CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX TEAM) CONTINUES
SUPERB FORM ON FIRST DAY OF SUPERBIKE TESTING AT VALENCIA
Valencia (Spain), Monday 27 March: Troy Bayliss continued
his superb run of form in this early part of the season when
he set quickest time for the Ducati Xerox Team on the opening
day of a three-day test in Valencia, Spain.
The test, together with the subsequent one at Misano Adriatico
on April 12/13, has been slotted into the calendar schedule
after the opening two rounds of the series by FG Sport to
enable all the Superbike teams to reach peak preparation in
view of the remaining rounds of the 2006 series.
Points leader Bayliss showed more of his recent race-winning
form as he lapped the 4.005 km Ricardo Tormo circuit in 1m35.220s,
set during the morning session, to head the timesheets on
the first day of action. His time was a full eight-tenths
of a second quicker than second-placed Troy Corser (Suzuki).
Ducati Xerox team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi was in sixth position,
but just three-tenths off the pace of Corser.
"Everything went OK for me today" declared Bayliss.
"The only problem is the track, which is slower than
when we tested here in February because it's a lot hotter
and windier. Even though we don't have anything major to test,
I went well in the morning and was on the pace right away.
Then in the afternoon the track was dirtier and I was unable
to improve so we packed in half-an-hour before the end of
the session."
"I am quite pleased with the way things went today"
declared Lanzi. "We immediately found the right settings
and I was one of the few riders who managed to lower their
times in the afternoon session. There are still a couple more
days left to improve but for the moment I'm pretty sure we're
going in the right direction".
TIMES: 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1m35.220s;
2. Corser (Suzuki) 1m36.080s; 3. Barros (Honda) 1m36.292s;
4. Haga (Yamaha) 1m36.309s; 5. Muggeridge (Honda) 1m36.327s;
6. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 1m36.360s; 7. Walker (Kawasaki) 1m36.420s;
8. Kagayama (Suzuki) 1m36.725s; etc.
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