Le Mans opening day sours home experience for Alice Team

The Alice Grand Prix de France carries high hopes for the Alice Team; it is the home race for both their title sponsor and new 2008 addition Sylvain Guintoli. However, the duo of Guintoli and Toni Elias were left lamenting a lack of pace and unfulfilled expectations after an opening pair of sessions that created problems for the Ducati satellite outfit.

Toni Elias – 17th

`We expected to be faster from the start, but instead we have so many problems. We have improved in the afternoon, but it´s a small step forward that isn´t nearly enough. I hope that we can resolve our problems, both for tomorrow and for Sunday. This is definitely not an easy track for us, and the only thing that we can do is keep on working.´

Sylvain Guintoli – 18th

`Every time that I ride at a new track with the new bike, we´re too far off the front and have to find our own information. In today´s practice we improved more than a second, but we have to progress much quicker. I want to do well in front of my fans, but today´s result is not satisfactory. I hope that with another day of intnse work we can be competitive.´