From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM TESTING WRAPS UP AT VALENCIA

Valencia (Spain), Thursday 4 November, 2004 – Bad weather washed out today’s final day of testing for the Ducati Marlboro Team at Valencia. Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa were only able to lap in the morning on a dry track, but were then forced to call a halt to proceedings early in the afternoon when it started to rain at the Spanish circuit.

Loris Capirossi got his first taste of the evolution version of the Desmosedici this morning after it had been used by tester Vittoriano Guareschi yesterday. The Desmosedici, fitted with a series of electronic modifications, is still at a prototype stage and Loris completed 28 laps, mainly aiming to obtain the right feeling with the new components which are being tested by the Italian rider for the first time. Capirossi, who mainly focussed on providing Ducati Corse engineers with feedback and suggestions, set a quickest time of 1:34.8.

Carlos Checa continued his learning curve with the bike and the team and completed 40 laps, the best being 1:33.7.

The Ducati Marlboro Team will be back on track at Jerez from 23-25 November.