What Team Yamaha Says About Mugello

Max Biaggi 3rd: "I was a bit surprised to find I was third. It was such a hard race. If you were behind someone you just can't see a thing and it forced you to brakeinstinctively. And I was getting wheel spin even in sixth, just like everyone I'm sure.

"I had two big moments as the rain got heavier, losing the front the first time and then the rear, which is when (Alex) Criville and Rossi came by. They were goingvery fast and then Rossi crashed in the same spot I'd lost the front the lap before...

It was so difficult that I was happy with third, for the team and thechampionship."

Carlos Checa DNF: "I could already feel I had a problem on the warm-up lap and the clutch was slipping straight after the start. There was nothing I could do butpull in. It's a shame because I felt confident racing in the wet. I had good tyres, but in the end that meant nothing."

Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3

Shinya Nakano 8th: "It was my first wet race on a 500 and there was a lot to learn. Not only did we have to guess the setup for the wet I also haven't had theopportunity to learn how to do a wet start on such a powerful bike. This was my biggest problem in the race, I was just wheel-spinning off the line. Then for thefirst few laps I didn't really know how hard I could push. Hervé told me to simply treat this as a test rather than a race so I was very surprised to see I waseighth in the end."

Antena 3 Yamaha d'Antin

Norick Abe 9th: "It sounds strange, because I crashed when I could have won the race, but I still feel I rode really well today. Where I lost the front I'd braked inexactly the same place as I had every lap before, but that time it just let go so quickly I didn't have time to catch it. I'm sure I hit a puddle or something but it wasstill my mistake."

José Luis Cardoso 11th: "It was my first ride on the V-four in the wet and I found I had to be smoother than on the bike I rode last year. It meant I had to get arhythm and not be too aggressive. It was also a little difficult to get a perfect setup because we had no base setting for the wet, so we just made everythingsofter.

"The first part I had a good start and my plan was to stay with the second group but they're still just a little too fast for me."

Red Bull Yamaha WCM

Noriyuki Haga 10th: "During the first leg I had some rear chatter coming through the bike, but as the laps wore on it improved and I was feeling really good just asthe rain began. For the wet race I jumped on the second bike, but since I'd never raced in the wet on a 500 before it was a little hard to chose the right suspensionsettings.

"I had a good start in the second leg, and for a while I was fifth. I found the front offered good grip but I was struggling a little with the rear, and that's why Icouldn't stay with them. Given the conditions, and my lack of experience I am happy with the result."