MotoGP
Portuguese GP: Ducati race notes
The Ducati Marlboro Team was very much out of luck at Estoril today, Loris Capirossi struggling home in 12th position, Sete Gibernau knocked down by another rider. The pair were set for a challenging race anyway, Gibernau having qualified eighth ...
Edited: Oct 16, 2006, 2:06 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Ducati Marlboro Team was very much out of luck at Estoril today, Loris Capirossi struggling home in 12th position, Sete Gibernau knocked down by another rider.
The pair were set for a challenging race anyway, Gibernau having qualified eighth quickest yesterday, Capirossi tenth. Both men made great starts, Capirossi completing the first lap in sixth place, just ahead of Gibernau, but that was as good as it got. On lap two Casey Stoner crashed at Turn Four, right in front of Gibernau, who couldn't avoid Stoner's fallen bike, careering over the top of the machine and landing heavily.
The Spaniard, who was taken immediately to the Clinica Mobile for treatment, sustained a broken bone in his right hand and further damage to the left collarbone he broke in June.
Capirossi held fifth for several laps but then slipped backwards due to rear grip problems. In an effort to gain more grip on the partially resurfaced track Bridgestone brought tyres from their European base in Germany overnight but the gamble didn't work and Capirossi had to ease his pace.
Loris Capirossi, Ducati Marlboro Team, finished 12th, 4th overall, 209 points "It's been a difficult weekend. We never found a good solution for our tyres here, they just didn't work on the new tarmac. Bridgestone brought some different tyres overnight which we tried in warm-up and although we had some problems we decided to use this tyre for the race. But I started losing grip after a few laps, I had to fight to make the finish. In fact I started well, I was up with the leaders and thought I might be able to get a good result. However, after a while I had to ease off and it's not normal for me to go so slow. This season we have had some great moments with Bridgestone but this is the worst, so we have to think carefully about how to avoid these situations in the future. If we want to win, we need to go fast at every track."
Sete Gibernau, Ducati Marlboro Team, DNF, 12th overall, 95 points "We had worked well over the past two days, making things better and better. I got a good start, felt good on the bike and was ready to go. I passed a few guys on the first lap, then Stoner crashed just in front of me and I couldn't miss his bike. The fifth metacarpal in my right hand is broken and it seems I may have bent one of the plates that's screwed to the collarbone. But I'm lucky it's not more serious, it could have been worse. Anyway, we need to think positive and keep working. This has been an unlucky day but I am sure things will come right for us eventually."
Federico Minoli, Ducati Motor Holdings president and CEO "Today has been a very difficult day. Now we will put everything into scoring a good result at Valencia, where we want to finish what has been a wonderful year for us on a high note."
Livio Suppo, Ducati MotoGP project manager "A terrible day for us. It was dreadful luck for Sete and for Loris also, because he doesn't deserve to finish 12th. We we must keep looking forward and work as hard as ever. When things go our way we can be unbeatable, but we must avoid having bad days like today, that is our main goal at the moment."
-credit: www.ducati.com
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Portuguese GP: Race results
Next article Portuguese GP: Bridgestone Saturday notes
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Loris Capirossi
Lorenzo lacks "wild" character Ducati needs, says Capirossi
MotoGP
MotoGP
Lorenzo lacks "wild" character Ducati needs, says Capirossi
Loris Capirossi Q&A: "Valentino must turn the page"
MotoGP
MotoGP
Loris Capirossi Q&A: "Valentino must turn the page"
Loris Capirossi interview - Gulf 12 Hours 2015
Endurance
Endurance
Gulf 12 Hours
Loris Capirossi interview - Gulf 12 Hours 2015
Latest news
MotoGP Australian GP: Marco Bezzecchi leads Aprilia 1-2-4-5 in Friday Practice
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
2 h
MotoGP Australian GP: Marco Bezzecchi leads Aprilia 1-2-4-5 in Friday Practice
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
9 h
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
10 h
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
10 h
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe