Indianapolis GP: Gresini Racing qualifying report

SATISFACTION FOR SIMONCELLI BUT DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MELANDRI AT INDY There were differing fortunes on each side of the Team San Carlo Honda Gresini garage at Indianapolis this afternoon. Marco Simoncelli was satisfied to qualify in eighth place ...

SATISFACTION FOR SIMONCELLI BUT DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MELANDRI AT INDY

There were differing fortunes on each side of the Team San Carlo Honda Gresini garage at Indianapolis this afternoon. Marco Simoncelli was satisfied to qualify in eighth place despite being hopeful of better following an impressive morning free practice, the Italian recovering from a crash to line up on the third row of the grid alongside Valentino Rossi. There was disappointment, however, for Marco Melandri, who worked hard for very little result and is now pinning his hopes on finding a solution in tomorrow's warm up before a race that will see him start from twelfth place.

Marco Simoncelli (8th. 1' 41" 092): "To be honest after practice this morning I thought I could have gone faster than this but I am quite satisfied to be in eighth place. Unfortunately the track conditions this afternoon weren't as good as this morning because of the heat and I struggled more. The race will be an hour later tomorrow but the track temperatures will be more or less the same so we need to improve and hope that our rivals suffer in a similar way to us. I am confident though and I have set myself the target of finally finishing in the top five so I'll be doing my very best to achieve that. We have definitely taken a step forward from Brno and I just want to keep improving at each GP."

Marco Melandri (12th. 1' 41" 623): "We have worked hard but things are still not working out for us. I am having so much trouble with the engine management system and I still can't find the rear grip I need to accelerate out of the corners. I can't ride as I would like and I can't generate any corner speed. It seems like my strongest weapon has now completely deserted me. I am so slow in the middle of the corner and I'm not comfortable on the bike. I'm really disappointed because I was expecting a very different season to this."

Fausto Gresini: "I am both happy and unhappy at the same time. Simoncelli went well and I think he is showing his strength. We still have to improve the stability of the bike, especially in corner entry, but he is really improving and he showed that today so I am very happy. I am disappointed for Melandri that he hasn't been able to find the balance he needs to bring out his maximum potential, which I'm sure is still in there. He is struggling and we are all finding it difficult."