The Ducati Marlboro Team travels to the Czech Republic this week following a brief summer break that now gives way to the second half of the MotoGP World Championship, starting out at the spectacular Brno circuit.
After taking four podium finishes in as many races Casey Stoner picks up on a positive, if not entirely satisfactory, run of form whilst Nicky Hayden will also be looking to get full potential out of the Desmosedici at a circuit where it has always been well suited.
The Ducati Marlboro Team have celebrated victory at Brno on two occasions, as well as two further podiums and two pole positions. The team will stay at the circuit on the day following the Grand Prix for the second and final post-race test session of 2010.
CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team
“Brno is one of my favorite circuits – I have liked it since I raced there for the first time back in 2002. It is long and flowing, with a lot of direction changes and plenty of opportunities to overtake. It is the kind of circuit that lends itself to spectacular races and I can’t wait to race there again – I wasn’t fit to ride last year and I missed it. I want to make up for that this weekend so we’ll be looking to find a good set-up for the bike, improve by a couple of tenths compared to the rest and be fighting for the win.”
NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team
“It is nice to be back after a couple of weeks off and Brno is a nice circuit to come back with. I think all the riders like it because it’s fast, open and flowing – very different to the last couple of tracks we’ve been to, Sachsenring and Laguna, which are tight and have a lot of second gear corners. We’re heading into the second half of a season that started out with some decent results but we need to take another step forward now. It is not easy because the level of competition is so high in this championship but I think you always have to look to improve. We have a day of testing after the race and I hope that can serve to set us up for an improved second half of the season.”
VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager
“We go to Brno on the back of an excellent team result at Laguna Seca and with the objective of improving on it with both riders. Casey has always been very fast here and Nicky scored a decent sixth place last year. In the past the circuit has generally suited the characteristics of our bikes so it will be important to find a good set-up for this weekend – for the race, obviously, but also for the test so that we can build a strong base to work from over the second half of the season.”
THE TRACK
The Brno circuit snakes its way around the hills that border the Czech Republic’s second city and is one of the jewels in the crown of motorcycle racing. Built in 1987 to replace the old and dangerous road circuit that had previously hosted Grand Prix racing, the ‘new’ track retains some of the original characteristics and for this reason it is much to the liking of the riders. With track width reaching nearly 50 feet in some places, its fast and mixed layout features fast direction changes, chicanes and elevation changes. The extra width rewards a precise racing line and those continual elevation changes, with several downhill braking areas, require a perfect bike set-up, a talented rider and good tire life. Engine performance is also an important factor, with the long straights giving the MotoGP machines chance to really stretch their legs.
BRNO CIRCUIT RECORDS
Circuit Record: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha - 2009), 1’56.670 – 166.716 Km/h
Best Pole: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha - 2009), 1’56.145 – 167.469 Km/h
Circuit Length: 5.403km
MotoGP Race 2010: 22 laps (118.866 km)
MotoGP Schedule 2010: 14:00 Local Time
Number of laps: 22
Race distance: 118.866
PODIUM 2009: 1st Valentino Rossi, 2nd Dani Pedrosa, 3rd Toni Elias
POLE 2009: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha - 2009), 1’56.145 - 167.469 Km/h
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM’S BEST RESULTS AT BRNO
2009: 6th (Hayden)
2008: 7th (Melandri)
2007: 1st (Stoner)
2006: 1st (Capirossi)
2005: 2nd (Capirossi)
2004: 5th (Capirossi)
2003: 3rd (Bayliss)
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM – RIDER INFO
CASEY STONER
Age: 24 (Born 16th October 1985 in Southport, Queensland, Australia)
Residency: Switzerland
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP10
GP Appearances: 135 (74xMotoGP, 31x250, 30x125)
GP Victories: 27 (20xMotoGP, 5x250, 2x125)
First GP victory: Valencia, 2003 (125)
First GP: Great Britain, 2001 (125)
Pole positions: 22 (18xMotoGP, 2x250, 2x125)
First pole position: Italy, 2003 (125)
World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2007)
Stoner’s MotoGP track record at Brno
2009: Did not race
2008: Qualified: 1st. Race: DNF
2007: Qualified: 1st. Race: 1st
2006: Qualified: 12th. Race: 6th
NICKY HAYDEN
Age: 29 (born 30th July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA)
Residency: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP10
GP Appearances: 125 (125xMotoGP)
First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP)
Number of victories: 3 (3xMotoGP)
First GP victory: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP)
Pole positions: 5 (5xMotoGP)
First Pole: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP)
World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2006)
Hayden’s MotoGP track record at Brno:
2009: Qualified: 8th. Race: 6th
2008: Did not race.
2007: Qualified: 2nd. Race: 3rd
2006: Qualified: 4th. Race: 9th
2005: Qualified: 2nd. Race: 5th
2004: Qualified: 7th. Race: DNF
2003: Qualified: 7th. Race: 6th