Just 24 hours after the celebrations over the victory of Loris Capirossi
in the opening round of the 2006 MotoGP season, the Italian team was
back at work today at Jerez for a one-day scheduled test on the
Andalusian circuit.
The Italian rider focussed mainly on testing new Bridgestone tyres and
continuing the Ducati Desmosedici GP6's development schedule. Loris
lapped consistently around the 1m41s mark, ending the day with a best
time of 1m40.798s.
Sete Gibernau put aside his Jerez race disappointment to immediately set
the quickest time of 1m40.504s on the fourth lap of his opening run of
the day. A harmless slide interrupted the Spanish rider's session for a
few minutes but the Spanish rider was able to successfully conclude the
test in preparation for the next round of the championship in Qatar.
Toni Elias (1'41.16, 67 laps): "Today we worked a little bit on the
setting in order to improve my pace. We worked mainly on the suspensions
without changing too much yesterday configuration. In fact we have found
a good base that I like a lot. In the afternoon we started the
preparation of the GP of Qatar. I leave Jerez satisfied and confident
for the second race of the season."
Marco Melandri (1'41. 400, 78 laps ): "I'm quite satisfied because
compared to yesterday I lapped consistently improving my lap time.
Unfortunately, at the moment, I am still not able to use all the
potential that the bike has."
Makoto Tamada - Konica Minolta Honda Rider (54 laps - 1'41.234");
"This day has started well. I have already been able to improve the best race lap time of more than one second in the first hour of test. The feeling with the bike was clearly better than yesterday even if the setting had not been modified significantly. For this, I am really sorry for the fall all the more as so the last part of the session was expected to be dedicated to the test of some new Michelin tyres.
I have only got some contusions, but I will have no problem to be at the top of my physical conditions in Qatar."
Temperatures: air 23° / track 31° C
- 1) Nicky Hayden (Honda) 1m39. 910s
- 2) Sete Gibernau (Ducati) 1m40.504s
- 3) Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 1m40.798s
- 4) Casey Stoner (Honda) 1m40. 821s
- 5) Daniel Pedrosa (Honda) 1m40. 845s
- 6) Carlos Checa (Yamaha) 1m40. 932s
- 7) Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1m40. 966s
- 8) John Hopkins (Suzuki) 1m41.096s
- 9) Shynja Nakano (Kawasaki) 1m41.178s
- 10) Toni Elias (Honda) 1m41.193s
- 11) Makoto Tamada (Honda) 1m41. 234s
- 12) Marco Melandri (Honda) 1m41. 400s
- 13) Colin Edwards (Yamaha) 1m41. 442s
- 14) Cris Vermullen (Suzuki) 1m41. 554s
- 15) Kenny Roberts (KRHonda) 1m41.861s
- 16) James Ellison (Yamaha) 1m42.924s
