From a press release issued by JiR Team Scot: Final day and improved performance for Yuki Takahashi at Jerez IRTA tests The third and last day of testing for the IRTA 250cc tests at the Jerez track closed positively for the JiR Team Scot squad with strong signal that rider Yuki Takahashi is moving forward and showing increased potential for the coming season. Despite only creating a general set-up on his Honda RS250RW the performance of the Japanese rider took full advantage of today’s improved weather and shows that his efforts and the team’s work is heading in the right direction. JiR Team Scot now leave Spain and head to Qatar with the motivation to improve still further in the final test of the year before the first race on March 9th. Yutaka Hirano Chief Technician, JiR Team Scot “Today we closed the test satisfactorily with the work we have done with Yuki. The goal of the tests was to take bring back a good feeling with the bike for Yuki without any expectations from the stopwatch after three months off because of injury. Instead, Yuki has surprised us, as today as soon as the sun was shining he immediately went faster still and both he and the team are now very satisfied. We still have work to do to change a little Yuki’s riding style, so he can exploit better the performance of his Honda RS250RW and perhaps he need not be so aggressive on the bike. We did only a little modification on the suspension settings today from what Yuki used last season, but we’re all happy with our progress. Fortunately we now go to Qatar for three days and we will use the time to move forward once more.” Yuki Takahashi Rider, JiR Team Scot 250GP HONDA RS250RW Best time: 8th – 1′ 44.333″ “Finally we have had a sunny day, which I have exploited to the full! I didn’t work on suspension settings so much or try lots of tyres, instead I worked hard on my riding style and I can say that we’re getting very close now to the good feeling I had last season. My performance isn’t so far from the top of the timing sheets which is positive and I’m sure that it’s now possible to move forward from here. My bike has very good handling in certain parts of the track and we are moving forward in little steps but importantly in the right direction. I’m now off to Qatar with a positive feeling and plenty of motivation for the final test of the year!” Test Jerez 250GP Day 3 1) Thomas Luthi Aprilia 1’43″208 2) Marco Simoncelli Gilera 1’43″209 3) Alvaro Bautista Aprilia 1’43″601 4) Julian Simon KTM 1’43″802 5) Mika Kallio KTM 1’43″859 8) Yuki Takahashi Honda 1’44″333 More, from a press release issued by KTM: KTM riders test the mettle of Jerez circuit and finish in high spirits KTM 250 riders wrapped up the official preseason testing session in Jerez on Thursday on the high note with Repsol-KTM rider Julian Simon in fifth, and the official factory riders Mika Kallio and Hiroshi Aoyama in a very close sixth and seventh position. All three riders were consistently among the top performers in the three days of testing on the Spanish circuit and all agreed they could have gone even faster. Regrettably the final decisive run for good lap times was cut short when the last session was red-flagged after a crash ten minutes from the end. Solid start Bartol says KTM’s Technical Director Harald Barton also expressed satisfaction after the tests. “Our good results at this and our previous test in Valencia confirm the progress we’ve made in the development of our bike. We addressed the reliability problems of the past, and the engines are working so well now that we have healthy base from which we can fine-tune the bike and be competitive at every race. Another significant step was the new chassis that we introduced back in November, and which seems to give the riders the feel and the handling they wanted. The fact that all three of our riders are within the top group speaks for itself and boosts the confidence of us all,” he said. Relaxed Kallio up with fastest Red Bull factory rider Mika Kallio was very positive. “I feel good and relaxed. We won the final race of last year’s season and I’ve been fastest or up with the top group in all the pre-season tests, like here in Jerez. Our bike is fast and competitive, even more so than last year where we’ve had difficulties to find enough rear grip and the right handling on some of the tracks.” Kallio said there had been major improvements with the new generation of chassis that has been in use since last November and confirmed that the efficiency of the bike has greatly improved. “On tracks like Valencia and Jerez, which are not so fast, we look really good in comparison to our competitors, and it will be interesting to see what will happen on a fast track like Qatar with the first race of the season in two week’s time. Luckily we all have the chance to test there one week prior to the race, which will be especially important for us. My goal for the season is clear – we are out to win races, and I am sure that we have a good chance to win the championship!” Aoyama looks forward to a competitive season Kallio’s factory team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama was also upbeat. “We are still testing lots of settings. The new chassis gives me a different feeling for the bike, and even small adjustments have a big effect on the way it works. The new bike is better on hard braking, it’s also easier to keep tight cornering lines and to find traction on the corner exits, but we are still trying and evaluating many things.” Wet weather hampered the tests, Aoyama said and looking forward to the season he said there were at least 10 riders who would be fast and tough to beat. “One of them is my team-mate Mika – he has been lightning-fast in pre-season testing so far, and will be one of the top contenders for sure!” Simon high on confidence Julian Simon onboard a KTM 250 for Repsol KTM is also looking forward to a competitive season. “The weather conditions here in Jerez were really tricky on the opening two days, but we finally managed to confirm the base set-up that we’ve established in Valencia a few weeks ago. With three tests under my belt, I am now really getting used to the bike, and my confidence for the first race of the year in Qatar is building up. I am very happy with the support of KTM and the work of my team – a big thank you to all of them!” De Rosa impressive in 125 cc class In the 125 cc class, Raffaele de Rosa from Team Onde 2000 KTM was fastest of the seven rider strong KTM line-up in this category, with official Red Bull KTM factory rider Randy Krummenacher still shaking off the winter break and lagging behind in 22nd position. Young Spanish Repsol KTM rookie Marc Márquez ran into bad luck and fractured the radius and ulma of his right arm in a crash on the second day of testing. Krummenacher still chasing rhythm Krummenacher said he had been trying to find the right rhythm with his new bike. “The bike is new and feels even stronger than last year’s version, with a noticeable gain in acceleration. I was busy with myself finding a fast rhythm again after our long winter break. The patchy weather on the first two days of testing here in Jerez didn’t make things easier, so I’m glad that we have yet another opportunity to ride and work on our base set-up next week in Qatar. I’m sure we will be back up to speed when the races start!” Day Three Times GP 250 1. Tom Lüthi (CH) Aprilia 1.43,208 2. Marco Simoncelli (I) Gilera 1.43,209 3. Alvaro Bautista (E) Aprilia 1.43,529 4. Alex Debon (E) Aprilia 1.43,629 5. Julian Simón (E) Repsol KTM 1.43,802 6. Mika Kallio (SF) Red Bull KTM 1.43,859 7. Hiroshi Aoyama (J) Red Bull KTM 1.43,869 GP 125 1. Bradley Smith (Aprilia) 1.47,820 2. Sergio Gadea (Aprilia) 1.47,952 3. Stefan Bradl (D) Aprilia 1.48,118 4. Raffaele De Rosa (I) Onde 2000 KTM 1.48,183 5. Mike di Meglio (F) Derbi) 1.48,244 6. Nicolas Terol (E) Aprilia 1.48,332 10. Pablo Nieto (E) Onde 2000 KTM 1.48,641 16. Tomoyoshi Koyama (J) ISPA KTM Aran 1.49,007 19. Esteve Rabat (E) Repsol KTM 1.49,363 22. Randy Krummenacher (CH) Red Bull KTM 1.49,716 23. Lorenzo Zanetti (I) ISPA KTM Aran 1.49,831 More, from a press release issued by Repsol Media Service: JULIÁN SIMÓN AND ESTEVE RABAT END A SATISFACTORY ROUND OF TRAINING SESSIONS IN JEREZ Julián Simón was fifth on the last day of tests. Marc Márquez was operated on his injured right forearm this afternoon with satisfactory results. After two days of uncertainty concerning the weather, with wind, rain and low temperatures, Jerez received the riders and teams of the lower categories in the World Motorcycling Championship with a perfect day for riding. Although the track was still wet in some patches due to the previously fallen rain, by mid-morning it was completely dry. This afternoon the 125cc and 250cc riders ended the 2008 pre-season training sessions disputed on the Jerez Circuit over three days. As will be the case for the rest of the MotoGP riders and teams, the next event will take place in the same setting where the first Gran Prix of the season will be contended, in Qatar, on the Losail Circuit. Julián Simón completed today a total of 57 laps on the Spanish track, taking fifth place and visibly satisfied with the constant evolution and adaptation to his new bike. As Marc Márquez was absent due to the injury he sustained in a fall yesterday, Esteve Rabat was the only rider representing the Repsol KTM Team 125cc today. Rabat completed a total of 70 laps on the Andalusian track, finishing with 19th best time. Rabat, who is still adapting to his new bike he rode his KTM 2008 for the first time last Tuesday -, has been improving over each training session these three days. But the weather did not allow for much until today, and the young Repsol rider regrets having been unable to run more kilometres on the new bike. Fortunately, Rabat will still have three more days for tests on the Losail Circuit 1st, 2nd and 3rd of March -, to prepare for the Qatar GP, which will be held over the 7th, 8th and 9th of the same month. Young Repsol rider Marc Márquez was operated on today at the USP Institut Universitari Dexeus in Barcelona for a fracture to his ulna and radius, which happened yesterday on the Jerez Circuit during the second day of training sessions. Márquez was admitted yesterday into the hospital in Barcelona, and after the pertinent tests and diagnosis, the medical team directed by Dr. Xavier Mir, head of the Hand Surgery and Microsurgery Unit, confirmed that Márquez had suffered a fracture to his ulna and radius in the middle third of his right forearm. Today, Thursday, the Repsol rider entered the surgery at 15:00, and the operation was carried out without incident. If no complications arise, the Repsol KTM Team rider will be discharged from hospital tomorrow Friday at around 12:00. Quotes 250cc Julián Simón >> 1’43.802 secs, 57 laps, 252 Km. “It was a positive day. I was able to make the most of it and we were able to ride quite a lot more than previous days. Taking the day into perspective, we quickly managed to get good times, better than the first time we came here. That confirms that, as we have said recently, I’m getting used to the bike and getting the hang of it. We saw that the business with the semi-handlebars was a very important factor, and now we’re in quite a good position. As to the pace, I’d say it’s better than when we tried to go for a fast lap. What maybe prevented us from improving that time more was that in the last few minutes of the last session, there was a fall and we had to stop for a while. When we started again, there were hardly a couple of minutes left, and only two riders managed to complete a lap at breakneck speed, who were also the ones who finally got the first and second best times. I didn’t have time, though I think I could have done a couple of tenths of a second better. Nevertheless, I’m happy, mainly with the team’s work and the support from KTM, which is very important. We’re going to Qatar very motivated, and with the bike set-up more to my liking.” 125cc Esteve Rabat >> 1’49.363 secs, 70 laps, 310 Km. “These training sessions haven’t been very productive, as it has been raining a lot, and though today it didn’t, we thought I could manage a good session, but I wasn’t able to ride fast enough. The weather conditions today were quite good, though in the morning there were still a few wet patches on the track and in the afternoon it was a bit windy, which complicated things. It particularly bothered me on the two fast curves at the back, because I was pulled away off the track. As for the bike, we continued to adapt to it and I’ve found a slightly better position, though I don’t feel 100% comfortable on it. I don’t know why, but I find it hard letting it build up speed. The team and I are doing our best so things work out better; I hope things improve in Qatar, because these tests weren’t very positive.” Doctor Xavier Mir Esteve Rabat “We reduced the fracture to the ulna and radius of the middle third of the right forearm of rider Marc Márquez, to later hold it in position with special titanium plates, of a smaller diameter and length than those used for adults. As the patient is young he has just turned 15 with open growing cartilage, we chose to ensure that we did not invade the growing cartilage area. The operation was carried out without incident. The rider shall have his arm immobilised for a period of one week, and if everything goes as predicted, in ten days he shall start with the functional recovery plan. Reincorporation into sports activities will vary between 4 and 6 weeks starting from the date of the operation.”