CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM HAPPY WITH PROGRESS IN SEPANG
The Camel Yamaha Team completed their three-day test in Sepang,
Malaysia today with more promising work on the new 2006-spec
YZR-M1. Both Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards concentrated
mainly on work for Michelin in the morning and made some important
progress in this area with the tyre manufacturer. After lunch
both riders then completed a long run in order to gather information
about the new M1 in race conditions, and were both pleased
with the performance of the bike and the improvement in times
from the race in September.
Sete Gibernau (Ducati) was fastest today with a time of 2’01.03.
Rossi, who captured his seventh World Championship title at
this track in September, set a fastest lap of 2’01.60,
which puts him fifth fastest over the three days according
to the unofficial times. Edwards’ best lap of the day
was 2’02.54 but his fastest time from the three days
remains the 2’02.00 that he set yesterday.
The Camel Yamaha Team now has a 12-day break before heading
to Doha, Qatar for their next test on February 6th, 7th and
8th.
VALENTINO ROSSI (2’01.60, 60 Laps)
“This morning we worked 100% on tyres with Michelin.
Last year at the race here we had some problems in this area
but Michelin have brought a lot of new tyres here and they
seem to be very good. We’ve been working with them to
find a better grip. This afternoon I did the race simulation
which was also promising. In general I am happy with this
first test and with the evolution of the new bike; I already
have a good feeling with it. It’s not so different from
the 2005 version but it’s better in many areas. Yamaha
is working especially hard on improving the stability of the
bike and making it easier to find the right setting. The engine
is also better. Now it’s important that we try the bike
at a different track and I think it will be interesting in
Qatar. Last year I was able to win the race there, one of
the best races of the season, but we had some problems throughout
the weekend. It will be good to see how the new bike performs
there.”
COLIN EDWARDS (2’02.54, 62 Laps)
“This morning we worked a lot on tyres and setting,
and made some progress to get rid of the chatter we had yesterday.
This afternoon I did a long run and was quite pleased with
it. It was much faster than I was in the race last year, so
that’s proof that we’ve made some progress. The
tyre I used is maybe not the one I would have chosen for the
race, but it worked okay all the same and we’ve found
some other good new stuff with Michelin. Overall I think it’s
been a good first test. It’s helpful to have the chance
to get used to the new bike at a track we know well and I’m
pretty excited about it. Everything has improved and the package
seems to work. We’ve had a few problems this week, and
we need to understand why they happened, but we’ve got
plenty more time before the first race. I’m looking
forward to going to Qatar, a track I really like, and seeing
how the bike goes there.”
DAVIDE BRIVIO – CAMEL YAMAHA TEAM DIRECTOR
“It has been a good first test and we have some positive
results for both riders. They both managed to complete many
laps and made some excellent progress with the new bike. It’s
been very important to test the new bike here to check that
everything is okay and it was also useful to end with the
long run. Now we go to Qatar where it will be interesting
to see our bike at a different circuit.”
UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES
1. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati
2’01.03
2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati
2’01.08
3. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda
2’01.12
4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda
2’01.51
5. VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Yamaha 2’01.60
6. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda
2’01.69
7. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki
2’01.78
8. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 2’02.18
9. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda
2’02.30
10. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki
2’02.43
11. COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Yamaha 2’02.54
12. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda
2’02.67
13. K. Akiyoshi (JPN) Suzuki
2’02.80
14. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki
2’03.05
15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati
2’03.20
16. Kenny Roberts (USA) KR Honda
2’03.37
17. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) Ducati
2’03.50
18. S. Ito (JPN) Ducati
2’03.60
19. James Ellison (GBR) Yamaha 2’04.17
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