Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) conducted a two-day test with Repsol Honda riders Valentino Rossi and Tohru Ukawa and Fortuna Honda Gresini’s Daijiro Kato at the Valencia Circuit in Spain August 29-30.

According to sources in Europe, Kato turned the fastest lap time of the test at 1:34.04, nearly half-a-second faster than Max Biaggi’s official Circuit Best lap of 1:34.496. Kato completed 147 laps on his RC211V during the test.

Ukawa recorded the most mileage, turning 166 laps, and did the second-fastest lap of 1:34.19.

Rossi did 141 laps of Valencia with a best time of 1:34.62.

Reports indicate that HRC engineers were testing changes to the 75.5-degree V5 engine.

The November 3 Gran Premio Marlboro de la Comunitat Valenciana is the 2002 MotoGP season finale.