2001 Grand Prix 500 - Round 9 - Sachsenring

Max Biaggi 1st - "I’m so happy, there’s no better way to win a race than leading all the way from pole, of course, I was ready to battle if anyone came with me but the bike set-up was good and we made the right tyre choice. I only had one big moment up the hill at the back of the track when I was trying to get away from Carlos and Abe. I wanted to push hard, then maintain the gap, and that’s what I did. I’m riding harder and harder at the moment because I want to win races and close the points gap. I’ve been in this situation in the past. The guy who is second must push so hard, while the guy in front always has a bit of a psychological advantage. This result gives me a lot of satisfaction, it’s great for the team to get a one-two, and I’d like to thank everyone within the team, they’re doing a wonderful job. Now I go to Brno for tests, then to the US for a two-week holiday, then back to Brno, when I’ll be ready for the race."

Carlos Checa 2nd - "I wanted to win, this was a good result but I hate second because I’ve finished there so many times. Maybe I should try third, though first would be even better It was impossible to go with Max, and then I had to work hard to keep Nakano and Abe behind me. We’ve had quite a tough year so far, and a lot of pressure as a result, but the team has always supported me and I really appreciate their attitude. Now I hope we can fight for the podium every weekend, win some races and have a good second half of the season. The bike is much better than before, I feel really confident when I’m riding, and that’s the best way to go into the next race. Now I want to relax, then focus on Brno. I’m ready to work hard to make the bike even better."

Shinya Nakano 3rd - It was difficult to catch up, I pushed very hard, too hard even, and I lost the front a few times, so I changed my style a little and my lap times improved again."

Alex Barros 5th - "The track temperature was much more higher than on Friday and Saturday. Under these conditions the bike was not stable on its front side and it was very difficult to keep it on the right path. I was about to fall in four occasions and that is why I have to be satisfied with the position achieved and the points scored. We would like to be in so good position in the races in which we have a problem".

Valentino Rossi 7th - "That's the first time I have finished seventh and that's not a good situation. This grand prix has been very difficult for us all weekend. We tried hard but we have not been able to find good machine settings to be as competitive as we usually are on other tracks. The bike was also heavy today and slow entering the corners, and the rear wheel was also spinning." "To start from the third row of the grid has been a big handicap because on this circuit, with the handling problems I had with the bike, it was very difficult for me to pass other riders. When I finally recovered from 11th place to fifth (on lap 18) the gap to the Yamaha's was more than six seconds. Around three-quarter-race distance the grip of my rear tyre got worse the more the rear wheel was spinning and my lap times went up. On the contrary, the four riders in front of me continued to run at the same pace as before. I regret I could not hold on to fifth position. But when Capirossi passed me I lost time repassing him and I would have had to take too many risks to take two extra points from the race. My advantage in the world championship has reduced from 26 points to 10 but the situation is still positive. After the Suzuka 8 Hours (on August 5) I will take a well-earned holiday. I will go to the seaside, but I don't know where yet."

Loris Capirossi 8th - "On the start I was about to fall when I touched Barros and six or seven riders could overtake me. Then I was forced to recover the position and I got a good rhythm when the front tyre has started to give trouble. It has been a difficult race for the Hondas and the points scored will keep me on the third position in the general classification and will allow me to keep my option to the title on the second half of the championship".

Sete Gibernau 10th - "Down the steep hill, I couldn't put the front wheel down at all, and I was spinning all through the fast right-hander at the bottom. The same as with Kenny - you just have to concentrate on your own race, your own bike and your own lines, rather than try and race with anybody. It was a hard afternoon - but I'm used to that. I tried my best, and got the best result possible."

Garry McCoy 11th - "Before the race I thought I would be able to go well at the beginning, before my arm started to get tired, but some of the other riders obviously had other ideas. On the first lap I actually ran into the back of Shinya when he got badly cut up by Valentino. After that I decided to let everything settle down and by the time I was ready to start attacking the second group my arm was well beyond its best. On the long left handers I was actually having to lie on the tank and use my elbows - a style that nearly caused me to lose the front end a couple of times. Then to cap it all, right at the end, I let Sete by when I hit neutral on the last corner. Still it was good to be back in the saddle and at least now I know just by how much I need to strengthen my upper body during the five week break to be ready for the rest of the season."

Noriyuki Haga 12th - "It was a difficult weekend for us and although we managed to get rid of the front end chatter we never found a good set up for the bike. Given the circumstances I think I rode a good race - I didn't crash and managed to get a few points."

Jurgen Van Den Goorbergh 14th - "We decided to use the Big Bang mainly to get some information. It was a good decision from that point of view, but not for the race. The new engine is a lot slower at the top end than the conventional engine - from 11,000rpm it just doesn't have that extra push. We tried this morning to improve the situation with some different exhausts, but in fact it worked the other way. It made for a hard race - but at least we did get plenty of data, and the new motor ran throughout without any trouble. I'd been ahead of Cardoso in the closing laps and I was fighting with Haga, but without the top speed I couldn't resist on the last lap. We need to get the new engine to match the horsepower of the conventional engine. But I'm happy to finish in the points again to keep that record up."

Anthony West 15th - "I was lucky to get a point. That was a terrible race. I was sliding from start to finish in places where I hadn't been sliding all weekend. It was even sliding with the throttle closed. We had a good tyre sorted in practice, but it was much hotter today and Michelin gave us another tyre they were sure would work better. Right from the first lap I couldn't get any traction or a good feel from the tyre. The way the weekend had gone before today I should have been closer to the front and battling with some of the factory V4s. Instead I was lucky to get to the end. I was just hanging on and trying to get to the finish. My team-mate (Dutchman Barry Veneman) was using the same tyre and he retired because it made the tyre so difficult to ride. I'm not one to make excuses, but I'm disappointed because this was one race where the track suited the 'Twins' and I'd hoped for a much better result."

Brendan Clarke - DNF - "For a lot of the race I was comfortable sitting behind Westy and on the downhill run through the two left handers I was catching him. Then I ran a little wide, I went in a bit too quick and was trailing the front brake, and lost the front and crashed. It was disappointing because I was enjoying myself and I didn't get as tired as I thought I would in my first GP. I'm rapt in the whole weekend, it's been awesome to get on a bike that is much more powerful than anything else I've ridden and even better now that I know I'll be back to do the rest of GPs this season for the Shell Advance team. It's a great opportunity."

Leon Haslam - DNF - "It was a typical first lap and I was trying to make some passing moves when I dived under Jay Vincent into a left hinder and everyone bunched up on the brakes and then I came upon Aoki going really slow, almost parked in the corner. I had no where to go and ran into the back of him. When we both got up from the gravel Aoki apologised and said he thought something went wrong with his bike. I'm really disappointed as I was keen to get some race laps in on a V4. I have to rest my shoulder for 12 days but then I'll be back training getting for the next GP in Brno."

Tohru Ukawa DNF - "It was a difficult weekend, and the only thing I can say is that I'm very disappointed. I didn't start well, and to have a bad start and to get stuck way back in the field means to lose all options of making a good race on this circuit. On the first laps I got away from Haga, Cardoso and Goorbergh, but when I got close to McCoy, I couldn't catch up any more and was forced to stay behind him. By mid-race I didn't have a good feel for the bike any more, it was as if something didn't work properly. On the last laps, the situation changed again, I was able to up the pace and to put in my fastest lap of the race. Then I crashed in a right-hand turn. Fortunately I'm okay."

Alex Crivillé - DNS - "I had two heavy crashes yesterday, and even though I was lucky not to have suffered any injuries, my team and I decided that it was better not to start in the race. If I was fighting for the championship I would have tried to start for sure, but the way I feel and the way my situation is without any chance for the title and with a fifteenth place on the grid, it really wasn't worth to take the risk of another crash. Physically, I feel better than yesterday, fortunately I don't have any broken bones, but I took a heavy blow to my head, I lost consciousness, and when I got up this morning, I had a headache and felt sick. Now I'm going to rest for a few days, hoping to put it all behind me and to relax, so I can return to action at the Czech Republic Grand Prix end of August."