DUCATI-BRIDGESTONE PARTNERSHIP GETS OFF TO GOOD START

Jerez de la Frontera, 23 November 2004 – Glorious weather conditions greeted the new partnership between Ducati and Bridgestone on the first day of testing for the Ducati Marlboro Team at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain.

Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa, who spent the entire day getting used to the new tyres, were favourably impressed right from the start of the morning session. Both riders were satisfied with the handling of their Bridgestone-shod Desmosedici and immediately adapted to the new tyres.

Loris completed 53 laps of the Jerez circuit, setting a best time of 1:42.29, while his new team-mate Carlos Checa was just a fraction slower with a time of 1:42.45 in his 56 laps. Loris lapped with the evolution-spec version of the GP4, fitted with the new frame and the new swing-arm that had been tested at Phillip Island and Valencia after the final two races of this season. Carlos instead continued to notch up the mileage with his GP4 and only tested the new frame on his final outing.

Frenchman Régis Laconi, 2004 World Superbike runner-up and one half of the Italian manufacturer’s attack on next year’s championship together with champion James Toseland, was also present in the unusual role of test-rider.

Laconi, who has been called in by Ducati Corse to lend a hand in the last tests of 2004 at Jerez and Valencia, went out with the prototype GP5 bike, which had already been tested at Valencia by Vittoriano Guareschi and he mainly concentrated on engine management set-up. Régis was also positive about the new tyres, the Frenchman setting a best time of 1:44.18 in his 48 laps.

Testing at the Jerez circuit will continue tomorrow and Thursday.