Test Jerez - Spain - Day 1
DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM BEGINS FINAL TEST OF 2007 WITH
NEW GP8
The Ducati Marlboro Team commenced its final test session
of the year at Jerez today, deploying the factory's new Desmosedici
GP8 in the hands of World Champion Casey Stoner and new team-mate
Marco Melandri
Conditions were warm and sunny, with temperatures around
22 degrees, allowing teams to make the most of this first
day of a three-day session. Stoner was immediately very fast
on the GP8, gaining a very positive impression of the new
bike. The Australian went on to top the day's lap times, despite
a fall in the afternoon that left him unscathed. Melandri
focused on chassis set-up, finding a good direction towards
the end of the day.
Casey Stoner, best lap 1m 40.221s (35 laps)
"This first day with the GP8 was really positive for
us. I immediately felt at home on the bike because it's pretty
similar to what we rode last season. Today we were quite a
bit faster than we were when we raced here back in March,
which is very important because we have improved at a track
that used to be a bit difficult for us. We found a very good
set-up which could also be good at other circuits. We used
2007 spec tyres today, tomorrow we will start with Bridgestone's
new tyres. The only bad moment of the day was the crash, but
these things can happen. I'm okay though, so everything is
fine."
Marco Melandri, best lap 1m 41.889s (62 laps)
"We started working on chassis geometry to adapt the
bike to my riding style. Today we made some good choices on
settings and also some not so good choices, but every change
teaches us something more about the bike which is very important.
Towards the end of the day we found a set-up that I liked
better, even though I don't yet feel totally at ease. We have
work to do and I'm not at all worried about that."
Today lap times
1. Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1'40.221 (35 laps)
2. Pedrosa (Honda) 1'40.355 (50)
3. Rossi (Yamaha) 1'40.514 (49)
4. Edwards (Yamaha) 1'40.790 (38)
5. Hayden (Honda) 1'40.923 (53)
6. De Angelis (Honda) 1'41.111 (49)
7. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1'41.230 (79)
8. Nakano (Honda) 1'41.277 (55)
9. De Punite (Honda) 1'41.313 (66)
10. Hopkins (Kawasaki) 1'41.414 (41)
11. Toseland (Yamaha) 1'41.776 (58)
12. Melandri (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1'41.889 (62)
13. Dovizioso (Honda) 1'42.033 (49)
14. Canepa (Ducati) 1'42.666 (50)
15. Okada (Honda) 1'43.051 (34)
16. West (Kawasaki) 1'43.576 (60)
17. Ito (Ducati) 1'44.530 (45)
18. Guareschi (Ducati) 1'44.588 (42)
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