From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION
Valencia, 12 December 2003

LANZI NOTCHES UP THE MILEAGE IN DUCATI 749R SUPERSPORT TESTING

Italian Lorenzo Lanzi has concluded the latest test for the factory Ducati 749R, the bike that will mark Ducati Corse’s return to the World Supersport arena in the 2004 championship, with a major improvement on the time he recorded in November.

The 22-year-old from Cesena, who was out on track for three days in MotoGP company, improved his quickest time to 1:38.9 at the end of the day after fitting a softer tyre. This was not far off the times recorded by the best Supersport riders in the Valencia championship opener earlier in the year.

Lanzi used the Valencia test to make a major step forward in the 749R’s development curve as he notched up a total of 194 laps in the three days, the equivalent of over 750 kms of track time.

The engine mapping made on the Ducati Corse dyno after November’s test at Valencia proved to be extremely useful as Lanzi knocked four-tenths of a second off his previous best time around the 4.005 km circuit in perfect conditions.

“I’m pleased with the progress we have made since the last test” declared Lanzi. “There has been a lot of development, we know where we have to work on and the direction we have to take”.

The Ducati 749R’s next test will be at Phillip Island, Australia from 13-15 January 2004.