Carlos Checa (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha) was forced to retire from third position with only two laps remaining of today's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix. The 31-year-old Spaniard took the hole-shot from pole position on his YZR-M1 machine and led the first lap. He was edged out of contention by race-winner Sete Gibernau (Honda) on lap two and then by second-placed Colin Edwards (Honda) six laps later. Checa's retirement, which was due to a fuel problem, allowed fellow Spaniard Ruben Xaus (Ducati) to record his first ever MotoGP podium.

Valentino Rossi's race started in controversy, contained sheer magical brilliance but ended in disaster on lap six. The Italian World Championship leader was forced to start from the back of the grid when Race Direction ruled that his team had infringed the rules by making a mark on the track at his third-row starting grid position. The crew had intended that the five-time World Champion could use the mark during the morning warm-up session to develop a good line into the first corner from his original third row grid position. Within one lap Rossi had scythed through the field to eighth and continued his scintillating progress until he caught the edge of the track with his rear wheel coming out of the second last turn on lap six and was thrown from his bike. The bad end to his day was further compounded by Gibernau's win which narrows Rossi's points lead to just 14 with three races remaining.

For Fortuna Gauloises Tech3 riders Marco Melandri and Norick Abe, they could not have had a more different race. The difficult day for Yamaha continued when Marco dropped out of this gruelling contest with a similar fuel problem, while Norick equalled his best result of the season so far with a seventh place finish as first Yamaha rider.

Norick's crew used this morning's warm-up session to change his YZR M-1's ride height and achieve a near optimum machine balance for the Japanese star to exploit on the searing 52-degree tarmac here in Qatar. Norick now heads to the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang next weekend in buoyant mood.

Marco's typically spirited ride was curtailed by machine trouble when he was fighting for fourth place with eventual third-place finisher Ruben Xaus (Ducati). This was scant reward for Marco's dogged determination, but the Italian is already looking ahead to Sepang, next weekend, where he is sure he can fight for a podium finish again.

The MotoGP circus leaves Qatar for the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang next Sunday. It then moves to Phillip Island in Australia the following week and back to Europe for the season finale at Valencia in Spain on 31st October.

Carlos Checa (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha) DNF "I want to think in a positive way. My team did a really good job and I really appreciate it - especially Yamaha. This is not a nice day for us or for Yamaha. But I did some good work this weekend. I was pleased with my pole position and I was riding well in the race. I was under control in third place but I couldn't keep the pace and had some problems with rear stability but then with three or four laps to go I started feeling a throttle connection problem. I was praying and thinking "only three laps to go" but the problem got worse and the bike finally stopped."

Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Foruna Yamaha) DNF "Firstly I have to say I was amazed and very disappointed by the decision to make me start at the back of the grid. I don't think there is any consistency in some of the decisions made. At other races people have cleaned their grid places and nothing has happened. In fact, my crew were doing something they used to do with Doohan when the track was dirty. I didn't know about it until after it had happened.

"Finally in the race I made a mistake. I had really pushed in the first few laps and could see that Colin was in slightly better shape than me when I was behind him. I ran wide in the second last turn and just clipped the grass. They were looking strong but I did think I could have made the podium. Fortunately I'm not hurt. I was worried about my finger but it is not serious."

Davide Brivio, Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha team director "It has been a bad weekend. We'll go away from Qatar with no result and with no points but that's racing. Valentino is still leading the Championship by 14 points and now we will react and fight until the end of the Championship. In Brazil we were in the same situation and we fought back strongly. We have got three races to go and anything can happen.

"It's such a shame for Carlos. He was riding a very good race to follow up his pole postion. He is really disappointed as he fully deserved a podium. He was suffering with the problem during the race and eventually it stopped."

Norick Abe (Fortuna Gauloises Tech3) seventh "Today my set-up was the best it's been all weekend, but the front was still pushing in the race. I got a good start and then I ran off track a bit. Then I got into a rhythm and my lap times were faster than they were in qualifying. Quite a few riders dropped out, but from 17th on the grid to seventh at the finish is OK with me."

Marco Melandri (Fortuna Gauloises Tech3) DNF "How disappointing?! Without bike trouble I could have been maybe on the podium or at least top five. I could match Xaus' rhythm and things were good. But now we have to make sure things are OK for Malaysia."

Hervé Poncharal, Fortuna Gauloises Tech3 team director "This has not been a great day for Yamaha. Marco got a good start and was up to fourth without pushing too hard and we all thought he'd be OK, but then he had bike problems. He tried to carry on but his bike stopped. Norick was the first Yamaha rider across the line and he equalled his best result so far this season here. As part of Yamaha's MotoGP effort we are very unhappy about today. But now we have to prepare for another race next weekend where the conditions will be just as punishing."

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HAYDON TAKES FIRST MOTOGP POINTS ON PROTON KR

Round 13: Qatar GP, Doha Race: Saturday, October 2, 2004

James Haydon: 12th Nobuatsu Aoki: Did Not Finish - crash

Proton Team KR substitute rider James Haydon preserved the team's record of finishing in the points for four races in a row in a race of attrition at the new 5.380km Losail circuit in today's inaugural Qatar GP, bringing the England-built bike home 12th, regaining the position after getting the better of his almost race-long rival James Ellison.

Team regular Nobuatsu Aoki missed out, however, one of only two riders to crash on a track that was slippery and treacherous in baking 40-degree heat. Aoki was chasing one of the factory Suzukis at the time, and the tumble spoiled the chances of an otherwise impressive reliability record for the Proton KR V5, in a race where conditions tested machine integrity to the utmost, and seven failed.

Haydon was riding for one race in place of injured team regular Kurtis Roberts, who will make his racing return at next weekend's Malaysian GP, home race for the Proton sponsors. It is eight years since the English rider last raced in Gps - he has been racing in World and British Superbike series since then.

The Proton riders were lapping together for the early part of the race, with Aoki drawing ahead when he crashed out, victim of a freak corner-entry crash. After the race, the team were still investigating data to try to pin down the reason; the rider escaped injury.

Haydon was by then already involved with fellow British Superbike series racer James Ellison, and the pair scrapped for the rest of the 22-lap race, with Haydon saving his best to sweep past his rival on the last lap, and finish almost two seconds clear.

The first ever GP in the Middle East was run in front of a small crowd, and won by Sete Gibernau.

JAMES HAYDON
I was too quick on the clutch at the start and went sideways on the line, so I was basically last into Turn One, though I nipped past Ellison under braking on the second corner. I was behind Nobu and pushing, then I lost the front big style twice on two consecutive laps. Then I saw Nobu crash, so I backed off a little and I was back with Ellison. I let him lead for a while ... he wasn't going to get away, and I got a good rhythm, but when I passed him he came back by me again, so I thought I should save my energy and hope for a clear last lap ... and it worked out. I want to say a massive thank you to Proton Team KR and Dunlop, first for the opportunity and second for the excellent job they did getting the bike how I like it. My aim was to finish in the points, and though the attrition helped, you still have to be there at the end.

NOBUATSU AOKI
I knew it was going to be a race of survival, and I wanted to try to ride steadily ... but when I saw Yukio Kagayama's Suzuki ahead I felt I had the chance of catching him for a good race. Honestly I wasn't pushing, and the grip was better than in the morning, though still not enough to really go hard. I thought I had everything under control, then suddenly the back end lost grip and I was high-sided. It was on the way into the corner with the throttle closed, which was weird. They're trying to find out now if there was something wrong.

CHUCK AKSLAND - Team Manager
James had a good weekend. Step by step and session by session he worked on set up and feeling, and meshed really well with everybody. His points were well deserved. From the first Nobu said it would be a race of survival, and unfortunately he didn't survive. But we kept up our points record over recent races, and all the bikes were reliable all weekend in really tough conditions. It's put us in a good mood for Sepang next weekend, in front of our sponsors Proton.

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DUCATI MARLBORO MEN OUT OF LUCK AT LOSAIL Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss endured a disappointing Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix at Losail today, neither rider finishing the incident-packed GP. In pitilessly hot conditions, with ambient temperatures nudging 40 degrees, both men had high hopes for the race after qualifying on the second and third rows of the grid. But Bayliss made his exit in the early stages, while Capirossi retired just after halfway through the 22-lap event. The race was won by Sete Gibernau, while World Championship leader Valentino Rossi crashed out. "That was a disappointing race for us," commented Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. "We had a chance of a good result here, but it didn't happen. Loris was going well and he was able to keep a very good pace, but he had some unbelievable luck when he ran off the track after touching a piece of Rossi's broken windscreen that was lying on the track. After that he had some problem with his bike which forced him to pull into the pits. We are investigating what went wrong. Troy meanwhile had a rear problem which we are looking into with Michelin. I never like to talk about bad luck but for sure we've been unlucky today. Finally, I would like to offer my congratulations to Ruben Xaus and the whole D'Antin Ducati team for scoring their first podium today".

CAPIROSSI FAST BUT FAILS TO FINISH Loris Capirossi ran well in the early stages of today's Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix, working his way up to fifth place on lap four, but then his luck ran out. First the Ducati Marlboro Team rider ran off the track on lap five after straying off the narrow grippy line around this super-slippery racetrack, without losing too much time. Then, two laps later, he took a longer excursion into the gravel after touching a fragment of Rossi's screen. Finally he was forced into the pits with engine gremlins. While he was on track Capirossi was one of the fastest men out there, his best lap just 0.5 seconds off the lap record. "Today was a difficult day even though it started quite well for me," said Capirossi who rode in some pain from the foot he broke two weeks ago at the Japanese GP. "Considering I started from the second row I got a good start and was making progress. The first time I ran off the track I only lost a couple of places, but the next time I lost another six places, so I was way down in 13th. After that I was fighting back, my tires were working really well, I felt comfortable and I was running a good pace until I had to stop."

BAYLISS MAKES EARLY EXIT IN QATAR Ducati Marlboro Team rider Troy Bayliss was in the thick of the action during the first few laps of this afternoon's race but soon realised that he couldn't continue to ride. On lap six he pulled into the pits, suspecting a rear problem. "Something didn't feel quite right pretty much from the first lap," said the Australian. "So in the end I had to pull into the pits so the guys could take a look together with the Michelin guys. It's a pity but it is something that can happen".

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HONDA RACING INFORMATION

Grand Prix of Qatar, Losail, September 30, October 1, 2, 2004

Race Day October 2

SETE SETS HIS SIGHTS ON TITLE AS ROSSI FALTERS

In one of the most riveting MotoGP showdowns of the season sensational Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) put his title challenge back on track with a resounding win in searing heat here in Qatar. His team-mate Colin Edwards (Telefonica MoviStar Honda RC211V) was second and Ruben Xaus (Ducati) third.

In front of a modest crowd of nearly three thousand people at Qatar's inaugural race, Gibernau and Edwards showed their rivals precisely how to master 22-laps of this sinuous 5.4km track. World Championship title race points leader Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) showed how to gift 25 points to a rival by falling on lap six as Gibernau stamped his authority on the contest.

Today was packed with drama - on and off the track. Before the race began Honda lodged a protest against Rossi's crew for tampering with his grid slot by burning rubber from a paddock scooter onto the tarmac to enhance grip at the start.

Yamaha then made a tit-for-tat protest about Biaggi's crew who had swept his grid slot clean. Both were upheld and Rossi and Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V) were each given a six second time penalty before the start. This relegated them to the back of the grid.

Carlos Checa (Yamaha) got a lightning take-off and led into turn one with Gibernau in hot pursuit. Sete then made short work of his Spanish rival and led across the line after lap one. Ruben Xaus was third with Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) in the hunt in fourth. Rossi was already eighth and was holding nothing back in his bid to get on terms near the front.

Edwards was lying sixth in the opening laps but the Texan was getting into a rapid rhythm and began to close down the front runners. First he took care of Xaus and Alex Barros (Repsol Honda RC211V) on lap two for fourth place, then he inherited third on the next lap when Nakano's engine expired.

Rossi was now through to fourth but his bid to snatch an unlikely victory in adversity foundered when he made one of his customary wide exits on a fast left-hand turn before the final corner onto the straight. On grass he might have got away with it, but the Astroturf laid trackside here to counter drifting sand caught him out and he fell heavily.

Gibernau was now in total control out front by four seconds and Edwards was working on depriving Checa of second place. He made his move on lap eight and then had his team-mate as a target. Try as he might Edwards could not catch Gibernau and although he reduced the gap to 1.6 seconds in the closing stages, Gibernau ran out an easy winner in a hard, hard race.

"When is a win ever easy?" Said an exhausted but buoyant Sete. "Sometimes it's hard just to finish sixth like in Japan two weeks ago. This was difficult and the team did a great job. They gave me a great bike and I really enjoyed riding it here today. I've got the best team and factory in the business behind me and it showed here today."

Edwards was generous to his team-mate and said, "After the first three laps Sete was away and gone. I got past Carlos but that was as much as I could manage. That was an awesome race and it's great for Sete to get maximum points. As far as any team efforts go - this is as good as it gets."

Barros finished fourth. "I got a bad start," said the Brazilian. "I passed Xaus and then Valentino touched me and I went off line into the dirty section of the track and lost a few places. Then I was right behind the smoking Kawasaki and I had to brake and ran off track. I had a chance to fight with Sete today and we missed the opportunity."

His team-mate Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) was fifth and said, "My first few laps were so slow it was embarrassing. When the front tire got more scrubbed in I got back into a decent rhythm and if I try to look positively at this we got a top five finish. And this is the first time we've scored any points since Donington in July."

Max was sixth. "What can I say about the starting penalty?" He said. "The result of it is that for the third race in a row our plans have been ruined. But I don't ever give up and even though the rear tire was sliding in the dirty part of the track I finished the race. Rossi was in the cleaner part of the track at the start and got away better than me. But I'll be riding as hard as ever in Sepang."

Makoto Tamada (Camel Honda RC211V), riding on Bridgestone tires, had a troubled weekend and finished tenth. "The trouble was a lack of feel at the front-end and I just couldn't be as aggressive as I needed to be in the turns. I'm not worried too much about Sepang next weekend because although the conditions might be similar we have a lot more data from there."

The World Championship points reckoning has now tightened considerably. Rossi still leads with 229 points from 13 races. But Gibernau is back in business with 215, with three races and 75 points still up for grabs. Max lies third with 168.

HONDA TEAM QUOTES:

MotoGP:

Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 1st: "We've taken a big step forward with the best possible result of a high-pressure weekend. Once again my team knew how to manage it and I am delighted. We gave maximum concentration to the job because I know that if we focus all our energy we are capable of progressing. I'm happy for the 25 points and for the great race but I don't want to get carried away. We are back at our best and that is important. The advantage has been reduced but I'm looking at the next round in Malaysia as just another race."

Colin Edwards, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 2nd: "Together with the team and Michelin we have done a great job this weekend. I was sure I had a good chance at this circuit because it was new for everybody and that's how it turned out. I didn't get a good start because I had a clutch problem and I had to recover as many positions as I could without getting too far off line because you cannot do that at this track. I knew I had a good rhtyhm and when I passed Checa and moved up to second I just pushed as hard as I could, I don't want there to be any doubt about that. Congratulations to Sete because he was also really strong and had a great race."

Faustro Gresini, (team manager): "It was a fantastic day for the Telefónica MoviStar team, a really important first and second place at this crucial time of the season. Now the championship is wide open and we have to enjoy this moment, although it is still very tough. Sete had a fantastic race and the victory will give him a lot of confidence. I am also happy for Colin because he has found a good feeling with the bike and the results he deserves are starting to come."

Alex Barros, Repsol Honda Team: 4th : "Really disappointed. I got a bad start and I saw Sete and Checa move away so I know I need to catch. I pass Xaus and then Valentino touched me and knocked me off line. I go in the dirty section of the track and come back a few places later. Then I see the Kawasaki smoking and I am right behind. I brake and I feel the front go so I just run off the track and come back in nearly last place I think. I then have to recover everything and we start the race again. I know I had a chance to fight with Sete today. We had a great opportunity and we missed the opportunity. The machine felt good and I need to look positively forward. I need to win. I want a victory. We have three races left this year."

Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda Team: 5th: "The first few laps I just couldn't get any feeling from the front of the bike. My fist few laps were so slow it was embarrassing. I kinda' got the feeling back in the front when the tire was more scrubbed in and it felt much better. I managed to get going and get into a decent sort of rhythm. If I try and look positively we got a top five finish and this is the first time we've scored any points since Donington. It was nice to actually finish. I'm definitely not happy with how the race went. It wasn't pretty and I can only think about moving onto Malaysia and starting all over again next week."

Max Biaggi, Camel Honda (Michelin tires) :6th: "I started in last place, because of the penalty put upon my team. What can I say about that. It was the result of a complaint made by our rivals. Whatever, for the third race in a row things were tough from the start. However I wasn't disheartened, not even when I got an awful start, with the rear tire slipping on the sand, which was present in industrial proportions down there at the back. Rossi meanwhile was in the middle line of the straight, the cleanest bit, and he got a great start. I tried not to lose my desire and I got down to business. It was tough, very tough, because the area we had to work in was tight. But I wanted to get as far up the order as possible. On the last lap I got on Barros' tail to try and snatch fourth place, but my front let me down, and the steering folded and I went straight on. Hayden also profited from it, but I don't regret having tried it. All that's happened over the last three races has been practically unbelievable."

Sito Pons, Camel Honda (Team Principal) : "Max started this race from the back of the grid for a penalty which I feel was too severe. The team has done what you do to a new track and where the presence of sand was more than evident. To clean the position where the rider is starting from is a process which is simply for the safety of the rider a the start, a preventative measure which the organisation should have dealt with especially in the area of the starting grid. I repeat, our intervention was only trying to guarantee the safety of the rider on the track. Penalised with his grid position, Max fought back hard during the race and came up close to the front runners. It's a shame about that off-track excursion on the last lap which lost him a place."

Makoto Tamada, Camel Honda (Bridgestone tires), 10th: "The main difficulty today was with the lack of confidence in the front end of the bike, so it was hard to turn the bike into the corners with the necessary aggression. In some corners I couldn't lean the bike properly. I'm not worried, here there wasn't much grip whereas in Sepang things will clearly be different."

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