- Round: 17 - MotoGP Valencia
- Circuit: Valencia
- Temp: 19ºC
- Weather: Sunny
- Circuit Length: 4005
- Lap Record: 1' 33.317 (Valentino Rossi, 2003)
- Fastest Lap Ever: 1' 31.874 (Sete Gibernau, 2005)
Yamaha Factory Racing rider Valentino Rossi faces an uphill battle in the final round of the 2005 MotoGP World Championship tomorrow after qualifying fifteenth fastest at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. Rossi slid from his YZR-M1 machine just over eleven minutes from the end of this afternoon's qualifying session and, despite returning to the track on his second machine, he lost several positions in the final push for times. The Italian will start from the fifth row of the grid as he aims to score his twelfth victory of the season and repeat the success he has enjoyed at this circuit for the past two years.
Rossi's Yamaha Factory team-mate Colin Edwards benefited from a more productive afternoon, making major progress with his new riding style and knocking almost two seconds off his best practice time from yesterday. For the second successive race the American will start from the second row of the grid in sixth place as he aims to improve his championship position with a good finish tomorrow. Pole position went to Sete Gibernau (Honda) in a new record time of 1'31.874 and the Spaniard is joined on the front row by Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden (both Honda), who will fight for the runner-up spot behind Rossi in the championship in tomorrow's race.
Colin Edwards (Yamaha Factory Team), 6th - 1'32.456
"I'm halfway happy with the result. We had a few problems early in the session but we worked things out and I was able to set a decent time on a qualifying tyre. The second row isn't terrible but we have work to do to find a better race pace. We made more progress with the new riding style but in reality I need 100 laps to perfect it, so I can't wait for winter testing! It takes me five or six laps to get going and we just need to get it ingrained in my system. The team has worked hard today and Michelin has given us some good options for tomorrow - I am determined to finish the season on a high. The stadium style atmosphere here is always fantastic so I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Team), 15th - 1'33.503
"When I crashed I was pushing hard with the qualifying tyre and honestly I felt confident that I could do a good time. I was maybe a little too aggressive and when I touched the brake I just lost the front and went down. I was going fast and I have some small bruises on my elbow and on my leg, but I will be fine tomorrow for the race. I was lucky. The grid position is not so good, my worst for a very long time! The situation on the track is actually not so bad; the rhythm is okay, although we do have some problems and for sure I am slower than some of the other riders. The main problem is that it's hard to overtake at this circuit. A lot will depend on how many riders I can pass at the start and in the first lap. Anyway, we will try to make some progress tomorrow morning and see what happens in the race. My target is to be in the top five, any higher is maybe too difficult, but it's going to be a good battle!"
Sete Ginernau (1st 1'31"874);
"This pole gives me a lot of pride and I want to dedicate it to the people who continue to believe in me, my family and myself. Even though a lot of people have focused on the negative side of the season, in my view, there have been a lot of positive aspects: we have been fastest in qualifying, spent most laps leading the races and due to bad luck and the occasional mistakes, we have not been able to make the most of this hard work at every Grand Prix. I hope to do it here, at home, in the final race of the year. I want to fight for the podium and the victory if it is possible, and finish with my best result of the season."
Marco Melandri (2nd 1'32"111);
"I am happy with the result of the qualifying - to start from second is very good, althou! gh I am a bit annoyed because I made a small mistake on the last qualifying tyre and when I changed to a new one the bike was sliding around and I lost time. In any case, in the afternoon we were very competitive after suffering a little bit in the final free practice this morning. Now we are ready to give our best and tomorrow I will do everything I can to finish second in the Championship."
Session 1;
- 1. S. Gibernau, Honda - 1' 31.874
- 2. M. Melandri, Honda - 1' 32.111
- 3. N. Hayden, Honda - 1' 32.217
- 4. C. Checa, Ducati - 1' 32.374
- 5. M. Biaggi, Honda - 1' 32.384
- 6. C. Edwards, Yamaha - 1' 32.456
- 7. L. Capirossi, Ducati - 1' 32.482
- 8. A. Barros, Honda - 1' 32.518
- 9. S. Nakano, Kawasaki - 1' 32.663
- 10. M. Tamada, Honda - 1' 32.682
- 11. J. Hopkins, Suzuki - 1' 32.785
- 12. A. Hofman, Kawasaki - 1' 32.966
- 13. T. Elias, Yamaha - 1' 33.005
- 14. N. Aoki, Suzuki - 1' 33.393
- 15. V. Rossi, Yamaha - 1' 33.503
- 16. R. Kiyonari, Honda - 1' 33.846
- 17. R. Xaus, Yamaha - 1' 34.874
