Gauloises Yamaha Team Test Sepang, Malaysia Tuesday 29th November 2005 Ambient temperature: 30.7 degrees Track temperature: 40 degrees Humidity: 62% ROSSI AND EDWARDS SPEED UP IN SEPANG Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards completed a positive second day of testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia today, both making marked improvements to their lap times from yesterday. Rossi topped the unofficial time sheets at the close of play and Edwards was also over eight-tenths of a second faster than on day one. Rossi spent most of the day testing Michelin tyres and getting to grips with Yamaha’s new prototype 2006-spec YZR-M1, which he rode for the first time yesterday, before switching back onto the 2005 bike towards the end of the day to continue working with Michelin. Edwards also tested several tyres, the American continuing to work exclusively on the 2005-spec bike before he tries the new prototype tomorrow afternoon. Rossi set a best time of 2’02.61, inside the lap record and over a second faster than his best lap of yesterday. He was followed by Melandri and Elias (both Honda) with Edwards in fourth with a time of 2’02.94. VALENTINO ROSSI 1st, 2’02.61, 60 LAPS “I am really happy with what we did today on the new bike and I am feeling quite positive about it. I have a good feeling on it and more stability than with the old M1, so this is very encouraging considering that it’s just the first day of work. Today we did a lot of work with Michelin while trying to understand and gather data for the new bike. At the end of the day I changed back to the old bike and continued testing tyres. Yesterday the feeling was not perfect with the 2005 bike but we changed some settings and today it began to feel much better. We had some problems here in the race and so it’s good to make these improvements. Tomorrow we have some more things to try with the new bike before we fly home for the holidays!” COLIN EDWARDS 4th, 2’02.94, 67 LAPS “During my first run this morning I went over half a second quicker than yesterday and then went even faster later, so it was a good day. We mostly concentrated on testing tyres in the morning and then the afternoon was spent trying out some other stuff for Yamaha. This new style is not so much about my position on the bike there are small changes to that but I think only a serious ‘Edwards fan’ could notice its more about my style of controlling the bike before and during a corner. My technique has definitely changed and it’s feeling better each day as I get more used to it. Tomorrow I think I need to do a long run and then I hope to get on the new bike in the afternoon. I am really excited about trying it out; Valentino seems very positive about it so I can’t wait to have a go myself!” DAVIDE BRIVIO GAULOISES YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR “Both riders worked a lot for Michelin today and it was a positive day all round. Valentino made a good start with the 2006-spec bike and Colin also continued to make improvements to his performance, so it was another good day of testing. Tomorrow Valentino has a few more things to do on the new bike and then we hope to be able to give it to Colin for the afternoon to give him a chance to make his own evaluation.” UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES 1. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team, 2’02.61 2. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda, 2’02.65 3. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda, 2’02.78 4. COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team, 2’02.94 5. Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda, 2’02.96 6. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda, 2’03.05 7. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki, 2’03.10 8. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda, 2’03.15 9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki, 2’03.52 10. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda, 2’03.56 11. Chris Vermuelen (AUS) Suzuki, 2’04.50 12. Randy du Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki, 2’04.50 13. James Ellison (GBR) Yamaha, 2’05.52 Sepang Lap Record: Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2005 2’02.993 Sepang Best Lap: Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2005 2’01.731 More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Honda: MARCO AND TONI CONTINUE THEIR TESTING PROGRAMME AT SEPANG Sepang, the Fortuna Honda team riders continued their testing programme today at Sepang and enjoyed improved conditions compared to yestarday, allowing the riders to enter the track early on in the morning. Although Marco was not in perfect physical conditions, he continued to be one of the fastest riders on track: after having scored the best lap time yesterday, today the Italian posted the second fastest time. Alongside Marco, his team mate Toni Elias who, entering his second MotoGP season but his first for Honda, is building up experience on the RC211V. Toni completed 80 laps improving lap by laphis feeling with the bike. The Spaniard signed today’s third fastest time. MARCO MELANDRI (63 laps, 2’02″63 ): “Today we tested a range of front and rear tyres. I’m very satisfied of the work done today and I’m very happy to work with the Michelin technicians at the development of the tyres. I complet! ely 63 laps and made an endurance test covering half of the race distance. Tomorrow we have scheduled a race simulation. I’m very happy, the bike is working very well and I feel a bit better compared to yesterday.” TONI ELIAS (80 laps, 2’02″76): “Today we continued working on the setting of the bike, focusing especially on forks and the feeling with the bike has improved. I’m feeling more comfortable even though at the moment I’m not riding as I would like to ride. All in all, I’m very happy, we have adopted a step-by-step approach and I’m gaining confidence with the RC211V. Unfortunately today I was not feeling well but thanks to the doctors of the circuit, I could finish work programme scheduled for today.” UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES 1. Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 2’02″62 2. Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda)2’02″63 3. Toni Elias (Sp/Honda) 2’02″76 4. Carlos Chec! a (Sp/Honda) 2’02″90 5. Colin Edwards (Usa/Yamaha) 2’02″98 6. Nicky Hayden (Usa/Honda) 2’03″04 7. John Hopkins (Usa/Suzuki) 2’03″24 8. Dani Pedrosa (Sp/Honda) 2’03″35 9. Nakano (Jap/Kawasaki) 2’03″49 10. Casey Stoner (Aus/Honda) 2’03″53 More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing: HONDA RACING INFORMATION HRC MotoGP test Sepang, Malaysia November 29, 2005. Second day of three-day test. Marco Melandri fastest Honda RC211V rider on day two of Sepang MotoGP test session The second day of the HRC MotoGP test at Sepang Malaysia saw the Honda supported teams and riders get down to serious work testing various chassis settings and a range of Michelin tyres. The RC211V riders took to the track in the same energy sapping hot and humid conditions they experienced on the opening day of the three-day test, 30 degrees of intense heat and humidity of over 70% and all set faster times than they managed on the opening day of the test. Fortuna Honda riders Marco Melandri and Toni Elias were the fastest Honda men on track with Melandri setting the best lap time of the six RCV riders testing today. Melandri, who won the final two MotoGP races of the 2005 season, was in sparkling form as he tested a range of Michelin tyres for the French manufacturer. The young Italian set consistently fast times as he confirmed his brilliant end of season form His best time of 2m 02.6s was almost four tenths of a second inside the lap record for the circuit, set by Nicky Hayden at 2m 02.993s at the 2005 grand prix. Elias was the surprise man of the day with a best lap time of 2m 02.74s, well over a second faster than his best lap time on the opening day of the three day test. The young Spaniard, making his debut on a Honda RCV, put together a string of 2m 03s laps that impressed his new team and the HRC engineers. Repsol Honda team riders Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa worked hard all day with American Hayden spending his time evaluating the latest version of the RCV chassis that HRC introduced late in the 2005 season. Pedrosa experimented with the suspension settings and the ride height of his RCV in a bid to find the machine set up most suitable to his style and size. Once he felt more at home on the machine Pedrosa improved his lap time by 0.5 seconds and pronounced himself satisfied with his day’s work. Teammate Hayden has yet to be convinced the latest chassis is a major improvement on the one he raced to fourth place at the Malaysian GP, held in September last. Team Honda Pons riders Carlos Checa and Casey Stoner both recorded faster lap times than they managed on the opening day. Both riders are testing the RCV for the second time with the vastly experienced Checa the faster of the two men. Checa covered 67 laps of the 5.548km GP circuit, his younger, inexperienced teammate only managed to get in 48 laps due to severe cramp in his forearms and thighs. Honda rider lap times and quotes. Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: 2m 03.00s – 69 laps. “Honestly I didn’t have the greatest of days and I didn’t improve much on my lap time of yesterday. We tested chassis stuff all day. I was using the chassis that Max (Biaggi) and Sete (Gibernau) used at some races after Donington Park. It has some good points but I felt the old chassis was a little better because I know it so well. This chassis turns in good but in the fast corners I was not so comfortable. We used the same tyre we had used at the GP back in September but tomorrow we will test for Michelin and look for a tyre to use with this chassis then smooth out and get consistent. Today was good in some ways but I’m not satisfied with my own performance, I could have been better.” Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 2m 03.28s – 59 laps. “It was a difficult day, hard work in this heat and humidity. Today we tried several suspension settings and the ride height of the bike to try and make it more comfortable for me to ride. We did not change the type of tyre we were using because we don’t want to change too much at one time while we are trying to get the information we need for me to get the best out of the bike. I found the basic direction that I need to be working in but it is still too early for me to say if the front end is really good for me. The engine settings we used were basically the same as we used yesterday. I am happy with the test so far and we have definitely made some progress and that is the most important thing. MotoGP testing is so intense and we have quite a stiff programme of tests ahead of us, it’s much different to what I have been used to.” Marco Melandri, Fortuna Honda: 2m 02.60s – 63 laps. “Today was good for me we did a lot of laps and I’m pretty happy with the results. We tested for Michelin, just rear tyres. I tried five different tyres running about half race distance with each tyre. I found one that I really liked. We changed the geometry slightly and that was very interesting and I found I could run very fast with the set up and the good rear tyre. I am happy because I found a good rhythm with the bike in that condition and ran consistently fast times. The front end is still pushing a little but it has improved a lot from the GP race here. I’m satisfied with the work we did and, I hope, Michelin also. Tonight Michelin will analyse the results of the tyre test and if they are satisfied then tomorrow we will be looking to find more traction and drive ability.” Toni Elias, Fortuna Honda: 2m 02.74s – 80 laps. “I’m happy. We improved the front end a little and it’s better than yesterday but not enough. I’m not so comfortable with the front because I can feel it pushing in the corners but I like the way the rear of the bike behaves. But overall I am more comfortable on the bike than I was yesterday. I did some work for Michelin with both front and rear tyres, also trying the tyres on different width rims. But I don’t really have a clear indication of what is the best size to use. My rhythm was good I did a few laps at 2m 03s and that is good progress. We have more work to do if I am to be really consistent. We have not finished our work with Michelin so we will carry on testing tyres tomorrow.” Carlos Checa, Team Honda Pons: 2m 02.932s – 67 laps. “Today we spent our time making the bike more comfortable for me to ride. Basically we tested tyres and at the same time tried to get rid of the front-end vibration and wheel chatter we have. We tried about six or seven different tyres, profiles, compounds, etc and had improved a little by the end of the day. We tested different suspension parts and machine settings trying to clear up the problem I was having with the front end. If we fix this I can make some real progress with this bike. We are at the starting point and I have heard that the new chassis HRC is preparing is better than the one I used today so I am already looking forward to testing the new bike in January.” Casey Stoner, Team Honda Pons: 2m 03.56s – 48 laps. “Basically we improved but we are still trying to get rid of front wheel chatter. We tried to set the bike up and tried to improve my understanding of what I am capable of doing on this machine. So we just ran through the options we have here. We didn’t try anything on geometry just suspension settings, ride height and the riding position. We don’t have a big selection of tyres from Michelin, which is probably best because I have to get used to the bike. Unfortunately my arms were cramping up and we had to stop, I have to get fitter before the next test. So far the test has been very good for me and I’m really beginning to get a good feel for the bike. If I don’t get the cramps tomorrow we will carry on testing the general bike settings.”