Qatari GP: Interwetten Honda qualifying report

AOYAMA QUALIFIES AS TOP ROOKIE

The second part of the second day of the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar couldn't get any better for Hiroshi Aoyama. The practice yesterday and today could satisfy neither him nor his team, but the first Qualifying in the premier class could do so. Aoyama finished his first qualifying roll out in the MotoGP class as best rookie on 10th place and was only 1.2 seconds behind Stoner, who finished on top spot today.

Aoyama will try to keep this unbelievably improved form for the race tomorrow. What he has to expect from tomorrow's race he doesn't know yet, but the Top 10 result of today gave him an unforgettable first qualifying moment.

Hiroshi Aoyama, 1'56.227 -- 10:

In free practice I was not satisfied, but I had a better feeling than yesterday, because of the changes we made with the set up. The way we are on is defiantly good and that I could qualify for 10th place today is more than I expected after the last two practice sessions. I don't know what the race will be like, because I never rode a MotoGP race before, but I am happy I finished my first MotoGP Qualifying as the best rookie and in the Top 10.

Daniel Epp, Team Manager:

Even this result is great we have to stay calm as it still was just a practice. But it is so much fun to end the first MotoGP qualifying in the Top 10. The tests and the free practice sessions did not go well, but the team reacted fast and went in the right direction with the changes they made as we can see.

-source: interwetten honda