MORE SATISFACTION FOR THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM AS BAYLISS SETS NEW UNOFFICIAL BEST LAP IN MISANO TESTING! Misano Adriatico (Italy), Thursday 13 April: Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) followed up his stunning performance at Valencia two weeks ago with another dominant display in more than nine hours of FGSport-organised World Superbike tests at Misano Adriatico. The two days of action at the Santamonica circuit have concluded the two tests that split the second and third round of the championship. The 37-year-old Australian took another half-a-second off the time he set yesterday to leave the Santamonica circuit’s unofficial best Superbike lap at 1m33.317s. This is two-tenths quicker than Troy’s lap record from 2002, which was also the last time the current championship points leader raced here. “Everything went pretty good again today, the only problem we had was someone spilt some oil on the track and that interfered with my only long-run that I was in the middle of, but it wasn’t a big deal because the track’s going to be a bit different when we come back” declared Bayliss. “In the last 15 minutes I tried a qualifier and went a bit faster than what I did this morning. I thought I could have dipped into the 32s but it didn’t quite happen. We left here in good spirits and now we move on to Valencia, which we’re quietly confident about especially after the tests a couple of weeks ago”. In fourth position after yesterday’s session, fourth again at the end of two days; Bayliss’s young team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi made a major step forward towards the end of the test, setting a best time of 1m33.933s, almost one second quicker than yesterday. “Today I managed to make a clear step forward, even though in the afternoon with the race tyre I had a bit of difficulty. We were unable to finish all the scheduled programme because of the red flag that made us lose some time” declared Lanzi. “We were going to make some big changes, but we were unable to do so. I put on a qualifying tyre and the feeling with the bike was excellent, but unfortunately I made an error at the Quercia and almost crashed. However I am happy with my time, even though I know we still have to improve a lot”. World Superbike resumes its championship trail next week in Valencia, Spain with round 3 of the series, while the Misano round is scheduled for June 25th. TIMES: 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1m33.317s; 2. Corser (Suzuki) 1m33.824s; 3. Haga (Yamaha) 1m33.870s; 4. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 1m33.933s; 5. Walker (Kawasaki) 1m33.984s; 6. Laconi (Kawasaki) 1m34.085s; 7. Nieto (Kawasaki) 1m34.181s; 8. Kagayama (Suzuki) 1m34.266s; 9. Xaus (Ducati) 1m34.315s; 10. Pitt (Yamaha) 1m34.469s; etc. More, from a press release issued by FGSport: 2006 SBK CORONA EXTRA SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP® SBK™ OFFICIAL TEST MISANO 12th and 13th APRIL 2nd DAY TEST Misano, Thursday 13 April 2006 BAYLISS DIPS UNDER THE CIRCUIT RECORD AT THE SEASIDE BAYLISS SCORES A 1’33.317 TO TOP TESTING YET AGAIN Once more the 2001 World Champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) dominated the time sheets in World Superbike testing, taking a new track record at Misano Adriatico with a 1.33.317 lap, set in the final session of the two-day test. With only half an hour to run on day two, drama afflicted the last session when an oil spill around turn one stopped the track action for cleaning, with the residual cement dust left on the circuit affected some riders’ ultimate best times. Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) set the second fastest lap of the test, half a second from Bayliss, with Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) moving up the order on the second day to take third place overall. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) made the factory Ducati team’s short run down the A14 Autostrada from Bologna more worthwhile with the fourth best time of the two days. KAWASAKI RIDERS FORM A FAST TRIO The three-rider PSG-1 Kawasaki squad were so closely matched in their single flying laps that Chris Walker, Regis Laconi and Fonsi Nieto could only be separated by 0.197 seconds, with Walker fifth fastest the last man inside the 1.33 barrier. Such was the closeness of the test in general that second to 15th places were separated by just over one second. Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) rounded out the top eight (despite not improving his times in the final session), closely followed by the privateer Sterilgarda Berik Ducati of Ruben Xaus and the Yamaha Motor Italia machine of Andrew Pitt. Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France Ipone) hopped up the order in the final session, scoring 11th place overall, making him top rider in his three-man team. Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France Ipone) was 19th fastest at a circuit he has shown no real liking for. FORET TO THE FORE AS BARROS IMPROVES Former Misano WSS race winner, Fabien Foret (Alstare Engineering Corona Extra Suzuki) continues his SBK learning curve at a high pace, setting 13th best time at Misano, and heading up the former MotoGP race winner, Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda). Barros enjoyed some improved engine specs at Misano, giving him increased confidence for the next championship round at Valencia, on 23 April. With his team-mate Pierfrancesco Chili out through injury, Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda) went 14th on his home circuit. On the final day he was joined in the DFX garage by Gianluca Nannelli, who set 37 laps and finished the final session 24th out of 27. Steve Martin once more proved his worth to the Petronas team with 15th best time, just over a second slower than second placed Troy Corser. SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Broc Parkes left the two day Misano Supersport test with his name at the top of the standings, and an impressive new circuit best of 1’36.411 in his pocket. As the development teams worked their way through a new selection of control Pirelli tyres, the LBR Ducati of Christian Zaiser continued its strong day one form to take the second fastest lap of all, heading up Yamaha Team Italia rider Gianluca Vizziello and Parkes’ team-mate, Kevin Curtain. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Megabike Honda) went fifth fastest overall as he recovers from a broken wrist, putting him one place ahead of Vizziello’s team-mate, Massimo Roccoli. ROUND THREE BECKONS The third round of the Superbike and Supersport championships take place at Valencia, Spain, between 21 and 23 April. More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Racing: Suzuki’s World Superbike Champion Troy Corser set the second fastest time during the two-day WSBK test at Misano in Italy that ended today. Corser and team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra team mates Yukio Kagayama and Fabien Foret all came away from the circuit upbeat after productive sessions aboard the new 2006 GSX-R1000. The fastest time was set by Troy Bayliss with Kagayama eighth and Foret 12th. Misano’s Superbike lap record was set in 2002, but today the top 15 all went quicker! Troy Corser: “I think these two days have been very productive and we’ve made another step forward. We’ve worked a lot on suspension and I tried a different rear pivot and link and also some front end changes as well and I feel we made a significant improvement. The track has been pretty consistent over the two days and the grip level has stayed more or less the same throughout. We haven’t had any clutch problems – well none that I can think about anyway – so that’s been good news as well. “I tried the new big ”200′ tyre from Pirelli and I quite liked it. On full lean the side grip is better. It’s a little slower changing directions – not so much losing time – but harder work for me! Misano has always been a ‘twins’ circuit, so we knew that we’d be chasing Bayliss around here. His bike seems to have just a little extra punch out of the slow turns – it’s just the nature of a twin and we can’t do too much about that – but we’ll work on other areas to compensate.” Yukio Kagayama: “I’m happy with the way the tests have gone and we have done much good work. Here at Misano, I concentrated on working on the engine. We tried different settings and mapping etc. and I also tried a development engine – an engine with some new parts – this afternoon. I think it has good potential but we need to do more work on it. At the moment I prefer my bike from the morning. We made a good set-up for it and I had a good feeling with it. These two days, I had no problems and no crashes, so this makes me feel happy.” Fabien Foret: “I am very happy because we have done a good job on the bike during these two days and now I have a good feeling with the bike. At the last test in Valencia I was able to do some good laps, but I was not consistent. Here, I’ve done some good laps and they have been much more consistent. I’m now feeling that I’m riding a Superbike not a Supersport bike and although I’m not at 100% yet, it’s getting closer. “Of course, I am still learning this bike, but everything is starting to come together. I followed Yukio for a while this afternoon and I could see where I was losing ground and it made me think about what to do next time out. After this test, I have a much better idea of what I feel, what I want and what I would like. And, most of all, I have enjoyed myself!” Results (2-day): 1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 143 laps, best lap 1:33.317, 2 Troy Corser (Aus-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 140 laps, best lap 1:33.824, 3 Haga (J-Yamaha) 111 laps, best lap 1:33.870, 4 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 127 laps, best lap 1:33.933, 5 Walker (GB-Kawasaki) 117 laps, best lap 1:33.984, 6 Laconi (F-Kawasaki) 145 laps, best lap 1:34.085, 7 Nieto (E-Kawasaki) 130 laps, best lap 1:34.181, 8 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 141 laps, best lap 1:34.266, 9 Xaus (E-Ducati) 134 laps, best lap 1:34.315 10 Pitt (Aus-Yamaha) 122 laps, best lap 1:34.469, 12 Fabien Foret (F-Alstare Engineering Corona Extra) 156 laps, best lap 1:34.660. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: FGS OFFICIAL TESTS MISANO, ITALY 12/13 APRIL 2006 13 April, Misano, (Italy) Two days of official testing for riders from the Superbike and Supersport classes heralds the return to the European racing season. Before Round Three in Valencia, however, a theatre of another kind had to be experienced. Once more the Pirelli development teams were supplied with new material to test, to continue the non-stop development of new tyres for future races. The rest of the paddock concentrated their efforts on set-up the forthcoming Misano race in June. Once more the Adriatic riviera circuit did not let us down when it comes to providing a good base for testing operations, and once more race and absolute lap records fell in each class. It started when Troy Bayliss, using the new Pirelli Diablo Superbike race tyres, knocked on the door of the absolute lap record, even on the first day, despite the rains from the previous evening making for imperfect early track conditions. He then beat the absolute track record using qualifiers on day two. Exciting times once more in testing as Corser followed close behind but that was not the only good news: the evolutionary products brought to the test by Pirelli have been confirmed by the riders’ comments and Pirelli goes back home with good information and important feedback for the development needs of the championship. In Superbike the riders were called to test: 1 front, 2 rears, and a new qualifier, which Bayliss used to set a new track best of 1’33.317. For Pirelli positive confirmation also came for the “Big tyre” of 200 section, which was debuted at the Misano race in 2005, and will be tested once more at Pirelli’s own Lausitz and Brno tyre tests, but only by the development teams. It was not only sizes, but important affirmations were made in regard to front compounds, while for the new carcass, different feedback was experienced and thus it will be tested again in Endurance and National racing before it makes a return to the World Superbike paddock. In the final Misano analysis, Bayliss headed up them all, followed by Corser, Haga, Lanzi, Walker, Laconi, Nieto, Kagayama, Xaus, Pitt… Also in Supersport the tests proved to have a good outcome, and there were records broken in both race and qualifying senses each using race tyres. The tyres went on to prove the speed of Parkes, riding a Yamaha R6 which proved both its current abilities and its true overall potential. Close behind was the Ducati 749 of Zaiser, promoted during this test to be the official Ducati development rider. Also promoted at the test was a new front carcass and rear compound, which Curtain used to make an impressive long run. At the end of the two days Parkes was ahead of Zaiser, Vizziello, Curtain, Fujiwara, Roccoli, Nannelli, Tiberio, Checa, Aldrovandi…