From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

HRC Winter Test Sepang, January 22, 2003.

HRC Complete Successful Three Day Sepang Test Session

The HRC RC211V winter test at Sepang, Malaysia, ended on a high note with all teams and riders satisfied with the results and the data logged for future reference. Overnight rain lingered at the 5.548km circuit during the morning of the final day but by 13.30. the track was dry enough for the riders to get in track time in good conditions.

Most riders spent the afternoon testing tyres for their 2003 suppliers. The Repsol Honda team of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden pronounced themselves satisfied at the end of the day. Rossi happy with the amount of technical set up and tyre testing work he completed, Hayden happy with the progress he has made to date.

Valentino Rossi: “A good three days and for me the best part is to understand the problems we have had in braking. We got some good settings yesterday and today we have found some good Michelin tyres. The grip on the edge has always been a problem but today we have the tyres and the settings to get good grip on the edge. The engine and chassis feel strong and now we understand the braking better it is possible to make a good time.”

Nicky Hayden: “I’ve gotta be pretty pleased with the tests here. It’s an awesome place and although it’s been hard learning the track on the new bike – I’ve leaned heaps and the important thing is I’ve stayed upright and the times are getting faster. Things seemed to get better when we set most of the bike to standard settings and I could concentrate on the tyres and just riding the bike better. I’d like to be able to go harder into the turns. It’s a question of confidence really. I know I can be far harder on this bike than I could be on my VTR. I’m enjoying it. I’m sure it’ll come!”

Fausto Gresini’s Telefonica MoviStar Honda squad is in much the same position as their rivals at Repsol Honda. Team leader Daijiro Kato spent the day evaluating tyres for Michelin while new teammate Sete Gibernau continued to learn all he could about the RCV.

Daijiro Kato: “I wanted to go for a good time in the last hour, but I still had to work on four sets of new Michelin tyres, both rear and front pairs. When I got to the last set of tyres I was going to go for it, and try and put in a quick lap, but this last pair weren’t as good as the previous ones. Despite this, we did find out some good tyres, which of course is the most important thing. Valentino and Max were very quick, but I am happy with my performance over the past three days. I was setting constantly fast times and that is the best way to be. I get the brand new bike in a month’s time, but I don’t think it will be radically different, and as things are going well with the New parts we have tested here, I am excited about getting on it.”

Sete Gibernau: “It has been a perfect three days for me personally, and I could have stayed on longer to lower my time like all the other riders did, but we stopped early because the team felt we had accomplished everything we had set out to do. I feel that despite this morning’s delay, and Monday afternoon’s washout, that I have put in enough laps here, we were regularly doing times in the mid-fours, and that was the objective really. We have lots more time to get quicker and there is no need to rush into it, I felt more comfortable every time I was on the bike, and now look forward to the next test here in a month’s time.”

New boy at Honda Pons, Tohru Ukawa, was another satisfied with his trip to Sepang. Ukawa has been involved with testing the RC211V from the start of the project and feels he is ready for to test the 2003 version of the machine.

Tohru Ukawa: “I’m reasonably happy with my time at the end of this test, but I think it could maybe have been a little better. Anyway, the important thing is that we have done the things we needed to and we can now look forward to getting the new machine here in February and beginning work on that. Today I focused on tyre testing, when we eventually got out onto the track, and I ended up with a good compound which offered both good balance and grip, so that was pleasing. These have been a good three days with the team, as I improved with every lap on the bike.”

Max Biaggi settled on a good set up for his RCV and towards the end of the day began to increase his pace, matching or bettering the times set by his fellow Honda rides at Sepang.

Max Biaggi: “I can look back on this test and say it was very positive. Two and a half months without riding a motorcycle. But within 10 laps of riding this bike I felt comfortable, at the end of the test I felt quite good about it. Today we finalised the set up and covered a lot of kilometers. Michelin asked us to do an endurance test with the tyres. The test went well, Michelin are doing a great job for us for 2003. The last 10 minutes of the test I pushed hard looking for the limit. I got close but I didn’t want to make a mistake on the first test with the bike. The team and I are beginning to understand each other and I feel comfortable. We now have one month before we test again. I will keep my concentration, I want to ride the bike again as soon as possible. I’m having a lot of fun with it!”

As soon as conditions permitted the Pramac Honda Team took to the track on the final day concentrating their efforts on tyre testing for Bridgestone. Makoto Tamada and Shinichi Itoh completed a full afternoon of testing confirming the data already collected and testing several sets of tyre combinations.

Makoto Tamada: “I’m pleased with these three days of tests, even though I still haven’t found the perfect set-up for my bike. I’m not worried about it though, because I know my potential and these tests helped me get a better feeling for the bike and adapt it to my aggressive style of braking. We’ve got lots of information from these tests that will help us improve even further in the next sessions.”

Shinichi Itoh: “I tried out many different tyres and different solutions to get a good idea about everything we need to analyse. I think I’ve been able to do a good job, and we’ve sure got a huge amount of data. I think we’ll soon be able to bridge the gap between us and the leaders.”

Testing times Sepang January 22, 2003.

Valentino Rossi, ITA Repsol Honda, 2:02.65, 55 laps

Max Biaggi, ITA Pramac Honda Team, 2:02.8, 48 laps

Tohru Ukawa, JPN Honda Pons, 2:03.4

Daijiro Kato, JPN, Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 2:03.7

Sete Gibernau, SPA Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 2:04.3

Nicky Hayden, USA Repsol Honda, 2:05.47, 60 laps

Makoto Tamada, JPN Pramac Honda Team, 2:06.5, 30 laps

Shinichi Itoh, JPN HRC Honda, 2:06.5, 31 laps