Ducati took 'calculated risk' on fuel

Both race winner Casey Stoner and teammate Loris Capirossi ran out of fuel before they returned to parc ferme.

With the new for 2007 800cc engines running more revs with a litre less fuel than under last year's rules, fuel consumption has been a major concern all season, but the only places where bikes have run dry have been Assen and Misano. Motegi is also expected to be a marginal circuit for fuel.

"We tried to use every drop of fuel at every race to give the best to our riders," said Preziosi.

"It is a risk of course. But we decided to do that in Holland, because we made the calculation to finish on the slow down lap. It was a decision, not a fault."

Stoner said he had not been unduly worried about fuel consumption, and was amused by the situation on the slowing down lap.

"You heard Valentino (Rossi) saying yesterday that they were also on the limit with fuel," he said.

"I think everybody this weekend has been pretty damn close. I don't know if it's just the surrounding area causing the bikes to use a little bit extra, but Loris also ran out and I was dragging him back into the pits so my bike was also having to work a bit harder.

"Then 50 metres out of the pit lane I ran out as well, so I think that's quite funny."

The Misano result was Ducati's first MotoGP win in Italy. While Preziosi agreed that this made the result very poignant, he said the most satisfying element of the victory was that it came on a twisty circuit, where the powerful Ducati is not expected to be as strong.

"It's the end of one story that began when Loris got the second place at Mugello in 2003," Preziosi said. "He was very very fast at that time and so close to winning the race, so we expected a lot since then.

"Every race is the same, but to win here at this track is important as the track is not so fast, where the top speed is not so important.

"The bike works well at every circuit, even at Sachsenring where we didn't win, it was still a relatively good result.

"But Qatar was still the best race for me so far this year."