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2006 MotoGP Championship - Round 14 - Phillip Island, Australia - September 14/15/16/17 - Coverage by MCNEWS.COM.AU |
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2006 MotoGP Championship - Round 14 - Phillip Island, Australia - September 14/15/16/17 - Coverage by MCNEWS.COM.AU |
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Suzuki Day 2 Report |
| Rizla Suzuki MotoGP endured a
difficult qualifying session at Phillip Island today that left its
riders in 15th and 16th place for tomorrow’s race. Hopkins (P15, 1’31.143) will start from the fifth row of the grid with team-mate Chris Vermeulen (1’31.288) at the head of the row behind. Both riders struggled to get the optimum balance from their Bridgestone shod Rizla Suzuki GSV-Rs and were always chasing the pack on a circuit where hundredths of a second makes all the difference. Neither rider was able to use the ultra sticky Bridgestone qualifying tyres which have been so successful elsewhere this year, and as such they both reverted to race rubber to try and better their times. Today’s qualifying was held in
bright sunshine with temperatures reaching 17°C. Current
Championship leader Nicky Hayden set the fastest time to take pole
position. John Hopkins: Chris Vermeulen: Paul Denning – Team Manager: “Bridgestone’s race tyres here have been the class of the field, and the Kawasakis seemed to be able to use the qualifier to good effect also. But unfortunately for us – and by the look of it Ducati – the compound choice on the qualifying tyre left us unable to complete a lap. Therefore both riders went out at the end on race tyres and did their best to better their times, but it was always going to be a difficult task to make a big step. Let’s see what tomorrow brings – hopefully it will rain!”
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