Chinese GP: Gresini Racing qualifying report

NAKANO AND DE ANGELIS BOTH CONFIDENT FOR RACE IN CHINA

Team San Carlo Honda Gresini's two riders qualified below the potential positions that their race pace has suggested in Shanghai, with Shinya Nakano sealing thirteenth place on the grid and his team-mate Alex De Angelis to start from sixteenth.

The pair suffered from a continued lack of feel with the qualifying tyres, although they are confident that they can repeat their pace on race tyres from free practice and be competitive in tomorrow's Grand Prix.

Shinya Nakano (13th - 1.59.716): "I'm disappointed with qualifying today because in free practice I was fast and consistent. Unfortunately I crashed on a lap that could have potentially given us a better grid position -- I got back on track with the second bike but I didn't have the same feeling and couldn't improve my best time. It is hard to start from the fifth row but my pace isn't bad so I'm confident. Now my thoughts are on tomorrow's race -- I have to focus on getting a good start in order to stay with the fast group."

Alex De Angelis (16th - 2.00.316): "Unfortunately we know that we still haven't reached anywhere near our optimum potential on qualifying tyres. At the moment we haven't got a good feeling with the new qualifiers that Bridgestone brought here to Shanghai -- the chattering is similar to before so that's why I'm starting so far back. It won't be an easy race because when you start from so far back it is always tricky to make up positions. In any case I will give my best -- a little rain might help us out."

Fausto Gresini -- TEAM MANAGER: "Qualifying apart it has been a positive weekend because throughout free practice both Shinya and Alex have shown good race pace. On the other hand, on qualifying tyres we are still having some problems and this is damaging our grid positions. The objective for tomorrow is to get a good start to make up positions and end the weekend on a high note with our best results of the season so far."

-credit: gresiniracing.com