MotoGP 2005

Nicky Hayden and Max Biaggi finished a sweltering Malaysian Grand Prix in fourth and sixth places respectively in front of 47,000 fans who packed the grandstands to shelter from the powerful sun at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur.

Hayden hadn’t started the weekend in the way he would have wanted and struggled in the practice days improving yesterday in qualifying to clinch a second row start. In the warm-up this morning he was far happier and ended the 20 minute session third fastest. He made a good start and was luckily to stay aboard his factory RC211V in the first corner as he and Sete Gibernau collided in the first turn scrum. He set about catching pole-man and eventual race winner Loris Capirossi (Ducati) and set the fastest lap on lap three – his first MotoGP lap record.

The 24-year-old American fought vainly to keep hard-charging Carlos Checa (Ducati) at bay but eventually yielded to the pressure and finished the race seven seconds down on the Spaniard but well ahead of Marco Melandri in fifth.

Biaggi, who in the past had gone well at the wide 5.548km track, struggled through the practice days, only managing a fourth row start. He posted the eighth fastest time this morning - checking his RC211V’s set-up for the final time before the 21-lap race. The 34-year-old Italian couldn’t manage the usual charge up the field as has been the case so often this season. He never had the set-up that would allow him to fight with the front-runners. At one stage in the race his telemetry indicated that he locked up the front of his machine for 35m when he was fighting to control it. He eventually brought his bike home 16.8s behind the winner and still retains second place in the championship with four races remaining.

Max Biaggi
Position: 6th - Best lap: 2m 03.817s (8th fastest)
Front: 16.5" slick Michelin Rear: 16.5" slick Michelin
“I remember so well being at this track back in February when I limped onto the factory RCV for the first time, recovering from my broken foot. I was very high on emotion and we were fast on the bike. Sure it was not perfect but it was the start of the year and we had time before the season started to make a good package. When we arrived here we are in a bad shape with the bike. It is not the same machine as it was at the start of the year. As this weekend passed it seems to get worse. In the race there were times when I nearly crashed. Sometimes when things are not right you have to work even harder to make the points and just to get home. Today I make it back with a machine that does not go the way I want and me and my team under Erv tried so hard. We still have second place in the championship and this is a position I will defend right till the end of the season with all my spirit.”

Nicky Hayden
Position: 4th - Best lap: 2m 02.993 (new lap record)
Front: 16.5" slick Michelin Rear: 16.5" slick Michelin
“The first few laps were kinda’ fun really. There were guys going for it everywhere. I think I got hit by Sete at one stage and I lost a bit of the tyre right it the centre that caused a little chatter. The bike came a long way this weekend – my guys did a great job. I couldn’t hold the pace in the end. I tried my hardest and tried to hold onto the podium but it wasn’t to be. The tyre I ran today was a lot better than I’ve had all weekend. Michelin did a great job to give us something for the race – really gave us a chance to fight. Fourth is not what I wanted but I learned a lot in the race – mixing it with Valentino, Capirossi and Checa.”

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