MotoGP : Rossi back on top as the action heats up in Qatar - September 29th 2005

1. Round: 14 - Qatar MotoGP
2. Circuit: Losail Circuit
3. Circuit Length: 5380
4. Lap Record: 1' 59.293 (Colin Edwards, 2004)
5. Fastest Lap Ever: 1' 58.714 (Valentino Rossi, 2005)
6. Temp: 37ºC

Newly-crowned World Champion Valentino Rossi returned to the MotoGP paddock in dominant fashion today as he clocked a record lap of the Losail International Circuit to top the time sheets on the opening day of action at the Grand Prix of Qatar. Rossi arrived in the country last night but shook off any trace of jetlag with 19 laps of the 5.380km circuit in the first free practice, with temperatures already touching 34ºC during the morning session.

The heat rose several degrees in the afternoon but so did Rossi's pace, the Italian eventually dipping under Carlos Checa's (Ducati) pole record time, set on the Yamaha YZR-M1 at last year's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix. After spending much of last weekend at Sepang trying to solve front-end grip problems with the current version of the machine, Rossi today reported major progress and admitted to enjoying riding without the pressure of a potential World Championship success hanging over him.

Rossi's Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards also showed signs of returning to his best form today, topping the time sheets for much of the afternoon session before eventually dropping to sixth place. The American had also struggled with front grip problems in Malaysia but reaped the benefits of a new range of Michelin tyres today at a circuit that saw him equal his best ever MotoGP finish of second place last season.

Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team), 1st - 1'58.714;

"For sure myself and the whole team are more relaxed now that we have won the World Championship. We have had a lot of problems for the past two races - it has been difficult and we have never found a good setting for the bike, but here in the afternoon we found the right way. Now we have returned to the level we were at two or three races ago, I have a better feeling for the front and rear of the bike. The track conditions are better than they were last season - they're still not 100% but compared to the first practice last year there is much more grip. As long as there is no wind or rain overnight it should improve a lot more by Saturday."

Free Practice:

7. 1. V. Rossi, Yamaha - 1' 58.714
8. 2. T. Elias, Yamaha - 1' 58.860
9. 3. N. Hayden, Honda - 1' 59.044
10. 4. L. Capirossi, Ducati - 1' 59.152
11. 5. C. Checa, Ducati - 1' 59.466
12. 6. C. Edwards, Yamaha - 1' 59.493
13. 7. M. Melandri, Honda - 1' 59.568
14. 8. J. Hopkins, Suzuki - 1' 59.814
15. 9. M. Biaggi, Honda - 1' 59.978
16. 10. A. Barros, Honda - 2' 0.084
17. 11. K. Roberts, Suzuki - 2' 0.276
18. 12. S. Gibernau, Honda - 2' 0.280
19. 13. S. Nakano, Kawasaki - 2' 0.425
20. 14. M. Tamada, Honda - 2' 0.878
21. 15. R. Rolfo, Ducati - 2' 1.820
22. 16. R. Xaus, Yamaha - 2' 2.089