From a press release issued by Honda Racing, which originally did not include lap times for Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden–the lap times were provided in a second release and this release has been updated to reflect that:

HRC MotoGP test
Brno, Czech Republic
July 16, 2003

Biaggi fastest man at MotoGP test at Brno

Camel Pramac Honda rider Max Biaggi ended the first day of the two-day MotoGP test at Brno as the fastest Honda rider. Italian Biaggi, who won the British round of the MotoGP Championship last weekend, is a track specialist having taken six victories at the 5.403km Czech circuit, four in the 250cc class and twice at 500cc level.

The in form Biaggi reeled of 76 laps with his best time of 1:59.765 just shading that of Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda), by a mere tenth of a second.

Several Honda MotoGP teams race with Michelin tyres but were unable to try the new rubber developed for the Brno circuit today as the Michelin race truck was held up at the border customs post. The new tyres will be tested tomorrow, if the rain holds off.

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi and team-mate Nicky Hayden, the reigning American Superbike Champion, concentrated on overall machine set up for the GP in August.

With no new Michelin tyres to test Rossi, 500cc race winner at Brno in 2001, spent the day experimenting with the gearing of his RC211V, and on suspension settings. Hayden, in his first season of grand prix racing, spent the day learning the circuit in preparation for the August race.

Sete Gibernau was consistently fast all day and it was little surprise he closed on Biaggi’s best lap time in the afternoon. Gibernau has won three grands prix this season, his best yet, and currently holds second place in the championship, 26 points behind series leader Rossi, and three ahead of Biaggi.

Gibernau’s team-mate, Japanese youngster Ryuichi Kiyonari, had a day of mixed fortunes. The GP rookie emerged unscathed from a crash, then went out to improve his lap time.

Team Pramac Honda spent the day testing tyres for team suppliers Bridgestone with team rider Makoto Tamada, another MotoGP debutante, and Bridgestone test rider Shinichi Itoh, a former 500cc GP racer. Between them the two riders tested no less than thirty tyre combinations. Tamada working on the latest development tyres while Itoh tested new tyre designs in various compounds. Tamada was the faster of the two men setting a best time of 2:01.0 on his first-ever visit to the circuit.

Tohru Ukawa, Max Biaggi’s Camel Pramac Honda team-mate, missed the test with a bruised and cut arm, sustained in his first-lap crash in the British Grand Prix at Donington on Sunday. Ukawa will be fit to ride in the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring on July 27.

The weather forecast for the second day of the test is not good with some rain expected.

Valentino Rossi, Repsol Honda: “Today we worked on the set up of the bike for the race here in August. We tried different gearing for the optimum engine performance together with different suspension settings. Tomorrow we’ll be looking to test with more suitable Michelin tyres for this circuit. We tested nothing new today.”

Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: “We had a pretty productive day at a circuit new for me. All good experience for the race here in a few weeks time when we’ll be back again. The track seems pretty wide, and it was slippery in places. I got up to speed pretty quick, got bogged down in the middle of the day, sorted it out and finished up faster. A good day with more to come tomorrow.”

Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda: “This is my first time at Brno with the RCV and it turned out well for us. Brno is the race after Sachsenring so while we are working on the HRC test programme here this test will help us prepare for that race. The Michelin truck was held up at customs so we didn’t have the tyres we were to test but we worked on the bike set up all day with the tyres available. I have to be pleased as I was just one-tenth of a second slower than Max (Biaggi) who is very, very fast around here.”

Ryuichi Kiyonari, “Telefonica MoviStar Honda: “I crashed but I’m OK. The circuit is very tough but I like it, this will be the first European track I have tested at before the GP so this test is very useful to us.”

Makoto Tamada, Pramac Honda: “We have worked hard today testing so many different combinations. The track was in good condition late in the day with a temperature of 45 degrees (C), good for what we needed to do. I pushed hard all day, we have to race here in August so this will be a useful two days for me as it means when I come back I will know my way round a European GP track for the first time.”

Lap times:

Valentino Rossi, Repsol Honda, 2:00.98

Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda, 2:01.54

Max Biaggi, Camel Pramac Honda, 1:59.765

Sete Gibernau, Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 1:59.810

Ryuichi Kiyonari, Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 2:03.10

Makoto Tamada, Pramac Honda, 2:01.0

Shinichi Itoh, Bridgestone test rider, 2:03.310