From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

NAKANO EVALUATES NEW NINJA ZX-RR ENGINE AT SEPANG

Shinya Nakano today concluded a successful evaluation of a big bang version of Kawasaki’s 990cc, inline four-cylinder Ninja ZX-RR engine during two days of testing at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit.

Sepang marked the first track test for the big bang ZX-RR motor, which is a result of an extensive winter development programme at Kawasaki’s development facility in Akashi, Japan.

Nakano led an intensive evaluation programme over the course of the two-day test, as Kawasaki engineers collected and collated the on track data necessary for the next stage in the engine development programme.

And while the new engine is in the early stages of development, Nakano’s comments at the conclusion of the test would indicate that development is moving in the right direction. The 27-year-old Japanese rider liked the characteristics and feel of the engine, whilst also identifying some areas for improvement.

Development will continue in Japan, with Nakano and his Kawasaki team-mate, Alex Hofmann, scheduled to test a revised version of the new engine at the Jerez circuit in Southern Spain at the end of February.

Shinya Nakano: #56
“The first day I rode both the old and new versions of the ZX-RR engine for direct comparison purposes, but on the second day I stayed with the big bang version because it felt like there was a definite improvement in both acceleration and driveability. The new engine also makes the bike feel more stable and improves rear traction. Like all new developments, we still have quite a lot of work to do to get the best out of the engine, but overall I am happy with the progress we made in Sepang. It’s only just over a week before testing continues at Jerez, but the aim is to carry out some changes to the engine to improve throttle response between now and then.”

Naoya Kaneko: Technical Coordinator
“Sepang was primarily a shakedown test for the big bang engine, and a chance to collect the data that Kawasaki’s engineers need to continue the development programme. The latest engine is still in the early stages of development, but the results so far have been positive. Shinya liked the feel and the characteristics of the new engine, but he also identified a few areas for improvement. The engine definitely has potential, which we’ll be looking to unlock during further pre-season testing in Europe.”

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
“The aim of this test at Sepang was simple; we were here to evaluate the latest version of the Ninja ZX-RR engine which features a revised firing order. By focussing only on Shinya, we have been able to collect comparative data that will prove invaluable to our development programme, and will allow our engineers to make the next step with the engine before we resume testing in Europe. We still have a number of other concepts to evaluate before making a final decision regarding engine specification for the coming season, but I definitely think our development programme has moved on a step as a result of this test.”


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

MotoGP test Sepang, Malaysia. Final day of three-day test February 13, 2005.

Tamada tops times as Honda RC211V takes top three spots at Sepang MotoGP test

The 2005 Honda RC211V claimed the top three fastest times on the final day of the three-day MotoGP test at the 5.548km Sepang circuit, Malaysia today. The new grand prix machine has steadily improved performance over the three-days with extensive work on chassis, suspension and the electronics while working closely with tyre supplier Michelin. HRC Engineers and the team technicians emerge from the test in optimistic fame of mind as they prepare for the next three-day test, at Phillip Island, Australia on February 17-19.

Fastest man of the day, and for the three-days, was Konica Minolta Honda rider Makoto Tamada. Japanese star Tamada arrived at Sepang suffering from a bout of flu but the Japanese star had recovered well enough to put in a fast lap at 2:00.955 at the end of the final day while testing Michelin qualifying tyres.

Repsol Honda factory rider Max Biaggi has settled in well with his all new team and his best lap time was just 2/100ths of a second slower than Tamada’s best. The Italian achieved all the objectives crew chief Erv Kanemoto had set for the new team and now moves on to further testing at Phillip Island in confident mood.

Biaggi’s teammate, American Nicky Hayden, expected more of his day following his good day yesterday but he could not find a good rhythm early on but rallied as the day went on to find the speed and consistency he will need when the championship opens in April.

Camel Honda rider Alex Barros had difficulty suppressing a huge smile of contentment. The near veteran Brazilian, despite hitting a bird during one fast stint. Barros was the first RCV rider to find a solid base set on day one and has improved with each session. He was the first rider to complete his test programme and feels that 80% of the work undertaken has been a positive improvement on 2004 specifications.

Barros’ teammate, Troy Bayliss, is in his first season with Honda and has yet to find the elusive optimal base settings for his RCV that suits his riding style. He made some crucial progress today and cant wait to get to his home GP track at Phillip Island where he hopes his knowledge of the circuit will help improve his understanding of the V5 990cc Honda.

Telefonica MoviStar Honda pairing of Sete Gibernau and Marco Melandri completed the three-day test close to where they feel they should be. Spaniard Gibernau concentrated on tyre testing including a successful 21-lap race simulation followed by eight consistently fast laps before calling it a day.

Italian Melandri continued his step by step approach to learning all he can about the RC211V before the series opener at Jerez, Spain on April 10. Working closely with chief mechanic and new mentor Fabrizio Cecchini, Melandri tested various front suspension settings on his RCV in combination with a range of Michelin tyres. Once he felt comfortable Melandri ran a 21-lap race simulation, which revealed he will need to slightly alter his riding style as the race progresses.

Honda rider lap times and quotes.

Makoto Tamada – Konica Minolta Honda: 2:00.955 –
“Today my ‘flu is much better, almost back to a perfect condition. I tried Michelin’s qualifying tyre for the first time, there were five kinds of qualifying tyre and the third one tried – a standard qualifying tyre – had the best feeling and gave me the best lap. With Bridgestone there is not much difference between the race and qualifying tyres but with Michelin the difference between the race and qualifying tyre is a lot bigger. I’m glad to have tried a qualifying tyre at this early stage of the season, with the qualifier the straight here at Sepang was very short! The engine feels very good and I want to work on a little bit more on the chassis. When I recorded the fastest lap I was watching my lap timer and was so happy to see the time flash up. I’m really looking forward to trying Michelin tyres at other circuits now and I can only guess what they will be like but I’m excited to see how they really work. I’m happy to finish the test in good shape, next time her is for the Grand Prix in September and I want to be the first rider to record a 1:59 lap.”

Max Biaggi – Repsol Honda: 2:01.01 – 78 laps.
“It’s been a great three days, hard work at times, but overall the balance is extremely positive. We collected a lot of really important data working from several areas of the new Honda; chassis, suspension and tyres. We are going to the Philip Island test with a much more clear idea about the work we have to do. The data we now have will give the base to develop new parts that will be available after the Australia test. Fast laps were not our priority but they came anyway. Yesterday I was the fastest rider on the track, today I went even faster. We definitely destroyed last year’s pole position time. I repeat once again that laps are not important at this particular moment in time but it felt wonderful to come back in the garage and see the satisfaction in my team’s faces. The good, solid feeling with my new team grows day by day. We all share the same desire to do a great job.”

Nicky Hayden – Repsol Honda: 2:01.38 – 85 laps.
“After a really good day yesterday I was hoping for better things today but the overnight rain left the track a little bit slick and that didn’t help things. It led to me trying too hard and I just couldn’t get the right feeling to get into the rhythm I needed. We’ve had three good days here and it’s taught me that I need to find a little bit more speed from myself then get the consistency to put in regular laps at a good pace. Overall we’ve had a good test, Michelin brought some good new tyres to test and HRC have worked really hard. It’s OK saying a rider has to work hard in 100-degree heat but so do the team. After six days at Sepang I’m really ready now to move on to Phillip Island.”

Makoto Tanaka – Repsol Honda Team Manager
“Overall we’ve had a very good test and we are all surprised by Tamada achieving the fastest lap. Max has had a good three days and today’s tyre testing proved he can produce a very fast pace and consistently. Nicky also had a really good run on potential race tyres so the new team has been successful. Now we move to Phillip Island, for Nicky and Max, all at HRC and the satellite teams it’s a really good opportunity to try the 2005 machine after two three-day tests at Sepang.”

Sete Gibernau – Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 2:01.383. “We leave Sepang satisfied because we have done a very good job. Today it was necessary to do a long run even if we are not 100% ready because more work was needed. The rhythm I had in the long run was better than I expected but I know that we can improve a lot. At the end of the long run we have analysed the data, studied the problems and made some changes on the bike. I went on track again and made 8 very fast consecutive laps. With today’s long run we have done a good step forward. We have understood a long of things and I’m happy because together with Honda and Michelin we are working in the same direction.”

Marco Melandri: 2:01.506. “After yesterday test session, we have analysed the data and made some changes at the front fork. After these modifications, I was more confident with the bike and I could make a very good 2:01.506 lap time. This afternoon I have made my first long run on the RC211V, it was important for me to know the bike and see how it changes along 21 laps. I had a good pace in the first part whereas, in the second one I was slower because my front tyre was losing grip. I have understood that I need to modify my riding style during a race being more careful with the front tyres. I look forward to test with the RC211V at Phillip Island, one of my favourite tracks.”

Alex Barros – Camel Honda: 2:01.159 – 61 laps.
“I’m leaving Malaysia with a big smile, because everything has gone well, apart from having caught a bird with my right arm today, which was a little painful, but nothing. The summary of these three days is therefore a positive one, from every point of view. The atmosphere in the squad is perfect, I feel comfortable and we are all working calmly and we are focused. The 2005 bike is different to last year, mainly because of the electronic management, on which we worked hard on its set-up: I would say that at least eighty percent of the new things we have tested have proven to be useful. In the engine and the chassis the differences are less apparent, but in any case we have found a general base set-up. We also did some fantastic work with Michelin. The French technicians have responded perfectly to the requests made in the January test and you can see the results. Today it was a little cooler than yesterday and I rode even more laps in the 2:01 bracket! The next test in Australia should give us some important data, because the conditions are bound to be very different there and we will be able to see if the set-up we have found here is valid for all situations.”

Troy Bayliss – Camel Honda: 2:03.72 – 62 laps.
“I’m not as satisfied as I was at the last test we did here in Sepang, even if the bike hasn’t changed that much since then. Anyway, we have picked up lots of data and today we think we have picked out a better line for the set-up, which I hope to test in Phillip Island, a track which I obviously know very well and where I will be able to recognise easier what improvements can be made. I didn’t test many tyres here, because it was better to focus on the bike, but in Australia I hope to be able to work on them too.”

Sito Pons – Camel Honda “I’m really happy with the work Alex, Troy, and the team are doing. There’s a very optimistic and focused atmosphere, and the work is getting done. Troy is working so hard to adapt to a bike which is so different to the one he’s used to, and from our side the team is doing everything in its power to help adapt the RC211V to his riding style. Towards the end of the session we picked out some settings in the electronic management system which gave him a lot of confidence and which he wants to keep trying in
Australia. I’m certain that soon he will have the confidence he needs to get the most out of the bike. Alex is moving along swiftly with his work. The level he has already reached, his confidence and his performance here make me look towards the championship with great hope, where we were surely be amongst the front runners.


More, from a press release issued by Gauloises Yamaha:

Ambient temperature: 31.5 degrees
Track temperature: 44 degrees
Humidity: 66.4%

ROSSI BACK ON HIS BIKE IN SEPANG AS EDWARDS MAKES STEPS FORWARD

Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi was sufficiently recovered to continue testing in Sepang today, after missing the middle day of this three-day test yesterday due to a throat virus. The reigning World Champion was still not feeling 100% fit, but managed to complete 35 laps, including a long run, before finishing the day early at around 4pm. His team-mate Colin Edwards continued working until a little later and ended the test pleased with the progress made and a satisfactory, if tiring, long run.

Temperatures were once again in the thirties with 66% percent humidity, making this final day of testing hot work for the World Champion and his new team-mate. The pair continued to test Michelin tyres while making small changes to the set-up of their M1 motorcycles, and both made some improvements to their lap times. Rossi finished the day fourth fastest in the unofficial standings with a best lap of 2:01.275 and Edwards, who rode 81 laps, was ninth with a best lap of 2:01.641. The first three places were filled by a trio of Honda riders, with Makoto Tamada setting a time of 2:00.955, almost a second faster than Rossi’s pole position from the 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix. The Japanese rider was followed by Max Biaggi and Alex Barros with times of 2:01.015 and 2:01.159 respectively.

The Gauloises Yamaha Team now moves on to Phillip Island, Australia, for another three days of testing. The team will again be sharing the track with teams from Honda, Ducati, Kawasaki and Suzuki, as well as the Fortuna Yamaha Team, from Friday, 18th through to Sunday, 20th February.

Valentino Rossi (2:01.275, 35 laps)
“Unfortunately I caught a virus yesterday and I wasn’t able to test. I felt a bit better today and this morning we did a good job. We made some good laps and a race simulation, but I started to feel tired again over the last five laps. The bike is good and I have a good feeling with it; we’ve fixed some problems and tried some new tyres. Now I need to go and get some sleep so I can be ready to test in Phillip Island.”

Colin Edwards (2:01.641, 81 laps)
“The race simulation was hard and I had to take a bit of a breather at one point. There were about six laps when I was slower than I could have been. 81 laps is a lot for one day, especially the third day of a test, but we really needed to do the long run in order to get the information. We’re still working on the new bike, but I’m feeling a lot happier and we are making progress. The bike was great all day, very consistent and the tyres that Michelin have given us are great. I’m ready to move on now to some new scenery in Australia!”

Jeremy Burgess, Valentino Rossi’s Crew Chief
“We didn’t go through as much as we would have liked here due to missing a day, but what we did do was very good. We confirmed some things from the last test and we’ve certainly moved on this weekend, working mainly on tyres and improving the settings on the bike. Michelin have developed some good tyres. Now we go on to Phillip Island and I think we’ve got the same aim as every other team on the grid; to have the bike ready for the first race in April!”

Davide Brivio, Gauloises Yamaha Team Director
“After three tests in a row in Sepang, it is good to have a change and see how our new machine performs at a new track. Despite Valentino’s illness, we did a good job here with both our riders. Both did a race simulation and we collected a lot of good information from this. Now we move to Phillip Island to test again next weekend, where we will continue our preparation for the next season.”

Unofficial Lap Times:

1. Makoto Tamada (Honda) 2:00.955
2. Max Biaggi (Honda) 2:01.015
3. Alex Barros (Honda) 2:01.159
4. VALENTINO ROSSI (YAMAHA) 2:01.275

9. COLIN EDWARDS (YAMAHA) 2:02.641


More, from a press release issued by Telefonica Movistar Honda:

VERY POSITIVE LONG RUN FOR BOTH TELEFONICA RIDERS

Sepang, 13th of February 2005 – Third and last day of testing at Sepang for the Telefonica Movistar Honda team . Sete Gibernau and Marco Melandri leave Malaysia with very positive results and will continue the pre-season testing in Australia next Thursday.

As scheduled for today, both Telefonica riders made a long run, 21 consecutive laps despite hot temperatures. Sete Gibernau needed a long run to verify the work done so far whereas Marco was doing his first long run on the RC211V.

SETE GIBERNAU – 2:01.383: “We leave Sepang satisfied because we have done a very good job. Today it was necessary to do a long run even if we are not 100% ready because more work was needed. The rhythm I had in the long run was better than I expected but I know that we can improve a lot. At the end of the long run we have analysed the data, studied the problems and made some changes on the bike. I went on track again and made 8 very fast consecutive laps. With today’s long run we have done a good step forward. We have understood a long of things and I’m happy because together with Honda and Michelin we are working in the same direction.”

MARCO MELANDRI – 2:01.506 : “After yesterday test session, we have analysed the data and made some changes at the front fork. After these modifications, I was more confident with the bike and I could make a very good 2:01.506 lap time. This afternoon I have made my first long run on the RC211V, it was important for me to know the bike and see how it changes along 21 laps. I had a good pace in the first part whereas, in the second one I was slower because my front tyre was losing grip. I have understood that I need to modify my riding style during a race being more careful with the front tyres. I look forward to test with the RC211V at Phillip Island, one of my favourite tracks.”

Pre-season test goes on at Phillip Island, Australia next 17th , 18th and 19th of February.


More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda:

Positive end to testing in Malaysia for Camel Honda team

Today saw the conclusion of the Malaysia tests, with temperatures a little lower than the previous days, allowing the team to work to its full potential. As such, the Camel Honda team is now looking forward to the next session in their programme in Australia (from 17th to 19th February), where they hope to complete the first phase of work on the 2005 RC211V. Alex Barros finished riding at around one in the afternoon after satisfactorily completing all the scheduled work with his team. Also satisfied was Nicolas Goubert, Technical Director of Michelin’s motorcycling effort, who along with the Brazilian rider and the Camel Honda team was able to carry out decisive development work on their new front tyres. The French tyre manufacturer’s race representative was impressed with Alex’s input. Troy Bayliss also made further big steps today, having worked hard until 4:30pm to continue his adaptation process to the Honda, and today picked out a set-up which he was happier with and which will start as a base for the team to work from in Australia.

Sito Pons – Camel Honda
“I’m really happy with the work Alex, Troy, and the team are doing. There’s a very optimistic and focused atmosphere, and the work is getting done. Troy is working so hard to adapt to a bike which is so different to the one he’s used to, and from our side the team is doing everything in its power to help adapt the RC211V to his riding style. Towards the end of the session we picked out some settings in the electronic management system which gave him a lot of confidence and which he wants to keep trying in Australia. I’m certain that soon he will have the confidence he needs to get the most out of the bike. Alex is moving along swiftly with his work. The level he has already reached, his confidence and his performance here make me look towards the championship with great hope, where we were surely be amongst the front runners.”

Alex Barros – Camel Honda – 2:01.159 (61 laps)
“I’m leaving Malaysia with a big smile, because everything has gone well, apart from having caught a bird with my right arm today, which was a little painful, but nothing. The summary of these three days is therefore a positive one, from every point of view. The atmosphere in the squad is perfect, I feel comfortable and we are all working calmly and we are focused. The 2005 bike is different to last year, mainly because of the electronic management, on which we worked hard on its set-up: I would say that at least eighty percent of the new things we have tested have proven to be useful. In the engine and the chassis the differences are less apparent, but in any case we have found a general base set-up. We also did some fantastic work with Michelin. The French technicians have responded perfectly to the requests made in the January test and you can see the results. Today it was a little cooler than yesterday and I rode even more laps in the 2:01 bracket! The next test in Australia should give us some important data, because the conditions are bound to be very different there and we will be able to see if the set-up we have found here is valid for all situations.”

Troy Bayliss – Camel Honda – 2:03.72 (62 laps)
“I’m not as satisfied as I was at the last test we did here in Sepang, even if the bike hasn’t changed that much since then. Anyway, we have picked up lots of data and today we think we have picked out a better line for the set-up, which I hope to test in Phillip Island, a track which I obviously know very well and where I will be able to recognise easier what improvements can be made. I didn’t test many tyres here, because it was better to focus on the bike, but in Australia I hope to be able to work on them too.”


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

ROBERTS SMASHES LAP RECORD!

Team Suzuki Press Office – February 13, 2005.

Kenny Roberts Jr. smashed World Champion Valentino Rossi’s lap record while testing the new 2005 Suzuki GSV-R race bike at Sepang in Malaysia yesterday.

He lapped the 5.5km track in a time of 2:02.07 seconds on race tyres, which is over a second inside the current lap record, held by the Italian rider.

The team put the Suzuki GSV-R through many gruelling tests at the hot and humid circuit.

All aspects of the bike were scrutinised to give the technicians and riders more valuable data about the machine’s performance and handling capabilities.

New engine mapping and control systems were tested along with the latest front and rear tyre compounds from Bridgestone.

Roberts and team mate John Hopkins were both positive about the progress made since visiting the circuit last month.

Said Roberts: “The guys are working really hard to get the GSV-R at the top of its game: The bike has a lot of potential and it’s certainly capable of a good lap time. The target now is to make it capable of those lap times over a race distance. The good news is that Suzuki knows exactly what it has to do to achieve just that.”

Hopkins clocked a time of 2:02.19 seconds, which was 2.5 seconds quicker than his race lap time at Sepang last year.

He said: “The GSV-R is coming along great and so am I. Every time I ride, I feel fitter and the bike has so much more potential. We’ve done a lot of laps over the last few days and now we have a very clear direction which way we need to go to make the GSV-R even better.”

Team SUZUKI MotoGP manager Paul Denning said: “These Sepang tests have given very satisfying results and are helping the team to establish a firm and positive baseline to take forward into the new season. I am especially pleased with the way the crew are coming together and the feedback from the riders and the technicians.

“The support from Bridgestone this week has been fantastic. The high humidity and heat meant that the tyres were subjected to a very torrid test, which Bridgestone responded to excellently.

“We are all looking forward to the next step in the development of the GSV-R and our aim is to get it as competitive as possible for the first round at Jerez in April. We need to refine the overall package and concentrate especially on the driveability and acceleration of the bike.

“Suzuki knows what it needs to do to take the next step. The riders are both very capable and there is a real sense of excitement within Team SUZUKI MotoGP.”

Team SUZUKI MotoGP travels to Phillip Island in Australia for the third leg of its test schedule on February 17th – 19th before heading to Europe for the official MotoGP tests in March.

The new MotoGP season begins at Jerez in Spain on April 10th.


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

FORTUNA YAMAHA COMPLETE THREE DAYS OF TESTS AT SEPANG

The Fortuna Yamaha team today completed three days of tests at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, where perfect weather conditions allowed the majority of MotoGP riders to lap throughout the day.

Unfortunately, Fortuna Yamaha rider Rubén Xaus was unable to test alongside his team-mate Toni Elías as he is still suffering from injury and decided not to take his M1 out today. Elías, continuing with his adaptation to the YZR M1, again worked hard and over the course of the day was able to complete a race simulation which provided crucial data for the engineers and team in general.

The best time of the session today was set by Japanese rider Makoto Tamada (Honda, 2:00.45) followed by the Italian Max Biaggi (Honda, 2:01.01) and the Brazilian Alex Barros (Honda, 2:01.15). Gauloises Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi and his team-mate Colin Edwards were fourth and ninth fastest respectively with times of 2:01.27 and 2:01.64.

The Fortuna Yamaha team now heads to the Phillip Island circuit in Australia where they will continue to test alongside several other MotoGP teams later this week.

Toni Elías, (2:03.6)

I’m leaving Sepang feeling satisfied. Today we did a race simulation even though we know that the data we have gathered here won’t be directly applicable when we’re back here for the Grand Prix. The bike will have changed a lot by then. At the end of the 21 laps we managed to get a good result and all the information we’ve gathered from the simulation will be useful to improve the set-up of the M1. I am still learning but I am happy with the way I’m progressing. The other riders are lapping very hard and they have all improved their times from the race here. I’m looking forward to riding at another circuit now.

Rubén Xaus (Injured)

I really wanted to get back on the bike but in the morning I had a long chat with the team boss Hervé Ponchal and we decided it wasn’t worth the risk so I went back to the hotel. I’m desperate to get back on the M1!


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

POSITIVE RESULTS FOR DUCATI IN SEPANG TESTING

Final intense day of testing for Carlos Checa and Shinichi Itoh, who concentrated on race tyres and set-up and the latest generation Bridgestones. Loris Capirossi out on track despite flu.

Sepang (Malaysia), 13 February 2005 – Ducati’s second winter testing session at the Sepang circuit concluded today in less torrid heat than usual, which allowed riders and engineers to work in better conditions than the previous days (33° air/48° track). The Ducati-Bridgestone Tyre Test Team returns home decidedly satisfied with this first testing session, which helped to bed in the new team and to lay the groundwork for the work ahead in the 2005 season. The Ducati Marlboro Team on the other hand will get very little rest as it heads for Australia, where it will continue development work on the Desmosedici GP5 from 17-19 February.

Loris Capirossi returned in the morning and immediately set a respectable time of 2:01.452 in his 42 laps. The Italian was also out on the track in the afternoon but was forced to call it a day as he continued to feel the effects of flu.”It was a pity I was unable to get the most out of these days here at Sepang, but I wasn’t really feeling well at all” declared Capirossi.

“However I’m pretty pleased with what we managed to do, I like the bike a lot and I can immediately set a good pace. Hopefully I’ll be in top form at Phillip Island”.

Today was another hard day at work for team-mate Carlos Checa, who completed an excellent long-run using a latest-generation rear tyre. Checa did a 22-lap race simulation, maintaining a constant pace at around the low 2:02 mark.

“I had a good final day” commented Carlos, “and in particular a good long-run with a new rear tyre, which let me do an entire race distance at an excellent pace. I can’t wait to arrive in Australia to get back to work again”.

The Spanish rider completed a total of 77 laps today, with a best time of 2:01.844.

Shinichi Itoh completed his acclimatisation work with the Tyre Test Team and the new bike as he continued with tyre development and focussed mainly on new race tyre compounds. The Japanese test-rider completed 43 laps today, setting a quickest time of 2:02.907.

“I am really pleased with the innovations that 2005 has brought” declared Shinichi. “In Ducati I have found a very friendly and professional atmosphere. I also like the Desmosedici GP4, which I rode for the first time here at Sepang. Now I can say that I know it quite well and I have a good impression: I can’t wait to step onto the GP5”.

The Ducati Marlboro Team comes away from the Sepang with positive results and full of enthusiasm for the next tests. “We only concentrated on race set-up and we are really