TOWARDS AUSTRALIA WITH OPTIMISM
 Marco
Melandri leaves Sepang as the fastest Honda rider, while his
team mate Toni Elias continues improving his lap time.
Sepang (Malaysia), Wednesday 25th January 2006 - Third and
last day of testing for the MotoGP teams, busy at Sepang in
the preparation of the 2006 Championship .
The Fortuna Honda riders spent their day working at the set
up of the bike in order to get the best out of the five-cylinder
990cc.
Italian Marco Melandri set the third fastest time of the
day and was the fastest Honda rider, despite the difficulties
found in getting a good set up. Positive day for the Spanish
Toni Elias, who improved his lap time and his feeling with
the bike.
MARCO MELANDRI ( 81 laps, 2'01.12): "Today
we worked with only one bike and we struggled quite a bit
to find a reasonable set up. During lunch time my mechanics
did an incredible job and in the afternoon my feeling with
the bike improved. Unfortunately the research of a good setting
took a lot of time and in the end I couldn't do a race simulation.
At the moment we are not using all the potential of the RC211V.
I'm happy that we have another test next week so that we can
continue working on the bike. I'm confident and I look forward
to test in Australia."
TONI ELIAS (70 laps 2'02.26): "I'm
happy because every day we do a step forward. Today I improved
my lap time with race tyres while I still have to work with
qualifying tyres. In fact, this afternoon I didn't succeed
to use the qualifying tyre at its best.
As far as my adaptation to the bike, I can say that my feeling
with the bike improves day by day. I'm confident and I look
forward to next test session. In Australia we will continue
working in the same direction, completing as many kilometres
as possible."
Today it was the third and last day of the 2006 first test
session. Tomorrow the Fortuna Honda Team will fly to Australia,
where the second test session is scheduled starting from Tuesday
, the 31st of January.
Temperatures: Air 34 °C - Asphalt 46°C
UNOFFICIAL LAP TIMES
1) Sete Gibernau (Sp/Ducati) 2'01.03
2) Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 2'01.08
3) Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda) 2'01.12
4)Daniel Pedrosa (Sp/Honda) 2'01.56
5) Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 2'01.60
6) Nicky Hayden (Usa/ Honda) 2'01.69
7) Shinya Nakano (Jap/Kawasaki) 2'01.78
8) Randy De Puniet (Fr/Kawasaki) 2'02.18
9) Toni Elias (Sp/Honda) 2’02.26
10) Vermeullen (Aus/Suzuki) 2’02.30
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