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Follow Prime’s exclusive live action of the globe’s most prestigious motorcycling event, The MotoGP. Sunday 10th April at 10:50pm, it’s the season opening race in the MotoGP 2005 season, the Grand Prix Spain from Jerez.
The annual MotoGP Test is fast becoming the world’s biggest bike race. Prime Television showcasing the talent and excitement on offer with full live programming each race day. 2005 promises to provide an added level of anticipation, with reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi facing an across-the-board challenge for his crown, first of all coming from within his own camp.
On board the highly-revised 2005 spec YZR-M1 alongside Rossi will be American Colin Edwards, whilst promising Spanish youngsters Ruben Xaus and Toni Elias will debut on the bike in the satellite Tech3 team.
Honda will undoubtedly be throwing everything at regaining their trophy, led by the charge of factory duo Max Biaggi and Nicky Hayden, there will also be a hopefully more consistent year from the talented Makoto Tamada, as well as the expected challenge from last year's runner-up Sete Gibernau, who bravely pushed Rossi to the wire in 2004. Also on board the Honda RC211V will be Sito Pons' veteran duo of Alex Barros and Troy Bayliss, two wily old dogs who will play a major role in deciding where the title goes, and at Gresini alongside Gibernau, young Italian Marco Melandri.
Ducati have revamped their Desmosedici and learning from the disappointments of 2004 will hope that the experienced pairing of Loris Capirossi and new recruit Carlos Checa can reclaim their favoured position on the top step of the podium.
Suzuki also showed improvements towards the end of 2004, and return with Kenny Roberts Jr and the gifted John Hopkins as well as a new team structure to boost their efforts. Similarly Kawasaki will hope that the podium from Shinya Nakano in Japan last year will spur the factory on to bigger and better things, with the Japanese rider continuing alongside Alex Hofmann this year. Former 250cc runner-up Roby Rolfo will hedge his bets on a satellite Ducati, whilst the experienced Franco Battaini and James Ellison will try their luck with the Czech/British Blata WCM project.
MotoGP’s official safety car supplier BMW have renewed their support to the Best Qualifier of the Year award, which will be won at the end of the season by the rider with the lowest accumulated qualifying times over the course of the 17 races of the 2005 World Championship.
Andrea Bell:
Programme Administrator
Prime Television NZ Ltd
Read CycleNews.com Report: of the outcome of the just completed shootout at the Circuito de Montmelo, north of Barcelona, Spain.
