From two press releases, one issued Saturday and one sisued Sunday:

Honda Racing News

HRC Winter Test Sepang, Malaysia
February 9, 2002

Rossi On Fast Pace at Sepang

Reigning 500cc World Champion Valentino Rossi returned to winter testing at the Sepang circuit today in preparation for the 2002 season. The test was held in good weather and track conditions and Rossi was quickly up to pace on the RC211V Honda four-stroke he will race in the 2002 MotoGP championship. Champion Rossi ended day one, of the two day HRC test, in confident mood.

Rossi, and HRC teammate Tohru Ukawa, put in a total of 134 laps of the 5.548km Malaysian track. Both men were pleased with the work they achieved on the opening day of the two day test. Ukawa was quickly up to speed, equalling his best time from the last test. Rossi was even faster and ended the day with a best time yet for the 990cc, 5-cylinder RC211V at Sepang, at 2:04.36.

Daijiro Katoh tested the Honda Gresini NSR500 at Sepang today. The 250cc World Champion did not equal his best lap time set at the track last month but the Japanese rider was consistently fast all day.

Katoh’s arch rival, and closest challenger for the 250 title in 2002, Tetsuya Harada, was at Sepang with his new team, and a NSR500. Harada rode the machine for only the second time, his first outing restricted to just a few laps. At Sepang Harada put in 67 laps acclimatising himself with the 185-PS-plus 500cc World Championship winning machine.

Valentino Rossi: “Since I tested the RCV in Australia I find the bike has changed, and it’s better. Especially at this circuit, it’s very fast. We spent most of the day working on the engine settings, trying different injectors and things like that. We also worked on the tyre and suspension combination.

“We tried many types of tyres and I think Michelin are going in the right direction. Tyres are going to be very important this season but so far they are good. Ukawa-San did a good endurance test with tyres last time HRC were here and I’m happy with the results.”

Tohru Ukawa: “This is the first day of our two day test and I have spent the time confirming the changes we made from the last test are good. I’m happy with the results. I’m running about the same times as I did at the last test here, January 23, but I made the time comfortably today.

“Now I have the machine set up the way I want it I’m sure I can further improve the bike, and my lap times, tomorrow.”

Valentino Ross, RC211V, 54 laps, Time 2:04.36

Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 70 laps, Time 2:04.78

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 46 laps, Time 2:05.83

Tetsuya Harada, NSR500, 67 laps, Time 2:09.57



Honda Racing News

HRC Winter Test Sepang, Malaysia
February 10, 2002.

Rossi Weaves Malaysian Magic on The RC211V Honda

Italian Valentino Rossi was in scintillating form on the final day of he HRC RC211V test session at Sepang, Malaysia, today. The reigning 500cc World Champion got down to serious work at the 5.548km track setting a best lap time of 2:03.61 on the V-5 Honda, 7/10ths of a second faster than his best time on the opening day of the two-day test.

Rossi’s HRC Teammate, Japanese star Tohru Ukawa, was also faster than ever before at Sepang. Ukawa ended the day with a best lap at 2:04.29 on his 990cc four-stroke. Ukawa crashed the RC211V twice today. The first a slide with minimal damage. The second, just ten minutes before the time set to end the test, badly damaged the RCV. Luckily Ukawa emerged unscathed from both.

Current 250cc World Champion Daijiro Katoh, riding the Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR500, was not to be outdone by the four-stroke riders. Katoh took half-a-second off his time of Saturday to end the test on a high note.

Tetsuya Harada was also faster than on the opening day. Harada, however, has only just started his testing programme with the Pramac Racing NSR500 and has wisely trodden carefully with the 185-PS-plus V-4.


Valentino Rossi: “The RCV is definitely very, very fast and I’m satisfied with the results of the test. Now we have a lot of data to work with before our next test at Barcelona, on March 9-10, and I’m looking forward to riding the RCV at that test.

“We also did an endurance test today, ran full grand prix distance at race speed and the results were very good. The RC211V is a prototype and there is still plenty of room for development. HRC have chosen a good direction to work in with this machine.”


Tohru Ukawa: “Very, very satisfied with the two day test. Everything has gone well and the RCV is faster than before. I bettered my lap time again
today. Unfortunately I crashed twice today but I’m OK, no damage.

“Overall the machine has improved and we have learned a lot at this test. Now it’s back to Japan and study the data we collected here, then prepare for Barcelona next month. I can’t wait to get there, this is an exciting project to be involved with.”


Daijiro Katoh: I feel much better on the bike now, I’m very relaxed and have a very positive feeling from the machine. We have worked on tyres and suspension here and the results have been satisfying. We are faster than the best lap times set by the NSR500 riders here at the 2001 GP and I’m content with that.


Valentino Rossi, RC211V, 67 laps, Time 2:03.61

Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 64 laps, Time 2:04.29

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 53 laps, Time 2:05.35

Tetsuya Harada, NSR500, 61 laps, Time 2:08.72