The qualifying session of the eleventh round of the 2006 World MotoGP Championship held today on the American circuit of Laguna Seca, saw the Konica Minolta Honda Team rider taking the flag in fourteenth place setting the fastest lap time in 1’24.578”, after a good start with a race set up bike. The place in the starting grid does not reflect the real potential showed by Makoto Tamada who, even today, demonstrated to have a good pace.
Makoto’s physical conditions are not optimal yet and today the Japanese rider suffered from hot weather leading him to stop this morning free practice session fifteen minutes in advance.
Gianluca Montiron – Konica Minolta Honda General Director “The qualifying session, despite the starting grid place, was positive. Makoto had a good rhythm with the race tyres, in fact, in more than one lap he was the fastest in the first two sectors. Using the qualifiers, we could not get good performances and the technicians will now check the reasons why. We hope Makoto could obtain a satisfying physical condition to be able to finish the race.”
Makoto Tamada – Konica Minolta Honda Rider (14° - 1'24.578")“My physical conditions are not at the top, my injured left knee still makes me suffer, in respect to yesterday, I would say the pain is even stronger. Today’s high temperature did not help me. This will be tomorrow’s main problem during the 32 laps because the race setting permitted me, both today and yesterday, to set different good lap times. Today the qualifying tyres did not work well and I think other riders faced the same problem. I hope to be able to repeat the good start I had in Sachsenring in order to immediately stay among the best riders.”
Laguna Seca GP, Qualifying practice classification:1)C. Vermeulen Suzuki1’23.168”
2)C. Edwards Yamaha 1’23.321”
3)K. Roberts KR211V1’23.420”
4)D. Pedrosa Honda1’23.490”
5)J. Hopkins Suzuki1’23.498”
14)M. Tamada Honda 1’24.578”
Related Linkskonicaminolta.com/motogp
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