From a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki: 2008 Superbike World Championship Winter tests: Phillip Island, January 8-10 Day 2, January 9: Conditions: Mostly sunny YUKIO SECOND FASTEST. FONSI STEADY. MAX UNWELL. The second day of the official SBK Top Teams tests took place in hotter conditions than yesterday, though a strong breeze helped to cool things down a little. This afternoon, the breeze was strong enough to give all riders something to think about, but not strong enough to cause any major problems. In the morning, Team Alstare Suzuki rider Yukio Kagayama posted a lap of 1:32.32, which ended up being the second fastest lap of the day. Once again, it was Troy Bayliss (Ducati) on top of the pile, with a lap of 1:32.078 – set in the afternoon session. Fonsi Nieto continued his learning process on the GSX-R1000 Suzuki, getting more and more familiar with the bike with every lap. But unfortunately, Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner was a non-starter today, thanks to what may be a touch of laryngitis, but hopefully he will return to the saddle tomorrow. Yukio: 1:32.32 (78 laps) This morning was good and my feeling with the bike was very good. Of course we are still testing many things and my other bike did not have such a good feeling – but that’s why we are testing. Even though I put in quite a few laps, I felt that it would’ve been good to do even more! Tomorrow we will continue our work and hopefully we will end the tests with two good bikes working well! Fonsi: 1:33.00 (93 laps) For me, today was not so good and we had a few problems, but we’re here to experience the problems and then solve them! After all, it’s better to have problems at this stage of the season then later on! I did improve my lap times today, but not enough for my own feeling. But, I think tomorrow can be a good day for us and I am determined to finish these tests on a positive note. More, from a press release issued by FG Sport Group: TEMPERATURES RISE AT PHILLIP ISLAND TESTS – BAYLISS UP FRONT ONCE MORE Double world champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) trimmed 0.3 seconds off his first day lap time during a hot second day of SBK testing at Phillip Island, leading the SBK pack home once more. He continued to work on chassis set-up improvements on the factory 1098 F08 machine, and ran tyres from the harder end of the spectrum for the most part. Bumps on the track surface since the last visit of SBK teams and a much hotter track surface than the first day conspired to keep the overall times in check. Nonetheless, improvements were found by the top riders, who all now have one final day to set even faster times, before the test winds-up, on Thursday 10th January. Bayliss, who set a 1:32.2 was harried by a Japanese duo once more, as Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki) set a 1:32.3, with Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) on a 1:32.4, 0.4 seconds better than his personal first day highlight. FABRIZIO IMPRESSIVE AGAIN Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) secured a strong fourth place on the stopwatches, with a 1:32.6 paving the way for his final day assault. Ruben Xaus (Ducati Sterilgarda Go-Eleven) was even more impressive, as he does not have access to development tyres at this test, taking his all-new machine to an equal fifth best time of 1:32.7. Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) was the rider on the same pace as Xaus, some 0.2 seconds ahead of Ducati Sterilgarda Go Eleven rider Max Biaggi. NIETO AND LACONI TIED ON 1:33 FLAT Fonsi Nieto (Alstare Suzuki) improved his best time of the test by 0.2 seconds today, despite encountering set-up issues with his machinery. Sitting on the same time, but arguably in a more impressive fashion, was Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) taking the powerful new Kawasaki up a notch in development. Makoto Tamada (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) could not quite keep pace with his new peers, setting a best of 1:35.5. Illness, suspected to be laryngitis, prevented the third Alstare Suzuki rider, Max Neukirchner, from competing today, but he hopes to return to action on the final day. WORLD SUPERSPORT Broc Parkes (Yamaha WSSP Team) was once more the fastest man in the 600cc division, his 1:34.8 heading off rookie WSS rider Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) who ended up with a 1:35.0, despite falling at one stage. His team-mate Andrew Pitt set a 1:35.3; Stiggy Motorsports Honda rider Josh Brookes a 1’35.8. Class rookie Chris Walker (GIL Kawasaki) scored a 1:36.0 lap, equalling Parkes’ team-mate Fabien Foret today. Despite setting just a handful of laps, Garry McCoy was immediately fast on the Triumph triple again, until a technical problem put him back in the garage for much of the allotted test time. Katsuaki Fujiwara and Robbin Harms rounded out the WSS order on day two, and with temperatures predicted to be even hotter in the last day than the previous two, most riders would be looking to set their best of test lap time in the cooler morning hours on Thursday. SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: 1. Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:32.2 (99 giri); 2. Kagayama (Jap-Suzuki) 1:32.3; 3. Haga (Jap-Yamaha) 1:32.4; 4. Fabrizio (Ita-Ducati) 1:32.6 (105); 5. Xaus (Spa-Ducati) 1:32.7 (51); 6. Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:32.7 (70); 7. Biaggi (Ita-Ducati) 1:32.9 (80); 8. Laconi (Fra-Kawasaki) 1:33.0 (88); 9. Nieto (Spa-Suzuki) 1:33.0 (71); 10. Tamada (Jap-Kawasaki) 1:35.5 (77). SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: 1. Parkes (Aus-Yamaha) 1:34.8; 2. Rea (GB-Honda) 1:35.0; 3. Pitt (Aus-Honda) 1:35.3; 4. Brookes (Aus-Honda) 1:35.8; 5. Foret (Fra-Yamaha) 1:36.0; 6. Walker (GB-Kawasaki) 1:36.0; 7. McCoy (Aus-Triumph) 1:36.2; 8. Fujiwara (Jap-Kawasaki) 1:36.7; 9. Harms (Dan-Honda) 1:37.0. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: PIRELLI DEVELOPMENT WINTER TEST PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA 8/10 JANUARY 2008 9th January 2008, Phillip Island (Australia) Second day has just ended and the new solutions developed for the 2008 season have improved the lap times both for SBK and SSP riders. Once again Troy Bayliss set the fastest lap followed by the two Japanese riders Kagayama and Haga. No activity for Neukirchner due to a non-good shape which suggested the German to rest. Good news also in Supersport in terms of lap times with DIABLO SUPERCORSA SC1 confirming to be the best tyre after its great performance in Qatar. With a softer solution Parkes set the new track record, followed by the rookie Honda rider Rea. Day 2 Superbike Lap Times Rider Bike Team Best lap 1 Bayliss Ducati 1098R F08 Ducati Xerox 1:32.2 2 Kagayama Suzuki GSXR1000K7 Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 1:32.3 3 Haga Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB 1:32.4 4 Fabrizio Ducati 1098R F08 Ducati Xerox 1:32.6 5 Xaus Ducati 1098R F08 Sterilgarda Go Eleven 1:32.7 5 Corser Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB 1:32.7 7 Biaggi Ducati 1098R F08 Sterilgarda Go Eleven 1:32.9 8 Laconi Kawasaki ZX-10R Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse 1:33.0 9 Nieto Suzuki GSXR1000K7 Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 1:33.0 10 Tamada Kawasaki ZX-10R Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse 1:35.5 Supersport Lap Times: Rider Bike Team Best lap 1 Parkes Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha WSS Team 1:34.8 2 Rea Honda CBR600RR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:35.0 3 Pitt Honda CBR600RR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1:35.3 4 Brookes Honda CBR600RR Stiggy Motorsport 1:35.8 5 Foret Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha WSS Team 1:36.0 5 Walker Kawasaki ZX6R Kawasaki Gil Motorsport 1:36.0 7 Mc Coy Triumph 675 Triumph SC 1:36.2 8 Fujiwara Triumph 675 Triumph SC 1:36.7 9 Harms Honda CBR600RR Stiggy Motorsport 1:37.0 More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: TROY GRAFTING AWAY. Troy started the second day of the tests working mainly on the chassis and suspension before trying a variety of tyres in the afternoon. Conditions were hotter than yesterday, but the wind picked up in the afternoon and provided Troy and the rest of the WSBK Top teams with another challenge. Once again, Troy chose not to go for any quick laps, preferring instead on trying to get a good set-up on his R1 Yamaha. His fellow countryman, Troy Bayliss (Ducati) set the fastest lap of the day, with an unofficial time of 1:32.078. Troy: 1:32.766 (70 laps) Today was not to bad and basically we worked mainly on the shocks, pivots, links and chassis. The bike seems to be moving around a bit, maybe because the track has more rolly bumps, and that makes it hard to find a really good set-up. We’re working at trying to get a good set-up for when we come back here for the race in early March. We had a bit of a problem with one bike, so I spent quite a bit more time on the other, which meant that I probably spent more time in the pits today then I would’ve liked. The team know what to do about the other bike and it’ll be fixed ready for tomorrow, so no worries there. I was getting some wheelspin today, with the bike moving around, so we’ll look at the telemetry and sort it out for tomorrow. The wind caused a few problems in the afternoon, but it wouldn’t be Phillip Island without some weather problems, would it? This is a great track for testing and I’ve always said that if you can get a bike to work well round here, it’ll work pretty good at almost any other circuit. That’s why we’re here!