LOCATELLI THIRD AFTER BRILLIANT CZECH CHARGE
22 August 2004 - Aprilia

Roberto Locatelli kept his world championship challenge alive today after a stunning ride to third place in a thrilling Czech Republic 125 GP.

The Italian appeared to have no chance of getting close to the podium when he slipped from 25th place on the grid to 30th at the end of a frantic first lap. The former world champion though then set about producing an incredible comeback which culminated in the Safilo Carrera-LCR Aprilia rider finishing just 0.110s behind race winner Jorge Lorenzo.

Locatelli had already clawed his way back into point-scoring contention by the end of lap four when moved into 15th position. After 11 laps he continued to cut a swathe through the field and had moved into the top 10. His relentless charge continued, and with the leading bunch in his sights, he moved to the back of a close scrap involving six riders by the end of lap 15. The 30-year-old only moved into the top three in the nail-biting closing stages, and his delight at such a heroic comeback was evident as he punched the air at the finish line. He said: “I was so far back on the grid it felt like I was starting in Vienna. After the first five laps I could see that the group were not pulling away too fast and it was possible for me to follow and catch them. I have to say this is an incredible podium. I’m absolutely delighted because from my grid position I never expected to be in the top three.” Locatelli’s third place leaves him on 147 points, trailing series leader Andrea Dovizioso by 36-points.

Seedorf Racing Aprilia rider Hector Barbera had produced an equally astonishing ride as he fought back from a lowly 24th place on the grid, but his heroics ended in slightly disappointing fashion as he slumped to seventh on the last lap. Having started so far down, Barbera had reached third place by the end of lap four. He would then go onto lead the race, but while challenging Lorenzo on the last lap, he almost collided with his fellow Spaniard and dropped to fourth. Desperate to claim a podium finish after such a gutsy performance, a mistake in the closing stages saw him lose another three positions. There was also disappointment for pole-setter Marco Simoncelli, who crashed out of the leading bunch on lap three. He remounted to finish 19th.

Today’s result ensured Aprilia maintained a healthy lead in the all-important manufacturer standings. The Noale factory now has 221-points from the opening 10 races of the 2004 campaign.

www.aprilia.com

More News
  For August 2004
  From Aprilia
  For 125
  Biker247.com Home Page