Grand Prix.

"I'm looking forward to Valencia, the track suits me and I'm feeling good about going back there," said McCoy.
"Valencia I really enjoy but you definitely have to start on the front row and get away with the leading pack in the early laps."

McCoy's victory in this race last year came after he qualified fourth fastest on the front row and passed Max Biaggi for the lead on lap four and won with a comfortable five-second margin. McCoy is quickly returning to the race pace that took him to three GP victories in the latter part of the 2000 season after missing 14 weeks of the current campaign with a fractured wrist.

McCoy's three comeback GPs have seen him finish 11th (Germany), sixth (Czech Republic) and a third place podium finish in Portugal. Following the German GP, McCoy's first in almost 4 months, he was in a state of near-collapse and realised he was still only 90% fit.

Red Bull Yamaha team boss Peter Clifford knows that an improved qualifying performance by McCoy is the focal point for the Valencia weekend.

"There is no hiding from the fact that our qualifying performance needs to be stronger and in company with Garry's race engineer Hamish Jamieson we will address this strategy in Valencia," Clifford said. "I will be surprised if Garry is again starting from the third row of the grid and clearly he is getting back to the form we know he is capable of."

The current 2001 500 GP season has been run at a record breaking pace with Valentino Rossi slicing 42 seconds from the Portugal GP race time although McCoy feels that while speeds are up this will be difficult to repeat at Valencia.

"I don't see that amount of improvement at Valencia, I think the lack of wind at Estoril this year was a big factor in the faster times," McCoy said. "Everyone is pushing hard, it'll be a faster race for sure but not that much faster."

The Valencia GP is the 12th round of the 500 GP world championship with McCoy currently 12th with 58 points and Haga 14th with 44 points.