Camel Yamaha Team positive despite problems in Jerez
Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards
both improved considerably on yesterday's lap times in Jerez
today, but are still hard working hard with Michelin to find
a way to rid the M1 of the vibration problems that they are
both experiencing here. A new batch of Michelin tyres and
some set-up changes brought some improvements to the package
today, but the riders are still not able to use the M1 at
its full capacity and are still further down the time sheets
than in Barcelona last weekend, when they were both consistently
fast.
Shinya Nakano showed his 2006 potential on the Kawasaki by
topping the time sheets with a lap of 1'40.047, nearly half
a second faster than second-placed Loris Capirossi (Ducati).
Tomorrow's final day of testing concludes the pre-season MotoGP
programme, ahead of the first race here in two weeks time.
Valentino Rossi (6th, 1'40.915, 67 laps)
"We still have quite a few problems with the vibration
and this means that we can't use the bike to its full potential
and make fast lap times. We've tried lots of changes to the
set-up today - balance, suspension, but the problem remains.
In some of the fast corners my speed is down by as much as
15 or 20kms. The good thing is that we're much better than
yesterday and we've done some really good work within the
team to make these improvements, but it's still not enough
and some other riders are looking very strong. Luckily we
still have tomorrow to try to find the solution and I am not
so worried. If we still have this situation on the Saturday
afternoon of the first race, then maybe we can worry but for
now I have 100% confidence in Yamaha and Michelin. For tomorrow
we will have some new tyres to try and then for sure Michelin
will work very hard between now and the first race so that
we're in a better position when we come back here."
Colin Edwards (9th, 1'41.105, 62 laps)
"Yesterday we thought that the new tyres today would
make all the difference. The situation is a bit better and
I'm faster today, but the improvements really aren't as big
as we had hoped. Basically the chatter that both Valentino
and I are experiencing is acting as a speed limit to our bike
- we can push so far but no more. We didn't want to turn the
bike upside-down yesterday before we'd tried the new stuff
from Michelin, but after today it's pretty clear that's just
what we're going to need to do tomorrow. It's frustrating
after last weekend to have spent two days here without making
any real steps forward, so we need to make the most of tomorrow!
I am sure that Michelin are going to bring some more new stuff,
we'll fiddle with the settings and hopefully together we can
figure it all out."
Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director
"We still have tomorrow left to try to find some new
solutions for our problem and we're analysing all the information
that we have to find a way forward. Our engineers will make
some new plans for tomorrow and we will see how the situation
is. Hopefully we can leave here having made some more improvements."
Lap Times:
1. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team, 1'40.047
2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1'40.544
3. John Hopkins (USA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, 1'40.791
4. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team, 1'40.839
5. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, 1'40.859
6. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1'40.915
7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech 3 Yamaha, 1'40.943
8. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1'40.954
9. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1'41.105
10. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, 1'41.110
11. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda, 1'41.254
12. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda, 1'41.561
13. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, 1'41.745
14. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts, 1'42.127
15. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) D'Antin Pramac, 1'42.593
16. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, 1'42.636
17. Alex Hofmann (GER) D'Antin Pramac, 1'42.647
18. James Ellison (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha, 1'43.797
19. Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati, 1'43.846
20. Tadayuki Okada (JPN) HRC, 1'45.622
Jerez Lap Record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha)
2005 - 1'40.596 Jerez Best Lap: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005
- 1'39.419
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