Official MotoGP test in Jerez

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25.02.07 Eurosport:
Official MotoGP test in Jerez
18:45 :xm only 15 min.

 

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???????????????????

25.02.07 Eurosport:
Official MotoGP test in Jerez
18:45 only 15 min.



25.02.07 Eurosport:
1300hrs live Coverage

 

[KUCIAR666]

eeeeeeeeeeeeee witch eurosport it is??????

 

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Weather ruins first day at Jerez

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP endured a frustrating first day at the Official MotoGP Test in Spain, as heavy showers this morning meant that today�s testing schedule was severely disrupted.

Chris Vermeulen managed to complete a number of wet laps in the morning, but as the track dried out it was too dangerous for either wet or dry tyres and he had to wait for the 4.4km Jerez track to dry out. He managed to get back on track later in the afternoon and set his quickest time during this session.

John Hopkins was present at the test and underwent further physiotherapy as he recovers from the heavy crash he had in Qatar last week. The Anglo-American racer will not participate at this test as he sets his target on being fit for the first round of the MotoGP season � also in Qatar � in two weeks time.

Kousuke Akiyoshi completed 55 laps today as he acquainted himself with the Spanish circuit. Suzuki�s All-Japan Championship rider was appearing at Jerez for the first time as he prepares himself for his race debut here next month.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will have two further days of testing at Jerez, culminating with a 40-minute all-action timed session on Sunday afternoon where the rider with the quickest time will win a BMW car.

Chris Vermeulen:

Yesterday there was a lot of rain here so we started today with a wet track and although it looked like it would dry up more heavy showers made sure that it didn�t. It was pretty good to start with as I was able to get out and do some wet testing and we learnt quite a bit in the wet with both chassis settings and engine mapping. Then the track got too dry for wet testing and not dry enough to get some race tyres on. We sat out and waited till later this afternoon when the track dried out � which seemed to take ages � and some of the other guys started to go a bit quicker. I didn�t feel like there was that much to be learnt as the track was still wet in places. So I kept it upright and just did a few laps to get the feel of the bike. Hopefully we�ll have some good weather tomorrow so we can get a lot more done.�

MotoGP Official Test Day One Classification:

1. Marco Melandri (Honda) 1�42.563: 2. Casey Stoner (Ducati) +0.071: 3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +0.143: 4. Carlos Checa (Honda) +0.643: 5. Alex Barros (Ducati) +0.651: 12. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.489: 21. KOUSUKE AKIYOSHI (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +4.628:

 

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Press Information


Official MotoGP Test Jerez - Day One

Circuito de Jerez de la Frontera 23.02.07: Despite being delayed by poor weather conditions during the first
half of today's test, the team made reasonable progress this afternoon continuing to build on the
developments made last week at the Losail Circuit in Qatar.

It was an interesting day for Jeremy McWilliams as he made his first return to the Spanish circuit in Jerez
since his spectacular crash in November however both Ilmor GP riders focussed on the job in hand clocking
up a total of 50 laps of the 4.42km track.

The team have a lot to do over the next 48 hours - the test this weekend in Jerez is the final run out for
McWilliams and Pitt before March 10th sees Qatar play host to the MotoGP World Championship opener - so
everyone is hoping for drier weather in the coming days to ensure as much track time as possible.

Jeremy McWilliams #99
Laps: 27 Fastest Lap: 1.47.696 Top Speed: 259.2

Andrew Pitt #88
Laps: 33 Fastest Lap: 1.49.365 Top Speed: 259.2


Jeremy McWilliams, Ilmor GP Rider: "The track condition today was awful, it was really wet this morning
and very patchy in places even when it began to dry out which made for dangerous riding. It's too risky to
really go flat out when the surface is so unpredictable. We only really picked up some speed in the final hour
or so today. Dry weather would definitely help tomorrow.

" Even though I crashed here back at the test in November it feels good to be back - in spite of the weather -
I still have a little difficulty getting on and off the bike but riding feels very natural."

Andrew Pitt, Ilmor GP Rider: "It was an interesting day for me today. I was trying out a new engine set-up so
I would have loved to have a dry track to test it properly however even in the poor conditions I can tell that the
changes have made the engine smoother and changed the way the bike turns. It feels different, the throttle
feels better and I'm looking forward to really pushing it over the next couple of days.

Mike Janes, Team Manager: "I think Jeremy did fantastically today given his limited amount of time onboard
the bike since his recovery. With Andrew, the 2007 engine seems to be a positive step in the right direction
although we do have one or two issues to iron out. Both riders have given us some great feedback today and
we have plenty of work to do over the remainder of the test. We have a long way to go still and I'm hoping to
get as much track time as possible with both riders."

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2007
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
23 FEBRUARY 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ADVERSE WEATHER ON OPENING DAY AT JEREZ

It was relaxed return to the track today for the Kawasaki Racing Team and their MotoGP rivals, as a storm yesterday followed by intermittent rain this morning saw most riders opting to await the arrival of better weather and dryer track conditions in their respective pit boxes.

The rain finally stopped mid-morning, after which both Randy de Puniet and Olivier Jacque took the opportunity to test the wet weather balance of their 800cc Ninja ZX-RR machines for the first time, completing a total of fifteen laps between them.

With the skies clear by midday, and an increasing breeze helping to dry out the track surface, de Puniet and Olivier were left with only three hours of track time when they finally got down to testing proper.

Despite the improvement in the weather, track conditions remained unpredictable, so both Kawasaki pilots concentrated on further refining the set-up of their Ninja ZX-RR machines, at a track that differs completely in character to Sepang and Qatar, the only other circuits at which the Kawasaki Racing Team have tested this season.

Although not looking for a fast lap on the opening day, de Puniet managed to complete 33 laps in total, to finish sixth fastest overall with a time of 1'43.315s.

Jacque, now completely recovered from the crash that sidelined him from the recent Qatar test, completed 31 laps during the late afternoon, eventually ending the session 13th fastest with a time of 1'44.659s.

Randy de Puniet: 6th - 40 Laps - Best Lap 1'43.315
"It was a hard session today because of the weather. In the wet my feeling with the bike was quite good. In the afternoon, we had to wait a long time before the track dried out a little and we could try in almost dry conditions. There were some wet patches in a couple of turns, so it made no sense to push too hard. I concentrated on getting used to the circuit and found a base set up to work on for tomorrow. The most important days will be tomorrow and Sunday."

Olivier Jacque: 13th - 39 laps - Best Lap 1'44.659
"Yesterday I was a little bit worried but today I can say that I am almost 100% fit, but certainly recovered from the crash. Due to the bad weather we only had two hours in the afternoon to work and it was important not to rush. It was a long time since I rode here last and coming from two fast circuits, this one is surprisingly small! Anyway, I got used to it quickly and enjoyed riding the bike a lot. For the first day, everything worked all right."

Naoya Kaneko: Technical Manager
"Today, we tested our new machine in wet conditions and the first impressions were quite good. We confirmed that the balance of the machine works well in wet conditions without doing any major changes. We need to be faster but, for being the first time, speed wasn't so bad. In the afternoon session, we were able to try in the dry and we saw many points where we need to improve to get consistent lap times. Our base set up, though, is working here as well, we just need to make some small adjustments."

 

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Final Test Gets Underway for Yamaha at Rain-Hit Jerez

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards started their final pre-season preparations today as the Official MotoGP Test began in Jerez. The Andalusian circuit, which will play host to the second round of the MotoGP World Championship in March, will provide the teams with the last chance to fine-tune their 800cc MotoGP motorcycles before the season gets started in Qatar. After three consecutive races in warmer climes, it was a wet return to European shores this morning when the MotoGP paddock was subjected to a heavy rainstorm and as a result Rossi and Edwards were not able get out on track until the early afternoon. However even after that the low temperatures meant that track failed to dry properly and it remained quite damp in places, causing the Yamaha pair to take it gently throughout the afternoon as they concentrated on trying to find the right set-up ahead of a hopefully drier day tomorrow.


The timesheets were topped today by Honda rider Marco Melandri, who set a time of 1?42.563, a full two seconds off Rossi?s old 990cc lap record, which still stands from 2005. Edwards came in at 11th position with best lap of 1?43.845 with Rossi behind him in 13th after a lap of 1?44.494.


Colin Edwards, Position: 11th Time: 1?43.845 Laps: 38
?Actually that was a really useful day for us, despite the weather! Obviously the times don?t really show it, but I?m not worried about those because the conditions really limited what we could do with regards to going fast. It wasn?t nice out there with the patchy conditions and it was really quite dangerous; it was obvious that whoever took the most risks was going to be fastest today! Anyway, we came here with our ?smooth-track? setting which worked so well in Qatar and tried it here, which is much bumpier. The good thing about today is that we think we now understand why it doesn?t work so well on bumpy tracks and so tomorrow we?re going to work on changing that and getting it to work everywhere. That?s the aim for tomorrow and hopefully we?ll be successful in that task, which will put us in much better stead as far as adjusting the bike to different tracks goes. We were obviously nowhere near our times from December today but we know the bike is better than it was then so I am sure that once the track dries out properly and it gets a bit warmer, we?ll get a lot faster.?


Valentin Rossi Position: 13th Time: 1?44.494 Laps:36
?The most important thing about this test for us is that it gives us the chance to see how our new bike has changed from the test here in December to now. We?ve had three tests in between and the bike has changed quite a bit, plus we?ve had some new parts for the engine and the bike is a bit faster. Today wasn?t great because the conditions were bad, it didn?t really dry out all day so it wasn?t possible to go so fast. Anyway though, I am impressed at some of the times of my rivals in these conditions! I was quite fast at the start when it was quite wet, but really it wasn?t enough to do a real wet-weather test. So after today we still can?t see how much we?ve improved from the last test, but hopefully tomorrow will be better. We?ve found some interesting things though and I think it will be better tomorrow. Of course the objective of this weekend is to be ready for the race when we return here and I hope we will also be able to go faster than we did here in December. The biggest changes since we were here last have been made to the suspension, especially in the front, but today we couldn?t really see the potential of these changes. If it becomes warmer we will also try to find some good tyres for this track, so let?s hope for sunshine!?

Davide Brivio, Team Director
?Today was a bit disappointing because we obviously have a lot of work to get through here and the weather really delayed us, but anyway both riders found out some interesting things about their bikes in these conditions and gathered some good information. We hope that the weather will be better tomorrow so we will be able to see how much our bike has improved since the last test here. It?s a bit cold at this time of year, but hopefully the sun will come out and we will be able to really get started!?

Unofficial Lap Times
1. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 1?42.563
2. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 1?42.634
3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 1?42.706
4. Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda 1?43.206
5. Alex Barros (BRA) Ducati 1?43.214
6. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 1?43.315
7. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 1?43.476
8. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati 1?43.673
9. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 1?43.687
10. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 1?43.817
11. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 1?43.845
12. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 1?44.052
13. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 1?44.494
14. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Kawasaki 1?44.659
15. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Yamaha 1?45.081
16. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Yamaha 1?45.208
17. Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati 1?45.603
18. Shinichi Ito (JPN) Ducati 1?45.826
19. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 1?45.901
20. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team KR 1?45.937
21. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) Suzuki 1?47.191
22. Jeremy McWilliams (IRE) Ilmor 1?47.696
23. Andrew Pitt (AUS) Ilmor 1?49.365

Jerez Lap Record (990cc)
Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 - 1?40.596

Jerez Best Lap (990cc)
Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2006 - 1?39.064

 

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Official MotoGP Test Jerez - Day Two

Circuito de Jerez de la Frontera 24.02.07: Where rain hampered track time yesterday, today it was a heavy mist that delayed the on-track activity at the Andalusian circuit. As soon as visibility was restored and the
damp patches had dried out, Ilmor GP riders Jeremy McWilliams and Andrew Pitt once again took to the track in the hope of clocking up some serious mileage.

Both riders were running in a new engine specification giving the Ilmor GP electronics crew plenty to play with as they adjusted the engine mapping accordingly. And whilst both McWilliams and Pitt experienced an overall
improvement in the bikes performance, there is still a lot of work ahead for the final day of the test tomorrow.

Honda Gresini rider Marco Melandri set the fastest lap time out on track today for a second consecutive day - the Italian rider managed a 1.40.383 lap time with a top speed of 268.7Km/h

Jeremy McWilliams #99
Laps: 26 Fastest Lap: 1.44.458 Top Speed: 267.3Km/h

Andrew Pitt #88
Laps: 57 Fastest Lap: 1.44.589 Top Speed: 264.4Km/h


Jeremy McWilliams, Ilmor GP Rider: "I have mixed emotions - on the one hand, I didn't do enough laps today so I'm disappointed but on the other the new engine is without doubt a step in the right direction. We
had a lot of down time in the garage making adjustments but that's normal with a new engine - frustrating but normal. I'm hoping for much more track time tomorrow."

Andrew Pitt, Ilmor GP Rider: "We had good dry conditions today, so the riding was better. We made good progress particularly on the electronic side. I managed a good long run at one point and clocked up some consistent lap times. I think we're in better shape today."

Mario Illien, Team Principal: "All in all it was a productive day for us. It was a real shame that we couldn't start earlier - we lost out on a lot of time over the past few days due to bad weather conditions. We are not
quite where we want to be time-wise but we have definitely made progress and hopefully that can continue for tomorrow."

 

[KUCIAR666]

Text24/02/07 19:12
Vermeulen carries the flag for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP at Jerez

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer Chris Vermeulen today carried on the detailed testing of the new GSV-R at the second day of the Official MotoGP Test at Jerez in Spain.

Vermeulen conducted numerous chassis setting and tyre tests throughout the day as he assumed the mantle as the Team?s sole test rider in the absence of John Hopkins. Suzuki?s Australian star began a comprehensive tyre test to find the best combination of Bridgestone race tyres in readiness for next month?s race at the 4.4km Jerez track.

Today?s testing was initially delayed due to heavy fog covering the circuit. When the mist finally gave way to bright sunshine Vermeulen began his programme and completed 84 laps. He recorded a quickest time of 1?41.363 to give him 13th place overall. Today?s fastest time was set by Marco Melandri on his Bridgestone-shod Honda.

Kousuke Akiyoshi continued to familiarise himself with the Spanish track as he prepares for his race debut here next month. Suzuki?s All-Japan Championship star also got through a lot of work as he continued with the development of the new 800cc machine. His time of 1?43.610 placed him in 20th position out of the 23 riders participating.

John Hopkins was again present at the circuit continuing his rehabilitation from his crash in Qatar. He worked on some intensive physiotherapy with Team Physio Dean Miller and has also done some physical fitness exercise, including swimming and cycling, as he continues in his quest to be fully fit for the first round of the season in Qatar in two weeks time.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP has one more day of testing at Jerez tomorrow which features a timed 40-minute session at 14.05hrs local time (13.05 GMT), where the rider with the fastest time will win a BMW car.

Chris Vermeulen:

?We tried a lot of things today with mixed results. It was pretty wet when we first went out after the fog had finally gone, and we struggled with grip a bit. I did lots of laps this afternoon and we got through a lot of work, mainly testing chassis and suspension settings. I also did some long runs and tested some tyres for Bridgestone and found something that was very good and a big step forward. I am looking forward to the timed session tomorrow as it will be good to get some competition after all these months of testing.?

Kousuke Akiyoshi:

?I have had a good day today! I would like my time to be better, but it is my first time here so I know it will get better. I have done a lot of laps and am happy to be helping Rizla Suzuki MotoGP in this test. I will be doing more work tomorrow and look forward to getting a good time.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?Despite losing some of the day to the fog it has actually been a very productive day?s testing for us. We have got through a lot of work and although Chris has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders to get through the full test programme - given that John?s injuries are restricting him from riding the bike ? he has taken that on well and pushed it forward. Chris has been through some setting work that is more significant to him rather than John, but more importantly he has begun the tyre testing programme and it looks like we have a clear direction ? both front and rear ? for when we come here for the race next month.

?Akiyoshi san has put himself under a lot of pressure by coming to the final GP test of the year on a track he has never seen before, but he has acquitted himself well and not made any mistakes. With a night?s sleep under his belt I am sure he will come out fresher and a bit faster tomorrow.?

MotoGP Official Test Day Two Classification:

1. Marco Melandri (Honda) 1?40.383: 2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +0.025: 3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +0.198: 4. Alex Hofmann (Ducati) +0.365: 5. Toni Elias (Honda) +0.569: 13. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +0.980: 20. KOUSUKE AKIYOSHI (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +3.227:

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2007
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
24 FEBRUARY 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANOTHER POSITIVE DAY AT JEREZ FOR KAWASAKI

It was another delayed start for the Kawasaki Racing Team this morning as persistent fog at the 4.423 km Jerez circuit meant that, like yesterday, Randy de Puniet and Olivier Jacque were forced to await an improvement in the weather before commencing their planned test schedule.

Once the sun had finally burnt through the mist, de Puniet was straight out on track to continue work on refining the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR, as well as testing a number of different race tyre options from Bridgestone.

The 26-year-old Frenchman was quick to settle into a good rhythm around the tight and technical Jerez circuit, staying close to the top of the timesheet for most of the day. The Kawasaki pilot then completed a race distance run to confirm his race tyre selection, posting consistent lap times throughout.

Late in the afternoon de Puniet switched to a qualifier on the rear of his Ninja ZX-RR, and despite being held up towards the end of his flying lap, it was on this tyre that the Kawasaki pilot set his fastest time of the day, to claim eighth position on the final timesheet.

For Olivier Jacque and his crew, today's test provided yet another opportunity to further the development of Kawasaki's new 800cc MotoGP racer. Working with just one bike, after his number one machine suffered a mechanical problem early on in the session, the 33-year-old former World Champion worked his way through an intensive test and evaluation programme with Kawasaki's development engineers.

Tomorrow the Kawasaki pilot will put aside his development responsibilities to concentrate fully on the annual televised qualifying shoot-out, which will be the highlight of this last pre-season test. Jacque goes into tomorrow's final day of testing in confident mood, and is looking forward to taking part in his first MotoGP timed session since his last race appearance for Kawasaki in 2005.

Randy de Puniet: 8th - 83 Laps - Best Lap 1'41.151
"It was a long but interesting day. We found a good base set up on the bike, and we've also identified some options on race tyres for this circuit. I was happy with my lap times today; the speed was good, but so was the consistency, and this is important. The race simulation was my best so far in the run up to the new season, but I still think there is room for further improvement tomorrow. I tried a qualifier late in the session, on which I set my fastest lap, but I was slowed by another rider, so I know I can go faster here. Anyway, the performance of the bike on race tyres is more important, and I'm happy with what we've achieved today. Tomorrow we will focus on set-up for the qualifying session; sure I'd like to win the car, but I guess I won't be the only one out there with the same idea!"

Olivier Jacque: 15th - 62 laps - Best Lap 1'41.777
"The characteristics of the Jerez circuit are very different to those of Sepang and Qatar where we've tested previously, and this means that we're experiencing some problems we've not had up to now. My feeling is that, at this track and on the gearing we ran today, the power delivery is a little bit too aggressive. This makes it difficult to find traction out of the turns, and it's also making the bike more prone to lifting the front wheel under acceleration. However, we know what changes we need to make for tomorrow; it just wasn't possible to make them today because we had some problems with my number one bike and we didn't want to lose out on track time while we made the necessary changes to my spare machine. Tomorrow I need to switch from development to race mode for the qualifying session. I need to stop being so analytical on track and, instead, concentrate on finding a good rhythm on the bike in the morning, before switching to a qualifying tyre for the timed session. Today was hard, but we learnt a lot and I hope this will work to our advantage tomorrow."

Naoya Kaneko: Technical Manager
"Once the track had dried completely this afternoon both riders were able to work their way through our planned test programme, and the lap times improved with every track session. More track time today meant that we were able to evaluate several different race tyre options, and Randy's times and consistency during his race simulation show that we've made some progress in this area. Tomorrow we will focus on further refining the set-up, ahead of the first timed session of the new season. There is still some work to do, but we know we are working in the right direction and I'm confident that we will see further improvements before this final test concludes tomorrow afternoon."

 

[KUCIAR666]

Promising day for Rossi and Edwards after foggy start in Jerez

Following yesterday?s heavy rain, thick fog delayed the start of the second day of testing in Jerez this morning before giving way to sunshine and a dry track, providing the Yamaha Factory Team with the chance to get some important work under their belts. Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards both focused on general set-up work today and were pleased to see good improvements to the performance of their 800cc Yamahas since their last test here in November. Rossi and Edwards were consistently fast throughout the day, with Rossi topping the time sheets until the last stages of the session before being overtaken by Marco Melandri (Honda), who set the day?s best lap in a time of 1?40.383. Rossi finished just behind him in a time of 1?40.408, under the existing 990cc lap record, which he himself set in 2005. Edwards, having been in the top three for most of the day, also slipped down the order at the end as several riders opted to try qualifying tyres ahead of tomorrow?s 40 minute timed ?qualifying? shoot-out, which begins at 1405 CET.

Valentino Rossi (2nd, 1?40.408, 65 Laps)
?Today was a very good day for us and we?ve done some great work. After today we?re happy because we can understand that we did a great job when we were here in November. We started with the same setting and the bike was fast straight away, then afterwards we tried a new setting from January and February, with the suspension and other things, and it felt even better. I had a great feeling with the front and also with the rear, and I had a lot of confidence with my bike. The balance was good under acceleration and I was able to go fast and in a good rhythm. Tomorrow we?ve got some more things to try and also some more tyres from Michelin, so we hope to make even more improvements. We?ll also get the chance to try a qualifying tyre and to see how we go against our rivals in the ?qualifying? session, which will be interesting. So anyway, we?ve got another day and some more work to do, but the situation is already good and I am feeling happy.?


Colin Edwards (9th, 1?41.204, 69 Laps)
?Today we started where we left off yesterday, trying to work out how to adapt the good setting from Qatar to this track. We figured a few things out in the morning and kept on making progress and actually what we?ve found is quite a long way from the Qatar setting and also from the old setting we used here, but anyway it works great! It felt good all day and I was doing consistently quick times, before we put in our ?first-choice? tyre from Qatar near the end and then it felt really fantastic. It really is a great tyre, so hopefully Michelin will have lots of those for me this season! I was right up there on the time sheets until the end when a few people put qualifiers in, but that wasn?t on our agenda today and we?ll have a go at that tomorrow. Of course there?s the competition tomorrow and it?s definitely the day to make a statement, so we?ll see how it goes!

Davide Brivio ? Team Director
?Today we did a great job with Valentino, we found a very good balance and a good setting and he was able to be fast from his first lap and always at the top, until the very end. It was also a good day for Colin and he was also fast throughout. Tomorrow is our last day of testing before the championship starts so it?s very important, then we also have the competition in the afternoon. We?re in good shape with both riders so it should be an interesting day.?

Lap Times:
1. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 1?40.383
2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 1?40.408
3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 1?40.581
4. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati 1?40.748
5. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 1?40.952
6. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 1?41.071
7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda 1?41.096
8. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 1?41.151
9. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 1?41.204
10. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Yamaha 1?41.234
11. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 1?41.259
12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 1?41.269
13. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 1?41.363
14. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 1?41.590
15. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Kawasaki 1?41.777
16. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team KR 1?41.783
17. Alex Barros (BRA) Ducati 1?41.845
18. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Yamaha 1?42.364
19. Shinichi Ito (JPN) Ducati 1?43.209
20. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) Suzuki 1?43.610
21. Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati 1?44.143
22. Jeremy McWilliams (IRE) Ilmor 1?44.458
23. Andrew Pitt (AUS) Ilmor 1?44.589

Jerez Lap Record (990cc): Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 ? 1?40.596
Jerez Best Lap (990cc): Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2006 ? 1?39.064

 

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FP 3
1. Valentino Rossi 1?39?363
2. Colin Edwards 1?39?799
3. Casey Stoner 1?40?011
4. Loris Capirossi 1?40?125
5. Nicky Hayden 1?40?315
6. Chris Vermeulen 1?40?615
7. Shinya Nakano 1?40?723
8. Dani Pedrosa 1?41?001
9. Carlos Checa 1?41?290
10. Marco Melandri 1?41?520
11. Toni Elias 1?41?549
12. Randy De Puniet 1?41?713
13. Alex Barros 1?41?770
14. Alex Hofmann 1?41?778
15. Keny Roberts 1?41?818

 

[KUCIAR666]

Official MotoGP Test Jerez - Day Three

Circuito de Jerez de la Frontera 25.02.07: The day started well for both Ilmor GP riders once the mist had lifted at the Jerez Circuit. McWilliams and Pitt continued to make progress with the new 2007 Ilmor GP engine specification with both riders clocking up good lap times however things didn't quite go so smoothly during the official timed session - Pitt suffered delays due to a malfunctioning fuel pump and McWilliams was hampered by a problem with his new faring.

During the afternoon session the problems with Pitt's fuel pump cut his testing time short but despite this and the delays both Ilmor GP riders noticed continued improvement with the new engine set-up.

As the team prepares to head out to the Middle East for the World Championship opener in Qatar, the mood remains positive and focussed.

Italian rider Valentino Rossi gave the media something to talk about as he celebrated winning a BMW Z4 in front of the 29,000 fans gathered at the Spanish circuit - the seven time World Champion won the car after
clocking up the fastest lap time during the official 40 minute timed session and shortly after being presented with it he jumped onto the roof in front of the cheering crowd. His winning lap time 1.38.394 beats his previous
qualifying record of 1.39.064.

Timings for the Official 40 minute Practice Session

Andrew Pitt #88
Laps: 14 Fastest Lap: 1.43.026 Top Speed: 260.4

Jeremy McWilliams #99
Laps: 9 Fastest Lap: 1.43.202 Top Speed: 266.4

Andrew Pitt, Ilmor GP Rider: "We made good progress this morning - we tried out the qualifying tyres and it felt good - we are definitely continuing to make positive developments. We made some small steps forward
with the throttle pick-up which has been an issue previously. It has been great to have Mario here - he's good for morale and we made some great progress on the electronics side of things, he and his team are able to
quickly pinpoint any issues. To be honest, I think we were unlucky in the timed session, I did my best time today and we had a new front tyre which was performing well - I'm sure we could have taken at least another
half a second off our best time today."

Jeremy McWilliams, Ilmor GP Rider: "I was a little disappointed by the timed session today - we had a minor technical issue but once that was sorted I managed to put in some good consistent laps. We have
definitely made some steps in the right direction ahead of Qatar. Ideally I would like another test but unfortunately time won't allow us that privilege. On the whole, things are looking positive."

Mario Illien, Team Principal: "I'm pleased with the developments we made this morning - we made some strong steps forward however, everything went a little pear shaped during the official timed session - we had
problems with Andrew's fuel pump and things didn't go as smoothly as we expected. On the plus side, we did improve our lap time with the help of qualifying tyres.

 

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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2007
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
25 FEBRUARY 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOP FIVE FOR DE PUNIET AT THE FIRST MOTOGP OFFICIAL CHALLENGE



Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet brought to an end the final pre-season test in fine style this afternoon, as he took a hard-fought fifth place during the annual 40-minute televised qualifying shootout at Jerez.

The 26-year-old Frenchman has been consistently in the top ten on the timesheet throughout the three-day IRTA test on race tyres, but despite finishing the timed qualifying session as the top Bridgestone rider today, de Puniet was convinced he could have gone faster had he not hit a false neutral on his final flying lap.

The Kawasaki pilot had planned to run with a fourth qualifying tyre late in the session, but a light rain shower with just five minutes left to run meant that he was unable to improve upon his previous best time.

After concentrating on refining the balance and set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR during the first two days of the final pre-season test, Olivier Jacque finally got to try a qualifying tyre on his 800cc Kawasaki during this afternoon's timed practice.

Surprised by the difference in available grip compared to the race tyres, Jacque was unable to use the first qualifier to maximum advantage, but with his second super sticky rear tyre fitted the Frenchman managed to reduce his lap time by a second.

With a better understanding of the performance of the Bridgestone qualifying tyres, Jacque headed out on a third qualifier, but was forced to abandon his lap after seeing spots of rain on his visor and screen.

First and second place on the timesheet for de Puniet and Jacque during this afternoon's final free practice session confirmed the potential of Kawasaki's Ninja ZX-RR, although both riders know that there is still some work to be done ahead of the opening race of the season, which will take place in Qatar on 10 March.

Randy de Puniet: 5th - 16 Qualifying Laps - Best Lap 1'39.832
"I am a little bit upset, not with the position I got at the official practice, but with my lap time. I improved with every qualifying tyre I tried, but in my last lap I hit a false neutral in the gearbox and that lost me some time. It also started to rain, but I just closed my eyes and pushed hard until the end. I'm sure that without the mistake I would have been into the low 1'39s bracket. Overall I am satisfied with the job we did during the session and these three days of testing. We made some changes to suspension settings and my feeling was much better this morning. Today the engine was smoother and this is important for race distance. I can't wait to arrive in Qatar for the first round."

Olivier Jacque: 15th - 12 Qualifying laps - Best Lap 1'40.551
"This afternoon's timed session was the first time I've tested the qualifying tyres from Bridgestone. I was surprised at just how much more grip they offer compared to the race tyres, which meant I didn't get the best from the rear qualifier first time out. On the second tyre my lap time was a second quicker and I'm confident I'd have been able to improve again with the third soft tyre, but then I noticed rain on my visor, so I abandoned the last flying lap and returned to the pits. Now I realise I could have carried on, but I wasn't sure how heavy the rain was at different parts of the circuit and there was no reason to risk everything for a fast time so close to the start of the season. Anyway, overall I'm pretty satisfied because I'm not so far off the top five. The bike definitely felt better today and the extra grip of the qualifiers helped to overcome some of the set-up issues we've had. The balance is still not perfect, but most important is that we've seen an improvement day by day."

Ichiro Yoda: Racing Director
"Our assessment of these tests is very positive, as we proved our potential. Randy and Olivier showed it in the first sessions and during the official timed practice this afternoon, even though they still don't get on well with the qualifying tyres, and confirmed it in the afternoon. Compared with the last tests in Qatar we have done a step forward with the tyres, as we are sure now about the choice for the race. However, we need to improve the engine performance in order to gain some top speed and to get a friendlier power delivery. I'm satisfied with our riders' job so far, but I have already let them know our expectations for Qatar."

 

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25/02/07 16:41
Vermeulen eighth in timed shoot-out

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer Chris Vermeulen recorded his fastest-ever lap around the Jerez circuit today during this afternoon?s 40-minute timed session.

Suzuki?s Australian rider utilised the session to full extent as he tested Bridgestone?s qualifying tyres for the first time on the Suzuki GSV-R800. He consistently improved on his times throughout the 40-miutes and set a quickest time of 1?40.043, and compiled lots of important data on the latest generation of tyres.

Vermeulen continued with his comprehensive test schedule during the rest of the day, which included a long run on Bridgestone race tyres, as the team gathered as much information as they could in preparation for next month?s race here in Jerez.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Team Test Rider Kousuke Akiyoshi didn?t have a very happy timed session as he was left sitting on the track after a high-side crash on his 10th lap. He was unhurt but unable to re-join the other riders and had to settle for 18th quickest. He also completed a detailed test day as he gets ready for his race debut at the Spanish circuit next month.

John Hopkins was able to get on track today, but only for the MotoGP riders? group photo. The Anglo-American star is making good progress with his rehabilitation following his high-speed crash at Qatar last week. He is well on course for a full recovery and will take his place on the grid for the season opener also in Qatar.

Over 29,000 spectators came to Jerez to watch today?s final day of pre-season testing, and witnessed former World Champion Valentino Rossi set the fastest time on his factory Yamaha to win a BMW car.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will next be in action at the first round of the 2007 MotoGP World Championship at Losail in Qatar on Saturday 10th March. This is the first race of an 18 event series that will finish at Valencia, Spain in November.



Chris Vermeulen:

?I haven?t used qualifiers all winter on the 800 so it was a good session for me, as I got to learn a lot about them. I used five rear qualifying tyres in the whole 40 minutes so we made full use of it. We tried four different compounds and constructions, and we got a lot of information for Bridgestone. It was quite difficult during the session as there were some spots of rain and I actually pulled in on one of my laps as there was quite a bit of rain on one of the corners and I didn?t want to risk anything. It?s the quickest lap I?ve ever done at Jerez, quicker than my qualifying here last year, so it shows we are making progress and with a clear lap I am sure I could go even quicker! Although we have learned a lot from the qualifiers our main focus is still to get the best tyre we can to do 27 quick laps in the race!?

Kousuke Akiyoshi:

?I am very disappointed to crash. I was getting quicker all the time and I am sure I would have done better. I had a high-side on the second corner and wasn?t able to get back out again in the timed session. I have done lots of testing and learnt the track and I am looking forward to coming back here for the race.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?Today?s timed session was a great opportunity to see all the MotoGP riders riding at 100% and pushing their abilities to the maximum. More importantly for us it helped us verify a qualifying tyre choice, not only for here but the general direction for the season. Chris performed strongly and dependably today, lapping at just over 0.1 of a second away from the fastest Bridgestone rider and finishing in the top-eight is not a bad result at all. We also got through some good testing today with consistently good results. Everything we have done here this week will certainly help both Chris and John when the season starts at Qatar in two weeks time.?

MotoGP Official Test Timed Practice Classification:

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1?38.394: 2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +0.133: 3. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) +0.906: 4. Nicky Hayden (Honda) +1.162: 5. Randy De Puniet (Kawasaki) +1.438: 8. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKII MOTOGP) +1.649: 18. KOUSUKE AKIYOSHI (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +3.411:

 

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Sunday Feb 25 2007
MotoGP Official Test - Jerez - Day 3

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN WRAP UP WINTER TESTING

Ducati Marlboro Team men Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi completed their winter testing schedule at Jerez today, ending this final three-day session sixth and seventh quickest, separated by just 0.014 seconds.
Both riders rode their fastest laps on qualifying tyres during this afternoon's 40-minute session, watched by almost 30,000 fans who flocked to the Jerez circuit for a first glimpse of MotoGP's new 800cc machines.
During the rest of the day they focused on race set-up and race tyres. Stoner fell during the final few minutes, taking a knock on the head which left him with concussion and blurred vision in his left eye. Although MotoGP medic Dr Claudio Costa didn't believe the injuries to be serious he recommended the team take Stoner to Cadiz hospital for a precautionary CAT scan which showed no signs of any problems.


Casey Stoner, Laps 35- 6th fastest - 1m 39.873s

"The day started out pretty good, we were making the right choices with set-up. After the dash for the car we tried a race simulation and that didn't go too well, I had a little bit of a glitch in the engine so I had to pull in. After that we tried going out with a different rear tyre which we couldn't get to work and I had a crash at the end. I don't usually like to go out on the track after 5.30, but I wasn't pushing hard, unfortunately it broke away on me quite quickly. Now we need to regroup and go in a different direction for the race here. This has been our worst test for a long time now which isn't too bad because the past couple of days and this morning we had been going well. If this is the worst it's going to be then I'm quite happy with that. I was reasonably happy with the qualifying session, I wasn't aiming at the car. We were there to test some qualifying tyres and I had a really good feeling and sensation with them, so I think the more I ride on them and the better setting we get, the further we can push ourselves up the grid. Now I'm looking forward to going racing - we've been waiting for that for a long time."

Loris Capirossi, 41 laps - 7th fastest - 1m 39.887s

"The important thing is that this morning we found the right direction to solve the set-up problems we experienced yesterday. Now we are happy enough with our race pace - we can lap in the low one minute 41s and that's not so bad - so we have achieved a good target. We knew that the situation with qualifying tyres could be a bit more difficult and, even though we've made some progress, it's clear that we need to continue working with Bridgestone in this area to be fully competitive, because at the moment we suffer a lot at tracks without a lot of grip. Another thing that will be difficult at the start of the season is dealing with the new tyre regulations which give us a limited number of tyres at each race, but that's the same for everyone."


Jerez Official Record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha - 2005), 1'40.596
Jerez Pole Record: Loris Capirossi (Ducati - 2006), 1'39.064

Temperature: Air 19� - Ground 34�

Official Session Sunday, 25th February:

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1'38.394
2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 1'38.527
3. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) 1'39.300
4. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 1'39.556
5. Randy De Puniet (Kawasaki) 1'39.832
6. Casey Stoner (Ducati) 1'39.873
7. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 1'39.887
8. Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) 1'40.043
9. Kenny Roberts ( KR - Honda) 1'40.083
10. Carlos Checa ( Honda) 1'40.100
11. Toni Elias ( Honda) 1'40.202
12. Shinya Nakano (Honda) 1'40.242
13. Makoto Tamada (Yamaha) 1'40.307
14. Marco Melandri (Honda) 1'40.396
15. Oliver Jacque (Kawasaki) 1'40.551
16. Alex Hofmann (Ducati) 1'40.681
17. Alex Barros ( Ducati) 1'41.038
18. Kousuke Akiyoshi (Suzuki) 1'41.805
19. Sylvain Guintoli (Yamaha) 1'42.215
20. Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati) 1.43.008
21. Andrew Pitt (Ilmor) 1'43.026
22. Shinichi Ito (Ducati) 1'43.073
23. Jeremy McWilliams (Ilmor) 1'43.202

 

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THE GRESINI HONDA RIDERS LOOK CONFIDENT TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

The third and last day of testing at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain was extremely useful to collect important data in order to be ready for the first round of the 2007 Motogp World Championship, that will take place in Qatar on the 10th of March.

The Gresini Honda riders worked on set up and tyre testing before focusing on qualifying tyres in the 40 minutes of Official practices in the early afternoon.

TONI ELIAS (11?, 1?40?202, 44 laps in total): ?We are struggling a bit because we need to adjust the bike to the new tyres so we need to work a lot on suspension and chassis. All in all, I?m confident because the Bridgestone technicians are working very hard and the team is doing a great job?.


MARCO MELANDRI (14?, 1?40?396, 44 laps in total): ?It was a difficult day but this 3 day testing session very important to collect data and understand many things about the bike. This afternoon I also made a race simulation and we improved the race rhythm. We need to make a step forward with the qualifying tyre but I?m confident that the Bridgestone technicians will do their best. I?m confident because I trust a lot my team and our partners?.

 

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Rossi ready to race after masterful performance in Jerez

Valentino Rossi ended his pre-season preparations in fine style today after taking top honours in the traditional 40-minute ?Qualifying? Practice session at Jerez, smashing last year?s pole time and becoming the fastest man ever round the Spanish circuit in the process. There was double satisfaction for Yamaha as Rossi?s team-mate Colin Edwards, who took this same accolade in treacherously wet conditions at Catalunya last year, finished the session third.

After a one-two in this morning?s free practice, Rossi and Edwards were feeling confident for this afternoon?s timed shoot-out and with several qualifying tyres each to try during the session, had plenty of chances to see what their 800cc Yamahas could do under pressure. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) took an early lead before Dani Pedrosa (Honda) took control with just over half the session gone. Rossi soon joined him at the top and an exciting battle ensued between the Italian and the Spaniard as they swapped the lead several times over the last twenty minutes, with Edwards remaining in close contention throughout. In the closing stages of the session Rossi produced a perfect lap to set an outstanding time of 1?38.394, almost seven-tenths of a second faster than Capirossi?s pole time from 2006. Pedrosa was unable to find an answer despite crossing the line seconds before the chequered flag and mounting a last-gasp effort to usurp Rossi from the top spot.

Today?s result marks the end of a long but satisfying pre-season testing campaign for the Yamaha Factory Team, who leave Jerez in good shape and high spirits ahead of the first race of the season in Qatar on 10th March.

Valentino Rossi (1st, 1?38.394, 17 Laps)
?After this morning, when my Yamaha worked very well, I knew that I had a chance to try to win this competition. However I knew it was going to be a hard fight as well and I definitely expected Pedrosa to be as strong as he was. It was a fun battle with him, the first real one of the year! Anyway with every qualifying tyre I tried it felt better and better and I was able to go faster; in the end my time was fantastic and my Yamaha really flew! The most important thing about this is that it shows what great work we?ve done over the winter, everyone has tried so hard and this is a nice way to say thank you to them all. This new bike is working really well with the new tyres, both with race and qualifying tyres, so this is very important too and I would like to say thank you to Michelin. It was fun to see just how far I can push this new bike and it has answered me brilliantly, I felt very confident in my Yamaha today and I was able to ride it on the limit. Colin was also very fast so this once again shows how well our bike is working. Of course this isn?t even the first race and now we have to wait until Qatar, but we?re definitely in good shape and I am excited about the season ahead!?



Colin Edwards (3rd, 1?39.300, 16 Laps)
?That was good fun today! This morning everything really came together for both Valentino and I and we knew that we were going to be able to push hard this afternoon. The Michelin qualifiers worked great and, after some of the problems we had last year, that?s a massive relief for us. I had a few more issues than Valentino in the timed session, nothing serious but our setting wasn?t quite the same as his and I wasn?t able to match his pace, but we know what we need to work on and anyway we were still in the top three and pretty fast. Honestly both Valentino and I are just so happy with everything, it all seems to work and it seems all the effort over the winter has paid off this time! It?s good to have finally finished testing and to be leaving here on such a high note; it gives everyone that extra kick for the first race. I can?t wait to finally get to Qatar now and start racing!?

Davide Brivio - Team Director
?This is only an appetiser before the real racing begins, but anyway it?s always nice to win this competition for the third time in four years and it gives everyone real confidence for the first race. The fact that Valentino was on top and Colin third is really great and it?s especially important that it?s happened here at Jerez, where we struggled quite a bit last year. This is very satisfying for everyone and it shows we?ve worked very well in the right direction throughout winter testing. Of course the race is a different story, so now we will focus on Qatar and hope it goes well for us there too.?

Lap Times
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 1'38.394
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 1'38.527
3. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 1'39.300
4. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 1'39.556
5. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 1'39.832
6. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 1'39.873
7. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 1'39.887
8. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 1'40.043
9. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team KR 1'40.083
10. Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda 1'40.100
11. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 1'40.202
12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 1'40.242
13. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Yamaha 1'40.307
14. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 1'40.396
15. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Kawasaki 1'40.551
16. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati 1'40.681
17. Alex Barros (BRA) Ducati 1'41.038
18. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) Suzuki 1'41.805
19. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Yamaha 1'42.215
20. Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati 1'43.008
21. Andrew Pitt (AUS) Ilmor 1'43.026
22. Shinichi Ito (JPN) Ducati 1'43.073
23. Jeremy McWilliams (IRE) Ilmor 1'43.202

Jerez Lap Record (990cc): Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 ? 1?40.596
Jerez Best Lap (800cc): Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2007 ? 1?38.394

 

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Pictures from IRTA test in Jerez
Photos