Vallelunga tests, 7-8 July
Max and Yukio 5th and 9th in the Vallelunga sun.
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders Max Biaggi and Yukio
Kagayama finished the two-day test at Vallelunga with the
fifth and ninth fastest times respectively. Yukio would’ve
finished higher up the list were it not for some bike problems,
but nevertheless he is more or less satisfied with what he
and the team achieved over the two days.
For Max, Vallelunga is like a ‘home’ event, so
he was keen to do well in these two days in preparation for
the race here at the towards the end of the season.
Yesterday and today’s afternoon sessions were both very
hot, with the track temperature in the 50’s today, and
nobody was able to lap any quicker then the morning. Spaniard
Ruben Xaus (Ducati) topped the time sheets overall, with Troy
Bayliss (Ducati) second and Troy Corser (Yamaha) close by
in third.
Max
Generally these tests were not so bad, though I am always
after something better and I know we still have work to do.
We only used race tyres and put in many laps, so I think that
our fifth position is not so bad. Probably, if we only consider
the times on race rubber, I would’ve been second quickest.
At the end of these two days our package is not so bad and
during the tests we tried many different things, including
mapping, suspension, engine-braking. We did a lot of work
for sure! The track layout is not so bad, though it feels
quite narrow compared to other tracks we race at, but there
places to pass on the brakes.
Yukio
I am a bit disappointed because I lost some time because of
some bike problems. Maybe without those problems I could’ve
challenged for a top three place for sure, because I was not
able to do so many laps today. This is my first time at this
track and although the layout is not so bad, I feel it is
a bit narrow in places and maybe not as safe as other tracks.
Overall best laps
1 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1'36.382 2 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1'36.556,
3 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1'36.731, 4 Toseland (GB-Honda) 1'36.783,
5 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1'37.440, 6 Laconi
(F-Kawasaki) 1'37.455, 7 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1'37.506, 8 Rolfo
(I-Honda) 1'37.647, 9 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona
Extra) 1'37.655, 10 Fabrizio (I-Honda)1'37.817,
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