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Gibernau keen to shake off wet jinx
Donington Park, July 02: Sete Gibernau is praying for sunshine at Donington Park as he plots to bury his reputation as MotoGP`s wet-weather specialist.
Donington Park, July 02: Sete Gibernau is praying for sunshine at Donington Park as he plots to bury his reputation as MotoGP's wet-weather specialist.
The Spaniard has registered three grand prix victories this season and is second in the championship standings, 38 points behind Valentino Rossi. But with two of those wins having come in the rain, the latest at the Dutch TT at Assen on Saturday, the Telefonica Movistar Honda rider is wary of being seen as a wet-weather winner.
The next round of the championship takes place in Britain in two weeks' time, and Gibernau is anxious to demonstrate his all-round class.
He said: "Assen was my third GP win of the season and two of them have been in the wet so perhaps, yes, the rain is a good factor for us.
"But in the warm-up session I was second fastest in the dry and that's where we want to be, challenging the top teams and the top riders on dry circuits.
"So I'd prefer it to be dry at Donington rather than wet, I'd love for the sun to shine.
"After Assen we have to be confident of going to Donington and being able to push hard there."
Rossi, meanwhile, remained philosophical about Gibernau's Assen victory. The 24-year-old Italian, who finished third, said: "As far as the championship's concerned, the result at Assen wasn't so bad.
"At the moment Gibernau and Biaggi are my main rivals and although I finished behind them, I only lost nine points overall.
"Now I'm looking forward to Donington and I hope it's dry."
Bureau Report
The Spaniard has registered three grand prix victories this season and is second in the championship standings, 38 points behind Valentino Rossi. But with two of those wins having come in the rain, the latest at the Dutch TT at Assen on Saturday, the Telefonica Movistar Honda rider is wary of being seen as a wet-weather winner.
The next round of the championship takes place in Britain in two weeks' time, and Gibernau is anxious to demonstrate his all-round class.
He said: "Assen was my third GP win of the season and two of them have been in the wet so perhaps, yes, the rain is a good factor for us.
"But in the warm-up session I was second fastest in the dry and that's where we want to be, challenging the top teams and the top riders on dry circuits.
"So I'd prefer it to be dry at Donington rather than wet, I'd love for the sun to shine.
"After Assen we have to be confident of going to Donington and being able to push hard there."
Rossi, meanwhile, remained philosophical about Gibernau's Assen victory. The 24-year-old Italian, who finished third, said: "As far as the championship's concerned, the result at Assen wasn't so bad.
"At the moment Gibernau and Biaggi are my main rivals and although I finished behind them, I only lost nine points overall.
"Now I'm looking forward to Donington and I hope it's dry."
Bureau Report