Essais Sepang [22-23-24/01/07]

[Stoner27]

Ducati duo spot problems, praise tyres.



The opening day of 2007 testing, at Sepang in Malaysia, ended with Ducati Marlboro riders Loris Capirossi and Casey Stoner sixth and tenth fastest as they identified areas of improvement.

Capirossi lapped 1.261secs behind fastest man John Hopkins of Rizla Suzuki, with new team-mate Stoner a further 0.4secs behind. As the endless quest for further performance continues, both riders spotted areas of current weakness but were delighted at the performance of their Bridgestone tyres.

"It was not bad for the first day of testing after a break of over six weeks," summed up triple 2006 race winner Capirossi. "We've still got a few problems in the general set-up of the bike but it's normal at this stage of the year. We are here for this reason and for sure we've got a lot of margin for improvement. Today we tested a few things that worked and we put aside some other solutions as we have organised the work for the next couple of days. We have opted to test a few more things tomorrow and I think we can improve a lot. I'm also very confident about the performance of the tyres because even though we haven't yet begun to test with the new ones, the ones we have used today already perform really well."

"I am very pleased with the way things have gone today," declared Stoner after testing his new Italian machine for the third time. "We have made a lot of progress since the Jerez test even though we still have to improve some of the characteristics of the engine. I am really pleased with the tyres: the front is already perfect, the rear is good and for sure we can improve. However my best time was set with a rear that had already done an entire race distance and that's a good sign!"

[Stoner27]

The first day of 2007 MotoGP track action has ended with John Hopkins leading a Rizla Suzuki one-two at the top of the testing timesheets at Sepang in Malaysia.

This week's outing is the second of three winter tests scheduled at the Malaysian circuit before the start of the new season, in Qatar on March 10, but marks the first time that all five major MotoGP manufacturers - Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki and Kawasaki - have had their new 800cc machines on track together. Indeed, of the expected 2007 grid, only the new Ilmor SRT team is absent.

Hopkins had sensationally set the pace during the first Sepang test, held last November, and picked up where he'd left off on his first day back after the six week winter test ban - continuing a highly-promising winter display for Paul Denning's team.

Hopper led the field with a best lap of 2mins 2.277secs, enough to keep him over 0.7secs clear of team-mate Chris Vermeulen, but still some way off his own 800cc best at the first Sepang test. Nevertheless, lap times are expected to tumble over the three days.

On a day of otherwise close lap times, best of the rest was former five-times world champion Valentino Rossi, who lapped just 0.135secs behind Vermeulen, while the Italian's team-mate Colin Edwards completed a promising start for Yamaha by ending the day a fraction from The Doctor.

New world champion Nicky Hayden made his comeback from shoulder surgery with the fifth fastest time to lead the Honda challenge, while Ducati's first representation was from Loris Capirossi in sixth, with Randy de Puniet a surprising seventh for Kawasaki - and within 0.5secs of second fastest Vermeulen!

The top ten was completed by rookie of the year Dani Pedrosa, Tech 3 Yamaha's Makoto Tamada - who continued his bright start for the Dunlop shod satellite team – and new factory Ducati rider Casey Stoner.

Another promising performance came from Alex Hofmann, who just outpaced experienced Pramac d'Antin team-mate Alex Barros for twelfth on his 800cc Ducati debut, while Kenny Roberts claimed 13th - 1.8secs from Hopkins - during his first day on the new 800cc KRV.

Not having such a promising start was Carlos Checa, who fell on his way to 14th, with Shinya Nakano just 15th for Konica Minolta Honda - although ahead of 2006 race winners Marco Melandri and Toni Elias, who were just 16th and 18th but claimed to be satisfied with their tyre and base set-up work.

Kawasaki's Olivier Jacque and MotoGP rookie Sylvain Guintoli, of Tech 3 Yamaha, completed the 20 riders present.

Testing continues on Tuesday and concludes on Wednesday.

crash.net

[1100kawa]

moi je dit que la kawa est toujours aussi belle meme si je prefere le verts d avant mais il faudrais la oirsous un autre angle pour se faire une idee.

mais ca fait du bien de se dire que nos chere pilote sont de retour sur les circuits

drules

[defazer]

cela reste des essais hivernaux....
Randy à toujours été excellent lors des essais en cette période, la suite moins bien.
je vais donc attendre et puis cela ne fait que commencer et il était temps !!!

[chrisgaz]

ca y est, c est reparti.... enfin ils roulent..... oh putin conggg !!!!!!!!! vite ma piqure !!!!!!!! ca fait du bien de voir enfin des chronos et plus de blabla... ca me plait tout ca.... les suzuki ont l air vraiment en forme.... il va falloir laisser passer ces jours a sepang pour avoir des resultats significatifs.... bien que l on a vu l année derniere que les yamaha etaient tres fortes sur les essais hivernaux, et ont rencontré pleins de problemes des le debut de saison..... m enfin, meme si c est que le 1er GP qui nous dira qui est en forme... ca fait quand meme plaisir de revoir enfin nos motos et pilotes favoris (avec toutes les engueulades que ca va généré, et ca a deja commencé... oh le vert kawa, il est bien...arf non il est moche) ohh que ca fait plaisir de revoir toutes ces chamailleries...... ce veut dire que la saison 2007 commence..... c etait trop long !!!!!!!

[mickey]

[Valentino46]

c'est clair que ça fait du bien de revoir nos cher pilotes tourner...Les Yam on l'air vraiment pas mal, les Honda pareil, les ducat ne sont pas loin et les kawa pour ne pas avoir fait beaucoup de test (et avoir achever une moto dans le tard) ne sont pas si loin que ça...Les Suz marchent très fort mais je suis près a parier (très gros) que Hopkins avait des pneus qualif, de plus, même si une moto est bonne on ne colle pas 1s (ou presque) à la concurrence...Surtout quand on voit les chronos de son coéquipier...

[pierminator]

Forzaa Suzuki!!!!!!

[Carlibus]

Moi jsuis content en général.. ce qu'il faut absolument pours les français, c'est qu'ils ne tombent pas!!! randy peut faire tres fort si il tombe pas pendant les essais et reprend confiance! OJ vas y aller tout doucement.. et Guintoli a deja chuté.. ça c moins bien.. il faut aussi qu'il se recupere de sa chute!
sinon hopkins n'est pas un manche et je pense sincerement qu'il a le potentiel d'etre dans les 5 cette année!
pedrosa comme dab.. commence doucement mais surement et va finir par nous faire peter les chronos! content de revoir hayden et le nº1 en motogp! et tout le reste a l'air pa mal!

[1100kawa]

mickey tu choppe tes fotos ou?