BAD WEATHER CURTAILS FIAT YAMAHA TEAM TEST IN VALENCIA Due to bad weather in Valencia today the Fiat Yamaha Team took the decision to cancel their second day of testing at the Spanish track. 2008 World Champion Valentino Rossi and the season’s leading rookie Jorge Lorenzo will next be in action on 26th November for a two-day test in Jerez, Spain. More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: NICKY HAYDEN FASTEST AT WET VALENCIA After enjoying perfect conditions yesterday, the second and final day of testing at Valencia was badly affected by adverse weather, with intermittent showers leaving the track in a constantly damp state. The riders decided to wait for the majority of the day to see if it relented but at around 15:30, with the asphalt still cold and wet, several of them finally took to the track. Casey Stoner who had set the pace on his GP9 yesterday, opted out and watched from pit-lane as his new team-mate Nicky Hayden made constant progress with the wet setting of the new bike, clocking a fastest lap of 1.48.287. Nicky Hayden – 1’48.287 (20 laps) “I would have preferred to have another dry day today because we still had a lot of things to try with the bike but at least I got chance to get a first feel for it in the wet. We’ve seen with the way the rain has followed us around this season how important it is to have experience in these conditions. to. After my first run I said to myself, “wow, you’re so slow!” But then we made some small changes and I felt better. We haven’t really played around with the setting too much today because at the moment the most important thing is to try and adapt to the bike, the tyres, the team and their way of working and communicating. I have to be careful not to speak too fast or use too much slang! Joking aside, I know I have a lot of hard work to do but I’m ready for it and so is the team. I haven’t asked for too many changes because Casey has already shown what this bike can do and now it’s up to me to do the same.”. Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008) 1’32.582 Pole position: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha – 2006), 1’31.002 Times Tuesday 28th 1. Hayden (Ducati) 1’48.287 (20 Laps) 2. Dovizioso (Honda) 1’48.296 (18) 3. Melandri (Kawasaki) 1’48.786 (26) 4. Canepa (Ducati) 1’49.917 (25) 5. Kallio (Ducati) 1’50.275 (26) 6. Elias (Honda) 1’54.057 (16) 7. Capirossi (Suzuki) 1’57.322 (7) More, from a press release issued by Alice Ducati: VALENCIA TEST ENDS UNDER THE RAIN Fabiano Sterlacchini – Alice Team Technical Director “These two days have been very important for us. Our two young riders, Mika and Niccolo, had the possibility to get to know the bike’s characteristics and the method of work of the Team. For what it concern Mika, it was the first time he tried a MotoGP bike and therefore he had to understand every single detail. Both of them have worked really well and they were able to give us important information at each run. I am very happy, it seems like everything has started in the best way possible.” Niccolo Canepa – Alice Team rider “Today it has been a very important day because during the tests done last year I never had the opportunity to ride under the rain. I found my self very well and I am really trustful. Even if I didn’t push at the maximum, I made it to constantly improve and this is the most positive thing. We couldn’t ride for many laps today due to the weather conditions, but at least we have the first sensations on dry and wet track.” Mika Kallio – Alice Team rider “To be honest, from what I have seen on television and from the rumors I heard, I expected a much more aggressive bike, instead I found it really manageable and easy to move at each turn. My personal impression is that I found much more difference passing from the 125 to the 250. The Desmosedici is a really special bike and I can’t wait to be able to step on the 2009 version.” RESULTS DAY 2 1. Hayden (Ducati) 1:48.287 2. Dovizioso (Honda) 1:48.296 3. Melandri (Kawasaki) 1:48.786 4. Canepa (Alice Team – Ducati) 1:49.917 5. Kallio (Alice Team – Ducati) 1:50.275 6. Elias (Honda) 1:54.057 7. Capirossi (Suzuki) 1:57.322 More, from a press release issued by Honda: Wet weather disrupts MotoGP testing at Valencia Cold wet weather greeted the MotoGP teams and riders on arrival at the Ricardo Tormo circuit today restricting the action to the bare minimum during the planned seven hour available to them. The majority decided there was little to learn in the difficult half wet half dry conditions. Of the six Honda RC212V riders present only Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda, and San Carlo Gresini Honda rider Toni Elias circulated the 4.005km circuit. For Italian Dovizioso, making his debut as a Honda factory rider the wet track time was essential both in terms of machine testing and acquainting himself with the Bridgestone rain tyres he will use in 2009. Dovi waited until heavier rain engulfed the circuit at 15.30. before taking his RCV out of the garage. Making short four or five lap stints he was able to adjust chassis and suspension settings to cope with the conditions setting his fastest time on his last lap of 18. Elias has rejoined the Gresini Honda team for 2009 and was eager to continue testing. The Spaniard put in 22 laps of the circuit evaluating the Honda – Bridgestone wet tyre performance. MotoGP winter testing resumes at the Jerez circuit in Sothern Spain on November 26/27. Honda rider quotes and lap times. Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda: 1m 48.296s – 18 laps. “I’m very happy with my second day of testing. Track conditions were not good today, the track was slippery, neither dry nor fully wet, so we had to wait for heavier rain before testing with rain tyres. We had only one set of tyres available. At the beginning grip wasn’t good, then the team made some changes to the set-up, making consistent improvements. We did four or five runs, improving each time and in the end I did my fastest time on my last lap. We gathered a lot of important data that will be very useful, even in the dry. The new Bridgestone tyres require a completely different setting compared to what’s required with Michelin tyres. I am also very happy with the team’s method of working. I am learning the new bike and new tyres and I’m very excited about this new challenge.” Toni Elias, San Carlo Gresini Honda: 1m 54.057s 22 laps. “Unfortunately today we have been able to ride only 22 laps on the wet track, anyway for us it was important to test to collect data even in wet conditions. I’m happy about these two day of testing because I could feel my first impressions riding both on dry and on wet conditions. Obviously there is still a lot of the work to do to improve even because today, having tested only for an hour, it has been difficult to find immediately the right solutions. Anyway I’m happy with the team and with the bike and I’m looking forward to the next tests in Jerez to continue the development of the bike and to keep on improving because this is only the beginning.” Official practice times. 1. Nicky Hayden (Ducati) 1.48.287 2. Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) 1.48.296 3. Marco Melandri (Kawasaki) 1.48.786 4. Niccolò Canepa (Ducati) 1.49.917 5. Mika Kallio (Ducati) 1.50.275 6. Toni Elias (Honda San Carlo) 1.54.057 7. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) 1.57.322 More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda: DOVIZIOSO MAKES WET-WEATHER DEBUT WITH REPSOL HONDA MotoGP tests, Circuit Ricard Tormo Valencia, Spain Tuesday, October 28 2008 Cold, wet weather dominated the second day of testing at Valencia today, with most riders deciding that there was little to learn in the tricky conditions. Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa was one of those who decided not to test, but his new team-mate Andrea Dovizioso was keen to evaluate Bridgestone rain tyres for the first time. The track was neither dry nor fully wet for much of the day, so Dovizioso waited until 15.30 to begin testing, once heavier rain had made rain tyre testing worthwhile. The Italian rode his RC212V for an hour and a half, gathering plenty of useful information. The Repsol Honda Team’s next outing will be a two-day session at Jerez in southern Spain on November 26/27. MotoGP’s seven-week winter testing moratorium begins on December 1. Andrea Dovizioso, fastest lap 1m 48.296s (18 laps) “I’m very happy with my second day of testing. Track conditions were not good today, the track was slippery, neither dry nor fully wet, so we had to wait for heavier rain before testing with rain tyres. We had only one set of tyres available. At the beginning grip wasn’t good, then the team made some changes to the set-up, making consistent improvements. We did four or five runs, improving each time and in the end I did my fastest time on my last lap. We gathered a lot of important data that will be very useful, even in the dry. The new Bridgestone tyres require a completely different setting compared to what’s required with Michelin tyres. I am also very happy with the team’s method of working. I am learning the new bike and new tyres and I’m very excited about this new challenge.”