- Round: 4 - Le Mans MotoGP
- Circuit: LeMans
- Temp: 18ºC
- Weather: Showers
- Circuit Length: 4180
- Lap Record: 1' 34.088 (Max Biaggi, 2004)
- Fastest Lap Ever: 1' 34.088 (Max Biaggi, 2004)
The Gauloises Yamaha Team's preparations for the fourth round of the MotoGP World Championship in France were hit by rain on a typically gloomy first day of action at Le Mans this afternoon. Team-mates Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards had made a positive start to the weekend with consistently fast times in the first free practice in the morning, with Edwards topping the time sheets by 0.366 seconds from his team-mate, who was fourth fastest.
However, the dense grey clouds hanging ominously over the legendary circuit finally gave way halfway into the afternoon session and the riders were forced to take shelter in the pit box. Whilst the rain quickly ceased and allowed the riders to return to action for the rest of the session, the track remained damp and prevented the riders from improving any further, with Edwards and Rossi both unable to better their morning times and completing just fourteen laps between them.
The only option for the team was to concentrate solely on gathering information about the performance of the Yamaha YZR-M1 in the damp conditions, with the unpredictable weather expected to continue for the rest of the weekend and a very real possibility of a third wet race in succession. Alex Barros (Honda) holds the quickest time overnight after posting a lap of 1'31.171 on his ninth lap of the afternoon session, just before the rain struck, with Edwards fourth and Rossi fifth overall.
For the Fortuna Yamaha pairing of Toni Elias and Ruben Xaus it was a day of mixed results. Elias continues to make steady progress and finished the first day 13th, despite a few set-up concerns. Meanwhile his team-mate Xaus had another unlucky crash when the start of rain caught the Spaniard out.
Colin Edwards (Gauloises Yamaha Team) 4th, 1'34.701
"I get along with this track and so does the bike. This morning I was turning out 1'34 after 1'34 and I was comfortable, the bike felt great. We began the afternoon session testing out a couple of tyres for Michelin but they weren't really what we were looking for; then we returned to the same tyre we had in the morning and it started raining. We don't know what to expect for the rest of the weekend in terms of the weather but whether it's rain, hail, snow or sunshine, I'll be ready."
Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team) 5th, 1'35.067
"I was also trying a different tyre for Michelin at the start of the afternoon session and we stayed out there maybe a bit too long as it wasn't right. I came in to change but then it started raining and we ended up further down the time sheets than we would like to be. It's only free practice, though, so it doesn't matter. After that the conditions were very difficult as it was drying in some areas but very wet in others so we didn't really learn anything. This morning things went well and I was confident of a good session in the afternoon. We used the base we had found for a dry race in China and it was working well. The weather is not looking good and if it rains I'm just hoping we can find a good setting, like in China, although I'd prefer it to be dry. I'm a bit fed up actually, it seems as though the bad weather is following us around. Where is summer?"
Davide Brivio, Gauloises Yamaha Team Director
"In the dry conditions this morning both riders were consistently fast so that's a good sign for the rest of the weekend, regardless of the weather this afternoon. I think it's important to set the record straight about some comments reported in the Italian media this morning as they seem to have appeared elsewhere now. I said that we are going to start working on an extension to Valentino's contract and we will be discussing it after Mugello. I was then asked about any plan Valentino might have to drive in Formula One and I said that would be Valentino's decision and it might happen. I certainly did not say that he would be in F1 from 2007. From Yamaha's side we hope that he will still be riding for us but I cannot predict Valentino's future!"
Toni Elias (Fortuna Yamaha Team) 13th, 1'35.517
"I've always liked this track, so I'm really looking forward to race day. In China we had made some big progress and this seemed to continue here in France this morning when the track was dry. In the afternoon, when it was wet, we used the same setting as in China. Even though it was working ok I think there is room for improvement. The change to the bigger class isn't easy, but I'm enjoying it more and more every day."
Ruben Xaus (Fortuna Yamaha Team) 16th, 1'36.470
"I was following Loris Capirossi and Kenny Roberts when I saw that they lost their footing on their foot-pegs. Just at that moment I also saw the flags indicating that it was raining, but before I could react I lost the front of the bike and crashed. That bad luck just keeps following me around. I hope tomorrow is a better day."
Free Practice:
- 1. A. Barros, Honda (BRA) - 1' 34.171
- 2. S. Gibernau, Honda (ESP) - 1' 34.290
- 3. M. Biaggi, Honda (ITA) - 1' 34.618
- 4. C. Edwards, Yamaha (USA) - 1' 34.701
- 5. V. Rossi, Yamaha (ITA) - 1' 35.067
- 6. S. Nakano, Kawasaki (JPN) - 1' 35.067
- 7. M. Melandri, Honda (ITA) - 1' 35.125
- 8. J. Hopkins, Suzuki (USA) - 1' 35.127
- 9. C. Checa, Ducati (ESP) - 1' 35.206
- 10. N. Hayden, Honda (USA) - 1' 35.359
- 11. L. Capirossi, Ducati (ITA) - 1' 35.434
- 12. K. Roberts, Suzuki (USA) - 1' 35.482
- 13. T. Elias, Yamaha (ESP) - 1' 35.517
- 14. T. Bayliss, Honda (AUS) - 1' 36.128
- 15. O. Jacque, Kawasaki (FRA) - 1' 36.451
- 16. R. Xaus, Yamaha (ESP) - 1' 36.470
