Winter Testing Session - Phillip Island, Australia
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM CONCLUDES THREE DAYS TESTING
IN AUSTRALIA
 The
Ducati Marlboro Team has concluded the third and final day
of the double overseas testing session in Malaysia and Australia.
Loris Capirossi and Casey Stoner did not complete as many
laps today as the set-up of the Desmosedici was already at
a good point, so both riders concentrated on testing the new
Bridgestone race tyres and successfully concluded a 20 lap
race simulation. The new qualifying tyres on the other hand
did not resolve all the problems on the difficult Australian
track but the data accumulated today will be fundamental for
Bridgestone for development work.
The next test is scheduled for Qatar from 13-15 February,
where all the MotoGP teams and riders will be present.
Loris Capirossi (34 laps, best time, with race tyre,
1m30.14s)
"These have been three positive days of testing. Since
last week in Malaysia we have improved the set-up of the bike
a lot and now we know that we are in good shape both here
at Phillip Island and at Sepang. If we confirm these good
sensations in the next test in Qatar and Jerez we will be
satisfied and could be competitive throughout the entire championship.
Today we did a successful race simulation. I really liked
the new tyres brought by Bridgestone and I am already in good
shape with them even though it was the first time we used
them. The information accumulated in the long-run will be
useful for their development but I am really pleased with
the work done. With the qualifying tyres on the other hand
we haven't yet resolved the problems that we had here last
year, but we are on the right track and I am sure that we
will resolve these as well. A big thanks to the guys in Ducati
Corse who have done a great job this winter and to my team
who as always have been fantastic!"
Casey Stoner (40 laps, best time, with race tyre,
1m30.21s)
"Yesterday we were satisfied with the bike, so today
we didn't do any more work on the set-up and concentrated
on the race simulation which went well. I was able to lap
at a good pace and I set some good times without pushing that
hard, so I'm really satisfied! It was very useful to do a
simulation to really get an idea of how the new Bridgestone
tyres perform and I think that with the information we accumulated
today the Japanese technicians will have enough data to continue
the development of the new race tyres, which have great potential.
I like the bike more and more and it's great working with
this team! The qualifying tyres didn't perform as well as
we expected but at this time of the year it's right to focus
on the race set-up, and I'm really pleased with that. Now
I'll be staying a few days in Australia before leaving for
Qatar, a track that I really like and where I can't wait to
test with the GP7".
Phillip Island lap record : Marco Melandri (Honda) 2005, 1m30.332s
Phillip Island pole record : Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2006, 1m29.020s
Temperature: air 19° - 25° / track 32° - 47°
Unofficial times - Thursday 1 February:
Hayden (Honda), 1m29.52s (101 laps)
Pedrosa (Honda), 1m29.72s (86)
Capirossi (Ducati), R T, 1m30.14s (34)
Stoner (Ducati), R T, 1m30.20s (40)
Hofmann (Ducati), 1m30.21s (53)
Barros (Ducati), 1m30.43s (47)
Checa (Honda), 1m30.46s (100)
Elias (Honda), 1m30.50s (93)
Vermeulen (Suzuki), 1m30.72s (79)
Melandri (Honda), 1m30.80s (100)
Hopkins (Suzuki), 1m30.80s (47)
Nakano (Honda), 1m30.97s (72)
Roberts Jr. (KR), 1m31.10s (83)
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