Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

MotoGP Practice Lap Times
IRTA Team Tests
Catalunya, Spain
March 15

1. Alex Barros, Brazil, Yamaha, 1:44.112
2. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Ducati, 1:44.370
3. Sete Gibernau, Spain, Honda, 1:44,793
4. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Honda, 1:45.167
5. Shinya Nakano, Japan, Yamaha, 1:45.328
6. Daijiro Kato, Japan, Honda, 1:45.476
7. Tohru Ukawa, Japan, Honda, 1:45.581
8. Marco Melandri, Italy, Yamaha, 1:45.684
9. Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha, 1:45.733
10. John Hopkins, USA, Suzuki, 1:45.826
11. Kenny Roberts, USA, Suzuki, 1:45.956
12. Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda, 1:46.295
13. Colin Edwards, USA, Aprilia, 1:46.296
14. Max Biaggi, Italy, Honda, 1:46.382
15. Alex Hofmann, Germany, Kawasaki, 1:46.462
16. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:46.590
17. Shinichi Itoh, Japan, Honda, 1:46.761
18. Nobuatsu Aoki, Japan, Proton, 1:46.764
19. Olivier Jacque, France, Yamaha, 1:46.783
20. Norick Abe, Japan, Yamaha, 1:46.835
21. Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Aprilia, 1:46.866
22. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 1:46.880
23. Jeremy McWilliams, UK, Proton, 1:46.898
24. Nicky Hayden, USA, Honda, 1:46.913
25. Garry McCoy, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:47.009
26. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:47.444
27. Chris Burns, UK, Harris WCM, 1:48.947


Moto GP Practice Top Speeds
IRTA Team Tests
Catalunya, Spain
March 15

1. Capirossi, Ducati, 325.9 kph, 202.5 mph
2. Bayliss, Ducati, 322.4 kph, 200.3 mph
3. Ukawa, Honda, 321.6 kph, 199.8 mph
4. Rossi, Honda, 321.4 kph, 199.7 mph
5. Kato, Honda, 320.7 kph, 199.3 mph
6. Nakano, Yamaha, 320.2 kph, 199.0 mph
7. Hopkins, Suzuki, 319.6 kph, 198.6 mph
8. Pitt, Kawasaki, 319.6 kph, 198.6 mph
9. Checa, Yamaha, 319.1 kph, 198.3 mph
10. Hayden, Honda, 318.4 kph, 197.9 mph
11. Tamada, Honda, 318.1 kph
12. Abe, Yamaha, 317.9 kph
13. Itoh, Honda, 317.8 kph
14. Barros, Yamaha, 317.7 kph
15. Biaggi, Honda, 317.6 kph
16. Gibernau, Honda, 317.2 kph
17. Jacque, Yamaha, 316.3 kph
18. Melandri, Yamaha, 315.6 kph
19. Haga, Aprilia, 313.0 kph
20. Roberts, Suzuki, 312.5 kph
21. Edwards, Aprilia, 311.5 kph
22. Hofmann, Kawasaki, 311.0 kph
23. Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 309.9 kph
24. McCoy, Kawasaki, 304.5 kph
25. Burns, Harris WCM, 297.2 kph
26. Aoki, Proton, 293.6 kph
27. McWilliams, Proton, 290.0 kph



More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI V4 BECOMES FASTEST BIKE IN MOTOGP HISTORY

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss commenced this weekend’s first all-team MotoGP tests at Catalunya in fine form today, Capirossi’s Desmosedici V4 clocking the fastest top speed ever recorded by a GP bike.

The Italian rocketed through the Catalunya speed trap at a phenomenal 325.9kmh/202.5mph, proving that Ducati’s engine and aerodynamics engineers have already done some great work with the Desmosedici. The previous best was 324.5kmh/201.6mph, recorded on Mugello’s faster straight during last year’s Italian GP. And yet Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli was quick to play down the remarkable performance.

“We’re very pleased,” he said. “But I’d like to say that whenever you have the best top speed but not the best lap time, it means that there are other bikes going around the corners faster, which means we still have some thinking to do!

“We’ve had a good day today, Troy continuing to learn the track, because this is his first visit here, while Loris did some set-up tests and tried Michelin’s 2003 tyres.”

This week’s tests – the team’s penultimate session before the season kicks off at Suzuka on April 6 – are particularly significant because they mark the first appearance of the definitive Ducati Marlboro factory machines, as opposed to the pre-prototype bikes that have been used at all previous tests. The differences are in fact minimal – just detail changes to bodywork and a neater finish to some parts – but the bikes have performed well.

Capirossi ended the day second fastest. “I’m very happy with what we’ve achieved so far,” said the former 125 and 250 champ. “It’s great to be fastest on the straight, though top speed isn’t so important, what I’m really happy about is the overall performance of the bike – it’s very, very good – and it’s getting better every day. I’m using the new bike for the first time here, so we’re just working at fine-tuning now.”

Bayliss, who clocked an amazing 90 laps during private tests here on Thursday, is steadily getting to grips with this complex circuit. “There’s some places that are easy first time out, while other places take longer to get to grips with,” said the Australian. “We’ve been working on a lot of things here – mainly grip and handling – and I felt like I’d run into a bit of a wall this morning. We finally started to make some progress this afternoon, just as it started raining! Overall I’m pretty happy, but after going to so many new tracks, it’d just be nice to go to a track that I know, somewhere I’d know the limit.”

Rain fell at Catalunya this afternoon and the day ended with a dummy wet-weather restart – organised to allow riders to familiarise themselves with the new wet-weather restart procedure introduced for the 2003 season.

Lap times

Loris Capirossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:44.370

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:46.880


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

MotoGP pre-season IRTA Tests
Saturday 15 March 2003 (day 1 of 2)
Catalunya, Spain

SLOW START FOR FORTUNA YAMAHA RIDERS ON CHILLY FIRST DAY

Fortuna Yamaha Team duo Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa recorded the eighth and ninth fastest times respectively today at the official MotoGP group IRTA test at the Montmelo circuit in Catalunya, Spain. The test is the first on-track meeting of all of the 2003 MotoGP competitors before the World Championship commences in earnest at Suzuka, Japan on 6th April.

Dark clouds, cold conditions and patches of rain hampered testing this afternoon with the fastest times being recorded at the end of the morning. Italian Melandri was happy to be back in the action again, after a recent testing injury to his shoulder, and he already tested here with the team in a private test on Wednesday and Thursday. He recovered sufficiently to complete a total of 46 laps, and gradually improved on his time, but like the other riders was stopped by the weather.

“Unfortunately my shoulder is hurting now,” commented the 250cc World Champion. “It was not so bad when I was riding but whenever I rest it starts to hurt again. Hopefully it will feel better tomorrow. We started today with the best set-up that we found in the test here two days ago, and I’m really happy with the way the bike feels now. I’m pleased that Barros set such a good time – it shows what the bike is capable of. I’m able to slide the M1 more and more now, which I like.

“It’s not so easy to improve on your time when you are out there alone, it gives you much more motivation when other riders are in front of you. Tomorrow I will be out more with the other riders and try to go one step faster.”

Teammate Carlos Checa did not have such a positive day, as he struggled to find the times he was hoping for at his home circuit. He completed 44 laps with a fastest lap time of 1:45.733 and despite every effort with his crew, could not improve.

“I’m not really happy with my performance today,” said the Spaniard. “We’ve made quite a few changes but I still can’t get a good feeling. Anyway, I certainly don’t feel that I can go any faster at the moment. I’m having problems with edge-grip on the right-hand corners. It’s my problem and I must fix it myself, that’s it.”

Team Director Davide Brivio remained optimistic: “It’s only the first day so we have to stay positive. Marco has obviously made a very good recovery from his injury and is making good progress. It’s very good experience for him to be testing with so many other riders. Carlos is having a few problems today but I am sure he and his team will sort them out tomorrow to be able to fulfil the bike’s potential. It’s amazing that it was so cold today as conditions yesterday were so warm and sunny.”

An interesting experiment ended today’s session when all 27 riders present had to form up behind the pace car before coming into the pits. They then re-formed behind the car to practice a rolling start. The test is a result of new rules introduced for the 2003 season that aims to speed up the re-start process in case of a rain-interrupted race in the MotoGP class.


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

IRTA MotoGP test Catalunya, March 15, 2003.

Weather, warm and sunny – rain shower mid-afternoon, temperature, 15 degrees C; track conditions, good.

Barros Tops IRTA Test on Day One – Gibernau Fastest Honda Rider

The Montmelo circuit at Catalunya hosts the two-day IRTA test for MotoGP teams, the prelude to the 2003 season, the first time all competing teams have been present at the same testing venue this winter.

State of the art three, four and five-cylinder four-strokes now rule the roost in grand prix racing and one exciting rule change will enhance the atmosphere for race fans. For the 2003 season the decibel limit has been raised to 130dB. Together on the track today 20 plus MotoGP machines produced an ear-splitting cacophony of melodious mayhem that will bring an added dimension to the colourful spectacle of modern day GP racing.

Honda teams were at full strength at Montmelo. The four squads, led by the Repsol Honda factory team of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, will race RC211V 990cc five-cylinder four-strokes in 2003. The Barcelona based Honda Pons squad race in Camel Pramac Honda colours this season, with Max Biaggi and Tohru Ukawa as team riders.

Fausto Gresini, a former double 125cc Kingpin, paraded his Telefonica MoviStar Honda team of Daijiro Kato and Sete Gibernau at Montmelo. While Pramac Honda enter their second grand prix season with, new to MotoGP, Makoto Tamada aboard their RC211V.

The RC211Vs have undergone eight months of intensive development since the grand prix at Montmelo, in June of last year. The RCVs are now producing in excess of 200PS, and running at over 320km/h in a straight line, and consequently the Honda riders spent the early part of the day finding chassis and engine settings to suit the new RCV at the 4.727km circuit.

Fastest Honda rider on the day was local man Sete Gibernau, who lives in Barcelona. Gibernau used his circuit knowledge to good advantage to end the day in third place on the time sheet. Had it not rained Gibernau would certainly have been faster today. As it was he set a time three-tenths of a second faster than reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi in fourth place. Daijiro Kato was sixth fastest, followed by Tohru Ukawa. That was before a light rain shower and falling temperatures called a halt to serious action for the day.

The Repsol Honda team treated the first day, as they would have race practice. Rossi and Hayden chasing chassis and suspension settings and testing a variety of Michelin tyres. Hayden is paying his first visit to Montmelo and was beginning to lower his times when the rain fell. With sunshine forecast for tomorrow the young American is confident of further improvement.

Tohru Ukawa was fast to find his feet with his new team and his growing confidence was clearly visible, despite a crash at midday. Teammate Biaggi was a little slower but the Italian concentrated his day’s work on finding the optimum settings for his RCV.

Japanese rider Makoto Tamada made his European debut at Montmelo today. The Pramac Honda team run Bridgestone tyres and Tamada, together with Bridgestone test rider Shinichi Itoh spent the day finding a front and rear tyre combination to suit the track. Once he felt at home with both machine and tyres Tamada began to lower his lap times, eventually setting 12th fastest time.

Itoh meanwhile spent his time evaluating the performance of the range of tyres Bridgestone brought to Montmelo. Itoh, now 36, has lost little of his former speed, the near veteran set 17th fastest time today.

Brazilian Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha) set the pace from the word go and the Brazilian was still the fastest man when the rain shower arrived. Loris Capirossi (Marlboro Ducati) was second fastest man on the day.


Sete Gibernau, SPA Telefonica MoviStar Honda – 3rd 1:44.793: “In contrast to most of the teams here we have not tested at Montmelo this winter. I’m satisfied with the results of today but if we had the complete day of training in the dry I could have been faster. I still have tomorrow, I just hope it stays dry.”


Valentino Rossi, ITA Repsol Honda – 4th 1:45.167: “Today has really been for nothing! For only one hour was it possible to push but during that time the bike felt good and I was happy. It feels like last season except stronger. Sure, this time last year we were ahead of the competition and now it is very even. It will be a good close fight for the race wins. Today I wear a helmet with special paint. The ‘7′ is for Barry because I love Barry as a person and a rider and the rainbow colour with peace written on the back is because we don’t want war! Simple as that!”

Nicky Hayden, USA Repsol Honda – 24th 1:46.913: “Not such a bad day. This track is the bumpiest GP track I’ve ridden so far. But it’s not so bad; it’s more like what I’m used to. I’ve been moving along quite good and feel I’ve been making quite a bit of progress. After lunch I only got in a few laps, as the weather was not so good. I haven’t really got to ride with anyone but the experience has been really fun especially after all the tests we’ve been doing. There is a great atmosphere here; feels more like a race. I’m now just looking forward to racing and getting out there with other people.”

Daijiro Kato, JPN Telefonica MoviStar Honda – 6th 1:45.476: “The day was very short before the rain came. It’s a pity because I was just getting the feel of the bike. I hope we have a full day on the track tomorrow.”

Tohru Ukawa, JPN Camel Pramac Honda – 7th 1:45.581: “I’m happy with today, even if I did have a small crash. I just lost the front end, no damage and I’m OK. After the crash we didn’t have much dry time before it rained so I could not improve my lap time. The weather forecast for tomorrow is good so I’m sure I will improve. We have some changes to make to the front and rear suspension, I will also try another engine tomorrow.”

Max Biaggi, ITA Camel Pramac Honda – 14th 1:46.382: “This is the first time all the MotoGP teams have tested together and it was fun. I had a few problems to fix today, particularly steering into corners, so I was in and out of the pits. I was surprised how slow I was today. I hope we can fix the problem overnight.”

Makoto Tamada, JPN Pramac Honda – 12th 1:46.295: “These two days of tests are letting me get to grips with the circuit and we really put in a lot of work today. It’s a pity about the rain that broke up our rhythm in the afternoon. Unlike Itoh, who tried out some new Bridgestone material, I went out on the tyres we’d already tested last time around. The dress rehearsal for the rain procedures certainly is spectacular, and I think the spectators are going to love it, and after starting again from the pits behind the pace car, the group of riders at the first corner really was something to see.”

Shinichi Itoh, JPN Bridgestone test rider – 17th 1:46.761: “My work programme for today was to try out a number of new front tyres, and I almost managed to complete the job before taking part in the dress rehearsal for the new procedure in case of rain during the race. My first impression is that, compared with last year, the new system is great not just because it’s spectacular, but from a strategic point of view as well. If the weather doesn’t get worse, my plan is to carry on testing the new materials Bridgestone has brought here to Catalunya.”