Final flourish for FPR at Brno test
FPR riders Steve Martin and Craig Jones made further steps
forward on the final day to complete the three-day test at
Brno in positive frames of mind.
Craig, who spent much of the day evaluating new front and
rear tyres, sliced another chunk off his time today to record
a fastest lap of 2:03.85, two seconds faster than the quickest
time on the PETRONAS FP1 at last year’s race.
Steve was also able to improve on his best lap from yesterday
and is confident of more to come at the Brno round of the
championship in July.
Craig said: “We didn’t have
to change too much on the bike to improve my times. I am pleased
that I have been able to go faster every day and also happy
to be able to reduce the gap to Steve on race tyres. I am
confident that we have a good base point for starting the
race weekend here. But before then we have the Misano round
and I think the progress we have made here will also stand
me in good stead for there.”
Steve said: “I was happy to do a 2:03.2
on race tyres and that is 2.7 seconds faster than we did on
race tyres last year, at a circuit which does not necessarily
suit our bike because of the steep uphill sections. So, if
we are able to repeat that performance at next week’s
round at Misano, which is one of our better circuits, we should
be able to close some ground on the leaders. I am confident
that I could have comfortably got into the 2:02s because I
stuffed up the lap on the qualifier that I used and I didn’t
get round to using the second qualifier because I was more
focused on doing a long 20-lap run in the afternoon. So, all
in all, I am happy that I have improved my feel for the bike.”
Troy Bayliss was fastest of the riders attending the Pirelli-organised
test with a blistering pace of 2:00.08, set on qualifying
rubber.
TIMES: 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 2m00.08s;
2. Walker (Kawasaki) 2m01.09s; 3. Muggeridge (Honda) &
Pitt (Yamaha) 2m01.2s; 5. Haga (Yamaha) 2m01.5s; 6. Lanzi
(Ducati Xerox) 2m01.6s; 7. Toseland (Honda) 2m01.7s; 8. Nieto
(Kawasaki) 2m02.0s; 9. Foret (Suzuki) 2m02.6s; 10. Martin
(Foggy Petronas Racing) 2m03.14s; 12 Jones (Foggy PETRONAS
Racing) 2:03.85s
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