Dutch GP: TSR pracitce, qualifying reports

TSR Race Press release : 020702
World Championship Grand Prix Rd. 7
125cc #50 Andrea "Ballero" BALLERINI

GAULOISES DUTCH TT

Day 2  Fri 28th June 2002  FREE PRACTICE 2

Position:         29th   Time:              2.23.409

No. of Laps       10  Best Lap            9

Again with rain overnight and light showers coming 30 minutes before the start of this session, the track was wet and so no real improvements could be made, just use the session to make a reference in case the same weather conditions are on race day, Saturday.

One problem we seem to be having is with stability as the strong winds have been with us for all sessions so far. Finding a good engine set-up for machine A, we have encountered problems with machine B and tried again this morning but ended with no change. The wind is now our biggest problem, but saying that the weather is also proving a problem with frequent rain showers keeping the track continually damp allowing no chance of improving the laptimes.

QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2
Position: 6th OVERALL Position: 17th
Time: 2.30.429
No.of Laps 5 Best Lap 1

This session was completely spoilt by the weather as with just the first lap being completed the rain came and it came down hard, although only for a few minutes but the rain was incredibly hard and the circuit was now soaked. With now no chance of any improvement this session was effectively over.

With the threat of rain looming we knew that a quick lap at the beginning of the session was important, but the rain spoilt that although Andrea made a quick lap which was in fact the quickest lap of the session until the last five minutes, when the track dried slightly and he dropped down to 6th overall for the session.

Taking advantage of the wet track, we tested machine B with a modified fairing to try and reduce the problem he was having with the strong winds, of which he commented, the changes were slightly better.

Overall, we were satisfied with the wet set-up in anticipation of a wet race tomorrow and so will start from yesterday's grid position of 17th and on the fifth row.

-tsr-