GixerGaz
19-03-2007, 13:04
http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8506&stc=1&d=1174305867http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8507&stc=1&d=1174305867
Rizla Suzuki completed its penultimate pre-season outing at Albacete in Spain with Chris Walker heading Sunday's timesheets and team-mate Cal Crutchlow a close third - good enough for third and fourth places over all three days of the test.
Fastest of all were Airwaves Ducati team-mates Gregorio Lavilla and Leon Haslam, with the former BSB champion just 0.1secs ahead of the 2006 title runner-up, who in turn sat 0.17secs clear of 'Stalker'.
However, those times were set with Dunlop qualifying tyres and Rizla Suzuki believes it is even closer on all-important race set-up.
"We have intensively tested the clutch settings, slipper clutch, Ohlins forks, Ohlins TTX shock and quite a few Dunlop tyres. We have achieved exactly what we wanted from this test and finishing first and third on qualifiers today was the icing on the cake," began team manager Simon Buckmaster. "Perhaps most encouraging is not our times on qualifying tyres, but on race rubber. We finished third and fourth on race tyres, with both riders only a fraction behind the Ducatis. That shows we are capable of running with one of our main title rivals for race distance."
'Stalker' spent much of the final day working on his Ohlins forks and clutch settings. In the last session after completing his test programme, he tried a Dunlop qualifying tyre to set his fastest lap.
"It's nice to head the timesheets today but in the grand scheme that is not as important as the amount of data and work we have got through in this test," stated Walker. "We have learnt a huge amount about what affects our Rizla Suzuki Superbike, what works and what doesn't. If we apply what we have learned here then we will be quicker next time we are on track and that has always been my aim. The whole team is putting in immense amounts of effort to make the GSX-R1000 as competitive as possible for the first round of the season. Rizla Suzuki is stepping up to the mark."
BSB rookie Crutchlow concentrated his efforts on tuning his rear shock, but also carried out tests to his clutch and forks. His quickest lap was just 0.068secs slower than former WSBK race winner Walker.
"It's been another very good positive test and I have proved that I can run up at the front with the best riders in British Superbikes - despite the fact they all have much more experience on Superbikes than me and this being my first visit to Albacete," stated the confident Briton. "In reality I am a couple of tenths down on Chris but I am not far behind and within touching distance. We'll go to the Snetterton test in good spirits and ready to make more progress."
Honda rider Karl Harris was a fraction slower than Crutchlow for fifth, with new Kawasaki rider Michael Rutter sixth. Reigning BSB champion's HM Plant Honda, which uses Michelin tyres, were not present at the Albacete test.
Unofficial Test Times for the three days:
1: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 1:29.800
2: Leon Haslam (Ducati) 1:29.900
3: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) 1:30.070
4: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) 1:30.768
5: Karl Harris (Honda) 1:30.778
6: Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) 1:31.635
Rizla Suzuki completed its penultimate pre-season outing at Albacete in Spain with Chris Walker heading Sunday's timesheets and team-mate Cal Crutchlow a close third - good enough for third and fourth places over all three days of the test.
Fastest of all were Airwaves Ducati team-mates Gregorio Lavilla and Leon Haslam, with the former BSB champion just 0.1secs ahead of the 2006 title runner-up, who in turn sat 0.17secs clear of 'Stalker'.
However, those times were set with Dunlop qualifying tyres and Rizla Suzuki believes it is even closer on all-important race set-up.
"We have intensively tested the clutch settings, slipper clutch, Ohlins forks, Ohlins TTX shock and quite a few Dunlop tyres. We have achieved exactly what we wanted from this test and finishing first and third on qualifiers today was the icing on the cake," began team manager Simon Buckmaster. "Perhaps most encouraging is not our times on qualifying tyres, but on race rubber. We finished third and fourth on race tyres, with both riders only a fraction behind the Ducatis. That shows we are capable of running with one of our main title rivals for race distance."
'Stalker' spent much of the final day working on his Ohlins forks and clutch settings. In the last session after completing his test programme, he tried a Dunlop qualifying tyre to set his fastest lap.
"It's nice to head the timesheets today but in the grand scheme that is not as important as the amount of data and work we have got through in this test," stated Walker. "We have learnt a huge amount about what affects our Rizla Suzuki Superbike, what works and what doesn't. If we apply what we have learned here then we will be quicker next time we are on track and that has always been my aim. The whole team is putting in immense amounts of effort to make the GSX-R1000 as competitive as possible for the first round of the season. Rizla Suzuki is stepping up to the mark."
BSB rookie Crutchlow concentrated his efforts on tuning his rear shock, but also carried out tests to his clutch and forks. His quickest lap was just 0.068secs slower than former WSBK race winner Walker.
"It's been another very good positive test and I have proved that I can run up at the front with the best riders in British Superbikes - despite the fact they all have much more experience on Superbikes than me and this being my first visit to Albacete," stated the confident Briton. "In reality I am a couple of tenths down on Chris but I am not far behind and within touching distance. We'll go to the Snetterton test in good spirits and ready to make more progress."
Honda rider Karl Harris was a fraction slower than Crutchlow for fifth, with new Kawasaki rider Michael Rutter sixth. Reigning BSB champion's HM Plant Honda, which uses Michelin tyres, were not present at the Albacete test.
Unofficial Test Times for the three days:
1: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 1:29.800
2: Leon Haslam (Ducati) 1:29.900
3: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) 1:30.070
4: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) 1:30.768
5: Karl Harris (Honda) 1:30.778
6: Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) 1:31.635