Report from Shanghai circuit - from Yamaha

[Bob]

As I've probably mentioned before, a friend of mine is the press officer/runs the official website for the World Endurance Championship (and before cutbacks, so was I!)

Anyway, as a result he gets all sorts of press releases through to him. He sent this one to me from the Yamaha team in Shanghai:

"MotoGP Set-up Report - Shanghai, China

Shanghai, China
25/4/2005



Round 3: Shanghai, China
Track length: 5451 m
Opened: 2004
Circuit tel: 021-69569999
Circuit web site: http://www.icsh.sh.cn/en



Set-up report YZR-M1
The MotoGP World Championship now makes its way to Shanghai, China for
the first time in the championship's illustrious 56-year history. The
new circuit, billed as the "the venue for the new millennium" was
completed last year and was used for the first time during an
international event when the F1 circus made its debut in China. Now it's
the turn of the MotoGP boys and the racing promises to be just as
intense as the first two rounds.

The circuit was designed by architects Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl and
its layout was inspired by the shape of the Chinese character 'shang',
which stands for 'high' or 'above'. Other symbols represented in the
architecture of the circuit facilities originate from Chinese history,
such as the team buildings, which are arranged like pavilions on a lake
to resemble the ancient Yuyan-Garden in Shanghai. One if the circuit's
most impressive features is the extraordinary main grandstand, which
hosts some 29,000 seats and provides a spectacular view of almost 80
percent of the circuit.

Whilst none of the MotoGP riders will have previously been able to test
at the Shanghai circuit until free practice gets underway on Friday
morning, its winding turns and high-speed straights promise plenty of
opportunities for overtaking and are sure to provide more close MotoGP
racing in Sunday's inaugural Chinese Grand Prix. In Valentino Rossi's
own words: "I think the circuit will be very good; it is wide, fast and
technical."

The 5,451m track also promises to provide an interesting challenge for
the engineers. With a virtually equal ratio of nine left and seven
right-hand corners, as well as two long straights followed by hard
braking zones, the emphasis will again be on finding a balanced base
setting for the Yamaha YZR-M1. The longest straight runs parallel to the
Dragster track between turns 13 and 14 and has a length of 1,175m, which
should permit top speeds in excess of 320km/h, whilst technical corners
such as a snail-like narrowing section between turn one and turn three
are unlike any other corner in the championship calendar.

Rossi and his Gauloises Yamaha Team-mate Colin Edwards spent last week's
test at Estoril working specifically on their set-up for Shanghai,
making further progress with the general setting of the 2005 version
YZR-M1 and finding a comfortable base which they will now take to China.
Whilst initial gearbox settings have already been calculated on the
circuit layout, both riders will use Friday morning's free practice
session to gather data about the peculiarities of the track, such as
bumps and grip levels, before making specific adjustments in the
build-up to Sunday's race.

The true nature of Shanghai will only reveal itself during the first
practice sessions, but the relatively fast corners that abound around
the track will clearly require stability from chassis and suspension
set-up. The track will demand an almost constant agility at the same
time as offering stability driving off the sides of the tyres - no easy
feat without factoring in the many unknown variables.

The main target will be a good stable turn-in characteristic and a
set-up that offers easy changes in direction; supported by a high level
of feel from both the front and rear. Weight bias will start of as
neutral as possible to prevent the front overloading in the midpoint of
the turn, while also ensuring good drive off the sides of the rear.

Despite 240 plus horsepower power delivery will need to be funneled to
provide the best midrange torque and predictability to drive off the
countless turns, while still factoring in the one kilometer straight.
But all else aside, to finish first, first one must finish - and tyre
endurance will be the key."

So there you go - proper purpose built track, history of the name and everything!

[Bob]

Valentino Rossi criticised the layout of the Shanghai track after first practice.

Rossi said: "It is very much an F1 track. The riders have a lot of hard work to do finding the right setting. It is not ideal for a MotoGP bike. My first impressions of the circuit were very good, but after riding on it today I must admit it wasn't as much fun as I expected. It is actually quite tight and technical.”

Rossi also was less than happy about the way the weather conditions affected the track:

“The conditions in the afternoon were strange because the track was warm but it wouldn't dry, so it was like half and half. It was a shame because the asphalt is good and there is plenty of grip in the dry. As far as the setting is concerned we are having some problems in the fast corners.

"We hope it is dry tomorrow because we have a bit of work to do and also some of my rivals are very fast in the wet. Personally I would really prefer it if it doesn't rain on Sunday."

Rossi was fifth fastest in practice, with Nicky Hayden quickest.

[LB]

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Thanks Bob, good stuff.
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