The 2008 MotoGP season is almost at the end, but Alice Team riders, Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli, are still in need of precious championship points to conclude in the best way possible the year. Elias, who is in twelfth position in the riders championship, wants to enter the top ten and will have to fight with Toseland, Capirossi and Nakano with the Japanese the furthest with 15 points of advantage. Sylvain, instead, will have to fight for the Team who is battling for sixth place in the Team classification with three other squads that are enclose in 16 points. In his only appearance on the Sepang circuit in the top class, last year, the French rider hasn’t be so lucky concluding in nineteenth position. His teammate has, instead, concluded in sixth position in the same race. In the two previous years Elias didn’t achieve great results, non-finishing the race in 2006 and reaching only eleventh position the year before. In the 250cc category El ias has made it to step on every step of the Malaysian podium: third in 2004, first in 2003 and second in 2002.
Fabiano Sterlacchini, Alice Team Technical Director, sees his riders ready for this new challenge: “The Sepang circuit should be good for the technical characteristic of our bike as the Ducati has always stepped on the podium here since 2005. In addition Toni has reached some good results in Malaysia and for this motive we are trustful for this next MotoGP round. Sylvain will not be at his best after the fracture at his left shoulder blade, but he will give all he has to end in the best way the season. I expect a lot from him in these last two races.”
Toni Elias is a strong-minded guy and will do all possible to achieve his goal: “I want to enter the top ten in the riders world standing. It wouldn’t be a great goal if we would be at the beginning of the season, but for how things went this year I would be satisfied. Surely the three riders that are in the battle will do their best as well and it will not be so easy. I always liked this track and I hope to give to my Team a good result. They deserve it for all the hard work done during this long season.”
In the other side of the garage Sylvain Guintoli will not be at his best physical conditions but will try to push at the maximum: ”In Australia the doctors suggested me to don’t race due to the fracture at my shoulder blade after Saturday’s fall, but I have gritted my teeth trying to conquer the best position possible anyway. I will do the same here in Malaysia. There are only two races left, and I already know that winter break, whatever professional choice I will take for next season, it will be long and I will miss the competition. For this motive I will not think about the pain but only racing!”
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