Valencia tests, March 13/14, 2008
Circuit: 4.005 kms Conditions: dry, mostly sunny
 ALL
POSITIVE FOR FONSI, MAX AND YUKIO.
Team Suzuki Alstare riders Fonsi Nieto and Yukio Kagayama
and Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner left the Ricardo
Tormo circuit in Valencia in positive frames of mind after
two days of intensive testing. Tests in Valencia have not
always taken place in good conditions, but the weather here
over the two days has been more or less perfect.
Neither Fonsi, Max nor Yukio used qualifying tyres to set
their best lap times, preferring instead on finding good bike
set-ups in advance of the race here in just twenty days time.
Aussie Karl Muggeridge (Honda) used a qualifying tyre to set
the fastest lap of the two days. His time of 1:34.252 is well
under the official Superbike lap record of 1:35.007 set by
Neil Hodgson in 2003. Second quickest is Ruben Xaus (Ducati),
with Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) third and Carlos Checa (Honda)
fourth.
Fonsi - 6th, 1:34.911
It’s been a lot of hard work for all of us because we
know that this has always been a difficult track for Suzuki.
Over these two days, we have tried many different things and
worked on many different directions, but I am happy because
we have found a good bike set-up for the race in early April.
Our main job here was to get the bike ready for the race,
so I didn’t push hard at all. I know we could’ve
gone faster for sure, but our goal was to do as much work
as possible, get a lot of information and that’s what
we did, so I’m happy.
Max - 7th, 1:34.984
I think we’ve done a lot of good work over the two days
and we’re in good shape for the start of practice here
in a few weeks. We had some small problems in the beginning,
but had much less problems at the end, so we know we made
progress. The only time I put a qualifying tyre on the bike,
I crashed! It happened on the first right-hander, so probably
that side of the tyre wasn’t up to temperature. But,
if nothing else it has taught me something about what to expect
when I do my Superpole lap! The crash took place at the end
of the day and there wasn’t enough time to put on another
qualifier and go for a quick lap. I did a long run today and
I was very happy about that because I started with a 1:35.6
and was doing flat 1:36s at the end.
Yukio - 8th, 1:35.017
The tests have gone well and I’m happy. I’m happy
because we worked hard and we finished with positive results
and a good set-up for when we come back for the race. My long
run went very well (mid 1:35s) and I didn’t feel any
real pain from my left collarbone. The only time I noticed
it was when I was wearing my new set of leathers and they
put a lot of pressure on it. But I am a racer and my job is
to be here and test, not sit at home. I changed to an older
set of leathers for the run and that was much better. I did
not use any qualifying tyres, but concentrated on getting
a good set-up for the race and also finding good grip from
the rear. We also did a lot of work with the electronics and
engine braking and these are the kind of things that you must
test away from a race weekend because you never have enough
time during practice and qualifying.
Results (two days)
1 Muggeridge (Aus-Honda) 1:34.252, 2 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:34.265,
Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:34.388, 4 Checa (E-Honda) 1:34.493, 5 Kiyonari
(J-Honda) 1:34.828, 6 Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki Alstare) 1:34.911,
7 Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki) 1:34.984, 8 Yukio Kagayama
(J-Suzuki Alstare) 1:35.017
|
