MotoGP test Barcelona, 20 March 2005: Sete Gibernau wins BMW 1 Series
Spanish MotoGP rider Sete Gibernau picked up the keys to a new BMW 1 Series as
the prize for being the fastest rider during yesterday's 40-minute official
MotoGP test session at Barcelona.
Last year's world championship title runner-up literally blew the rest of the
MotoGP field away - including reigning champion Valentino Rossi, who was second
fastest, but could only get within 0.419 seconds of Gibernau. This BMW Award
gives the Spaniard a real psychological upper hand over his rivals before the
first race of the year starts on April 10 in Jerez.
"This morning I did a full race simulation and everything worked well," said
the nine-times Grand Prix winner. "And then this afternoon I pulled out all
the stops during the official practice to win the BMW. This award is for the
fans, who have been chanting my name all day."
To prove Gibernau's speed and the pace of MotoGP development, the existing lap
record around the Catalan track is 1m 44.641 seconds, but Gibernau's lap time
that helped him win the BMW Award was 1m 41.851 - nearly three seconds faster.
Japan's Makoto Tamada was quickest through the speed traps at 330 km/h (206
mph).
This dramatic prelude to the 2005 season was full of drama as 2000 world
champion Kenny Roberts fell off his Suzuki at over 150km/h (but was fortunately
uninjured) while Max Biaggi - who had been quickest on the previous two days of
testing - was left high and dry as his Honda failed to start with less than
four minutes remaining of the session.
MotoGP Race Director Paul Butler and Axel Zimmerman of BMW handed over the keys
of the BMW 1 Series to Gibernau just moments after the session, but the
Spaniard also had his eyes on the new BMW M5 that was parked a few metres
away. This is the prize on offer for the BMW Best Qualifier Award (made up of
all the grid times of the entire 17-race season, plus this session).
Only after the last qualifying session of the year at Valencia in November will
the winner of the BMW Best Qualifier Award 2005 - and the breathtaking M5 - be
decided. Last year, Valentino Rossi was the lucky recipient of a BMW 645Ci
worth 80,000 euros.
BMW also continues in its role as official car supplier to the MotoGP World
Championship. The German company will supply the recently launched M6 and the
all-new M5 to the series. Both market-leading cars feature the awe inspiring
507bhp V10 engine. The rest of the MotoGP BMW fleet includes a 330i Touring as
the medical car; a 750i for the race director; a 545i Touring for the safety
officer, and a X5 4.4i for the steward.
BMW Motorrad's successful BoxerCup championship is being replaced in 2005 by a
new seven-race PowerCup series, which will further enhance BMW's involvement in
MotoGP. The bike used in this exciting new championship will be the race
prepared BMW K1200 R naked muscle bike, which delivers 175bhp from its
four-cylinder, high-torque engine. The first race gets underway at Le Mans on
15 May.
Ends
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Andy Dukes / Lauren Haslehurst 08000 131 282
Tony Jakeman 01344 480 185