Sepang Tests 2006 (2)

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MARCO SIGNS THE FASTEST TIME

The Fortuna Honda riders are back at work for the third round of test in preparation on the 2006 season. There is no doubt that this three-day test session will be very important to confirm the work done so far. The teams have in fact all the reference data on this track as they tested here with the new bike at the end of January. The first day of testing was characterized by hot temperatures in the morning and a light rain in the afternoon that forced the riders to stop in the garage. They could go back on track for only a short time before 06.00 p.m.. A crash without consequences in the morning didn?t stop Fortuna Honda rider Marco Melandri to continue working in the afternoon, signing today?s fastest time (2?01?65). In total, the Italian rider completed 74 laps. His team mate Toni Elias continued to do experience with the RC211V. The young Spanish rider still needs to do as many kilometres as possible in order to feel more comfortable on the bike. Only at the time he can start pushing in order to improve his lap time.


MARCO MELANDRI (74 laps , 2?01?65):

?We still have a lot of work to do on the new bike. The positive point is that I?m quite fast on the single lap whereas we don?t have enough traction to have the rhythm I?d like to have for the race.?

TONI ELIAS (65 laps, 2?03?51):

?I?m not happy. At the moment the feeling with the bike is not the one I?d like to have. I need more time on the bike, I need to run a lot of kilometres and to feel more comfortable. Tomorrow I will start working with Michelin technicians for some tyre testing. I?m confident that this will help me a lot to find a better feeling and to improve my rhythm.

Temperature: 29?-34? the air temperature, 33?-45? the asphalt temperature

UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES

1.M.Melandri (Honda) 2 01 65
2. D.Pedrosa (Honda) 2 01 89
3. C. Edwards (Yamaha) 2 02 00
4. J. Hopkins (Suzuki) 2 02 15
5. V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2 02 20
6. L. Capirossi (Ducati) 2 02 64
7. R.De Puniet (Kawasaki) 2 02 75
8. N. Hayden (Honda) 2 02 86
9. C. Checa (Yamaha) 2 03 40
10. C. Stoner (Honda) 2 03 40
11. T. Elias (Honda) 2.03.51
12. S. Gibernau (Ducati) 2 03 51
13. K. Roberts (KR Honda) 2 03 58
14. M.Tamada (Honda) 2 03 66
15. S. Nakano (Kawasaki) 2 04 02
16. C. Vermeulen (Suzuki) 2 04 10
17. Hofmann Ducati 2 05 40
18. Cardoso Ducati 2 05 81
19. Ellison Yamaha 2 05 90

 

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CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM TEST ? SEPANG, MALAYSIA 14-16/02/06 ? DAY 1

CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM RETURNS TO SEPANG FOR FINAL ?WINTER? TEST

Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards began their
last three-day test in Sepang today, where they rejoined the rest of
the MotoGP grid at the popular Malaysian venue. Fresh from their test
in Qatar last week, Rossi and Edwards concentrated on more valuable
development work with the 2006-spec YZR-M1, both finishing the day in
the top five on the unofficial time sheets.

Focusing almost entirely on ironing out the small vibration problems
they?ve been suffering from, fast lap times were not the aim of the day
for the Yamaha pair. Despite this Rossi and Edwards were on the pace
and well inside lap record time. Edwards was third behind Marco
Melandri (Honda, 2?01.66) and Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2?01.89) with a best
lap of 2?02.00 from 54 laps whilst Rossi, who also completed 54 laps,
was fifth with a time of 2?02.20.

COLIN EDWARDS (2?02.00, 54 Laps)
?It was seriously hot out there today and pretty exhausting! Today we
concentrated on fixing the little bit of chatter we?ve had and played
around with some front fork settings, just trying to dial it in. We
made some good progress and we have a new front-end setting to try in
the morning; we hope that this will be the final key. Honestly we
didn?t really concentrate much on lap times but it seems that they came
anyway, so I?m pretty happy! The bike already feels even better than
it did here in January, the new stuff we have from both Yamaha and
Michelin is great and after Qatar I am feeling really confident,
especially with the front-end. It?s all going well so hopefully we can
make the final steps we need over the next two days.?

VALENTINO ROSSI (2?02.20, 54 Laps)
?Today we worked almost entirely on trying to solve the vibration
problems that we have had. We changed many things, tried various
different settings and collected a lot of important information
throughout the day. Now we are looking forward to using all this
information over the next two days and we are confident that we are
close to fixing the problem. Once we?ve been able to fix it, we will
be able to use this bike to its full potential. Yamaha has done a
great job and the potential of this bike is very high, it?s a big
improvement to last year?s M1 and I am sure that once we?ve solved this
one remaining issue, things will be very good.?

DAVIDE BRIVIO ? CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR
?Of course fixing this vibration is now our main focus and today we
worked a lot with the entire team to try to find the right way forward.
We had great cooperation between the two riders and both crews,
exchanging information and experience and this is very important for
the team?s progress. We?ve been working on data collection today and
we will continue tomorrow, trying some new things and gathering more
information to help us. We?ve already done many days testing with this
new bike and mostly it?s going very well, now we have two more days
here to continue with our improvement. ?

 

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DUCATI DESMOSEDICI TAKES TO THE SEPANG TRACK FOR FURTHER
TESTING

A full house of MotoGP riders present in the final winter testing session at the Sepang circuit. Positive day for Loris Capirossi, who continues development work on the Desmosedici GP6, while a minor mechanical problem slows down the work of Sete Gibernau.

The Ducati Marlboro Team returned to Sepang today for a second three-day test session for all the MotoGP teams at the Malaysian circuit before the start of the World Championship.

The day was characterized by suffocating heat in the morning (track temperatures above 50?C) and then disturbed by the rain, which shortly after 4 pm in the afternoon forced everyone back to the pit garages. The light showers were enough to keep the track damp but made any more dry testing time impossible before the closure of the track at 6 pm.

Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau took advantage of the dry weather to continue the development of the new Desmosedici GP6. Both riders have an intense testing programme ahead of them, which also includes the new tyres that Bridgestone have developed with the data accumulated at this circuit at the end of January.

Loris Capirossi (44 laps - 2:02.64)
"I am pretty satisfied with the way things went today" declared Loris. "We continued development work on the bike, concentrating mainly on the set-up to try and obtain the best compromise between agility and stability. We managed to find something good and tomorrow we'll focus on the tyres. The team is working well, and the bike seems to be much improved over last year's machine".

Sete Gibernau (38 laps - 2:03.51)
"Today we had a mechanical problem which ruined almost all the time available" said Sete, whose bike suffered a gearbox glitch. "Just before it began to rain I went out on the second bike which was much better, but then the rain brought the test to a halt. We are here to test, and it's better that the problems emerge here rather than in the race!"
Tomorrow and Thursday, weather permitting, testing for Capirossi and Gibernau will revolve around the chassis, the electronics and the tyres.

 

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Wednesday Feb 15 2006
Testing - Sepang

LORIS CAPIROSSI (DUCATI DESMOSEDICI GP6) MAKES GOOD PROGRESS WITH BRIDGESTONE TYRES IN SEPANG

The Italian rider, satisfied with the progress achieved by Bridgestone, continues the development work on bike set-up, engine and tyres. Sete Gibernau sidelined with a stomach complaint.

After another morning of sunshine, the typical afternoon storms brought an early end to the Ducati Marlboro Team's testing session at the Sepang circuit at about 3.30 pm.

This did not prevent Loris Capirossi from making use of the dry track time to continue the set-up work on his Ducati Desmosedici. On the only track that allows comparative data to be accumulated following the previous test of the GP6 at this circuit, the Italian focussed on power delivery and engine braking set-up. Loris was particularly satisfied with the tyres that Bridgestone has produced on the basis of the indications that emerged during the first Malaysian test in January.

It was a disappointing day on the other hand for his team-mate Sete Gibernau. The Spanish rider, who had a sleepless night due to severe abdominal pains, had to return to the hotel after just a few laps. When he came back to the circuit in the afternoon, he was unable to resume testing activity because of the rain. Just tomorrow's third and final day remains for the new Ducati Marlboro Team rider to complete his testing programme.

Loris Capirossi (50 laps - 2:01.87)
"Today was a really positive day" declared a smiling Loris. "In the morning we worked on the chassis settings, engine management and engine braking and we found an excellent set-up. We also concentrated on testing several new rear tyres. These are a real step forward over the 'standard' tyres (with which Loris won the Malaysian GP - Ed.) and I am pleased with the work carried out by Bridgestone. Tomorrow, thunderstorms permitting, we have scheduled a long-run to verify the duration of the tyres, which already looked good anyway in today's testing."

Sete Gibernau (17 laps - 2:02.87)
"I didn't sleep a wink all night but I wanted to test at all costs so I came to the circuit early" commented Sete. "After a few laps I was feeling really sick and decided to go back and rest in the hotel. At 3 o'clock, I still didn't feel well but returned to the track to try and go out again but it started to rain. It just wasn't my day .. Hopefully tomorrow I'll feel better again because we've got a lot of things to test."

The Ducati Marlboro Team engineers and riders are hoping that the weather will remain good tomorrow for the final day of scheduled testing at the Sepang circuit.

Temperatures: air 30?- 34? / track 36?- 53? C

1. Shinya Nakano ? Kawasaki Racing 2?01.08 ? 32
2. Loris Capirossi ? Ducati Marlboro 2?01.87 ? 50
3. Valentino Rossi ? Camel Yamaha 2?01.89 ? 47
4. John Hopkins ? Suzuki MotoGP 2?01.90 ? 44
5. Dani Pedrosa ? Repsol Honda 2?01.93 ? 50
6. Carlos Checa ? Yamaha Tech 3 2?02.06 ? 57
7. Colin Edwards ? Camel Yamaha 2?02.20 ? 57
8. Randy de Puniet ? Kawasaki Racing 2?02.37 ? 42
9. Makoto Tamada ? Konica Minolta Honda 2?02.56 ? 51
10. Toni El?as ? Fortuna Honda 2?02.62 ? 41
11. Marco Melandri ? Fortuna Honda 2?02.65 ? 38
12. Sete Gibernau ? Ducati Marlboro 2?02.87 ? 17
13. Nicky Hayden ? Repsol Honda 2?02.93 ? 53
14. Kenny Roberts jr. - KR211V 2?02.95 ? 47
15. Chris Vermeulen ? Suzuki MotoGP 2?03.18 ? 46
16. Alex Hofmann ? d?Antin Ducati 2?04.23 ? 25
17- Jose Luis Cardoso ? d?Antin Ducati 2?04.65 ? 29
18. James Ellison ? Yamaha Tech 3 2?04.65 - 29

 

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THE FORTUNA HONDA TEAM CONTINUES WORKING AT SEPANG

Rain continues to spoil the third round of pre-season test session. The second day of testing was characterized in fact by very high temperatures in the morning (with the asphalt temperature reaching 53?C ) and heavy rain in the afternoon. A heavy shower that started to fall around 03.00 p.m. local time interrupted the work of the Fortuna Honda riders. A bad crash at the fast right hand corner before the straight complicated the day to Marco Melandri, that fortunately had no physical consequences. Positive day, on the contrary for the Spaniard Toni Elias who improved his rhythm and started working with Michelin technicians for some tyre testing.


TONI ELIAS (41 laps, 2?02?62):

?I'm satisfied of today's session and it was really a pity that at 03.00 p.m. started to rain and the afternoon test session was completed spoiled. This morning we worked at the balance of the bike as I have some problem at weight distribution. we tested some different solutions and the feeling with the bike improved a lot. Then we started working with Michelin technicians, we tested some tyres and the bike was working well. Thanks to the work done on the weight distribution and tyre testing I could improve my rhythm and I was quite satisfied. It was scheduled to test some new Michelin tyres in the afternoon but I couldn?t because of the heavy rain. Tomorrow we will continue tyre testing, For me it?s very important to work alongside the Michelin technicians, I?m confident that I can improve my pace.?

MARCO MELANDRI (37 laps, 2?02?65):

?It was a bad day for me. This morning I crashed at the fast right hand corner before the straight. I?m ok, I really don?t know why the crash happened. It was strange because I was on the throttle when I went down. We checked the data and according to the telemetry everything is fine. Anyway, it was a really hot day. The bike was working better than yesterday in these extreme hot conditions. Unfortunately, the heavy rain spoiled the afternoon session. Tomorrow we will focus on tyre testing. Michelin has several tyres they want us to test and it will be very important for us to understand how the bike feel with these new tyres.?

 

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Rain shower calls early halt to second day of Sepang test

Malaysia, Sepang
15/2/2006

Work ended early for Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards today when day
two of the Camel Yamaha Team's Sepang Test was cut short by a
mid-afternoon rainstorm. The Team spent the morning working on different settings
and testing tyres with Michelin, looking to eliminate the vibration
that the riders have been experiencing lately, before the rain came down
after lunch. Both riders ventured out in the wet on the 2006-spec M1,
the first time they have been able to see the performance of the new bike
in these conditions, but the track soon started to dry out in patches
and they decided to call it a day after just a few laps.

Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) set the fastest time of the day with a lap of
2'01.80, followed by Loris Capirossi (Ducati, 2'01.87). Rossi, who
celebrates his 27th birthday tomorrow, was close behind him with a time of
2'01.89 after 47 laps, whilst team-mate Edwards completed 57 laps and
set the seventh fastest time with a lap of 2'02.20. The Camel Yamaha
Team has one final day of testing remaining tomorrow.


Valentino Rossi (2'01.89, 47 Laps)
"This morning we did quite a lot of laps and we were quite fast and
consistent, so I was happy. We worked very well with Michelin and with one
or two new tyres that they brought we made some good improvements to
the vibration. Unfortunately in the afternoon it rained and we couldn't
go on as we wished. We made a few laps in the rain just to see how the
new bike was in the wet; we had some new things to try with the
electronic mapping in these conditions, but we needed more time. After a few
laps the track started to dry and then with the conditions half wet and
half dry, we had to stop. Tomorrow we might do a long run and we will
also continue with the work we started today."


Colin Edwards (2'02.20, 57 Laps)
"The weather was a real disappointment today because we had a lot of
work to do and we weren't able to complete as many laps as we had hoped.
Anyway in the morning we concentrated on a new front fork setting and
generally played around, looking for some improvements to the chatter
issue. We didn't have enough time to do everything but we definitely made
some steps in the right direction. We tested a couple of tyres for
Michelin but then the rain came down. We did a few laps in the rain, just
to check some settings and try out a couple of new things for Yamaha,
and everything seemed okay in that area. Tomorrow we're going to get
started nice and early as we've got a lot still to do; I really hope the
weather is better!"


Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director
"Unfortunately the rain stopped us from completing all the work we
wanted to do, but anyway we tried to use these conditions as best we could
to check some things with the new bike. Tomorrow is our final day of
testing in warm conditions before we return to Europe and we have to try
to use all the time we have available to us."

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
16 FEBRUARY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAKANO AND DE PUNIET IMPRESS IN SEPANG

Rain may have disrupted the final overseas test at Malaysia's Sepang circuit, but that didn't stop Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano topping the timesheets aboard his Ninja ZX-RR during the second day of the three-day test.

Nakano spent the first day working on the set-up of the all-new Ninja ZX-RR, before starting the evaluation process on a number of different engine settings and components, developed by Kawasaki engineers in Japan to improve both top end power and driveability of the 990cc, inline four-cylinder motor.

The set-up work paid off on day two, when Nakano set the fastest time of the day using settings that allowed more over rev from the Ninja ZX-RR engine.

Intermittent rain disrupted the final day of testing, with Nakano limited to only 31 laps on a dry track, but despite the interruptions, the Japanese rider was able to complete his planned tyre tests with Bridgestone, with positive results.

Randy de Puniet also spent the first day refining the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR, as well as testing a number of new rear tyres from Kawasaki's tyre partner, Bridgestone.

The French rider, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Tuesday, also managed to improve significantly on his lap time from the previous Sepang test and now heads for the IRTA tests at Catalunya and Jerez confident of further improvements.

The annual IRTA tests will take place at Catalunya from 3 to 5 March, and at Jerez from 10 to 12 March, with the first race of the 2006 season scheduled for 26 March, again at Jerez.

Shinya Nakano #56: 2'01.80 (108 Laps)
"The first day was all about setting the bike up with the new engine components, so we didn't really get a chance to put in any fast laps. On the second day we switched to an engine setting that allowed more over rev and this made the bike a lot easier to ride, allowing me to set the fastest time of the day. The rain during the last two days of the test limited the number of laps we've been able to complete, but despite this we still managed to complete our engine and tyre test programme. The three overseas tests have been very positive for Kawasaki, and now I'm looking forward to travelling to Europe for the IRTA tests at Catalunya and Jerez."

Randy de Puniet #17: 2'02.37 (167 Laps)
"Again, this was a very good test for both me and the team. We have worked through a number of different set-ups, as well as testing a lot of new tyres from Bridgestone, and I feel a lot more comfortable on the bike now. But the real measure is lap times, and I'm happy to say that I managed to improve my lap time compared to the last test here in January. So, this test has been very positive for us, and we head to Europe and the IRTA tests with a good feeling about the bike and the tyres."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"What this year's overseas tests have proved is that the new Ninja ZX-RR is a very competitive package. We have closed the gap on the front-runners compared to previous years, and this is a big motivation factor for the Kawasaki development engineers, the riders and our team. I'm happy with what Shinya and Randy have achieved during this test, especially Shinya posting the fastest time of the day yesterday. Now we need to focus on the IRTA tests at Catalunya and Jerez, where the build up to the season really begins."

Press Release issued by: Kawasaki Racing Team Press Office

 

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1. Loris Capirossi - Ducati Marlboro 2'01.92
2. Valentino Rossi - Camel Yamaha 2'02.06
3. Shinya Nakano - Kawasaki Racing 2'02.20
4. Colin Edwards - Camel Yamaha 2'02.24
5. John Hopkins - Suzuki MotoGP 2'02.34
6. Randy de Puniet - Kawasaki Racing 2'02.47
7. Sete Gibernau - Ducati Marlboro 2'02.65
8. Carlos Checa - Yamaha Tech 3 2'02.66
9. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 2'02.68
10. Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda 2'02.86
11. Makoto Tamada - Konica Minolta Honda 2'02.87
12. Marco Melandri - Fortuna Honda 2'03.00
13. Toni El?as - Fortuna Honda 2'03.64
14. Kenny Roberts jr. - KR211V 2'04.30
15. James Ellison - Yamaha Tech 3 2'05.70

Thursday Feb 16 2006
Testing - Sepang

BAD WEATHER RUINS DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM TESTING SCHEDULE ON FINAL DAY AT SEPANG

A damp track in the morning and rain in the afternoon ruined today's testing schedule for the Borgo Panigale team, which however concluded its winter tests outside Europe with a positive balance and with the Desmosedici GP6 already on the pace and well-sorted.

Once again bad weather conditioned today's final day of testing for the Ducati Marlboro Team as it continues with the development programme for the new GP6 in view of the start of the MotoGP World Championship.

A damp surface in the morning kept everyone in the pit garages until 12 o'clock, when the riders went out on a relatively slow track. At about 2 o'clock another shower brought proceedings to a halt until 4 in the afternoon. A further twenty minutes of track time were available before thunder and lightning and a heavy downpour brought an end to the test.

As a result, both Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau were unable to conclude the scheduled programme and complete their long-run with the new Bridgestone tyres.

The test session was particularly unfortunate for Spanish rider Gibernau, who had been sidelined on day 1 by a gearbox problem, and then on day 2 with a stomach complaint.
Things went better for his team-mate Capirossi, who was able to get through a lot of work with his Desmosedici GP6. Loris is clearly satisfied with the bike that he will race this season and is confident he can count on tyres that will be at the same competitive level as his GP6.

Loris Capirossi (29 laps - 2:01.92)
"It was a real shame that today we were unable to do the scheduled long-run. In the morning we found a rear tyre to do the run with, but the rain ruined our plans. During twenty minutes of dry time in the afternoon, I did a 2m01.9s in the three laps available so I'm happy with that. The bike is performing well and the tyres are improving all the time. We'll see how it goes at the IRTA tests in Barcelona and . keep our fingers crossed."

Sete Gibernau (33 laps - 2:02.65)
"These last three days have been pretty unlucky for me: on Tuesday my bike had gearbox problems, yesterday I didn't feel well and today I was still a bit ill and the storms played their part as well. After just a few laps I was really tired and it was tough in this heat. In any case we have seen that that the path we started to follow during the test in Phillip Island is the right one and I'm satisfied with it. We're preparing a good base for the start of the championship: we've still got a lot of work to do and all the problems in this last test session have not given us a hand for sure."

With testing concluded at the Malaysian circuit, the Ducati Marlboro Team will now return home to prepare for the IRTA tests from 3-5 March at Barcelona, the traditional pre-season MotoGP appointment.

Temperatures: air 33?C / track max. 48?C

 

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THE FORTUNA HONDA RIDERS LEAVE SEPANG WITH A POSITIVE FEELING

Despite the changeable weather and track conditions, Marco Melandri and Toni Elias were pleased with the progress made today and ended the three-day test with a positive feeling. The Fortuna Honda riders look forward to the next test session that will take place in Barcelona from the 3rd to the 5th of March.


MARCO MELANDRI (55 laps, 2?03?01):

?Much better today, I think we understand more about the machine after today's test. It was a pity about the rain showers. But because of the weather we tried some different setting solutions and we eliminated several negative things. We also found some interesting front-end settings when we used a new front tyre and we will confirm the results when we get to Barcelona. We also tested the new rear but only for a few laps. I am quite positive about this test and I look forward the Irta Test in Barcelona to confirm the work done, hopefully on dry conditions."

ELIAS (35 laps, 2?03?62):

"When we arrived this morning it was impossible to test because of the rain. This made things difficult because we couldn't try the new tyres, which have a different
profile. It was important to do this because they give the bike a different feeling. However, in respect to the first day of the test we have improved a lot. The next test is at Barcelona and we must have good weather because at Phillip Island and here this week we have found a good direction to work in. But we just did not get in enough dry laps here at Sepang. I am not quite as comfortable as I had hoped to be but I go to the Barcelona test feeling very positive. Barcelona is my home track so I will be comfortable there for sure."

 

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CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM TEST ? MALAYSIA 14-16/02/06 ? SEPANG, DAY 3


MORE RAIN INTERRUPTS CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM TEST ON ROSSI?S BIRTHDAY

Bad weather again today meant that track time for Yamaha duo Valentino
Rossi and Colin Edwards was severely limited on their last day of
testing in Sepang. The riders were unable to complete their planned
long-runs but Rossi, who turned 27 today, made the most of the
inactivity and celebrated with a large birthday cake in the team
garage. Despite the rain the riders declared the test valuable and now
head back to Europe looking forward to the final stages of preparation,
before the first race in Jerez on 26th March.

With track conditions patchy throughout the day, times were slightly
slower across the board than yesterday. Rossi and Edwards only
completed 34 and 28 laps respectively, Rossi setting the second fastest
time of 2?02.06 and Edwards the fourth fastest with a lap of 2?02.33.
Loris Capirossi (Ducati) was quickest in a time of 2?01.92.

The Camel Yamaha Team now return home for a short holiday before they
reconvene at the Montmelo circuit, outside Barcelona, for the Official
MotoGP Tests on 3rd, 4th and 5th March.

VALENTINO ROSSI (2?02.06, 34 Laps)
?27 years is quite a lot and I am definitely getting old, although most
of the time I still feel like I am only 16! Today we couldn?t do much
because of the weather but overall it?s been a very interesting test.
I am especially happy because we have made some good progress to solve
the problem with the vibration. We have some new data now and we
understand better why it?s happening, and how to finally fix it. We?re
not yet at 100% and I think we can go faster, but I am feeling
confident. Before the Jerez GP we might receive a small improvement
for the engine, and hopefully we will have a bit more power. The test
in Barcelona isn?t so important for us but the final one in Jerez is
very useful, as it?s just a week before the first race and the
conditions will be similar. Now we?re close to the start of the season
and it?s already becoming clear who the main challengers will be;
Melandri and Pedrosa especially are looking very fast and it also seems
like Ducati are strong. I think it?s going to be a very exciting year
with some wonderful races!?

COLIN EDWARDS (2?02.33, 28 Laps)
?Today was a bit of a wash-out for me! This morning we only tested a
couple of tyres and then it looked like it might rain, so we decided to
get started on our long run. Unfortunately I only had time for my
warm-up and half a lap before it rained, so that was kind of it for the
day! Anyway it?s been a good test, we?ve learned a lot more about the
bike and we?ve been able to try quite a lot of new things which seem to
make sense. We?re definitely not chasing our tails anymore and the
bike is better than it was on Tuesday when we started; that?s the most
important thing. In general the new bike is great, pretty much
everything is better than last year and now I am just counting down the
days to the start of the season.?

DAVIDE BRIVIO ? CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR
?We have concluded our overseas testing sessions and now we?re going
back to Europe for the final two tests. The conditions in Barcelona
won?t help us so much with the bike development but anyway we will try
to make the most of it. The important test will be Jerez, which will
be the final opportunity for some key preparation before the first
race. At the moment we still have a small problem to solve with
vibration but apart from that everything is going well. Now we have to
work in cooperation with Michelin to find the best combination between
the new bike and the new tyres, because both have great potential.?

 

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The Yamaha Tech 3

The Yamaha Tech 3 outfit again surprised with very competitive times of
Carlos Checa, who seems to have made the chance to Yamaha and Dunlop
effortlessly. Yamaha debutant James Ellison however could not progress on
the strong last day test results he achieved in Qatar. He will need
some time to digest the input of the last tests to recalibrate himself for
the Barcelona IRTA test starting on March 3.


Carlos Checa (2'02.66)
"The times have been really good this week and I am quite happy and
surprised with the progress we have made so far. We didn't know what would
happen coming here after the good first test we made in Qatar and we
were prepared to have some problems, but things have been better than we
expected and I am happy. The new bike is excellent, as I said before,
and now we're starting to understand more about the tyres with Dunlop
and how to work together with what we have. We have tried quite a lot of
new things with Dunlop this week and there are some good improvements;
we have found much better grip here which is helping me to have more
confidence.

"Anyway despite all this and the times we have set, I don't want to be
overconfident or to start to think that things are going to be easy. We
have only done two tests and, although the initial signs are good, we
can't afford to relax. We have a lot of work to do and a long way to go.
The conditions here have been quite strange and now we go to Barcelona,
which is a very different track and with much colder weather. Let's
wait and see what happens there. Of course it's my home track so it's
always nice for me to ride there, but we have a lot of hard work ahead of
us so I won't let anything distract me."


James Ellison (2'05.70)
"This test has really been one that I would like to forget! We started
with the settings we had in Qatar because everything felt good there,
but they were a mile off for this track so we gradually started to go
back to what we had here in January. We got the times back to what they
were then but I couldn't go any faster. My riding style is all wrong for
here, comparing the data with Carlos' it's clear that I am still
carrying way to much corner speed - a hang-over from my Superbike days - and
I am having a real problem to make the change. I need to be running in
fast on the brakes, stopping the bike, turning it and then firing it
out, but it's not easy at this circuit, which I find very difficult. The
encouraging thing is that I have been losing all my time on just three
corners, so if I can crack my corner style, which I know I can, then I
believe I can start to be more in touch with Carlos.

"We've been pretty unlucky with the weather as well. Most of the time I
spent on the old tyres, and then when we put some new stuff in
yesterday it immediately started to rain! Exactly the same thing happened
today; we tried some of the good tyres and the grip was much better straight
away, but then we needed to change the bike at the front and as soon as
we did that it started to rain again.

"Anyway, I think I've just been thinking about everything too much! Now
I am going to go home and spend some time mountain-biking - my second
passion after riding motorcycles and my best form of training. I hope
that I can clear my head a bit and go to Barcelona in a new frame of
mind. I think I just need to just go there, ride the bike, trust in my
ability a little bit and stop trying to think about too many things at
once! I really like Barcelona so I hope it will be a big improvement
there."


Herve Poncharal - Tech 3 Yamaha Team Director
"We are really happy and pleasantly surprised with the performance of
Carlos this week. He was fast in Qatar, but it was only the first test
and we knew that Qatar has always been a good track for Dunlop. We
didn't know what would happen here, since Sepang has always been one of the
more difficult tracks for Dunlop. Anyway, Carlos has been fast all week
and it's looking very promising, we're very pleased with the situation
with him. We certainly didn't expect this level of results that quickly
so well done to Yamaha, Dunlop and Carlos for the work they've done
together in a short space of time.

"With James things have been more difficult and we haven't made as much
progress as we had hoped. He's done a lot of laps but we haven't been
able to find the right way forward for him. This is a difficult track
for him and I think, after three tests here, he needs a break and a
change of scenery. I hope that a bit of time to rest now will help him so
that we can make a new start in Barcelona.

"Overall it's been an important test and once again we've learned a
lot. We also got the chance to do a couple of runs in the rain which was
good. The most important thing is that we're leaving with bikes and
riders in good shape for the tests in Spain and we're looking forward to
the start of the season."

 

[KUCIAR666]

Team SUZUKI MotoGP on the pace at Sepang

Team SUZUKI MotoGP has completed the final pre-season test at Sepang with many positive pointers to take forward into the new season.


John Hopkins was consistently competitive throughout the three day test and his quickest time of 2?01.94 established him firmly amongst the fastest riders. The Anglo-American star conducted more thorough tests on the ever-improving latest generation Bridgestone tyres and worked hard on finding the correct set-up for his new Suzuki GSV-R prototype race bike.


Team-mate Chris Vermeulen continued his impressive form as he adapts to the riding style and technical requirements of a MotoGP racer. The rookie Australian recorded a best time of 2?03.10 which is almost one and a half seconds quicker than his fastest time from his first test at Sepang in November. Vermeulen was unable to complete the final day of testing due to a minor injury to his right shoulder.

Team SUZUKI MotoGP was joined in Sepang by Suzuki?s Racing Department General Manager Masahito Imada, who attended the test and hand-delivered vital new parts to assist in the ongoing development of the new bike.

Team SUZUKI MotoGP will now return to Europe for the Official MotoGP Test at Catalunya from the 3rd to the 5th March. The first round of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship begins at Jerez in Spain on Sunday 26th March.


John Hopkins:


?Everything seems to be going in the right direction at the moment. I?m pleased with my times and that I can keep doing them consistently on the new Bridgestones. We still need that bit more grunt out of corners and down the straightaways but I know Suzuki are working on that and we should hopefully have something when we get to Spain. We lost a bit of time here due to the weather which really frustrated me as I had a good rhythm going and was as quick as anybody out there. I just now want to get racing and show what we can do!?


Chris Vermeulen:


?I?m really getting on well with the Suzuki. Whenever I get on it I?m comfortable and feel like I am able to go quicker each time I ride it. My times are coming down to be more competitive, but at the moment I?m trying to learn as much as I can about the GSV-R and the way it handles, accelerates and performs in different scenarios. I know that each session is important for me as I have to get as much time as possible on the bike, so to miss today due to a shoulder injury is really annoying. I now need to get back on bike and continue my learning process, so the next test can?t come quick enough for me.?


Paul Denning ? Team Manager:


?This has been another encouraging test for all the team. John has been consistently fast throughout the whole three days and has shown maximum commitment to making sure that the GSV-R is the best that it can be. Chris is still improving at a fast rate and his best lap was recorded during the hottest part of the day when the track had very little grip. This shows the potential that he has and the way he is improving himself and the bike setting every time he goes out.


?We are still looking for that extra acceleration and power from the bike and to have Mr Imada at the test was a bonus for us. He can now translate the performance he has seen on the track back to the factory development staff. Hopefully then it will be able to give John and Chris that bit more that they need to finish the package off and make us more competitive ? Suzuki is serious about getting this new bike to its full potential. As it sits, we?re not far away now and John?s been in the top four all week, so roll-on the IRTA tests.?

I don't have a time to attach pictures from Sepang test.....I'm leaving today ....I going to Aberdeen to join my ship ......and I don't know did I will get a chance post more replays from MotoGP and WSBK events due the February and March months......sorry for that :bow: :bow: