Sunday March 9th, in Qatar, the Alice Team adventure will begin in the 2008 MotoGP World Championship season. The new structure that will compete with the Ducati Desmosedici GP8 Sat and Bridgestone tyres has completed its winter testing on the Losail International circuit, in Doha, last Friday, preparing in the best way possible for this particular race. In fact, for the first time in the history of the MotoGP World Championship, the race will be held at night under an impressive floodlight system, supported by 44 Pramac generators, co-owner of the Team.
The material supplied by the Italian company will have to sustain a floodlight system which could cover the area of 70 regular football fields, with an amount of power that could illuminate an imaginary street from the capital of Qatar, Doha, to Moscow in Russia. Impressive numbers and distances! Pramac’s Managing Director and co-owner of the Alice Team, Paolo Campinoti, has declared himself eager about this project: “We are very happy to participate in first person to this appointment with history, both on and off track. We have been among the first promoters of this initiative and we believe that everything will proceed without any problems. We are open to the possibility of developing other similar ideas and projects in the future. For what concerns the sport aspects, Toni and Sylvain are two of the most interesting young riders in MotoGP and we trust in them to improve the already good performances obtained last year.”
Alice Team’s Principal, Luis d’Antin, is more than ever exited for this new season: “The moment has arrived: in a few days we will know at what point we really are. We are only sorry that Sylvain will probably not be at his best after the fall during the last day of tests. Both our riders have done a great job during the winter testing, as the pair had to adapt to a completely new bike compared to the past. Sylvain also had to get accustomed to the qualities of Bridgestone tyres. This is one of the seasons in which I feel more excited, due to the good results conquered last year and thanks to the support that has arrived with the new Title Sponsor, Alice of Telecom Italia.”
Toni Elias, who is about to begin his fourth consecutive MotoGP season, has encountered some problems during the winter testing, but he is confident for the season debut, declaring: “We started to work a bit late, but all the work done has gone as we expected. During each test we have managed to improve and in this first race we are not too far from the top positions. I am sure that thanks to the free sessions on Friday and Saturday we will manage to find the right balance of the bike in order to be able to conquer a good position during qualifying and have a fun race. I have a lot of trust in the Team, in Ducati and Bridgestone tyres.” The Spanish rider doesn’t like to prognosticate for the season which is about to begin, concluding: “I don’t like to set objectives, but I am honestly confident. I always thought and sustained that hard work always pays off.”
After the fall in the last winter test day, Sylvain Guintoli went back to England, where he lives with his family, to be able to undergo some more medical exams on his injured right arm. British doctors have allowed him to ride even if probably not at 100% of his physical conditions and he doesn’t want to miss this appointment with history: “I don’t know just yet if I will be at my best, but I don’t want to begin the season by missing the first Grand Prix. Moreover, we are racing at night and I don’t think this is an occasion to miss out on. I still think it is strange that all of this is possible, all the organizers of this incredible event have done a fantastic job. I can guarantee that during the test, after a few laps all seemed normal, like if we were riding during the day.” The rider, who was nominated rookie of the year last season, concluded declaring: “I am extremely happy to be back riding and I can’t wait to sit on my bike on the starting grid. In that moment, all the smiles on everybody’s faces will go away and things will get serious.”
