Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa finished today's opening practice sessions for the Marlboro Qatar Grand Prix a promising fourth and fifth fastest. Fresh from their hugely popular double podium at Sepang last Sunday, the pair are once again looking very competitive, Capirossi leading much of the afternoon session, Checa not far behind. Biggest change this weekend is a batch of new Bridgestone front tyres for Losail's hot, sandy and abrasive surface.

"It looks like the new tyres are a step forward," said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. "When we tested here in March we had big problems with front tyre wear, that's no longer a major worry, though at the moment front grip is still the limiting factor to our performance. However, as the track gets cleaner our tyres become more competitive compared to our rivals', so we expect better tomorrow. At the moment we are not really playing around with set-up because it's easy to lose your way if you make adjustments when the track is changing every session."

MAN OF THE MOMENT CAPIROSSI FOURTH
With two victories from the last two weekends, Ducati Marlboro Team man Loris Capirossi is definitely the man of the moment. And he's fast here too, finishing today less than half a second off 'pole position'.
"Things are going well," smiled the Italian, now chasing second overall in the 2005 MotoGP World Championship. "The track is much better now than it was at this stage last year, it's already in pretty good shape. We've tried quite a few tyres today and it seems Bridgestone has made a big step forward with its front tyres, compared to when we tested here. The new fronts are better into the corners and through the corners."

CHECA FIFTH AND FEELING OPTIMISTIC
Third at Sepang last Sunday, Carlos Checa is confident after day one at Qatar, where he claimed pole position last season.
"The track is in similar condition to when we tested here in March, but they've improved safety by extending the kerbs at the exit of some of the corners," said the Spaniard. "The big difference from March is the heat. It's maybe 15 degrees hotter than, which makes it hard for the tyres, and the air you breathe is so hot and dry that it really burns, it's like sitting in front of 100 hairdryers on full heat! The new front tyres give us much better endurance than when we tested here, so I feel optimistic."