GixerGaz
01-02-2007, 13:05
http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7210&stc=1&d=1170331493http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7211&stc=1&d=1170331493
MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden turned his unspectacular pre-season around by finishing the Phillip Island test fastest of all, following the third day of action down under.
The American had been fourth and sixth quickest during the first two Ducati-dominated days in Australia, as he struggled to get his Repsol Honda to turn, but wrung over one second from his previous best time with the aid of a qualifying tyre on Thursday.
Hayden's hot lap, a 1min 29.52secs, was just over half a second outside his own official 990cc pole record at the high-speed seaside circuit - and kept him 0.2secs ahead of team-mate Dani Pedrosa, as the Michelin-shod factory Hondas demoted the Bridgestone-backed Ducatis to third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
Pramac d'Antin's Alex Barros had led the first two days of action, with race tyres on Tuesday and then a qualifying tyre on Wednesday, but the Brazilian lapped nearly 0.4secs slower on Thursday to slip to sixth overall. However, his 1min 30.01secs day two time remained the fastest by any Ducati rider at the test, with factory star Loris Capirossi - the fastest Desmosedici pilot on the final day - recording a 1min 30.15secs best to sit just over 0.6secs from Hayden.
Capirossi's new team-mate Casey Stoner once again effectively matched the multiple MotoGP race winner to conclude a promising test fourth overall, while Alex Hofmann was also smiling after edging out his own grand prix winning team-mate Barros by 0.220secs for a strong fifth position.
Both Honda and Ducati could call the test a success - Honda for its peerless one lap pace and Ducati for its high level of consistency, by both factory and non-factory riders, over the three days.
Best of the rest was Honda LCR's Carlos Checa, who looked to make significant se-up progress to be the third best RC212V rider, albeit nearly one second behind Hayden - but was at least untroubled by seagulls today; the Spaniard was a victim of a low-flying attack on Wednesday, which contributed to the red flag being shown. Gresini Honda's Toni Elias was a fraction slower than his fellow Spaniard in eighth.
After highly-promising tests at Valencia, Jerez and particularly Sepang, Rizla Suzuki was brought down to earth at Phillip Island when - as the team itself had warned - they tackled a circuit where the previous 990cc GSV-R had struggled. Unfortunately, the problems appear to have been passed to the new 800cc racer as Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins failed to rise above ninth over the three days. Vermeulen eventually finished in that position, 1.2secs behind Hayden, with Hopkins a fraction slower for eleventh on the final day.
Between them was triple 2006 race winner Marco Melandri - second fastest on the opening day before slipping steadily backwards - while Konica Minolta Honda's Shinya Nakano and Team Roberts' Kenny Roberts completed the thirteen rider field, all of whom lapped within 1.6secs of Hayden.
The next MotoGP test will be the third and final Malaysian outing from February 5-7 - when Yamaha, Kawasaki and Ilmor will be back on track - while Honda, Ducati and Suzuki will return at the following Qatar test from February 13-15.
Philip Island Day 3 times.
1.Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 29.52 secs
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 29.72 secs
3. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.15 secs
4. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.21 secs
5. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.21 secs
6. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.43 secs
7. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 1min 30.46 secs
8. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 30.50 secs
9. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 30.72 secs
10. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 30.80 secs
11. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 30.80 secs
12. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 1min 30.97 secs
13. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 1min 31.10 secs
Circuit Records
Pole position: Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda 1min 29.020secs (2006)
Fastest race lap: Marco Melandri ITA Movistar Honda 1min 30.332secs (2005)
MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden turned his unspectacular pre-season around by finishing the Phillip Island test fastest of all, following the third day of action down under.
The American had been fourth and sixth quickest during the first two Ducati-dominated days in Australia, as he struggled to get his Repsol Honda to turn, but wrung over one second from his previous best time with the aid of a qualifying tyre on Thursday.
Hayden's hot lap, a 1min 29.52secs, was just over half a second outside his own official 990cc pole record at the high-speed seaside circuit - and kept him 0.2secs ahead of team-mate Dani Pedrosa, as the Michelin-shod factory Hondas demoted the Bridgestone-backed Ducatis to third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
Pramac d'Antin's Alex Barros had led the first two days of action, with race tyres on Tuesday and then a qualifying tyre on Wednesday, but the Brazilian lapped nearly 0.4secs slower on Thursday to slip to sixth overall. However, his 1min 30.01secs day two time remained the fastest by any Ducati rider at the test, with factory star Loris Capirossi - the fastest Desmosedici pilot on the final day - recording a 1min 30.15secs best to sit just over 0.6secs from Hayden.
Capirossi's new team-mate Casey Stoner once again effectively matched the multiple MotoGP race winner to conclude a promising test fourth overall, while Alex Hofmann was also smiling after edging out his own grand prix winning team-mate Barros by 0.220secs for a strong fifth position.
Both Honda and Ducati could call the test a success - Honda for its peerless one lap pace and Ducati for its high level of consistency, by both factory and non-factory riders, over the three days.
Best of the rest was Honda LCR's Carlos Checa, who looked to make significant se-up progress to be the third best RC212V rider, albeit nearly one second behind Hayden - but was at least untroubled by seagulls today; the Spaniard was a victim of a low-flying attack on Wednesday, which contributed to the red flag being shown. Gresini Honda's Toni Elias was a fraction slower than his fellow Spaniard in eighth.
After highly-promising tests at Valencia, Jerez and particularly Sepang, Rizla Suzuki was brought down to earth at Phillip Island when - as the team itself had warned - they tackled a circuit where the previous 990cc GSV-R had struggled. Unfortunately, the problems appear to have been passed to the new 800cc racer as Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins failed to rise above ninth over the three days. Vermeulen eventually finished in that position, 1.2secs behind Hayden, with Hopkins a fraction slower for eleventh on the final day.
Between them was triple 2006 race winner Marco Melandri - second fastest on the opening day before slipping steadily backwards - while Konica Minolta Honda's Shinya Nakano and Team Roberts' Kenny Roberts completed the thirteen rider field, all of whom lapped within 1.6secs of Hayden.
The next MotoGP test will be the third and final Malaysian outing from February 5-7 - when Yamaha, Kawasaki and Ilmor will be back on track - while Honda, Ducati and Suzuki will return at the following Qatar test from February 13-15.
Philip Island Day 3 times.
1.Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 29.52 secs
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 29.72 secs
3. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.15 secs
4. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 30.21 secs
5. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.21 secs
6. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 1min 30.43 secs
7. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 1min 30.46 secs
8. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 30.50 secs
9. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 30.72 secs
10. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 30.80 secs
11. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 30.80 secs
12. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 1min 30.97 secs
13. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 1min 31.10 secs
Circuit Records
Pole position: Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda 1min 29.020secs (2006)
Fastest race lap: Marco Melandri ITA Movistar Honda 1min 30.332secs (2005)