MotoGP: Now I like this honest rider...

[R1 Biker]

Lots of respects... doesn't blame on anyone else like Biatchi or Giberhoe...


Kiyonari backwards after bad decisions.

FRIDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2005

Some bad decisions saw BSB runner-up Ryuichi Kiyonari fail to build on an impressive 12th fastest time on his MotoGP comeback in this morning's first free practice, the Japanese slipping instead to 17th after failing to improve in the second session.

"My position today doesn't reflect my potential, nor the team's nor the bike's too - and I'm the only rider who didn't improve on the time set in the morning session," stated Kiyonari, who is making a one-off MotoGP comeback with Camel Honda this weekend, after leaving the series for BSB at the end of 2003.

"It's my fault because I still haven't rediscovered the technical sensitivity that's required in MotoGP and I chose some changes to the set-up which ultimately worsened the bike rather than improved it," he confessed. "We have checked the data with the team and tomorrow morning will go back and try several more solutions. I'm sure we can do better than this because this morning I felt very good with the RC211V."

"Ryuichi got away well this morning, but in the afternoon instead of making steps forward as we expected, he found out that the changes they made weren't giving the required results," confirmed team principal Sito Pons. "Nevertheless the technical briefing he had with the team has helped decide which way they will go tomorrow. I think he can massively improve on today."

Meanwhile, things went smoother on the other side of the Pons garage, with veteran Alex Barros setting the sixth fastest time – 0.5secs from pace setter Marco Melandri.

"This is a short track and it's not too quick either, so it doesn't need a great deal of power, especially in the first three gears. This morning we focused on the electronics to cut a bit of power out of the lower gears and avoid the bike rearing up," revealed Alex, who is one of a number of riders yet to announce where he'll be in 2006.

"The grip from the asphalt improved during the morning hour, but then in the afternoon it didn't change too much and after trying lots of rear tyres, I still couldn't find the most suitable one. Tomorrow we will work on this and on the rear shock too. In general though I'm happy with this first day of practice," he concluded.