Thursday, 22nd November 2007
Tech 3 team boss Herve Poncharal anticipates a close contest between Yamaha's star MotoGP rookies, James Toseland and Jorge Lorenzo, during the 2008 MotoGP season.
By Peter McLaren
A little after 2 o'clock on day two of the Sepang test saw an interesting battle develop on track, where double World Superbike champion James Toseland was catching double 250cc world champion Jorge Lorenzo, also a MotoGP rookie on a Michelin-shod M1.
After several laps locked on Jorge's rear wheel, and despite the Spaniard ending the day with a faster individual lap time, Toseland dived under Lorenzo through the second part of a left-right flick - then edged away from the factory rider, who pitted shortly after.
According to Toseland's Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal, that contest should be seen regularly during the 2008 season - and the Frenchman backs Toseland to keep pushing Lorenzo all the way.
"I saw James together with Lorenzo and this is what is pleasing me," Poncharal told Crash.net. "Lorenzo is the 250cc world champion, James is the World Superbike champion, but Lorenzo has already had a two day test in Valencia. Their race pace was very close to each other and it is a very good comparison between them.
"I'd be lying if I said that nobody will be looking at who will be the best Michelin-Yamaha rookie, between James and Lorenzo," he admitted. "I personally think that I made the right choice and I trust James to challenge Lorenzo. Although everybody thinks Lorenzo is a bright star for the future, I am sure James will be right with him and hopefully in front of him."
Toseland went on to finish his first ever MotoGP test, and first visit to Sepang, half a second behind Lorenzo on race tyres, although the Spaniard jumped up the order further after a late run with a qualifying tyre - something that didn't impress Toseland's manager Roger Burnett.
"Lorenzo, I don't know if he's been asleep or not, but he'd finished and packed up for the day and now - after two hours of resting - has come back out to try and do a lap time," Burnett told Crash.net at the end of the final day in Sepang. "Lap times at this point are just for vanity really. We're a bit too experienced for all that. We know that Qatar is the first race next year and having a strong result at Qatar is what we are working towards. It's not about the lap time here today."
Toseland's Tech 3 predecessor Sylvain Guintoli clinched the 2007 MotoGP rookie of the year title, although it was something of a hollow award since he was the only full time newcomer in the class. However, next season will be very different, with Honda rookies Andrea Dovizioso and Alex de Angelis set to fight Lorenzo and Toseland for what will be a hard-earned best newcomer prize.
"You have the top three guys from the 250cc class and the top guy from the World Superbike class. So the four newcomers are really exciting guys, they are all young and have a really high profile," said Poncharal. "Three of them are also from the south of Europe - Lorenzo, de Angelis and Dovizioso - but the good point about James, being from north of Europe, is that he is more cool headed. He doesn't get overexcited."
As well as his British temperament and undoubted riding talent, Poncharal believes Toseland will be able to call upon the vast experience of the Tech 3 team, the full support of Yamaha and advice from team-mate Colin Edwards - also a former double WSBK champion but now with five years of MotoGP experience.
"The team knows Yamaha and the MotoGP class very well, and we've worked with a lot of riders, so I think we and James can help each other," said Herve. "Also James has Colin on his side. Colin is really taking his role as a rider and - I wouldn't say teacher, but anyway - Colin is trying his best to help everybody out, including James.
"Normally you have a big rivalry between the two team-mates. It's early days, but at present I don't think Colin sees James as a threat and just wants to help him. He is really trying everything he can to give him good advice and help him learn as quickly as possible.
"Colin has also had his first ride on the early 2008 prototype and is the only Michelin-Yamaha rider with experience of the MotoGP class. So Yamaha is using him a lot. This is good for the team because we have many guys in [the Tech 3 pit] who are normally more in the factory team.
"It is also good for James to see so many Japanese factory guys around him, because it means that they care and they trust him to do well," Poncharal concluded.
Source: http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/new...ge_lorenzo.html
Tech 3 team boss Herve Poncharal anticipates a close contest between Yamaha's star MotoGP rookies, James Toseland and Jorge Lorenzo, during the 2008 MotoGP season.
By Peter McLaren
A little after 2 o'clock on day two of the Sepang test saw an interesting battle develop on track, where double World Superbike champion James Toseland was catching double 250cc world champion Jorge Lorenzo, also a MotoGP rookie on a Michelin-shod M1.
After several laps locked on Jorge's rear wheel, and despite the Spaniard ending the day with a faster individual lap time, Toseland dived under Lorenzo through the second part of a left-right flick - then edged away from the factory rider, who pitted shortly after.
According to Toseland's Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal, that contest should be seen regularly during the 2008 season - and the Frenchman backs Toseland to keep pushing Lorenzo all the way.
"I saw James together with Lorenzo and this is what is pleasing me," Poncharal told Crash.net. "Lorenzo is the 250cc world champion, James is the World Superbike champion, but Lorenzo has already had a two day test in Valencia. Their race pace was very close to each other and it is a very good comparison between them.
"I'd be lying if I said that nobody will be looking at who will be the best Michelin-Yamaha rookie, between James and Lorenzo," he admitted. "I personally think that I made the right choice and I trust James to challenge Lorenzo. Although everybody thinks Lorenzo is a bright star for the future, I am sure James will be right with him and hopefully in front of him."
Toseland went on to finish his first ever MotoGP test, and first visit to Sepang, half a second behind Lorenzo on race tyres, although the Spaniard jumped up the order further after a late run with a qualifying tyre - something that didn't impress Toseland's manager Roger Burnett.
"Lorenzo, I don't know if he's been asleep or not, but he'd finished and packed up for the day and now - after two hours of resting - has come back out to try and do a lap time," Burnett told Crash.net at the end of the final day in Sepang. "Lap times at this point are just for vanity really. We're a bit too experienced for all that. We know that Qatar is the first race next year and having a strong result at Qatar is what we are working towards. It's not about the lap time here today."
Toseland's Tech 3 predecessor Sylvain Guintoli clinched the 2007 MotoGP rookie of the year title, although it was something of a hollow award since he was the only full time newcomer in the class. However, next season will be very different, with Honda rookies Andrea Dovizioso and Alex de Angelis set to fight Lorenzo and Toseland for what will be a hard-earned best newcomer prize.
"You have the top three guys from the 250cc class and the top guy from the World Superbike class. So the four newcomers are really exciting guys, they are all young and have a really high profile," said Poncharal. "Three of them are also from the south of Europe - Lorenzo, de Angelis and Dovizioso - but the good point about James, being from north of Europe, is that he is more cool headed. He doesn't get overexcited."
As well as his British temperament and undoubted riding talent, Poncharal believes Toseland will be able to call upon the vast experience of the Tech 3 team, the full support of Yamaha and advice from team-mate Colin Edwards - also a former double WSBK champion but now with five years of MotoGP experience.
"The team knows Yamaha and the MotoGP class very well, and we've worked with a lot of riders, so I think we and James can help each other," said Herve. "Also James has Colin on his side. Colin is really taking his role as a rider and - I wouldn't say teacher, but anyway - Colin is trying his best to help everybody out, including James.
"Normally you have a big rivalry between the two team-mates. It's early days, but at present I don't think Colin sees James as a threat and just wants to help him. He is really trying everything he can to give him good advice and help him learn as quickly as possible.
"Colin has also had his first ride on the early 2008 prototype and is the only Michelin-Yamaha rider with experience of the MotoGP class. So Yamaha is using him a lot. This is good for the team because we have many guys in [the Tech 3 pit] who are normally more in the factory team.
"It is also good for James to see so many Japanese factory guys around him, because it means that they care and they trust him to do well," Poncharal concluded.
Source: http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/new...ge_lorenzo.html
