GixerGaz
31-01-2007, 14:26
http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7179&stc=1&d=1170249929http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7180&stc=1&d=1170249929
Satellite Ducati rider Alex Barros underlined his 2007 potential by leading the Phillip Island timesheets for the second day in succession - as Desmosedici riders swept the top three positions.
The experienced Pramac d'Antin star, returning to continue his mammoth MotoGP career after one season in WSBK, lowered his best lap time by 0.59secs on day two - putting him on the brink of the first sub-1min 30secs 800cc lap and keeping nearest rival Loris Capirossi at bay by 0.33secs. However, Barros used a qualifying tyre, while the factory Ducati riders set their best on race rubber.
Capirossi had been joint second fastest on Tuesday, but the factory Ducati rider made the position his own on day two, while young team-mate Casey Stoner completed a near perfect day for the Italian manufacturer with third at his home circuit - just 0.05secs behind Capirossi.
Had it not been for Honda's Dani Pedrosa, Wednesday would have seen an all-Ducati (and Bridgestone) top four, but instead Barros' team-mate Alex Hofmann was left 0.15secs behind the factory RC212V rider for a nonetheless promising fifth.
Michelin shod Pedrosa was within just 0.44secs from Barros, indicating that slow progress is being made at Honda, but team-mate and reigning world champion Nicky Hayden won't have been pleased to slip from fourth to sixth on the timesheets - and is still struggling with "the same basic issue where the bike isn't quite turning as I'd like it to and it pushes the front".
Gresini Honda's Marco Melandri plummeted further, from second to seventh, while fellow Bridgestone outfit Rizla Suzuki endured its second day at the lower end of the timesheets with Chris Vermeulen ninth and John Hopkins thirteenth and last - signalling that it is the Ducati GP7, rather than its Bridgestone tyres, which seems so well suited to Phillip Island at the moment.
The three-day test concludes on Thursday.
Phillip Island MotoGP test times - Wednesday.
1. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.01 secs
2. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.34 secs
3. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.39 secs
4. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 30.45 secs
5. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.60 secs
6. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 30.61 secs
7. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 30.74 secs
8. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 1min 30.84 secs
9. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 31.18 secs
10. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 1min 31.35 secs
11. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 31.51 secs
12. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 1min 31.55 secs
13. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 31.63 secs
Satellite Ducati rider Alex Barros underlined his 2007 potential by leading the Phillip Island timesheets for the second day in succession - as Desmosedici riders swept the top three positions.
The experienced Pramac d'Antin star, returning to continue his mammoth MotoGP career after one season in WSBK, lowered his best lap time by 0.59secs on day two - putting him on the brink of the first sub-1min 30secs 800cc lap and keeping nearest rival Loris Capirossi at bay by 0.33secs. However, Barros used a qualifying tyre, while the factory Ducati riders set their best on race rubber.
Capirossi had been joint second fastest on Tuesday, but the factory Ducati rider made the position his own on day two, while young team-mate Casey Stoner completed a near perfect day for the Italian manufacturer with third at his home circuit - just 0.05secs behind Capirossi.
Had it not been for Honda's Dani Pedrosa, Wednesday would have seen an all-Ducati (and Bridgestone) top four, but instead Barros' team-mate Alex Hofmann was left 0.15secs behind the factory RC212V rider for a nonetheless promising fifth.
Michelin shod Pedrosa was within just 0.44secs from Barros, indicating that slow progress is being made at Honda, but team-mate and reigning world champion Nicky Hayden won't have been pleased to slip from fourth to sixth on the timesheets - and is still struggling with "the same basic issue where the bike isn't quite turning as I'd like it to and it pushes the front".
Gresini Honda's Marco Melandri plummeted further, from second to seventh, while fellow Bridgestone outfit Rizla Suzuki endured its second day at the lower end of the timesheets with Chris Vermeulen ninth and John Hopkins thirteenth and last - signalling that it is the Ducati GP7, rather than its Bridgestone tyres, which seems so well suited to Phillip Island at the moment.
The three-day test concludes on Thursday.
Phillip Island MotoGP test times - Wednesday.
1. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.01 secs
2. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.34 secs
3. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.39 secs
4. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 30.45 secs
5. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.60 secs
6. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 30.61 secs
7. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 30.74 secs
8. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 1min 30.84 secs
9. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 31.18 secs
10. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 1min 31.35 secs
11. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 31.51 secs
12. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 1min 31.55 secs
13. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 31.63 secs