MotoGP 2006 - Round Three

The Ducati Marlboro Team today began a difficult weekend at Assen, with Loris Capirossi still suffering from injuries sustained in last Sunday's Catalan GP multiple pile-up and Alex Hofmann riding his first laps as substitute for Sete Gibernau, who was injured in the same accident at Catalunya.

Capirossi and Hofmann also had to get used to the new Assen circuit, radically revamped since last summer, but although they were allowed an extra 30 minutes of morning practice, intermittent rain showers cheated them of much of that time.

Brave Capirossi arrived here confident that he could compete but the full extent of his injuries only became fully apparent once he was on track. After struggling in this morning's session he underwent mesotherapy pain treatment for the afternoon outing but even that wasn't enough and it is not 100 per cent certain that he will race on Saturday.

Hofmann didn't only have to get used to a new track today, he also had to adapt to a new bike, new tyres and a new team, but the 26-year-old German had a good day, improving step by step and getting faster with every lap.

Meanwhile Gibernau left Barcelona's Dexeus hospital at 12.15 today, following Tuesday's operation to plate his broken left collarbone. On Monday he will begin rehabilitation and resume training with trainer Daniel Sune.

LORIS CAPIROSSI, 16th fastest, 1m 40.688s
"I'm not feeling at all good. I didn't expect to feel so much pain and to find it so difficult to ride the bike. Once I started riding I realised the situation was much more difficult than we had expected. If the race was today there would be no way I could do it. My chest is very painful and although the mesotherapy and physio that the Clinica Mobile has given me has helped, it doesn't solve the problem. My intention is to ride tomorrow but maybe I will need more pain-killers. The race will be really hard but I won't give up. Now I am going to see Dr Costa in the Clinica to see what we can to do improve the situation."

ALEX HOFMANN, 15th fastest, 1m 40.248s
"I need all the time I can get to get used to my new machine package, so it was tough losing so much time to rain this morning. Today I worked at regaining my feeling for Bridgestone tyres and we also worked on ignition mapping and other aspects of set-up. I probably only started to feel really okay during my last three laps this afternoon, I was starting to get into it, enjoy it and feel comfortable on the bike, but I still need more time to feel fully at home. I worked with Bridgestone in 2004 and 2005, so it's great to work with them again and to see how they've progressed. We started today with Sete's set-up but we're looking for some easier handling because the new Assen is so different to the old layout. I was such a fan of the old track that the new circuit is a big loss to me. Anyway, my aim is to keep getting stronger and keep progressing all the way to the last lap on Saturday."

Temperatures: Ambient: 18 degrees. Track: 22 degrees