`Something inside´ leads Elias to podium

Returning to the MotoGP rostrum for the first time since the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix, Toni Elias was one of the standouts of the Cardion ab Grand Prix Ceske republiky. The Spaniard defied the odds to take second place at Brno, a result that few would have predicted after his having qualified 13th on the grid.

Elias was quick to credit Ducati for their part in his podium comeback, having seen his troubles this season addressed by the addition of some new parts and some personal advice from Desmosedici mastermind Filippo Preziosi. On a personal level, his motivation came from a gut feeling that a top three finish was possible.

`There was something inside me that told me that we could get it. My confidence –even in the hardest moments of the year, when things were really difficult- has always been the same, but now I have something to hang onto where once there was nothing,´ said the Spaniard.

`Thanks to Ducati, who provided us with the new parts since Sachsenring that have really helped out. We could have done the same at Laguna Seca, but for a mistake when I ran off. I am very happy with second here.´

From a more technical aspect, Fabiano Sterlacchini explained some of the updates had been made to the Desmosedici Sat.

`We have a new power delivery system that is used by the factory team now, and for Toni we specifically looked at the ergonomics of the bike. He´s quite a small guy, so things are different for his style.´

Elias famously saved his MotoGP career with his maiden victory at Estoril in 2006, and his latest podium certainly comes at a crucial time for the current Alice Team rider. Sterlacchini described the result´s impact as `quite interesting. We are happy to work with him, and maybe this second place will be repeated as the season goes on.´