Nicked this from Brno race thread, posted by Aussie:



Rossi and Brivio look forward to Brno visit
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Valentino Rossi and his Fiat Yamaha team are intent on maintaining their title assault as battle recommences with the trip to the Czech Republic this week.

Five-time former MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi will resume his quest to regain the premier-class title this weekend after the summer holiday, with the Italian leading the series by 25 points as he heads into what promises to be a thrilling seven-race climax to the year.
The Cardion AB Grand Prix Ceske Republiky is the twelfth of eighteen rounds and Rossi heads to the motorcycling heartlands of eastern Europe with renewed energy and ready to do battle again at one of his most successful circuits, following a stunning maiden win at Laguna Seca before the break.
The 29-year-old took his first ever Grand Prix win at Brno in the 125cc category and has since added to his tally there with a 250cc success and three wins in MotoGP, as well as three second places in the premier class.
His success in America, which came after a thrilling tussle with Casey Stoner, means `The Doctor´ holds a clear advantage at the top of the standings, but the Australian is also in red-hot form at present and will be pushing Rossi right to the limit as the season progresses – whilst third-placed Dani Pedrosa will be back from injury at Brno and also looking to re-enter the title fight.
`Last year we had a bad time at Brno,´ admitted Rossi, `I could only finish seventh and it was quite disheartening. This year, however, we´re going there in a very different frame of mind: leading the championship, following a great win and with our bike and tyres working very well. I´ve had a good summer break, just relaxing with my friends and family, but now I am really looking forward to going racing again.´
`I know that Brno is going to be hard and that Casey will be a formidable competitor once again,´ continued Rossi. `We're going to have to work at the maximum from the first practice in order not to lose any time in finding out the right set-up for our bike. We have seven races left and I am dreaming of them all being as fun as Laguna Seca.´
Whilst Rossi and his fellow riders have recently taken a well-earned rest, engineers at Yamaha´s factory headquarters in Japan have been working around the clock over the summer towards this weekend´s action, as well as for the two-day test that will take place afterwards.
Team Manager in Rossi´s half of the partitioned Fiat Yamaha pit-box, Davide Brivio, comments, `Brno will be the start of a very important run of seven rounds to the end of the season. With 25 points on Stoner and 41 on Pedrosa we are in a good position, but we have to manage this advantage in the remaining races. It will be an exciting end to the season, with Pedrosa back in the fight and (Jorge) Lorenzo, I am sure, able to re-join the podium club.´
`Last year, at most of these final circuits, we weren´t able to fight at the top but we are working hard now to be able to provide Valentino with the most competitive package to allow him to race at the front, as he has for the majority of this year´s races,´ Brivio went on to say. `Every race from now on will be very important and Brno could be one of the most difficult for us against our competitors. We have to use all of our potential and work at 100% in all of the practices.´



So they have been working on the bike as I thought, so lets hope this is the turning point for Yamaha and the start of domination over Casey and the Ducati!

And Aussie's thoughts about testing...

The blue highlight is mine...

Yeah, Brno will be a challenge... and outright victory not what is most important (though great, of course!), but how the "package" goes at this point in the year.

THis time last year it was all so awful and disheartening... things so VERY different in 2008.


Valentino Rossi
“LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE RACING”

“Last year we had a bad time at Brno; I could only finish seventh and it was quite disheartening. This year, however, we’re going there in a very different frame of mind: leading the championship, following a great win and with our bike and tyres working very well. I’ve had a good summer break, just relaxing with my friends and family, but now I am really looking forward to going racing again. I know that Brno is going to be hard and that Casey will be a formidable competitor once again, and we’re going to have to work at the maximum from the first practice in order not to lose any time in finding out the right set-up for our bike. We have seven races left and I am dreaming of them all being as fun as Laguna Seca!”


Just another thought... Rossi's Yamaha press release... I think it's been translated. Who thinks this sounds way too articulate to be Rossi in english?

there wasnt one yeeessssss weeelllllll

Exactly! LOL.


The battle in the press room continues pre Brno:

Stoner plays down criticism of Rossi

By Matt BeerThursday, August 14th 2008, 16:54 GMT

Casey Stoner has admitted that he 'over-reacted' when criticising Valentino Rossi's riding following the United States Grand Prix.
The two title rivals had a spectacular battle for the lead at Laguna Seca until Stoner went off the road and lost touch with Rossi. But afterwards the reigning champion was highly critical of the Italian's overtaking methods, and they had a heated exchange on the subject in front of television crews in parc ferme.
However, in the pre-race press conference at Brno today, Stoner backed down from his earlier comments and conceded that they had been made in the heat of the moment.
"All riders react in the way that we do sometimes, I think Valentino can agree with that," said Stoner. "I think at the time maybe we overreacted."
The Australian said he had put the disagreement behind him and was now focused on making up for his Laguna defeat in future races.
"I think I'm just going to be hopefully putting up more of a battle in the last few laps, whereas I ran off and crashed at the last race," he said. "It would be nice if I could put more of a battle on and at least pressure him to the last lap."
Rossi's victory in the USA has put him 25 points clear of Stoner in the championship battle, and the Ducati rider is now determined to strike back in the final part of the season.
"I would have liked the break to be a bit longer but we got everything done that we wanted to, thought things over, and got myself ready for this last part of the season," he said.
"It's going to be very hard. For Valentino those seven races are a long time but for us it's a short time. We always need more races, but we can only do what we can do, and we look forward to the last part of the season."


Amazing... KC must have watched the race, finally!

Things sound very loving and cozy at camp Fiat Yamaha... and they sound very positive. Me thinks they might have something up their sleeve towards the final races... Something on the boil!

Nicked this from the Brno race thread, which Tommm posted:

Casey Stoner apologises to Valentino Rossi

By Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has tried to draw a line under his controversial attack on Valentino Rossi after their classic Laguna Seca scrap last month by apologising to the Italian in Brno today.

Making their first public appearance since Stoner blasted Rossi’s over aggressive riding in Laguna last month, the pair were sat next to each other in this afternoon’s pre-event press conference, and for the first ten minutes made no communication with each other at all.

But as John Hopkins spoke to the world’s media, Stoner leaned over to Rossi to instigate a truce and the pair shook hands.

The factory Ducati rider came in for scathing criticism after his attack on Rossi’s riding in California but the Yamaha star, who goes into Sunday’s race holding a 25-point lead over Stoner, told MCN: “ He said sorry. But sincerely I am not angry with him. I know when you lose that type of battle you are pissed off.

"After the race you are hot with a lot of adrenaline and it is possible to say something that is wrong. Also I have done the same in the past.

"So maybe when he saw another time the race on the TV he understands he made some mistake when he said those things. But I’m ready to do another race like this on Sunday.”

Stoner admitted that on reflection he had overreacted with his post Laguna comments which saw him say he ‘lost a little bit of respect for Valentino.'
“I think it is like all riders we react in the way that we do sometimes. I think even Valentino can agree sometimes like in the past with his comments on Toni (Elias). I think at the time maybe we overreact.

"I have always had the greatest respect for Valentino. I have watched him racing for many, many years and I think it is 12 years since the first time he has won and that is an incredibly long time.

"It would be great if I could be here in another six to eight years and still winning Grand Prix. That would be a privilege for me, “said the 22-year-old.

Rossi is such a prick when he wants to be... basically crowing, in the nicest possible way, of course....

Oh, and wonder if any good photos of those first 10 very frosty minutes of the press conference?

Did he really apologise? Wow this is news. So he finally realized he made mistakes and apologize, cool. I hope to see the pics too, Catty.

Our Valentino's campaign looks so shinny brighty. Good, I'm happy.

2008 is vales year.

All the bad luck of the last 2 years is being well and truly wiped clean.

I cant wait until Vale is Champion again, it going to be a great party.

Chappie46

It will. And it will be very BIG.

I guess this pretty much puts your conspiracy theory to rest doesnt it Chappie?

It does I guess, but I never took into consideration that Stoner would crash repeatedly.
Things would of been so different otherwise,
But Valentino has done so well he has been the only one even able to see Stoner on track. And all his Christmases have come at once.

The Kid has cracked. I was hoping for 5 laguna's after but this way has been just dandy

Chappie46

I agree Chappie, a whole season of laguna's would do wonders for the sport
but the trade off of Vale winning another championship is perfectly fine by me!
This will be the first time i have seen it happen!
It is very exciting!