The Fiat Yamaha Team were hard at work in the first post-race test of the season today, fresh from a spectacular display in yesterday’s Catalan Grand Prix which saw Valentino Rossi triumph over his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo by just 0.095 seconds. The pair barely had time to come down from their high but with testing strictly limited this season today’s test in Spain was of key importance for the next stage of the season, which brings four races inside five weeks.
Yesterday’s incredible performance proved that Yamaha’s factory team is already in blistering form but today provided the chance to work on development, including electronics and power delivery, in a low-pressure environment as well as to gather further information for MotoGP tyre supplier Bridgestone. Rossi and Lorenzo finished the day first and second fastest behind Andrea Dovizioso and were both faster than the best lap of yesterday’s race in times of 1’42.434 and 1’42.446 respectively.
The next chance the team will have to test is after the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno in mid-August.
Valentino Rossi Speaks…
Position: 2nd Time: 1’42.434 Laps: 58
"It was hard to test after yesterday but it was a good day and we found out some important things. We worked on electronics to try to find a better power delivery and we also checked a different version of the engine for the second half of the season. Finally we also tried a new tyre with Bridgestone. We got good feedback and hopefully today should mean I can feel even better on my M1 than I did at the weekend, which was already pretty good! At the end we also tried to set some fast ‘qualifying’ laps and I made a good time, so we’re happy. Now I am going home to Italy to have some rest!"
Jorge Lorenzo Speaks…
Position: 3rd Time: 1’42.446 Laps: 80
"Today was good because we tested some important things and I was also able to improve my riding style, but I am very tired now because it was very hot and I did 80 laps on top of a very hard weekend! We tried some new electronic systems and suspension settings and we’ve found some improvement, so I am glad that we have made this test today and hopefully it will help us in the next races."
Davide Brivio Speaks…
"Of course it wasn’t easy to go back to work after such an intense day yesterday and to ask Valentino to get back on the bike, but we tested all afternoon and it was well worth the effort. We did some good work and collected important information that will help us through the next busy stage of the championship."
Daniele Romagnoli Speaks…
"After the close and exciting race of yesterday, Jorge and the team have a huge motivation to try to improve our package. This year with less practice time and basically without any tests after races it’s more risky to try very different settings from the base during the race weekend, but today we have tested various chassis settings with the aim to improving a little in the hard braking areas, and we have also worked also on the electronics setting to try to find an improvement in acceleration. Now the team deserve a little break and we are confident of another good result at the next race in Assen."
MotoGP Test Times
1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda
1’42.230
2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team
1’42.434
3. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team
1’42.446
4. Mika Kallio (FIN) Pramac Racing
1’42.637
5. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team
1’42.763
6. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
1’43.188
7. Randy De Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP
1’43.247
8. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
1’43.299
9. Alex De Angelis (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini
1’43.360
10. Niccolo Canepa (ITA) Pramac Racing
1’43.391
11. Marco Melandri (ITA) Hayate Racing Team
1’43.506
12. Toni Elias (SPA) San Carlo Honda Gresini
1’43.708
13. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team
1’44.157
14. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Grupo Francisco Hernando
1’44.819
15. Gabor Talmacsi (HUN) Scot Racing Team MotoGP
1’45.056
Montmelo’: Record Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2008, 1’42.358
Montmelo’: Best Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1’41.186
