David trying to go faster in Rio

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RIO GRAND PRIX 2003

HARRIS WCM

FINAL QUALIFYING FRIDAY ­ 19TH SEPTEMBER

David de Gea - 23rd 1'53. 373

"I spent half an hour of this afternoons qualifying session in the garage, there were some problems with the clutch. Eventually I got back on the track and finished with about 15 laps in total.

I improved from yesterday and I pushed hard with the last two qualifying tyres at the end of the session. I still know its possible to go faster and I wait for tomorrow to do that."

Chris Burns - 24th 1'54. 667

"I have both the old four stroke (from the Portugal GP) and the new four stroke bike here and we decided that today I would ride the old four stroke for most of the session and race the new four stroke tomorrow. The bikes are totally different, they feel like completely different bikes in both braking and engine power.

I'm struggling a bit switching from one bike to the other but that's the situation I'm in and I'll just try my best. I have 20 minutes in warm up tomorrow to get use to the new bike, which I am riding for the first time this weekend. I'm still getting to know the track having not been here before also. Anyway, tomorrow could be the day I finish my first GP of the Season."

Peter Clifford - Team Manager

"Not a bad day, in as far as both bikes ran strong and we are making progress. Again minor frustration's are keeping us from achieving what we should of done in qualifying today.

Comparing with the last GP in Portugal, it's a touch disappointing but perhaps we¹ll have a better result in the race."