From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

IRTA MotoGP test Catalunya, March 16, 2003.

Weather, fine and sunny; temperature, 19 degrees C; track conditions, good.

Capirossi Springs Surprise on Day Two at Montmelo – Ukawa Second Fastest

The two-day IRTA test at the Montmelo circuit ended with the Honda RC211V riders in good spirits having tried and tested all they hoped to at Montmelo over the weekend. The teams and riders now take a short break before their final pre-season shakedown test at Suzuka, the venue for the first race of the season, one week before the championships gets underway.

Day one of the IRTA test had been interrupted by a mid-afternoon rain shower that ended the serious work planned for the day. Bright sunshine, however, greeted the riders as they arrived at the track for today’s session, and all made use of warmer temperatures to lower the times they set on the opening day.

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda) was the fastest Honda rider in the afternoon timed session, the ‘MotoGP best Qualifier’ run live on television. Rossi topped the times as the session entered its final minute but his fellow countryman Loris Capirossi (Marlboro Ducati) and Brazilian Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha) upstaged the Italian in the dying seconds of the televised session.

Capirossi and Barros were still out on track as Rossi entered the pits and both men promptly dipped under his fastest lap time of 1:44.324, Capirossi by a massive 0.690s, Barros by 0.446s.

The top three men looked comfortably the fastest riders present when the session ended but in the free practice session that followed several riders put them under serious pressure. Tohru Ukawa (Camel Pramac Honda) had changed engine in his RC211V, made changes to front and rear suspension settings, then went out and put in a series of fast laps that culminated in him circulating the 4.727km circuit at 1:43.832, faster than all but Capirossi!

Local man Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda) had been in sparkling form over the two days and, despite a crash that left him with an injured right hand, quickly emulated Ukawa’s performance. The Spaniard setting fourth fastest time of the day, 0.193s behind Barros, who held on to third. Gibernau’s performance pushed Rossi back to fifth place, while Daijiro Kato, Gibernau’s teammate, dropped to sixth.

Max Biaggi (Camel Pramac Honda) was fourth fastest in the televised session, having overcome chassis setting problems that slowed him on Saturday, but dropped too seventh after the final free practice.

The fastest seven riders at Montmelo this weekend were all under the pole position time of 1:44.523, set by Biaggi for the 2002 grand prix.

American Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda) was the RC211V rider who made the most progress. Hayden, just 21, makes his MotoGP debut this season and is paying his first visit to the Montmelo circuit. He is beginning to find his feet at the top level, clearly illustrated by his time of 1:45.626, almost 1.3s faster than on the first day!

The Pramac Honda team had a day of mixed fortune while continuing their Bridgestone tyre-testing programme. Makoto Tamada was in fine form as he evaluated the performance of various sized tyres in ever warming track conditions and easily bettered his time of yesterday. Unfortunately his teammate, Shinichi Itoh crashed heavily in the third session today and broke a bone in his left foot. Itoh’s injury is not severe and he will be ready to resume testing with Bridgestone in two weeks.

Tohru Ukawa, JPN Camel Pramac Honda, 2nd – 1:43.832: “I have a good feeling on the bike and was able to set a really fast time. In fact I have improved a lot on my lap time of last year at this circuit. Yesterday I crashed when I lost the front-end and that slowed me a little, but today I was full of confidence again. We spent the whole day working on various suspension settings and tyres. I think I am ready for the first race and I am looking forward to putting in a good performance in front of my home crowd.”

Max Biaggi, ITA Camel Pramac Honda, 4th – 1:44.326: “Today we took a big step forward, we were able to set up the bike quite the way we want it, it had a good balance today. I also had a very good set of tyres. We had them yesterday but I did not try them at theme! Going into the corners I still have some problems and I understand we can only cure the clutch problem with new parts. We have to be patient and wait, doing our best with what we have. I know solving the clutch problem I have we can make a very big step forward.”

Biaggi went on to say. “The new safety car regulation is quite complicated and in racing we need as few complications as possible. I’m not sure how it will work in a race situation, rain, cold tyres, riders all together in a group? But it’s a regulation now, so we will see how it works out!”

Valentino Rossi, ITA Repsol Honda, 5th – 1:44.111: “This is not a test; it was really the 17th GP. We really didn’t test anything – the temperature was too cold but also we start like a MotoGP and we have one hour of practice – it’s not like a real test. However the bike felt good and all the testing we have done over the winter has shown good benefit. I’m looking forward to going to Suzuka and racing!”

Nicky Hayden, USA Repsol Honda, 13th – 1:45.533: “The weekend was good but like any other racer you always want a little more and I’d like to be in front of a few more guys. The ‘qualifying’ session was fun – something a little different for me. I got on with the track real well. Tady (Okada) was helpful, as were the split times – I’ve never had that before in MotoGP. I could see where I was fast and slow. The atmosphere was great. Never heard air horns at a test!”

Sete Gibernau, SPA Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 4th -1:44.071: “We can leave here very satisfied with the work we did. This weekend I was the fastest Honda, until the last minutes of testing. I had a good pace and was consistent all through the test. I want to thank the team for the work they did this weekend. Now we have to keep our heads down and keep working. It’s a pity I crashed today, I have a little injury to my right wrist which troubled me and I could only do a few laps at a time.”

Daijiro Kato, JPN Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 6th – 1:44.290: “It’s a pity the way the test went for me. I tried hard to find a good setting and feeling with the bike all weekend – but didn’t find it. Now we go to the first GP of the season in Japan and I want to make sure I’m ready and put in a good performance on home ground.”

Makoto Tamada, JPN Pramac Honda, 17th – 1:45.817: “We’re working full-time on developing the Bridgestone tyres. Today I tested a new series that the Japanese company brought here to Catalunya and I was also able to try out different sized tyres so that we can gather further data to help the company continue its work on this project. We’ll be back on track at Suzuka the weekend before the first race on 6 April: then we’ll be making the final preparations for the beginning of the championship.”

Shinichi Itoh, JPN Bridgestone test rider, 24th -1:46.401: “My fall came as a result of a loss of grip on the rear wheel: it made the bike highside and I just went flying. No serious harm just a minute fracture that’s nothing to worry about. I’ll soon be back in the saddle.”


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

MotoGP pre-season IRTA Tests
Sunday 16 March 2003 (day 2 of 2)

Catalunya, Spain

FORTUNA YAMAHA RIDERS IMPROVE TIMES BUT STILL HAVE A WAY TO GO

In a brighter and warmer day than yesterday at the Montmelo circuit in Catalunya, Spain, Fortuna Yamaha Team riders Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa improved on the times they set during yesterday’s test. Both riders had small falls during the session but got back out on track quickly so as not to lose much time. This was the last day of testing on European soil for the MotoGP riders before they head east for the final group IRTA test in Japan on 30th and 31st March at the Suzuka circuit. Then battle will commence at the first Grand Prix there on 6th April.

The Fortuna Yamaha Team toiled all weekend to make small adjustments to Carlos Checa’s YZR-M1 machine to try to give him an improved feeling with the bike. The Spaniard completed 52 laps at his home circuit today and although he improved on his time from yesterday (1:45.733), to a new time of 1:44.992 he still did not manage to achieve the lap time he was hoping for and finished eleventh fastest overall.

“I’m really quite disappointed with the way things have gone this weekend”, admitted Checa. “Firstly, the tumble I had on Thursday during our private test didn’t help. We have made quite a lot of changes during that test and during this IRTA test which haven’t necessarily benefitted us overall. The team are working really well, and so is the bike, as Barros proved. Last month when we tested at this circuit we got some good lap times, so we need to go back to that set-up again.

“I am looking forward to the Suzuka GP and am trying to think positively. It will be good to have some testing time there before we race.”

Checa’s 20 year old team-mate Marco Melandri rode consistenly during the weekend despite a couple of minor falls. This was the first time that the Fortuna Yamaha Team rider had both bikes set up the same with Yamaha’s fuel-injection system. Melandri completed 67 laps with a best time of 1:44.922, 0.7 seconds faster than his time from yesterday’s session.

“I’m feeling better physically, for sure better than yesterday” commented Melandri. “This morning I crashed on the straight, I braked a bit too far beyond the turn. The bike highsided, the steering locked when I had almost stopped. It was my mistake, maybe because I was a little bit nervous. I felt that this was the first official test, and therefore the first competition of sorts. So I didn’t ride really well – strangely I rode better when I wasn’t trying to go as fast, or checking the lap times.”

The highlight of the day took place when the normal testing schedule was broken for a simulated 55-minute qualifying session for the 27 MotoGP riders present. There was some extra motivation for the riders, as the fastest lap time setter had the chance to win a brand new BMW 330CD. The IRTA test became more like a genuine Grand Prix frenzy as the riders competed. The eventual winner was Italian Loris Capirossi, who set a time of 1:43.634.

Of the qualifying simulation, Melandri commented, “Going as fast as you can for two laps only is not so important for me. Capirossi has always been the best at this kind of thing – he deserves the BMW!

Team Director Davide Brivio commented about the weekend, “We are happy about Marco’s performance here. If this had been a real final qualifying session, he would have started from second row, which would be a great achievement. Now we are going to Suzuka for the first race and we hope that Marco can continue to improve from there on. I am disappointed for Carlos’ performance because as a rider and with the bike he can do more. I hope that he will do better in Suzuka.”


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

MORE TO COME FROM EXCITING NEW SUZUKI

Barcelona – March 16, 2003:

Team Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins finished the two-day Catalunya tests early today, after completing all scheduled tests on the latest update to the all-new 2003 MotoGP motor, with arrived earlier in the week.

Lap times were close to lap record pace at last year’s race, showing Suzuki’s improvement with the Mk2 GSV-R racer. But the whole class has also taken a step forward, and when the pair stopped testing with two hours still remaining, Hopkins was placed 13th overall and Roberts 17th.

The new GSV-R motor – a 990cc four-camshaft V4 – differs from last year’s machine in every detail, and in one major respect – the vee angle has been opened up to 65 degrees from 60 degrees, to make more space for improved induction tracts. The latest version refines the design still further, reducing internal friction and offering further scope for development.

The new motor proves once again the commitment from the Suzuki factory, and the team faces the season ahead with the same motivation, and the belief that the potential of the new bike remains high.

There is one more group test, at Suzuka in Japan, before the season proper begins with the Japanese GP at the same circuit on April 6.


PROJECT LEADER, KUNIO ARASE – Basically there is not a lot of difference between this motor and that used earlier this year – but all parts are new for an overall improvement. The firing interval is also slightly changed. We will continue to test with different firing intervals.

We have a lot more power than last year’s engine, but we still need more to become fully competitive. I am confident we can find more power by improving all areas of the motor, such as internal friction, and by more refinement to the engine management ECU. The engine is now at about 80 percent of its potential.

The first target is to improve the power characteristic – to make the throttle response more linear, and to make the bike more rider-friendly and more tyre-friendly. In terms of the new injection system, we are always developing new techniques.

We expect the next step forward for this engine in time for the first race weekend at Suzuka.

In handling terms, the stability under braking is much improved from last year. The slipper clutch system is similar to that used last year, with much more refined electronic controls, so that reduction of engine braking is also improved.


TEAM MANAGER, GARRY TAYLOR – Obviously we still have a lot of work to do with the new bike, and of course it’s frustrating for the riders to watch the competitors going faster. We’re starting at the bottom again, with a new bike in January, and this week a second version of the new engine. But the potential is all there, our motivation is still high, and our intention remains the same … to get Suzuki back to the winner’s circle again.

We have the full support of the factory, and there were some top people here this weekend, so they have a very clear idea of what we need.

This wasn’t where we had hoped to be at this stage, but we’re ready to work non-stop until we get there.