MotoGP News
Following the busy race weekend at Brno for the Czech Republic Grand Prix, riders and teams were back on track Monday, testing options on their prototype motorcycles for next year and the second half of the 2010 season.
The one-day test was cut short by ran, making teams pack up by 3 p.m. local time. The fastest rider on the track was Sunday’s race-winner, Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo. The Spaniard completed 44 laps while experimenting with a new engine upgrade and suspension settings on his M1 Yamaha.
Lorenzo, who holds the record lap at Brno set in 2009 (1’56.670), also lapped the circuit on a the 2011 prototype YZR-M1.
Jorge Lorenzo says: “This was an important and interesting test for us, both for the rest of the season and looking towards next year. We had a lot to do but unfortunately the rain forced us to stop early. As well as the ‘new’ prototype machine for next year we also tried an engine upgrade and a new Ohlins suspension, but it’s too early to know if they will be better for our M1, which is already very competitive. We got quite a lot of information though so hopefully it will help the engineers to improve things even more.”
Ducati team rider Casey Stoner completed 37 laps, setting the second fastest time of 1:56.844 during the Brno tests. The Australian, who finished Sunday’s race in third, tried new front forks on his Desmosedici GP10, but considered the day a “bit of a waste” due to rain stopping the tests.
Third fastest was Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa while running six laps on a test bike. Pedrosa, who finished second and was the pole sitter at Brno, also finished fifth fastest on his RC212V.
He was experimenting with a new chassis that would improve stability on entering turns, a problem the Spaniard had since the beginning of the season. Pedrosa did crash during the test, but was uninjured. He lost control of the rear wheel on turn 7, which is a left hander.
Valentino Rossi was fourth fastest at the test, the Italian completing the most laps of anyone at 50. The nine-time world champion struggled with bike setup at Brno, but still managed to finish fifth.
The team tried different suspension settings at Monday’s test. Rossi, who has signed a two-year contract with Ducati for 2011, also experimented with a 2010 engine upgrade.
Like Rossi, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Colin Edwards experimented with setup on his current M1 motorcycle. His teammate, Ben Spies, made some progress on a 2011 prototype Yamaha.
Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso tested new Öhlins suspension along with new electronics adjustments and a new version of rear brake located on the left handlebar to be activated by the thumb.
MotoGP says Simoncelli made a marginal improvement of just under seven-hundredths on his RC212V, both he and team-mate Marco Melandri working on electronics and braking improvements. Héctor Barberá (Páginas Amarillas Aspar) tested a new carbon swingarm on his Ducati, whilst Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) looked at geometry settings on his with team-mate Aleix Espargaró using the test to gain an improved level of comfort on his GP10.
MotoGP says Bridgestone also rolled out a new front tire spec for next season, which was tested by the majority of the riders present. The only absentee from the test was Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) who opted to rest after his return to racing yesterday following his broken leg. Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) made 24 laps on his GSV-R, the fewest of the day as he continued to recover from the practice crash he suffered on Saturday.
Riders and teams now have a weekend off before the next meeting at Indianapolis, Round 11 of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship.
Unofficial MotoGP Brno Test Session Times:
1. Jorge LORENZO Yamaha, 1:56.269 (44 laps)
2. Casey STONER, Ducati, 1:56.844 (37)
3. Dani Test PEDROSA, Honda 1:56.944 (6)
4. Valentino ROSSI, Yamaha, 1:57.129 (50)
5. Dani PEDROSA, Honda 1:57.424 (28)
6. Colin EDWARDS, Yamaha, 1:57.512 (41)
7. Ben SPIES, Yamaha, 1:57.575 (42)
8. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Honda, 1:57.691 (48)
9. Loris CAPIROSSI, Suzuki, 1:57.700 (51)
10. Nicky HAYDEN, Ducati, 1:57.991 (38)
11. Hector BARBERA, Ducati, 1:58.017 (47)
12. Marco MELANDRI, Honda, 1:58.070 (42)
13. Marco SIMONCELLI, Honda, 1:58.091 (35)
14. Aleix ESPARGARO, Ducati, 1:58.612 (53)
15. Hiroshi AOYAMA, Honda, 1:58.830 (46)
16. Mika KALLIO, Ducati1:58.926 (62)
17. Alvaro BAUTISTA, Suzuki, 1:59.454 (30)
