Capirossi fixed on step up and Bautista feels fitness improvement

Loris Capirossi and Álvaro Bautista will both be targeting a strong display in the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM this weekend as the veteran looks to bounce back from successive crashes in the last two races, with his rookie team-mate eager to overcome the shoulder injury that prevented him from racing last time out at Le Mans.

For Capirossi, who is still in search of his 100th Grand Prix podium finish, his home GP is the perfect setting to launch his campaign and after getting close to the top three in last season’s race the Rizla Suzuki rider is keen to score his first notable result of 2010.

“I am still very disappointed and angry about what happened at Le Mans and Jerez, but that is in the past now and we can’t change that. We can change what will happen in the future and we’ll certainly be trying to do that,” said a determined Capirossi.

“Mugello is a good place to start a strong comeback and I’ll be trying as hard as I can to get the season off the ground,” he continued. “It is a track I love and I know I can go well there. I have a lot of fans and friends who will all be at the track and I will be giving it everything to give them a good result, but most of all we need a good result for the guys in the crew. They have done a great job this year and the bike is much better than 2009, we now need to start getting the results to show that!”

Bautista will be riding at the Italian circuit as a premier class rider for the first time, and has had extra time to recover from his broke collarbone. The Spaniard has a strong record at Mugello from his three seasons as a 250cc rider, having twice started from pole position and he tasted victory in the 2007 race.

“I am feeling a little bit better and I am getting stronger every day. I still have some bruising around my ribs, but that is starting to ease now,” explained the 25 year-old. “I am training to get myself up to fitness in time for Mugello. I think I am about 95% now, but it is that extra 5% that will be the hard bit, so I know I’ve still got a bit of work to do.”

Bautista added: “Mugello is a great track and I have had some good results there and we need to start getting some points, I’ve only finished one MotoGP race and feel like I haven’t really got going yet, so let’s look to Mugello as the start of better things to come.”