Australia and Turkey, last beats of the season
10-14-2005
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And in the minor class, this will be a new chance - last but two - to get back on the longed-for podium for Héctor Faubel, Sergio Gadea and Joan Olivé, the three best classified Repsol riders in the overall standings and the only ones who have managed to get on the podium in the 2005 season so far.
Nicky Hayden (MotoGP) : "Phillip Island is a fantastic place. It was somewhere I had heard of when I was a kid and I was so excited to go there for the first time testing back at the start of 2003. It's a real riders track. If you like riding bikes fast then you have to like it there. The last long fast left hand turn onto the start finish straight is one of my favourite corners on any track in the world. But it's not just the track; it's the atmosphere around the place as well and of course it was the circuit I stood on a MotoGP podium first as well which has special memories. This weekend I'm just focused on getting off to a good start early. It hasn't happened recently and I guess we just got lucky with the race day set-up at Doha as we hadn't been too good up to there. I moved up in the points table with the podium and further up is where I want to finish. It's all pretty tight and these last few races are going to be so competitive."
Max Biaggi (MotoGP) : "All I can really hope for is that we can find something good for this weekend. It has been really hard over the last few races. I just can't understand why things change so much. One race the bike is great like at Motegi. We get a great podium and at last I feel that there is some hope for the rest of the season, then we go to Sepang where I usually go well and it was a disaster as it was in Doha. I wish we can find a good solution for Phillip Island. I have won there in the past and for sure it is an amazing circuit to win at. Every view is just like a post card; it is spectacular and I only hope that from Friday morning in first qualifying we can report back some good news to give my fan club, who are always so supportive, something to be proud of."
Sebastián Porto (250cc) : "Phillip Island brings back very special memories to me, because last year we took the pole, the victory and we also set the circuit record. It was a perfect weekend for me. This is a very fast, technical track and it's on a very special location, I think it is one f the most beautiful Grand Prix of the calendar. We'll be starting with a good reference, so if the weather allows and we find a good compromise for the bike from the first day, we'll be able to be again in the front, fighting for the victory."
Randy De Puniet (250cc) : "Australia is a track I like a lot, and it's also a favourable track for the Aprilia. After the negative result in Qatar I really hope that things will be better here. I messed up the race start last year, the engine stalled and the start was really slow. Then I had trouble overtaking because the engine didn't accelerate well. I was only able to overtake on the straights, thanks to a good top speed. I was able to move up to fifth and decided to push as much as possible to ride with the leading group, but it was too much and I lost the front. This is not being a good year for me. There are only three races left and I would like to have at least a podium finish, to close the year with a better taste in the mouth."
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