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After dominating the opening free practice
session for the Grand Prix of Portugal on a damp and cold morning at Estoril,
Casey Stoner struggled to seventh place this afternoon as the track dried out
and temperatures rose slightly. The World Champion was one of a number of riders
who fell victim to the tricky track conditions, crashing on the exit of the
chicane but escaping injury as he laboured to find a good feeling with the front
end of his Desmosedici GP8.
Marco Melandri experimented with a new set-up
strategy but was unable to report any major improvements. However, his final
outing did bear some fruit and the Italian will be looking to make quick
progress tomorrow.
The weather forecast again looks to be unstable for
tomorrow, with improvements expected for Sunday.
CASEY STONER - (Ducati Marlboro Team) - 7th fastest;
1'39.202
"These are completely different problems to the ones we
had in Jerez. So far I'm still having absolutely no feeling with the front end
and I can't explain why we crashed on an out lap, going slow, with the bike
upright. I was literally cruising, just picking the bike up on the way out of
the corner and the front decided to give up on me. We've had such good feeling
with the front in the past and lately it's gone - there aren't even any close
saves, the grip is either there or it's not. I had these problems throughout the
session today - so many times I had the front end on my knee and had to pick it
up, so something is clearly not right. For one reason or another the bike
doesn't feel the same as it has done in the past and we just need to try and
figure it out, but I'm sure with a few set-up changes we can get there. It
wasn't our best day but we're still not far off the pace."
MARCO MELANDRI - (Ducati Marlboro Team) - 15th
fastest; 1'41.112
"We spent all day working down a particular
route that led to nowhere and we lost a lot of time. The conditions have been
mixed, with damp and dry moments, but it was like riding in the wet. It's not
easy but it is the same for everybody. At the moment we're not on it, I can't
ride as I want to. Tomorrow we'll go backwards a little with the set-up and hope
that the situation improves."
From Ducati press
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