FIRST DAY OF MOTOGP GRESINI FORTUNA TESTING IN MALAYSIA
Marco Melandri scores the third fastest time while Toni Elias
continues his apprenticeship on the RC211V.
 MotoGP
action resumes at Sepang, Malaysia for the first testing session
of the 2006 season that will start officially on March the
26th at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
All the MotoGP protagonists, together with their technical
staff, gathered at Sepang for a three day testing session
in preparation of a demanding championship.
Today, the two Fortuna Honda riders went on track with the
RC211V - 2006 version. Marco Melandri, 2005 Vice World Champion,
concentrated on the setting of the bike. He made 69 laps to
recover the rhythm after the winter break and scored the third
fastest time of the day. While his team mate, the Spaniard
Toni Elias, carried on his apprenticeship on the RC211V. He
tried different setting solutions in order to find a good
feeling with the bike.
MARCO MELANDRI (69 laps, 2'02"29): "I
really looked forward to go back on my RC211V. This morning
I lapped to recover the rhythm after the winter pause. Then
I concentrated on the bike setting and finally I could make
some tyre testing. I'm happy with the feeling of the bike
and I like the bike. I'm quite confident."
TONI ELIAS (60 laps, 2'03"8): "Today
it was the first time for me that I could ride a bike after
the operation I had at the left hand one month ago. Today
my left hand hurt a little bit but I could manage to complete
60 laps. At this moment, for me it's very important to lap
in order to understand and know the bike. I am not pushing
too much and I'm not looking for the fast time. Today we tried
some different setting solutions and tomorrow we will carry
on working with this method. I'm very happy to be back at
work."
UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES
Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha)2'02"14
Nicky Hayden (Usa/Honda)2'02"23
Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda)2'02"29
Dani Pedrosa (Spa/Honda)2'02"46
Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati)2'02"55
Colin Edwards (Usa/Yamaha)2'02"61
Sete Gibernau (Spa/Ducati)2'02"77
Casey Stoner (Aus/Honda)2'03"57
Shinya Nakano (Jap/Kawasaki)2'03"77
Toni Elias (Spa/Honda)2'03"80
Kenny Roberts (Usa/KR Honda)2'03"80
Randy De Puniet (Fr/Kawasaki)2'03"90
Alex Hoffmann (Ger/Ducati)2'04"63
James Elison (Eng/Yamaha)2'06"40
José Luis Cardoso (Spa/Ducati) 2'07"70
|
