Vintertester 2007/08.
- Thread starter Nyteknik
- Start date
Grymma bilder som vanligt Anders!!!! 
Kommentarer från PI testerna:
Bridgestone Motorsports
Preparations for the 2008 MotoGP World Championship have continued apace for the majority of Bridgestone Motorsport's line-up of teams and riders at the demanding Phillip Island circuit this week.
A three-day test session drew to a close at the Australian circuit today (Friday) with reigning world champion and last year's Australian GP winner Casey Stoner once again staking his claim to the top of the timesheets with an exceptional time of 1m28.777s. The circuit best lap at Phillip Island stands at 1m29.002s, set by Nicky Hayden in 2006.
With Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda Gresini and Alice teams all participating in the test, it has been a busy week for Bridgestone and its on-track crew of engineers and fitters, whose focus has been on validating the results gathered from last week's Sepang test in Malaysia.
In excess of 2,000 combined laps have been tallied by all Bridgestone riders over the course of the busy three days, which will give valuable data to Bridgestone's engineers for further improvements to the latest generation of tyres. As per their testing plan, Yamaha and Valentino Rossi did not test in Australia this week.
Q+A with Shinji Aoki - Bridgestone Motorsport - Assistant Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development
How has work at this week's Phillip Island test differed from Sepang last week?
"The test programme for this week's Phillip Island test has been similar to what we carried out in Sepang with a focus on evaluation of our latest specification race and qualifying tyres. We have worked over the winter on developing race tyres with new shape and construction which will form the basis of our work for the course of this season. The results from Sepang were quite encouraging but it has been important this week to validate this performance level at Phillip Island, a more technically demanding and high-speed circuit which places greater stress on tyres."
Have you been pleased with the results?
"As in Sepang, I believe we can be satisfied with the results from these three days in Australia. Our riders have completed a lot of laps and we have received a lot of data which will be important for the next development stage. Some riders have carried out long-run tests to assess the durability of these tyres, which have given us a reasonable indication of what fine-tuning is still required. Casey's times today were very impressive, not only in terms of his lap time on a qualifying tyre, but also on race tyres he has been exceptionally fast and consistent."
What is the next stage of development?
"Our focus now turns to the coming two tests in Qatar and Jerez, where we anticipate cooler weather to what we have faced in Sepang and Phillip Island. This will give us the opportunity to evaluate the compound performance with lower track temperatures. We will then have a more complete picture as to what work needs to be carried out on our compounds ahead of the first race of the season which is now just over one month away. Based on these first two tests, we will also continue to look at our qualifying performance which is still behind that of our rivals, whose riders appear to make a big leap in lap time from race tyre to qualifier."
Tech 3 Yamaha
James Toseland produced arguably the most outstanding performance on the final day of testing in Phillip Island today as the Tech 3 Yamaha team successfully concluded the long haul phase of its pre-season testing campaign.
Making only his fourth appearance for the Tech 3 Yamaha team, Toseland took full advantage of his vast Phillip Island track knowledge to finish with the third fastest time of 1.29.754. His best was set on a Michelin qualifying tyre, with only world champions Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden lapping faster on the final afternoon.
Toseland was one of only five riders to break the 1.30 barrier over the three days. Toseland also gained more crucial experience by completing his first full race simulation on board the 2008 Yamaha YZR-M1. He lapped consistently in the 1.31 bracket during his 27-lap run, as he assessed new front and rear suspension settings and a revised electronics set-up in full race conditions. His best lap on race tyres today was a 1.31.012.
American Edwards was fifth quickest today, also using a Michelin qualifying tyre to set his best time of 1.29.795 in sunny but windy conditions at the 4.445km circuit. Experimenting with chassis set-up to try and improve rear grip, Edwards was satisfied enough with progress to stop just before 2pm having completed a distance run of 20 laps.
Just five days of testing remain for Toseland and Edwards in Jerez and Qatar, before the new season’s spectacular start under floodlights in Doha on March 9.
James Toseland 3rd 1.29.754 – 89 laps
“I’m really happy. I was always looking forward to coming here with my track knowledge and its nice to see the difference where I stand in the order with that experience. To be at the sharp end of the times and see my name up there has put a bigger smile on my face. Knowing the track I can be on the same line each lap and that’s helped me relay my feedback on the bike a lot more precisely to my team. On other tracks I’ve been finding my way round as well as trying to make a lap time. I was happy with my pace in the race simulation but those extra five or six laps over what I’ve been used to in superbike were a bit strange. My body just isn’t used to that distance but I felt good and wasn’t too tired at the end. It is all good experience and its all coming together nicely. I will sleep well tonight on the plane after this performance. Even one of my mechanics said that it is so good to see an English rider at that end of the timesheets rather than at the other end. And the best thing is I can only get faster and stronger. I’m still waiting for some new parts from Yamaha, so there is still plenty of room for improvement, also from Michelin. Everybody is working hard and I’m riding on a wave at the moment.”
Colin Edwards 5th 1.29.795 – 56 laps
“I did a long run to give Michelin some information to see what the tyres could handle. The 20 laps I did I was 20 seconds faster than in the race last year which is positive. This track is a little bit strange because you spend so much time on the side of the tyre trying to build up speed. And that’s where Michelin needs to concentrate their efforts so we can generate a little bit of speed. But I’m more motivated than ever because I can see my team and Yamaha working, but to see Michelin put in the same effort and work just as hard adds a lot of motivation. Everybody is working equally hard with me and for me. These guys are putting in the hard days at the moment and I’m really happy with my team. After these six days of testing in Sepang and Phillip Island I’m excited and I’m really looking forward to the first race in Qatar.”
Honda Gresini
PHILLIP ISLAND - The final day of MotoGP tests in Australia saw Team Honda Gresini working hard on the RC212V Honda bike set-up. Some improvements from yesterday's best lap timing were set with race tyres, but not with qualifying tyres. The team is now ready to move back to Malaysia where another three-day testing session is to take place next week, before returning to Europe.
ALEX DE ANGELIS, 91 laps, best time 1.30.438
"Today I made many laps on my bike and even simulated a race: it was a tough session and one of the longest in my entire career, but in the end I managed to improve slightly my lap time from yesterday, which is positive. This shows we are competitive and I believe that, with Bridgestone helping us, we will soon be able to do better. I am aware there is still lots of work to do, but I have proved to be a top rider already and this is a great satisfaction for me!"
SHINYA NAKANO, 89 laps, best time 1.30.728
"Also today we have worked hard on different bike set-ups: our RC212V Honda bike is a very competitive machine and I believe we will be able to achieve good results during this year's championship. We concentrated on race simulation but tested qualifying tyres as well; we now expect to receive new material from Bridgestone and are confident in their total support."
FAUSTO GRESINI, team manager
"It has been a very positive three day test for my team: the bike is competitive and both my riders have proved to have a good pace with race tyres. With qualifiers instead, we didn't produce satisfying results so we will have to work harder on this aspect. These tests gave us the chance to try different material and understand where we need to make some progress. On the whole I am very pleased with my team's work and my rider's results on track. We can now move to Malaysia for the last winter tests next week, with great enthusiasm."
JiR Team Scot
Andrea Dovizioso and his JiR Team Scot squad completed their three-day test at Australia’s Phillip Island circuit satisfied with their hard work and looking forward to their next test session which starts on the 16th February in Jerez.
After yesterday’s rain, clear skies greeted the teams testing at the 2.764 mile track and JiR Team Scot immediately got on with the hard work of continuing to find the right solution for the setting of the 800cc MotoGP bike as well as conducting a number of tyre tests. With their partners at Michelin, the team today spend most of the day on race tyres conducting a series of short and long runs in a bid to replicate the conditions they would find in a race to receive the maximum feedback. Former 125cc champ Dovizioso is now getting closer to the perfect feeling with his new RC212V machine and is happy to leave Phillip Island with lots of experience and information at a track which previously he’s not enjoyed riding on.
The team now flies back to Europe to prepare for the last important test of the winter schedule – the IRTA tests which begin at Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain on 16th February.
Andrea Dovizioso – Rider, JiR Team Scot MotoGP
HONDA RC212V - Laps: 90
Time 4th: 1’29”780
“This day has been very useful to give proper evaluation of all the materials we have for our technical package. Today we did a lot of work with Michelin, testing many, many different tyre and compound options. I’m very satisfied with my relationship with them. They have reacted so fast to my feedback, so I feel our relationship will grow together. With racing tyres my pace is pretty good, but in qualifying set-up with the softer tyres I’m still suffering a little vibration, which occurs when entering a corner under engine braking. This is complicating my efforts to get a fast time on qualifying tyres. In general the feeling with the bike is fantastic, but at the next test at Jerez we will work a lot to reduce the rear-wheel hop we are getting under braking. This will be our main target. Overall, we want to be more competitive as the level of competition is very high and I want to be out front with the leaders.”
Gianni Berti - Technical Coordinator, JiR Team Scot
“We’re very satisfied with the results of our three-day test as this shows that the whole team has worked hard and in the correct way. Andrea is getting more feeling with the bike and at this test he has shown his qualities as a test rider, providing us, Honda, HRC and Michelin with so much information and feedback. This helps us all move in the right direction with the setting of the bike. The team in the pits is also getting more accustomed to the RC212V, which is a very sophisticated race machine. From a settings point of view we have reached a good compromise, which enabled us to focus on today’s tyre testing duties. We completed short runs on the track, but also some long and medium ones to evaluate how good the bike is and how it reacts to race conditions and various tyres. Our target is still to improve our performance on qualifying rubber, and to be more consistent with these tyres. In the three-day test here, we’ve not solved all our problems, but we’ve also had some rain and learned a lot about the bike. We’re all looking forward to the next test in Jerez after this very positive test.”
Kommentarer från PI testerna:
Bridgestone Motorsports
Preparations for the 2008 MotoGP World Championship have continued apace for the majority of Bridgestone Motorsport's line-up of teams and riders at the demanding Phillip Island circuit this week.
A three-day test session drew to a close at the Australian circuit today (Friday) with reigning world champion and last year's Australian GP winner Casey Stoner once again staking his claim to the top of the timesheets with an exceptional time of 1m28.777s. The circuit best lap at Phillip Island stands at 1m29.002s, set by Nicky Hayden in 2006.
With Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda Gresini and Alice teams all participating in the test, it has been a busy week for Bridgestone and its on-track crew of engineers and fitters, whose focus has been on validating the results gathered from last week's Sepang test in Malaysia.
In excess of 2,000 combined laps have been tallied by all Bridgestone riders over the course of the busy three days, which will give valuable data to Bridgestone's engineers for further improvements to the latest generation of tyres. As per their testing plan, Yamaha and Valentino Rossi did not test in Australia this week.
Q+A with Shinji Aoki - Bridgestone Motorsport - Assistant Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development
How has work at this week's Phillip Island test differed from Sepang last week?
"The test programme for this week's Phillip Island test has been similar to what we carried out in Sepang with a focus on evaluation of our latest specification race and qualifying tyres. We have worked over the winter on developing race tyres with new shape and construction which will form the basis of our work for the course of this season. The results from Sepang were quite encouraging but it has been important this week to validate this performance level at Phillip Island, a more technically demanding and high-speed circuit which places greater stress on tyres."
Have you been pleased with the results?
"As in Sepang, I believe we can be satisfied with the results from these three days in Australia. Our riders have completed a lot of laps and we have received a lot of data which will be important for the next development stage. Some riders have carried out long-run tests to assess the durability of these tyres, which have given us a reasonable indication of what fine-tuning is still required. Casey's times today were very impressive, not only in terms of his lap time on a qualifying tyre, but also on race tyres he has been exceptionally fast and consistent."
What is the next stage of development?
"Our focus now turns to the coming two tests in Qatar and Jerez, where we anticipate cooler weather to what we have faced in Sepang and Phillip Island. This will give us the opportunity to evaluate the compound performance with lower track temperatures. We will then have a more complete picture as to what work needs to be carried out on our compounds ahead of the first race of the season which is now just over one month away. Based on these first two tests, we will also continue to look at our qualifying performance which is still behind that of our rivals, whose riders appear to make a big leap in lap time from race tyre to qualifier."
Tech 3 Yamaha
James Toseland produced arguably the most outstanding performance on the final day of testing in Phillip Island today as the Tech 3 Yamaha team successfully concluded the long haul phase of its pre-season testing campaign.
Making only his fourth appearance for the Tech 3 Yamaha team, Toseland took full advantage of his vast Phillip Island track knowledge to finish with the third fastest time of 1.29.754. His best was set on a Michelin qualifying tyre, with only world champions Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden lapping faster on the final afternoon.
Toseland was one of only five riders to break the 1.30 barrier over the three days. Toseland also gained more crucial experience by completing his first full race simulation on board the 2008 Yamaha YZR-M1. He lapped consistently in the 1.31 bracket during his 27-lap run, as he assessed new front and rear suspension settings and a revised electronics set-up in full race conditions. His best lap on race tyres today was a 1.31.012.
American Edwards was fifth quickest today, also using a Michelin qualifying tyre to set his best time of 1.29.795 in sunny but windy conditions at the 4.445km circuit. Experimenting with chassis set-up to try and improve rear grip, Edwards was satisfied enough with progress to stop just before 2pm having completed a distance run of 20 laps.
Just five days of testing remain for Toseland and Edwards in Jerez and Qatar, before the new season’s spectacular start under floodlights in Doha on March 9.
James Toseland 3rd 1.29.754 – 89 laps
“I’m really happy. I was always looking forward to coming here with my track knowledge and its nice to see the difference where I stand in the order with that experience. To be at the sharp end of the times and see my name up there has put a bigger smile on my face. Knowing the track I can be on the same line each lap and that’s helped me relay my feedback on the bike a lot more precisely to my team. On other tracks I’ve been finding my way round as well as trying to make a lap time. I was happy with my pace in the race simulation but those extra five or six laps over what I’ve been used to in superbike were a bit strange. My body just isn’t used to that distance but I felt good and wasn’t too tired at the end. It is all good experience and its all coming together nicely. I will sleep well tonight on the plane after this performance. Even one of my mechanics said that it is so good to see an English rider at that end of the timesheets rather than at the other end. And the best thing is I can only get faster and stronger. I’m still waiting for some new parts from Yamaha, so there is still plenty of room for improvement, also from Michelin. Everybody is working hard and I’m riding on a wave at the moment.”
Colin Edwards 5th 1.29.795 – 56 laps
“I did a long run to give Michelin some information to see what the tyres could handle. The 20 laps I did I was 20 seconds faster than in the race last year which is positive. This track is a little bit strange because you spend so much time on the side of the tyre trying to build up speed. And that’s where Michelin needs to concentrate their efforts so we can generate a little bit of speed. But I’m more motivated than ever because I can see my team and Yamaha working, but to see Michelin put in the same effort and work just as hard adds a lot of motivation. Everybody is working equally hard with me and for me. These guys are putting in the hard days at the moment and I’m really happy with my team. After these six days of testing in Sepang and Phillip Island I’m excited and I’m really looking forward to the first race in Qatar.”
Honda Gresini
PHILLIP ISLAND - The final day of MotoGP tests in Australia saw Team Honda Gresini working hard on the RC212V Honda bike set-up. Some improvements from yesterday's best lap timing were set with race tyres, but not with qualifying tyres. The team is now ready to move back to Malaysia where another three-day testing session is to take place next week, before returning to Europe.
ALEX DE ANGELIS, 91 laps, best time 1.30.438
"Today I made many laps on my bike and even simulated a race: it was a tough session and one of the longest in my entire career, but in the end I managed to improve slightly my lap time from yesterday, which is positive. This shows we are competitive and I believe that, with Bridgestone helping us, we will soon be able to do better. I am aware there is still lots of work to do, but I have proved to be a top rider already and this is a great satisfaction for me!"
SHINYA NAKANO, 89 laps, best time 1.30.728
"Also today we have worked hard on different bike set-ups: our RC212V Honda bike is a very competitive machine and I believe we will be able to achieve good results during this year's championship. We concentrated on race simulation but tested qualifying tyres as well; we now expect to receive new material from Bridgestone and are confident in their total support."
FAUSTO GRESINI, team manager
"It has been a very positive three day test for my team: the bike is competitive and both my riders have proved to have a good pace with race tyres. With qualifiers instead, we didn't produce satisfying results so we will have to work harder on this aspect. These tests gave us the chance to try different material and understand where we need to make some progress. On the whole I am very pleased with my team's work and my rider's results on track. We can now move to Malaysia for the last winter tests next week, with great enthusiasm."
JiR Team Scot
Andrea Dovizioso and his JiR Team Scot squad completed their three-day test at Australia’s Phillip Island circuit satisfied with their hard work and looking forward to their next test session which starts on the 16th February in Jerez.
After yesterday’s rain, clear skies greeted the teams testing at the 2.764 mile track and JiR Team Scot immediately got on with the hard work of continuing to find the right solution for the setting of the 800cc MotoGP bike as well as conducting a number of tyre tests. With their partners at Michelin, the team today spend most of the day on race tyres conducting a series of short and long runs in a bid to replicate the conditions they would find in a race to receive the maximum feedback. Former 125cc champ Dovizioso is now getting closer to the perfect feeling with his new RC212V machine and is happy to leave Phillip Island with lots of experience and information at a track which previously he’s not enjoyed riding on.
The team now flies back to Europe to prepare for the last important test of the winter schedule – the IRTA tests which begin at Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain on 16th February.
Andrea Dovizioso – Rider, JiR Team Scot MotoGP
HONDA RC212V - Laps: 90
Time 4th: 1’29”780
“This day has been very useful to give proper evaluation of all the materials we have for our technical package. Today we did a lot of work with Michelin, testing many, many different tyre and compound options. I’m very satisfied with my relationship with them. They have reacted so fast to my feedback, so I feel our relationship will grow together. With racing tyres my pace is pretty good, but in qualifying set-up with the softer tyres I’m still suffering a little vibration, which occurs when entering a corner under engine braking. This is complicating my efforts to get a fast time on qualifying tyres. In general the feeling with the bike is fantastic, but at the next test at Jerez we will work a lot to reduce the rear-wheel hop we are getting under braking. This will be our main target. Overall, we want to be more competitive as the level of competition is very high and I want to be out front with the leaders.”
Gianni Berti - Technical Coordinator, JiR Team Scot
“We’re very satisfied with the results of our three-day test as this shows that the whole team has worked hard and in the correct way. Andrea is getting more feeling with the bike and at this test he has shown his qualities as a test rider, providing us, Honda, HRC and Michelin with so much information and feedback. This helps us all move in the right direction with the setting of the bike. The team in the pits is also getting more accustomed to the RC212V, which is a very sophisticated race machine. From a settings point of view we have reached a good compromise, which enabled us to focus on today’s tyre testing duties. We completed short runs on the track, but also some long and medium ones to evaluate how good the bike is and how it reacts to race conditions and various tyres. Our target is still to improve our performance on qualifying rubber, and to be more consistent with these tyres. In the three-day test here, we’ve not solved all our problems, but we’ve also had some rain and learned a lot about the bike. We’re all looking forward to the next test in Jerez after this very positive test.”
Last edited:
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP has completed the second 2008 pre-season test on a positive note at one of its toughest tracks on the MotoGP calendar.
Phillip Island in Australia has recently proved a difficult circuit for Suzuki to conquer, but Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi both made significant improvements during this three-day test that will help their performances not just at the 4.4km Australian circuits but also at other tracks around the world.
Vermeulen tested a range of Bridgestone qualifying tyres today and clocked the sixth fastest time with a lap of 1'30.216, over a second-and-a-half quicker than his qualifying time at last year's Australian Grand Prix. He also improved on the race-tyre lap-times that he recorded at November's behind-closed-doors test at Phillip Island.
Capirossi undertook a race length simulation today, but the full evaluation was cut just short due to another rider crashing and the session being halted by a red flag.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP now returns to Europe for its next test at Jerez in Spain, which will also include a televised hour-long session on Sunday 17th February. This test will also see the first time that the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R has appeared in its 2008 livery.
Chris Vermeulen:
"We have found some promising things with the bike today, but we still have some issues to sort out at Phillip Island – it certainly seems to be our bogey track! We tested so many options over the three days and tried different things from almost every angle - we've definitely found some direction to help us. Our lap-times were quicker than when we came here in November so that certainly means we're moving forward. Everything that Suzuki is doing is definitely helping so that is also a very positive step. We tried some qualifiers and that went quite well, which for me personally is a very encouraging thing as that is certainly an area I need to improve in. We now head to Spain for the next test with the season getting closer, we are still scratching our heads on a few things, but I am sure will make further steps in the next few tests in time for the start of the season. It was tough here at Phillip Island but the improvements we have made here will help us at the tracks we are already strong at."
Loris Capirossi:
"I had a tough day today and did struggle a bit. I nearly completed a long run but unfortunately that was red flagged and I didn't quite finish what I wanted to do. We still have quite a bit of work to do at Phillip Island and I would have liked to have been further up the time sheets as I don't think it is a good reflection of all the hard work the team did this week. We tested many new parts from Japan and some worked, but also some were not quite as good. We now go to Europe and I am sure we will be very competitive after what we have learned here in Australia."
Alice Team
The Alice Team riders Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli sensibly improved theirs best lap time in the last day of winter testing on the Phillip Island circuit. Since the first laps both riders have registered interesting performances. In the final hours of the day, both Toni and Sylvan, have tried some qualifying Bridgestone tyres that allowed them to improve their respective best lap time even more. The Alice Team leaves the Australian circuit satisfied of the work done, ready for the IRTA Test in Jerez de la Frontera which will be next February 16th, 17th and 18th.
Sergio Verbena – Track Engineer
“This morning we have stepped on the track with a race setting and we have taken off a second compare yesterday’s best lap time. After having evaluated the situation we were in, we decided to try different tyres solutions to understand which ones were more suitable for our riders. We have found a good solution and for this reason we are very happy. Then, in the late afternoon, we have tried some qualifying tyres and we improved again our lap times. We have done well and we are going back home very satisfied.”
Toni Elias – Alice Team Riders (9th best lap time in 1’30.966 – Total laps 97)
“We have improved overall. We are not totally ready yet, but after three days of work we’ll go back to Europe happy of the results achieved. We have found the right way to follow and we must keep to work hard. In the first part of the day we worked on the chassis of the bike making some adjustments and at the end we found a good compromise. In the afternoon I also tried some qualifying tyres and I have to admit that I was pleased with how I felt on it.”
Sylvain Guintoli – Alice Team Rider (11th best lap time in 1’30.983 – Total Laps 58) “The day has begun in the right direction for us. After just a few laps I sensibly improved my best lap time obtained yesterday. We were really fast. We tried many tyres solutions and I found a front tyre which I really liked. Today we have taken a further step forward and we have to continue this way. In my best lap time with qualifying tyres I have done well, maybe I could push a bit more, but I preferred to don’t risk to make any sort of mistakes.”
Honda LCR
Phillip Island, 1 February: Sunny weather with ambient temperature just above 26 degrees and track temperature at 40 degrees welcomed the 800cc riders for the last day of testing at Phillip Island circuit. The riders and the teams began chasing a good set-up for their bikes last Wednesday at the Australian track and upped the pace today carrying out further development at the circuit which hosts the sixteenth round of the season.
The 2007 World Champion Casey Stoner topped the board once again today with a 1’28.777 lap followed by Hayden and the MotoGP rookie Toseland. The LCR Honda MotoGP Team rider Randy De Puniet worked on suspension setting in combination with tyres from Michelin completing a marathon 115 laps- the most of any rider today. The Frenchman demonstrated a good pace on race tyres but he still struggles on qualifiers. Randy rounded off the top ten today with a 1’30.978 lap time and will be back on track next 16 of February at Jerez de la Frontera.
De Puniet:
“It was a hard day for me as I made 115 laps and tested many things. We proceeded our suspension set-up development on race tyres in combination with Michelin. Honestly my pace on those tyres is pretty fast and compared with yesterday my lap times have been more consistent today. However I still struggle on qualifiers as I miss rear grip. I know I can be faster on qualifiers so we will focus on it at Jerez de la Frontera in a few weeks. In Spain we will receive also the 2008 engine and I am looking forward to riding there!”.
Repsol Honda
Nicky Hayden and Repsol Honda completed their second 2008 preseason test today, the American ending this Phillip Island session with the second fastest lap time. After yesterday's rainfall, today's conditions were perfect: sunny with ambient temperature at 19 to 22 degrees and track temperature at 35 degrees.
Hayden and his hard-working crew dedicated the day to fine-tuning chassis set-up and evaluating Michelin race tyres, though like most other riders he did his best lap on qualifying tyres. The team will continue its preseason work at Sepang, Malaysia, next Tuesday and Wednesday, February 5 and 6.
Hayden was the team's lone ride throughout this test, team-mate Dani Pedrosa recuperating in Europe from a hand injury sustained at Sepang last week. The date for Pedrosa's return to action has yet to be fixed.
Nicky Hayden, fastest lap: 1m 29.734s (lap 71 of 102)
“We ended up not too bad but it'd be nicer to be faster on race tyres. To be honest, it's been a frustrating couple of days here. We got into the 31s about the fourth exit from the pits on the first day and really we haven't been able to go any faster since then, except with the qualifiers, which were good. We've chased our tail a bit and I haven't really found a batch of race tyres I like. I struggled a lot when I was here for last year's race, but I did find something I liked. I didn't have that option this week, so I can't say I'm completely happy with the combination of bike, rider and tyres. We tried the pneumatic-valve engine and the conventional spec engine in the new chassis at this test. We did a lot of tyre testing with Michelin using the conventional engine.
The chassis did some good stuff but not enough through this fast stuff here. We left Sepang last week in a positive way and it's still early days, there's a lot of work still to be done. Now we go back to Sepang for two days, we've got a few days off and then keep trying to chip away at it."
Ducati Marlboro
Casey Stoner lapped faster than any other rider in history at Phillip Island today, his stunning lap of 1'28.777 coming on the last of three days of tests at his home circuit. The reigning World Champion used a qualifying tyre on his 25th of 51 laps, although his pace during a race simulation was equally impressive. Only his flying lap registered outside the 1'30 mark as Stoner racked up 23 consecutive fast laps with relentless precision. Only the heat of the track in the scorching afternoon sun interrupted the local hero's progress, three laps short of the intended total, but his satisfaction was still complete.
Marco Melandri was also quite satisfied after spending another day working intensely on finding a good feeling with his new bike in race trim as opposed to trying for a fast time on a qualifying tyre. Today he completed a marathon 108 laps, including a race simulation.
The pair now have two weeks' rest before their next important meeting at the Jerez circuit in Spain, where the MotoGP Official Test takes place from 16th to 18th February.
Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team), best time: 1:28.777 (51 laps)
"We did the race simulation with one of Bridgestone's new tyres and it went really well, even though we had to come in three laps early. The track temperature today was actually higher than it was for the race here and you could tell. Even so we managed to lap consistently in low 1.30 and that shows how well they're working in Japan. I'm also really happy with the qualifying tyre, which is the same as last year. It is a good thing that bike is not completely different to 2007 because it has allowed is to find an excellent base to start the season from already. The new version of the engine has a better delivery, especially at the bottom end, and that has allowed me to set fast times more consistently, as well as increasing tyre life. It has been a good test session but now I'm happy to have a couple of weeks to rest and train in the gym. The shoulder feels okay, it is just a little bit weak and sore because I haven't been able to work on it as much as I would have wanted but now we can do that."
Marco Melandri (Ducati Marlboro Team), best time: 1:31.377 (108 laps)
"This final day has been particularly intense for me and my crew. We've continued to work on the balance of the bike and then did some tyre tests The front is okay but I'm having some grip issues on the rear. At the moment there isn't much difference between using a new tyre and an old one so we've got plenty of room for improvement in this area. In the afternoon I did a long run and even though the lap times weren't special we learnt a lot. We know what we need to go forward and what can give us better grip to improve our speed through the corners. We're on the right tracks and I'm sure that in the next test at Jerez we'll take another step forward. For now a bit of relaxing will do me good because the last two weeks have been really hard work."
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP has completed the second 2008 pre-season test on a positive note at one of its toughest tracks on the MotoGP calendar.
Phillip Island in Australia has recently proved a difficult circuit for Suzuki to conquer, but Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi both made significant improvements during this three-day test that will help their performances not just at the 4.4km Australian circuits but also at other tracks around the world.
Vermeulen tested a range of Bridgestone qualifying tyres today and clocked the sixth fastest time with a lap of 1'30.216, over a second-and-a-half quicker than his qualifying time at last year's Australian Grand Prix. He also improved on the race-tyre lap-times that he recorded at November's behind-closed-doors test at Phillip Island.
Capirossi undertook a race length simulation today, but the full evaluation was cut just short due to another rider crashing and the session being halted by a red flag.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP now returns to Europe for its next test at Jerez in Spain, which will also include a televised hour-long session on Sunday 17th February. This test will also see the first time that the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R has appeared in its 2008 livery.
Chris Vermeulen:
"We have found some promising things with the bike today, but we still have some issues to sort out at Phillip Island – it certainly seems to be our bogey track! We tested so many options over the three days and tried different things from almost every angle - we've definitely found some direction to help us. Our lap-times were quicker than when we came here in November so that certainly means we're moving forward. Everything that Suzuki is doing is definitely helping so that is also a very positive step. We tried some qualifiers and that went quite well, which for me personally is a very encouraging thing as that is certainly an area I need to improve in. We now head to Spain for the next test with the season getting closer, we are still scratching our heads on a few things, but I am sure will make further steps in the next few tests in time for the start of the season. It was tough here at Phillip Island but the improvements we have made here will help us at the tracks we are already strong at."
Loris Capirossi:
"I had a tough day today and did struggle a bit. I nearly completed a long run but unfortunately that was red flagged and I didn't quite finish what I wanted to do. We still have quite a bit of work to do at Phillip Island and I would have liked to have been further up the time sheets as I don't think it is a good reflection of all the hard work the team did this week. We tested many new parts from Japan and some worked, but also some were not quite as good. We now go to Europe and I am sure we will be very competitive after what we have learned here in Australia."
Alice Team
The Alice Team riders Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli sensibly improved theirs best lap time in the last day of winter testing on the Phillip Island circuit. Since the first laps both riders have registered interesting performances. In the final hours of the day, both Toni and Sylvan, have tried some qualifying Bridgestone tyres that allowed them to improve their respective best lap time even more. The Alice Team leaves the Australian circuit satisfied of the work done, ready for the IRTA Test in Jerez de la Frontera which will be next February 16th, 17th and 18th.
Sergio Verbena – Track Engineer
“This morning we have stepped on the track with a race setting and we have taken off a second compare yesterday’s best lap time. After having evaluated the situation we were in, we decided to try different tyres solutions to understand which ones were more suitable for our riders. We have found a good solution and for this reason we are very happy. Then, in the late afternoon, we have tried some qualifying tyres and we improved again our lap times. We have done well and we are going back home very satisfied.”
Toni Elias – Alice Team Riders (9th best lap time in 1’30.966 – Total laps 97)
“We have improved overall. We are not totally ready yet, but after three days of work we’ll go back to Europe happy of the results achieved. We have found the right way to follow and we must keep to work hard. In the first part of the day we worked on the chassis of the bike making some adjustments and at the end we found a good compromise. In the afternoon I also tried some qualifying tyres and I have to admit that I was pleased with how I felt on it.”
Sylvain Guintoli – Alice Team Rider (11th best lap time in 1’30.983 – Total Laps 58) “The day has begun in the right direction for us. After just a few laps I sensibly improved my best lap time obtained yesterday. We were really fast. We tried many tyres solutions and I found a front tyre which I really liked. Today we have taken a further step forward and we have to continue this way. In my best lap time with qualifying tyres I have done well, maybe I could push a bit more, but I preferred to don’t risk to make any sort of mistakes.”
Honda LCR
Phillip Island, 1 February: Sunny weather with ambient temperature just above 26 degrees and track temperature at 40 degrees welcomed the 800cc riders for the last day of testing at Phillip Island circuit. The riders and the teams began chasing a good set-up for their bikes last Wednesday at the Australian track and upped the pace today carrying out further development at the circuit which hosts the sixteenth round of the season.
The 2007 World Champion Casey Stoner topped the board once again today with a 1’28.777 lap followed by Hayden and the MotoGP rookie Toseland. The LCR Honda MotoGP Team rider Randy De Puniet worked on suspension setting in combination with tyres from Michelin completing a marathon 115 laps- the most of any rider today. The Frenchman demonstrated a good pace on race tyres but he still struggles on qualifiers. Randy rounded off the top ten today with a 1’30.978 lap time and will be back on track next 16 of February at Jerez de la Frontera.
De Puniet:
“It was a hard day for me as I made 115 laps and tested many things. We proceeded our suspension set-up development on race tyres in combination with Michelin. Honestly my pace on those tyres is pretty fast and compared with yesterday my lap times have been more consistent today. However I still struggle on qualifiers as I miss rear grip. I know I can be faster on qualifiers so we will focus on it at Jerez de la Frontera in a few weeks. In Spain we will receive also the 2008 engine and I am looking forward to riding there!”.
Repsol Honda
Nicky Hayden and Repsol Honda completed their second 2008 preseason test today, the American ending this Phillip Island session with the second fastest lap time. After yesterday's rainfall, today's conditions were perfect: sunny with ambient temperature at 19 to 22 degrees and track temperature at 35 degrees.
Hayden and his hard-working crew dedicated the day to fine-tuning chassis set-up and evaluating Michelin race tyres, though like most other riders he did his best lap on qualifying tyres. The team will continue its preseason work at Sepang, Malaysia, next Tuesday and Wednesday, February 5 and 6.
Hayden was the team's lone ride throughout this test, team-mate Dani Pedrosa recuperating in Europe from a hand injury sustained at Sepang last week. The date for Pedrosa's return to action has yet to be fixed.
Nicky Hayden, fastest lap: 1m 29.734s (lap 71 of 102)
“We ended up not too bad but it'd be nicer to be faster on race tyres. To be honest, it's been a frustrating couple of days here. We got into the 31s about the fourth exit from the pits on the first day and really we haven't been able to go any faster since then, except with the qualifiers, which were good. We've chased our tail a bit and I haven't really found a batch of race tyres I like. I struggled a lot when I was here for last year's race, but I did find something I liked. I didn't have that option this week, so I can't say I'm completely happy with the combination of bike, rider and tyres. We tried the pneumatic-valve engine and the conventional spec engine in the new chassis at this test. We did a lot of tyre testing with Michelin using the conventional engine.
The chassis did some good stuff but not enough through this fast stuff here. We left Sepang last week in a positive way and it's still early days, there's a lot of work still to be done. Now we go back to Sepang for two days, we've got a few days off and then keep trying to chip away at it."
Ducati Marlboro
Casey Stoner lapped faster than any other rider in history at Phillip Island today, his stunning lap of 1'28.777 coming on the last of three days of tests at his home circuit. The reigning World Champion used a qualifying tyre on his 25th of 51 laps, although his pace during a race simulation was equally impressive. Only his flying lap registered outside the 1'30 mark as Stoner racked up 23 consecutive fast laps with relentless precision. Only the heat of the track in the scorching afternoon sun interrupted the local hero's progress, three laps short of the intended total, but his satisfaction was still complete.
Marco Melandri was also quite satisfied after spending another day working intensely on finding a good feeling with his new bike in race trim as opposed to trying for a fast time on a qualifying tyre. Today he completed a marathon 108 laps, including a race simulation.
The pair now have two weeks' rest before their next important meeting at the Jerez circuit in Spain, where the MotoGP Official Test takes place from 16th to 18th February.
Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team), best time: 1:28.777 (51 laps)
"We did the race simulation with one of Bridgestone's new tyres and it went really well, even though we had to come in three laps early. The track temperature today was actually higher than it was for the race here and you could tell. Even so we managed to lap consistently in low 1.30 and that shows how well they're working in Japan. I'm also really happy with the qualifying tyre, which is the same as last year. It is a good thing that bike is not completely different to 2007 because it has allowed is to find an excellent base to start the season from already. The new version of the engine has a better delivery, especially at the bottom end, and that has allowed me to set fast times more consistently, as well as increasing tyre life. It has been a good test session but now I'm happy to have a couple of weeks to rest and train in the gym. The shoulder feels okay, it is just a little bit weak and sore because I haven't been able to work on it as much as I would have wanted but now we can do that."
Marco Melandri (Ducati Marlboro Team), best time: 1:31.377 (108 laps)
"This final day has been particularly intense for me and my crew. We've continued to work on the balance of the bike and then did some tyre tests The front is okay but I'm having some grip issues on the rear. At the moment there isn't much difference between using a new tyre and an old one so we've got plenty of room for improvement in this area. In the afternoon I did a long run and even though the lap times weren't special we learnt a lot. We know what we need to go forward and what can give us better grip to improve our speed through the corners. We're on the right tracks and I'm sure that in the next test at Jerez we'll take another step forward. For now a bit of relaxing will do me good because the last two weeks have been really hard work."
Last edited:
MC Doktorn
Guest
Härligt med uppdaterad info och grymma bilder.
Kul att J.T är med så bra
Kul att J.T är med så bra
Ducati Girl
We are All Aliens... BOTT#6, REC#127
Härliga bilder!
Lite ovant bara se Capirossi på Suzuki, men man vänjer sig väl efter ett tag!
Lite ovant bara se Capirossi på Suzuki, men man vänjer sig väl efter ett tag!
Axxexs
Ordinary man doing extraordinary things
- Gick med
- 11 Dec 2003
- Ort
- Verkstan
- Hoj
- Technical Sports Racing AC28-M Prototype powered by Honda Racing Corporation
Varvtiderna från Stoners racesimulering.
1) 1:31.382
2) 1:30.394
3) 1:30.272
4) 1:30.221
5) 1:30.475
6) 1:30.302
7) 1:30.836
8 )1:30.437
9) 1:30.758
10) 1:30.613
11) 1:30.658
12) 1:30.329
13) 1:30.116
14) 1:30.328
15) 1:30.431
16) 1:30.265
17) 1:30.230
18 )1:30.332
19) 1:30.258
20) 1:30.413
21) 1:30.423
22) 1:30.352
23) 1:30.596
24) 1:30.931
1) 1:31.382
2) 1:30.394
3) 1:30.272
4) 1:30.221
5) 1:30.475
6) 1:30.302
7) 1:30.836
8 )1:30.437
9) 1:30.758
10) 1:30.613
11) 1:30.658
12) 1:30.329
13) 1:30.116
14) 1:30.328
15) 1:30.431
16) 1:30.265
17) 1:30.230
18 )1:30.332
19) 1:30.258
20) 1:30.413
21) 1:30.423
22) 1:30.352
23) 1:30.596
24) 1:30.931
Axxexs
Ordinary man doing extraordinary things
- Gick med
- 11 Dec 2003
- Ort
- Verkstan
- Hoj
- Technical Sports Racing AC28-M Prototype powered by Honda Racing Corporation
Från Valencia-testet.
Mika Kallio
""Everything went very well, we improved the suspension. We didn't have to make big changes and we could confirm that the bike is working well. I was able to put in good lap times. My riding has improved when you compare it to the beginning of 2007. We are now much closer to the top guys and we are at the top level. Last year there was a bigger gap."
Marc Márquez Repsol KTM - 125GP
Julian Simon Repsol KTM - 250GP
Alvaro Bautista Mapfre Aspar aprilia - 250GP
Mika Kallio
""Everything went very well, we improved the suspension. We didn't have to make big changes and we could confirm that the bike is working well. I was able to put in good lap times. My riding has improved when you compare it to the beginning of 2007. We are now much closer to the top guys and we are at the top level. Last year there was a bigger gap."
Marc Márquez Repsol KTM - 125GP
Julian Simon Repsol KTM - 250GP
Alvaro Bautista Mapfre Aspar aprilia - 250GP
Axxexs
Ordinary man doing extraordinary things
- Gick med
- 11 Dec 2003
- Ort
- Verkstan
- Hoj
- Technical Sports Racing AC28-M Prototype powered by Honda Racing Corporation
Ser ut som nån glömt sätta på backventilen och restrerande slang som ska sitta på Julians tank. Ser ut att bara sitta den lilla slangstumpen. Kanske därför han tittar bakåt för att se om han spillt ut nån soppa. 
sandstream
Guest
Imponerande jämnhet!
Klart Hayden ska strunta i Butter och utveckla sin hoj så bra som möjligt, Butter verkar ju inte vara intresserad av något samarbete.
Wagge
Kiruna?
Läckra bilder
Martin
Don't call it a comeback
En Honda med Öhlins.Dave heter fotografen.
Bingo
行駛和是安靜&#
- Gick med
- 6 Mar 2003
- Ort
- Skåne
- Hoj
- Designed to extinguish Fireblades and remind Ducatis they are only twins, som Hagster säger
Han har satt upp nya mål och ser framtiden an med tillförsikt. Vad har han att lära av höstackande föredettingar som slåss om tionde-tolvteplatserna
Dr.Bike
Guest
Kors i kapernaum!
Öhlins på en Honda!
Vadan detta?
Rykten pliiis...
Öhlins på en Honda!
Vadan detta?
Rykten pliiis...
Wagge
Kiruna?
Se där! Missade jag, vad är nu på gång???
Helt riktigt, LCR, inte Gresini, fel av mig.
Nyheter
|
Isracing-VM-kval i Sverige 1 februari
Den 1 februari körs V... |
|
|
Michelin och Brembo i samarbete för ökad säkerhet
Däckjätten Michelin och bro... |
|
MC-mässan flyttar till Jönköping
MC-Mässan 2026 genomförs på... |
|
|
Eldriven motocrosshoj från CFMOTO
Kinesiska motorcykeltillver... |
|
LEGO Technic Ducati Panigale V4 S
LEGO har presenterat modell... |
|
GOTLAND RING BIKE WEEK 2025!
Foton: Michael Grundell ... |
|
CFMOTO presenterar eldriven motocrosshoj
Kinesiska motorcykeltillver... |
|
|
Royal Enfield expanderar efter rekordförsäljning
Indiska motorcykeltillverka... |
|
ExploreBike: Baltikum
Baltikum är en fantastisk d... |
|
Lego Technic Ducati Panigale V4 S
LEGO har presenterat modell... |