US GP: Gresini Racing race report

MELANDRI TAKES EIGHTH AFTER SIMONCELLI CRASHES AT LAGUNA

It has proved to be anything but a memorable weekend at Laguna Seca for Team San Carlo Honda Gresini. Marco Melandri has struggled throughout the weekend but thought he had found the way forward with the set-up of his Honda RC212V in this morning's warm-up, when he was fifth fastest. However, the changes didn't have the desired effect in the race and his physical condition made it a long and hard battle around the relentless left-handers of the Californian track. Marco Simoncelli, meanwhile, proved the rule that 'bad things come in threes' with another crash to follow up his two from practice. With a new electronics package at a circuit he has never ridden before "Super Sic" once again proved his talent and capacity to learn this weekend but he will have to wait until Brno before his next chance to turn it into a positive result.

Marco Melandri (8th): "That was a really tough race for me. We thought we had found something good in the warm-up this morning but we made a couple more changes for the race and they didn't have the effect we'd hoped. We also have a lot to learn about the new electronics package. The bike changed a lot as the race progressed and it was difficult for me to manage. After fifteen laps I was really struggling under braking, especially into the left-handers because I didn't have any strength. It was important for me to get to the finish and gather as much data as possible. "

Marco Simoncelli (DNF): "Bad things usually come in threes and that proved to be the case for me this weekend. I crashed again in the race and it was a shame because I was running really well. I could have finished seventh but in any case I was struggling more under braking today than yesterday and I couldn't find my pace particularly over the opening few laps. I managed to ride around my problems and put together a decent pace but as soon as I pushed a tiny bit harder under braking I hit a bump and the front folded. Now we have to wait and see if we can make up for it at Brno."

Fausto Gresini: "It wasn't a race I enjoyed watching but that's the way it goes sometimes. Simoncelli has crashed three times this Grand Prix and maybe that's too much but these things happen and it is all part of him gathering experience. We haven't been as competitive at Laguna Seca as we have been at other circuits so we just have to turn the page and start thinking about Brno. Melandri had a below-par race and his physical condition clearly contributed to that, whilst we need more time to make the most of the undoubted potential of the new electronics package from Honda. I am disappointed but we have to be positive and start thinking about the next race at Brno."

-source: gresini