GixerGaz
24-01-2007, 14:49
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Former five-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has deprived John Hopkins of a perfect Sepang sweep, by breaking new ground on the third and final day in Malaysia.
Rizla Suzuki star Hopkins had been untouchable on the opening two days, but even the on-fire Anglo-American couldn't resist Rossi's stunning 2mins 0.936secs flyer on the final day - a time which marked the fastest ever 800cc lap at Sepang and was just a fraction from Rossi's own 990cc pole record of 2mins 0.605secs.
Rossi's success came after the Factory Yamaha rider had been listed third and fifth on the first two days - and was the result of a further 1.683secs improvement on Wednesday. Like most riders, Rossi's Wednesday best was set with the aid of a qualifying tyre.
Hopkins was just 0.09secs slower and, although he lost the top spot, the #21 and his team can barely have dreamt of a better start to 2007. After impressive performances during the 2006 winter tests, the fear was always that Suzuki would lose ground over the six-week test ban - but that hasn't happened and, providing Paul Denning's team can keep its current momentum going, the GSV-R800 could prove a race winning package in 2007.
By contrast, Loris Capirossi and the factory Ducati team had a relatively quiet start to the test - the Italian holding sixth position for the first two days - but the triple 2006 race winner was able to leapfrog up the order on Wednesday to finish third overall and just 0.338secs from countryman Rossi.
Honda had looked in trouble as its riders were pushed outside the top seven on day two, but 2006 rookie of the year Dani Pedrosa restored some confidence with the fourth fastest Wednesday time for the Repsol backed factory team - albeit 0.728secs from Rossi's M1.
Although unable to match team-mate Hopkins, Chris Vermeulen's fifth overall - after being second and third on the first two days - made Suzuki the top team at the test, while sixth for Randy de Puniet sparked further smiles at Kawasaki.
World champion Nicky Hayden was the final rider to lap within one second of Rossi, the American setting the seventh fastest time, as Rossi's team-mate Colin Edwards (confirmed as using only race tyres), Capirossi's team-mate Casey Stoner and Gresini Honda's Marco Melandri completed the top ten. Melandri, a three-time race winner last season, was just 16th and 11th over the first two days and - like all of the Honda riders - still seems to be lacking a certain something in terms of set-up.
After his Tuesday heroics, in which he was fourth fastest, Pramac d'Antin's Alex Barros was forced to settle for a less dramatic 12th on day three - just behind another premier-class veteran, Carlos Checa. The Honda LCR rider and Team KR's Kenny Roberts swapped bikes on Wednesday to try and help 'accelerate' Honda's engine development.
New Konica Minolta Honda rider Shinya Nakano ended the test a disconcerting 15th fastest, with his replacement at Kawasaki, former 250cc world champion Oliver Jacque, making an even slower start to 2007 with the 18th quickest time. Fellow Frenchman, and MotoGP rookie, Sylvain Guintoli didn't ride on day three.
The next pre-season test will take place at Phillip Island in Australia from January 30 to February 1, before the teams return to Sepang for the third and final time from February 5-7.
1. Valentino Rossi 2:00.93
2. John Hopkins 2:01.02
3. Loris Capirossi 2:01.27
4. Dani Pedrosa 2:01.66
5. Chris Vermeulen 2:01.69
6. Randy De Puniet 2:01.87
7. Nicky Hayden 2:01.88
8. Colin Edwards 2:02.26
9. Casey Stoner 2:02.40
10. Marco Melandri 2:02.48
11. Carlos Checa 2:02.58
12. Alex Barros 2:02.63
13. Toni Elias 2:02.92
14. Alex Hofmann 2:03.04
15. Shinya Nakano 2:03.07
16. Makoto Tamada - 3 2:03.30
17. Kenny Roberts JR 2:03.33
18. Olivier Jacque 2:03.59
19. Shinichi Ito 2:03.97
Former five-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has deprived John Hopkins of a perfect Sepang sweep, by breaking new ground on the third and final day in Malaysia.
Rizla Suzuki star Hopkins had been untouchable on the opening two days, but even the on-fire Anglo-American couldn't resist Rossi's stunning 2mins 0.936secs flyer on the final day - a time which marked the fastest ever 800cc lap at Sepang and was just a fraction from Rossi's own 990cc pole record of 2mins 0.605secs.
Rossi's success came after the Factory Yamaha rider had been listed third and fifth on the first two days - and was the result of a further 1.683secs improvement on Wednesday. Like most riders, Rossi's Wednesday best was set with the aid of a qualifying tyre.
Hopkins was just 0.09secs slower and, although he lost the top spot, the #21 and his team can barely have dreamt of a better start to 2007. After impressive performances during the 2006 winter tests, the fear was always that Suzuki would lose ground over the six-week test ban - but that hasn't happened and, providing Paul Denning's team can keep its current momentum going, the GSV-R800 could prove a race winning package in 2007.
By contrast, Loris Capirossi and the factory Ducati team had a relatively quiet start to the test - the Italian holding sixth position for the first two days - but the triple 2006 race winner was able to leapfrog up the order on Wednesday to finish third overall and just 0.338secs from countryman Rossi.
Honda had looked in trouble as its riders were pushed outside the top seven on day two, but 2006 rookie of the year Dani Pedrosa restored some confidence with the fourth fastest Wednesday time for the Repsol backed factory team - albeit 0.728secs from Rossi's M1.
Although unable to match team-mate Hopkins, Chris Vermeulen's fifth overall - after being second and third on the first two days - made Suzuki the top team at the test, while sixth for Randy de Puniet sparked further smiles at Kawasaki.
World champion Nicky Hayden was the final rider to lap within one second of Rossi, the American setting the seventh fastest time, as Rossi's team-mate Colin Edwards (confirmed as using only race tyres), Capirossi's team-mate Casey Stoner and Gresini Honda's Marco Melandri completed the top ten. Melandri, a three-time race winner last season, was just 16th and 11th over the first two days and - like all of the Honda riders - still seems to be lacking a certain something in terms of set-up.
After his Tuesday heroics, in which he was fourth fastest, Pramac d'Antin's Alex Barros was forced to settle for a less dramatic 12th on day three - just behind another premier-class veteran, Carlos Checa. The Honda LCR rider and Team KR's Kenny Roberts swapped bikes on Wednesday to try and help 'accelerate' Honda's engine development.
New Konica Minolta Honda rider Shinya Nakano ended the test a disconcerting 15th fastest, with his replacement at Kawasaki, former 250cc world champion Oliver Jacque, making an even slower start to 2007 with the 18th quickest time. Fellow Frenchman, and MotoGP rookie, Sylvain Guintoli didn't ride on day three.
The next pre-season test will take place at Phillip Island in Australia from January 30 to February 1, before the teams return to Sepang for the third and final time from February 5-7.
1. Valentino Rossi 2:00.93
2. John Hopkins 2:01.02
3. Loris Capirossi 2:01.27
4. Dani Pedrosa 2:01.66
5. Chris Vermeulen 2:01.69
6. Randy De Puniet 2:01.87
7. Nicky Hayden 2:01.88
8. Colin Edwards 2:02.26
9. Casey Stoner 2:02.40
10. Marco Melandri 2:02.48
11. Carlos Checa 2:02.58
12. Alex Barros 2:02.63
13. Toni Elias 2:02.92
14. Alex Hofmann 2:03.04
15. Shinya Nakano 2:03.07
16. Makoto Tamada - 3 2:03.30
17. Kenny Roberts JR 2:03.33
18. Olivier Jacque 2:03.59
19. Shinichi Ito 2:03.97