27/03/2007 FIRST AND SECOND LAPTIME FOR MELANDRI AND ELIAS AT JEREZ After yesterday’s rain, today the Motogp riders came back to work at Jerez for the second and last day of testing. Marco Melandri and Toni Elias worked in race conditions and only at the end of the test sessions tested two qualifying tyres. MARCO MELANDRI (1°, 1’39″48, 72 laps): “I’m happy because today we did a step forward with the setting of the bike. We tested some different solutions to improve the feeling with the front and changed the weight balance. We found some interesting solutions and I look confident for next gp. We made tyre testing and in the end we tested two qualifying because I needed to improve also this aspect. I look to Istanbul with optimism”. TONI ELIAS (2°, 1’39″67, 59 laps): “I leave Jerez after 2 positive days of testing, very complete, because we could improve both on wet and dry conditions. Today we worked on the set up of the bike with a new tyre that Bridgestone brought us and that worked very well. We also tested 2 qualifying tyres. I’m confident for the Turkish GP, a track that I like a lot”. LAP TIMES 1. Marco Melandri, Gresini Honda, 1m 39.484s, 72 laps 2. Toni Elias, Gresini Honda, 1m 39.675s, 59 3. Randy de Puniet, Kawasaki Racing, 1m 40.225s, 82 4. Carlos Checa, LCR Honda, 1m 40.356s, 62 5. Colin Edwards, Fiat Yamaha Team, 1m 41.755s, 46 6. Olivier Jacque, Kawasaki Racing, 1m 41.908s, 66 7. Makoto Tamada, Tech 3 Yamaha, 1m 42.091s, 60 8. Valentino Rossi, Fiat Yamaha Team, 1m 42.348s, 42 9. Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda Team, 1m 42.562s, 61 10. Sylvain Guintoli, Tech 3 Yamaha, 1m 42.736s, 54 11. Vittorio Guareschi, Ducati Marlboro Team, 1m 44.780s, 77 More, from a press release issued by Fiat Yamaha: Event: Jerez Test Date: Tuesday, March 27th 2007 Ambient temperature: 16 degrees C Track temperature: 22 degrees C Humidity: 50% FIAT YAMAHA TEAM COMPLETE IMPORTANT TEST AFTER JEREZ VICTORY Following on from their first and third finishes in Sunday’s Grand Prix of Spain, Fiat Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards got back to work straight away with a two-day test yesterday and today. The scene of their victorious celebrations under sunny skies on Sunday was a very different place on Monday as heavy rain fell throughout the day at the Spanish circuit. This was just what the team wanted however, as it gave them the chance to do some serious wet-weather testing with the new 800cc M1, something they have not had the opportunity for so far this year. Rossi completed 41 laps in the rain with a best lap of 1’51.899, whilst Edwards put in 36 laps with a best lap of 1’53.104. With all the necessary wet-weather work completed on Monday, the team were forced to wait until this afternoon, when the track was fully dry, to get started with their programme of tyre testing. Both riders tested a range of new tyres with Michelin and the information gathered is sure to prove invaluable when they head to Istanbul next month, the first circuit at which they will not have tested since the new tyre regulations came into play. Rossi also tried out some small engine modifications in order to give the Yamaha engineers more information for their engine development ahead of the next run of races. Edwards was the fastest rider not to run a qualifying tyre today, finishing the test in fifth place with a time of 1’41.755 after 46 laps. Rossi was ninth fastest with a time of 1’42.348 from 42 laps. There is now a three-week break until the third round of the 2007 MotoGP Championship, which will take place at the Istanbul Park circuit in Turkey on 22nd April. Davide Brivio “Yesterday we had the chance to test in really wet conditions, which was extremely important for us. It gave us the chance to really understand the performance of the M1 in the wet and to give us a lot of information about tyres and settings in these conditions. We’re now more prepared in case we have rain at any of the next races, which is quite possible! Today we had to wait until the afternoon for it to be properly dry, as it was still raining this morning. Anyway we had enough time to get some good work done, mostly tyre testing but Valentino also tried some new engine modifications and we found some small improvements in the engine performance. Now our engineers will work in Japan with the information gathered today, and we will decide whether or not we will use these new modifications at the next race in Istanbul. We also did a lot of tyre testing with Michelin and gathered a lot of important information for the next few races. It’s always hard to get back to testing after a great day like we had on Sunday but everyone has worked very hard – now they all deserve a nice long break before Istanbul!” More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing: KAWASAKI INCREASE THE PACE AT JEREZ TEST The Kawasaki Racing Team completed a productive two-day test at the Jerez circuit in Andalusia this afternoon, with Olivier Jacque topping the timesheet in the wet yesterday, and Randy de Puniet finishing top three in dry conditions today. Yesterday’s persistent rain meant that for the first time this season both Kawasaki riders had the opportunity to test their Ninja ZX-RR machines in full wet conditions, which they took full advantage of. Jacque quickly got to grips with the difficult track conditions and Bridgestone’s wet weather tyres to record the fastest time of the day, just ahead of Kawasaki teammate de Puniet, who finished second fastest of the 19 riders participating in yesterday’s test. Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen finished third fastest, making it a Bridgestone one-two-three at the top of the timesheet. Overnight rain meant that the Jerez circuit was still damp as the Kawasaki Racing Team arrived this morning to start the second day of testing, but clear skies and a warm conditions meant that the track was declared dry enough for constructive testing just after lunchtime. The dry conditions this afternoon meant that Jacque and de Puniet could finally begin working through the test programme that had to be postponed yesterday, with de Puniet testing for the first time Bridgestone’s new front qualifying tyre, as well as revised rear qualifying rubber from the Japanese tyre giant. The two riders also tested revised engine components, designed by Kawasaki’s development engineers back in Akashi, Japan to liberate more power from the 800cc, inline four-cylinder Ninja ZX-RR engine, with positive results. Also evaluated today were new rear suspension components, which de Puniet and Jacque agreed gave a significant improvement and made the bike easier to turn through both fast and slow corners; an area which the two Kawasaki riders had identified as being a problem at this circuit in the run up to Sunday’s race. Finally, de Puniet also tested a revised seating position on his Ninja ZX-RR, designed to create a more aerodynamic profile on the straights and improve outright top speed, again with positive results. This combination of new engine and suspension components allowed both Kawasaki riders to improve on their best race laps by over half-a-second today on race tyres. Jacque finished today sixth fastest and de Puniet finished third behind the Hondas of Marco Melandri and Toni Elias, making it another Bridgestone one-two-three at the top of the timesheet for the second day running. After two productive days of testing the two Kawasaki riders are now looking forward to the next race in Turkey, which takes place after a brief three-week break at the Istanbul Park circuit on 22nd April. Randy de Puniet 142 Laps (2 Days) – Best Lap 1’40.225 “Yesterday in the rain we initially had some problems with rear grip, but because it stayed wet all day we had the chance to make some changes to the set-up of the bike, and at the end it felt a lot better. Today we tried quite a few things on the bike. By changing my riding position it was easier for me to get right down behind the screen on the straights, and this is good for our top speed. The new suspension components also made a difference, with the bike now easier to turn and the rear traction, which we had problems with all weekend, much improved. Overall, it’s been a very positive two days of testing for us.” Olivier Jacque 120 Laps (2 Days) – Best Lap 1’41.908 “It was the first time on this bike in the wet for both me and Randy yesterday. We managed to improve rear traction throughout the day and, while there is still room for further improvement, I was happy with the feeling of the bike overall. Today started much better than we finished on Sunday. I was really frustrated after the race, so today was all about finding solutions to the problems I’d experienced during practice, qualifying and the race itself. I talked through all the problems with my crew, and I had a much better feeling with the bike they gave me today compared to the one I raced on Sunday. We worked our way through a whole list of changes this afternoon, and there was definitely a significant improvement, which is always good for restoring confidence. I was happy with my lap time in the end, and now I’m looking forward to the next race in Turkey.” Naoya Kaneko Technical Manager “We had a fairly intensive test programme to get through during these two days, so the rain on Monday wasn’t ideal for us. But, it did give us a chance to test our bike in full wet conditions for the first time, so it wasn’t a wasted day. Again, the weather meant that it wasn’t possible to test properly this morning, but the conditions this afternoon were much better. With the revised engine parts we’re seeing more power from our engine, although we know there is still some work to do in this area yet. The riders said the bike was easier to turn when they tested the new suspension parts and set-up today, and Randy commented that he felt rear traction was also improved; both problems that the riders experienced here ahead of the race. Despite the problems with the weather, both riders have improved on their race lap times by over half-a-second, so this has definitely been a productive test for Kawasaki.”