Rutter confirms sensational TT return After many years of speculation, Michael Rutter has confirmed that he will make a sensational return to the Isle of Man TT races in 2007, riding factory-supported Kawasaki machines. The subject has been a topic of discussion ever since his last appearance in 2000 but contractual obligations have meant he has had to miss out. However, that will all change this year and the 1998 Junior 600cc race winner will line up in the Superbike, Senior and Supersport races for his British Championship MSS Kawasaki team. Rutter first competed at the TT in 1994 and between then and 2000 he racked up no less than nine podium finishes and firmly established himself as one of the finest road racers in the world. Despite it being seven years since he last competed, Michael, son of former TT great Tony, has continued to compete at the North West 200 and Macau GP, scoring countless wins, so his inclusion on this year’s entry list is a fantastic boost to the Centenary event. Speaking about his return, Michael commented: “Everyone knows how much the TT means to me and racing on the Mountain Course is one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in my career. With my Dad being a former winner, the TT is in my blood and it’s been incredibly frustrating having to miss out on the event over the last few years. The speeds have moved on a fair bit since I last rode and I’m under no illusion as to how difficult the task will be but I’m confident in my own ability and will be hoping to get on the podium at least. Both the team and I are very serious about returning and we’ll have a good package to perform in all of the races.” Former Manx Grand Prix competitor Nick Morgan owns and manages the MSS Kawasaki team and he added: “Having competed at the Manx Grand Prix and been involved with the TT as a sponsor, I know exactly what the appeal of the Isle of Man is so to return with someone of the calibre of Michael is fantastic. We’re both huge fans of the TT and although it’s been a few years since we’ve been directly involved with the races we know what is required and will both be giving 100% to get the best result possible” TT and Motorsport Development Manager Paul Phillips concluded: “Having Michael back on the entry list is absolutely fantastic. The TT is the number one road race in the world and we’ve been striving incredibly hard to ensure the riders competing are at that level too. Michael most certainly is when it comes to racing on the roads, he’s world class and the fact that we’ve been able to secure his return shows that all our hard work is paying dividends. The standard of entry for the 2007 races is absolutely brilliant and they’re definitely not to be missed!”

FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of a brother. John G. Capen, 64, of Columbia, Maryland, passed away on January 23, 2007. John battled Pancreatic Cancer very bravely, maintaining a smile even in the worst of pain. John leaves his lovely wife Elaine. John was a dedicated MARRC and SCCA member who volunteered for more than 30 years to make road racing a glorious sport. John was the best controller for the safety crews at Summit Point Raceway, as well as a chief in flagging and communications. His bottomless cup of coffee kept John sharp! And funny too. A true gentleman and brother has left this world. Godspeed John. Save me a spot on the grid in Heaven. God bless Elaine. Roger Lyle Hagerstown, Maryland

Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas has been listed for sale, for $10.5 million. According to real estate listings, the speedway cost over $17 million to build in 1969 and sits on 563 acres of land. The listing follows the death of TWS Managing Partner Dick Conole on January 3.

Rossi back on top for final day at Sepang MotoGP Testing Day 3/3 Sepang, Wednesday 24th January Valentino Rossi concluded the first test of 2007 by clocking the fastest lap of the three-day visit to Sepang in Malaysia. The five-time MotoGP World Champion clocked a blistering 2’00.936 lap on the 800cc Yamaha M1, in an ominous sign for the rest of the grid. The Doctor was closely followed by Suzuki’s Anglo-American rider John Hopkins, quickest over the first two days and who this morning put in a race simulation on the GSV-R800 to conclude his scheduled program. Most riders opted to test the durability of their bikes and tyres over the kind of distance they will face over the coming season, with the added benefit of gaining yet more experience on their new 800cc prototypes. Loris Capirossi, the Ducati rider involved in an epic battle with Rossi in the Malaysian race last year, improved on his times from yesterday by over 1.5 seconds. The Desmosedici GP7 is being put through its paces not only at Sepang (courtesy of the factory team and the d’Antin satellite outfit) but also at Jerez in Spain by official test rider Vittoriano Guareschi. Honda were out of the top six yesterday, but their riders picked up speed today as RC212V development continues. Dani Pedrosa was the fastest rider for the Japanese factory, putting four different factories in the top four spots on the timesheets. Australian star Chris Vermeulen, like team-mate Hopkins, has taken advantage of Suzuki’s breakthroughs with their new machine, and was fifth quickest ahead of Kawasaki’s Randy de Puniet, another rider impressing in Malaysia. 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden, along with Colin Edwards, Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri rounded off the top ten, ahead of Carlos Checa. The 34 year old Spaniard had taken part in an unusual bike exchange with Kenny Roberts Jr. today to gather data from and share opinions on the Honda engine used by both riders. Weather at the Asian circuit was typically hot, with temperatures hitting well over 30 degrees celsius and humidity at 50%. If nothing else, such conditions will help those riders dropping weight for the smaller 800cc bikes to shed a few extra pounds before January 30th, when several MotoGP teams head to Australia for the Phillip Island Test. Sepang Test MotoGP: Day Three Unofficial Times 1. Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Racing 2’00.936 2. John Hopkins – Rizla Suzuki 2’01.026 3. Loris Capirossi – Ducati MotoGP 2’01.274 4. Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda 2’01.664 5. Chris Vermeulen – Rizla Suzuki 2’01.691 6. Randy De Puniet – Kawasaki Racing 2’01.878 7. Nicky Hayden – Repsol Honda 2’01.884 8. Colin Edwards – Yamaha Racing 2’02.266 9. Casey Stoner – Ducati MotoGP 2’02.407 10. Marco Melandri – Honda Gresini 2’02.489 11. Carlos Checa – Honda LCR 2’02.583 12. Alex Barros – Pramac d’Antin 2’02.630 13. Toni Elias – Honda Gresini 2’02.927 14. Alex Hofmann – Pramac d’Antin 2’03.040 15. Shinya Nakano – Konica Minolta Honda 2’03.077 16. Makoto Tamada – Yamaha Tech 3 2’03.308 17. Kenny Roberts JR – Team Roberts 2’03.330 18. Olivier Jacque – Kawasaki Racing 2’03.592 19. Shinichi Ito – Bridgestone MotoGP 2’03.973 More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: DE PUNIET SHOWS HIS SPEED ON FINAL DAY IN SEPANG Randy de Puniet’s confidence in Kawasaki’s 800cc Ninja ZX-RR received a massive boost during the third and final day of testing at Sepang, when the Kawasaki pilot managed to dip below his personal best time at the 5.543km Malaysian circuit. The 25-year-old Frenchman and his crew opted to test a qualifying tyre for the first time on the new bike during this morning’s session, before switching back to standard rubber for a race distance simulation in the afternoon. On the qualifying tyre de Puniet managed to shave almost half-a-second off his previous best lap time, which was set aboard the 990cc version of Kawasaki’s MotoGP racer at this test just twelve months ago. De Puniet’s final task today was to run a race simulation, to test the endurance of the rear tyre over race distance, and to understand better the reaction of the new Ninja ZX-RR to deteriorating rear grip. Overall, the Kawasaki pilot was satisfied with the results, but identified inconsistency in his lap times towards the very end of the run as an area on which to focus during the next test here in just two weeks time. Also happy with his progress over the three days of this opening test was de Puniet’s Kawasaki teammate, Olivier Jacque. Working together with his new crew, the former World Champion was quick to identify a number of key areas for improvement, all of which will be addressed by engineers in Japan before the Kawasaki Racing Team return for three more days of testing at Sepang, starting on 5th February. For Kawasaki’s Racing Director, Ichiro Yoda, today’s result was a case of mission accomplished. The Japanese engineer arrived in Sepang determined to show that Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-RR was a match for the competition, and de Puniet’s fastest lap today did that in no uncertain terms. Randy de Puniet: 46 Laps – Best Lap 2’01.87 “This has been a good first test for us in many ways. I am impressed with the bike, especially with just how much Kawasaki’s engineers have managed to improve it in just six weeks. We’ve been able to do a lot of laps here without any problems at all. This has allowed us to work our way through an intensive test programme, which is important at this point in the season. Overall I am pleased with the amount of progress we’ve made. I managed to set my fastest lap ever here at Sepang this morning, and then the first part of the race simulation this afternoon went well. At the end my lap times started to drop off slightly, but this is an area we will look at more closely during our next test. We have nine more days of testing before the first race, during which we must continue to work hard, but the potential is definitely there and I think we’ve proved that over the past three days.” Olivier Jacque: 41 Laps – Best Lap 2’03.57 “The test started with a nice surprise, in the fact that Kawasaki have worked wonders in six short weeks with the bike. It’s much better than it was during our first, short test in November. We’ve enjoyed three full days of testing in good conditions and with no problems here in Sepang, and that has allowed us to make some good progress with the bike. We’ve found a fairly good base set-up, but we’ve also identified some small changes that will improve things further for the next test. Randy showed that the bike is fast today, and I hope that the work I’ve completed over the three days with my new crew will allow us both to go even faster next time out. Of course, we need to keep working and to keep our motivation, because if we do this I think we might surprise a few people come the first race of the season.” Ichiro Yoda: Kawasaki Racing Director “Time was short between our first shakedown test in November and the start of pre-season testing here in Sepang, but Kawasaki’s engineers have done a good job with the bike and I think that was evident during these three days. Both riders have done a good job here. Olivier has been away from MotoGP for a while, but quickly adapted to both the pace and working with a new crew. Randy has adapted well to the new bike, and this could be seen in the way he improved upon his best lap time here at Sepang. We leave here happy with our progress during this first test, but also with some clear targets for when we return here in two weeks. Randy had some issues with rear grip towards the end of his race simulation this afternoon, and this is one area on which we will focus during the next three days of testing.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Rossi Fastest on Final Day in Sepang The Yamaha Factory Racing Team rounded off their first test of 2007 in fine style today, with Valentino Rossi topping the unofficial time sheets after three days of testing. Both Rossi and his team-mate Colin Edwards made more positive progress with Yamaha’s new prototype 800cc machine and the team closed the test feeling confident about their level of performance at this stage of the season. Although they finished the day a little earlier than usual, both riders completed their full agenda of work, once again trying several new tyres for Michelin, with Rossi also concentrating on improving the balance of the bike when braking. Rossi’s best time of 2’00.936 was set on a qualifying tyre and is close to his pole position time from last year’s Grand Prix, when he was riding the old 990cc machine. Close behind him was Suzuki’s John Hopkins with a time of 2’01.026, whilst Edwards, who did not use a qualifying tyre today, was eighth fastest with a lap of 2’02.266. Whilst most teams will now head directly to Phillip Island for another test, Yamaha Factory Racing have instead elected to return to Sepang in ten days time, with another three-day test on 5th, 6th and 7th February. Valentino Rossi Position: 1st Time: 2’00.936 Laps: 30 “Today was another good day for us. We concentrated a lot on braking and definitely made some improvements, although I think we can still make it even better and this is something we will work on when we come back here. We had an important technical meeting today and came to some interesting conclusions, which will help Yamaha’s engineers to continue to improve our new bike. We’ve got through our entire programme for this test, including testing many new tyres for Michelin. Today I also had the chance to try a qualifying tyre and I was able to go below 2.01; I think that Michelin have done a very good job over the winter. We tried the 16″ tyre again and I am still sure that it’s good for us, although we still need more time to work on it with Michelin. Overall it’s been a very positive test for us. Most of the other teams will go to Phillip Island now, but we will return here in ten days with more new things to test. We still need to work on the engine, although for this early stage it’s very good. So far we have concentrated on power delivery, rather than on the power itself, but this only the first test of the year so there is plenty more time!” Colin Edwards Position: 8th Time: 2’02.266 Laps: 22 “I’m heading home feeling really happy after three excellent day’s work. We didn’t do so much today, 22 laps, but it was enough to back up what we’ve learnt this week and finish feeling sure about everything. We changed direction with tyres a bit today and went towards the package Valentino’s been using and that definitely improved things even more; my fastest lap was on a race tyre similar to the one he’s been using quite a bit. We didn’t try a qualifier, but I really felt that I got into the ‘zone’ on the race tyre and that was when my best time came. We tried a new front and a new rear as well and they were both great, the tyre situation in general is really good. We played around a bit with the setting too and tested a few things Valentino’s been using, but actually I preferred my setting so we came back to that. So that’s it for the first test and it’s been really encouraging. A quick rest now and then we’ll be back for more!” Davide Brivio Team Director “We’ve finished this first test of 2007 with both riders and the team feeling good. Valentino and Colin shared a lot of information between one another and this is very important in this development period. The times are already very satisfying and this means that we’re working in the right direction, even if there’s still a lot of work to do! The final conclusion of this test is very positive but we need to keep working hard; we have clear ideas about what we need to do. We’re coming back here again soon and we will have new items to test, especially tyres, and we will be able to continue to fine-tune the set-up of the new 800. 10th March is getting closer and closer so we have to just keep on working!” Unofficial Lap Times 1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 2’00.936 2. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 2’01.026 3. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 2’01.274 4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 2’01.664 5. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 2’01.691 6. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 2’01.878 7. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 2’01.884 8. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 2’02.266 9. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 2’02.407 10. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 2’02.489 11. Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda 2’02.583 12. Alex Barros (BRA) Ducati 2’02.630 13. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 2’02.927 14. Alex Hoffman (GER) Ducati 2’03.040 15. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 2’03.077 16. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Yamaha 2’03.308 17. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team KR 2’03.330 18. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Kawasaki 2’03.592 19. Shinichi Ito (JPN) Bridgestone Test 2’03.973 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Yamaha – Did not ride Sepang Lap Record (990cc) Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2006 – 2’02.127 Sepang Best Lap (990cc) Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2006 – 2’00.605 More, from a press release issued by Team Honda Gresini: MARCO MELANDRI AND TONI ELIAS LEAVE SEPANG CONFIDENT AND MOTIVATED The hot temperatures ( 34° degrees C the air temperature and the 53° degrees C the tarmac ) made the third and last day of testing more difficult for the Honda Team riders busy at Sepang in preparation of the 2007 Championship. Tomorrow riders and team will fly to Australia for the second testing session scheduled at Phillip Island starting from the 30th of January. Today Marco Melandri focused on tyre testing. He tested many front and rear tyres and was very satisfied. His team mate, the Spaniard Toni Elias, focused on the setting of the bike, working on chassis and suspensions, before continuing some tyre testing in the afternoon. MARCO MELANDRI (69 laps, 2.02.489): “I’m satisfied, we worked with method following an intense programme and I can say that we have met our target. Today I tested different kind of tyres and I’m satisfied. In particular I like a lot the front tyre but also the rear tyre is working quite well. It was important to work along side the Bridgestone technicians to understand the line to follow so that we can go on improving. I wanted to do a race simulation but unfortunately I had to stop after 12 laps because I was suffering too much on my right foot because of the heat. Now I need to work on the boot in order to solve this problem. I go to Phillip Island very confident. There is a lot of work to do but I’m happy for the situation at this stage of development”. TONI ELIAS (65 laps, 2.02. 927): “I leave Sepang very confident. This morning we worked a lot on chassis and suspensions and studied the geometry of the bike. In the afternoon we could continue some tyre testing. It was important to understand the line of work also with Bridgestone technicians and I think these first three days of testing have been very helpful. I’m not happy with my lap time but I’m not worried, at this moment it’s more important to work for the race pace”. More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing: MotoGP test Sepang, Malaysia. Final day of three-day test. January 24, 2007. Pedrosa tops Honda times on final day of successful Sepang MotoGP test. The three-day MotoGP test at Sepang, Malaysia ended today with Repsol Honda factory rider Dani Pedrosa the fastest of the Honda RC212V riders at the test. In temperatures exceeding 30 degrees with high humidity the young Spaniard set a lap time almost 1.5 seconds faster than his best over the previous two days of the test. Pedrosa set his best time of 2m 01.884s on Michelin qualifying tyres following solid runs in the mid 2m 02s bracket. Pedrosa’s Repsol Honda team-mate, reigning MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden concentrated on overall machine performance testing many chassis, suspension and tyre combinations. At the end of the day American tried the new 16-inch Michelin race tyres as he strove to get the best out of his RCV. Hayden did not push himself to the limit during the test as he is still experiencing stiffness from the shoulder operation he underwent in early December. The Gresini Honda team leave Sepang for then three-day test at Phillip Island, Australia in buoyant mood. Team riders Marco Melandri and Toni Elias met the objectives that the team had set for their first RC212V test of the year. Italian Melandri worked diligently on tyre testing for new supplier Bridgestone and was particularly impressed with the performance of a range of front tyres he was given to test. Spaniard Elias continued chassis setting work while testing changes to the geometry of his RCV before moving on to tyre testing. At the end of the day both riders had lowered their previous best lap times by over a second. Konica Minolta Honda rider Shinya Nakano had hoped to end the Sepang test with lap times inside 2m 03s but the popular Japanese struggled with a front-end problem again today and missed his target by less than a tenth of a second. The front wheel chatter was minimal in the cooler temperatures of the morning session but performance deteriorated as the temperatures rose after lunch. On the positive side Nakano was pleased the team completed their Sepang test programme and he is now much closer to understanding the characteristics of the Honda. Carlos Checa made a big step forward on the final day and announced himself satisfied with the results of the three-day test where he set his best time on race tyres with fifth fastest tie on race rubber. Checa also took part in an unusual bike exchange with Kenny Roberts Jnr today. The 34 year old Spaniard rode the KR212V Honda powered Team Roberts framed machine while Roberts Jnr took to the track aboard Checa’s LCR RC212V Honda. The two teams making the switch in a bid to gather data from and share opinions on the Honda engine used by both riders. There was a very positive vibe in the Team Roberts camp today after Kenny Jnr swapped machines with Carlos Checa and was really pleased with the feedback from Checa’s LCR, as well as getting pointers to where the KR212V could be improved – particularly on the exit of the super-fast Turn 3 where it was unstable and hard to ride. Following the swap Kenny Jnr was able to improve his time and felt that if they had put in the more high performance race Michelin tyres they could have dipped into the high 2m 02s. The Honda teams now move on to the superb Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia for the second MotoGP test of the year on January 30, 31 and February 1. Honda rider quotes and lap times. Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda 2m 01.884s 64 laps. “We definitely learnt a lot about the bike at this test and got some valuable information for my crew chief Pete Benson and the boys to work with. And myself, I felt like I rode the 800 better than I did here in November. It would have been nice to have been closer to the front and I know we didn’t set the world on fire, but we’ve definitely got some positive stuff to take away. We found some Showa forks I liked and some good settings, plus we tried the new 16 inch Michelin front which felt good. On the straight I feel like I’m a little bit out in the wind and that’s where I’m losing time – towards the end of the straight. I don’t know if it’s partly engine performance and partly aerodynamics. It’s definitely good that we’re going to Phillip Island because we can check the things we tested here at a completely different track next week. I would have liked to have done a long run here but I didn’t really have the strength in my shoulder. The most I did was ten laps in a row because the doc didn’t want me getting carried away here because shoulders sometimes take a while to heal. I’m looking forward to Phillip Island where there’s not so much hard braking.” Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda 2m 01.884s 75 laps. “Today we were able to take some steps with the bike and the feeling is a little better so that’s positive. We also confirmed some of the areas where we have to improve which is also good to know. We’ve also tested some tyres for Michelin including the new 16-inch tyres – yesterday the front tyre and today the rear. It’s still early and difficult to have a definite answer about these tyres, but the feeling was good so maybe it’s the future. I was fastest at the last test in Jerez but this is a different track, the temperature is higher and there are many differences riding here so we will analyse the data and work how to improve further at Phillip Island. This is normal for testing.” Marco Melandri, Gresini Honda 2m 02.489s 69 laps “I’m satisfied, we worked with method following an intense programme and I can say that we have met our target. Today I tested different kind of tyres and I’m satisfied. In particular I like a lot the front tyre but also the rear tyre is working quite well. It was important to work along side the Bridgestone technicians to understand the line to follow so that we can go on improving. I wanted to do a race simulation but unfortunately I had to stop after 12 laps because I was suffering too much on my right foot because of the heat. Now I need to work on the boot in order to solve this problem. I go to Phillip Island very confident. There is a lot of work to do but I’m happy for the situation at this stage of development”. Toni Elias, Gresini Honda 2m 02. 927s 65 laps. “I leave Sepang very confident. This morning we worked a lot on chassis and suspensions and studied the geometry of the bike. In the afternoon we could continue some tyre testing. It was important to understand the line of work also with Bridgestone technicians and I think these first three days of testing have been very helpful. I’m not happy with my lap time but I’m not worried, at this moment it’s more important to work for the race pace”. Carlos Checa, LCR Honda 2m 02.583. “Today was much better! I feel very satisfied about the set up work we developed over the last three days. I spent most of the day riding on race tyres and my best lap time was the 5th fastest overall. Then, in the last part of the session, I came out on qualifying tyres but I need more time to adapt. I also swapped my bike with Kenny Roberts Jnr to gather data and to share our opinions on the engine. This bike has a strong potential but we must continue our development during the next test sessions. As the RC212V is the smallest bike of this class I have to adapt also my body to improve the aerodynamics. Thus last winter I had a steady training loosing 3 kilogrammes and I will probably receive a new seat and a new faring much higher for next Australian tests.” Shinya Nakano, Konica Minolta Honda 2m 03.077s – 60 laps. “Again I am a little disappointed because I wanted to mark better lap times today. This morning went well like yesterday but in the afternoon I found the same problem as yesterday, front end hopping during the braking. Although maybe I was not really ready to do it, but I did a race simulation run of 21 laps. Also I did some start tests so basically I have covered all the menu I wanted to do here. Phillip Island, where I move to from here for the next test, has fast corners and corner entry performance is important. I want to solve this front-end problem there. Last year at Phillip Island, I was leading the race before it started to rain and I still have a good image of the track. So I want to get as close as possible to this good image. I now have more understanding about the RC212V so I want to improve a step further. Today it was very hot but as I did training at a Malaysian island, so I did not get tired and could keep focused throughout the test.” Kenny Roberts, KR212V 2m 03.330s. “For sure today we learned a tremendous amount today. I’ve got to thank Honda because they promised me at the last race at Valencia last year that they’d let me ride one of their bikes here – because it was gonna be our first test. We did it at about one o’clock today and so thanks to Carlos Checa and his guys. The problem was that in some of the fast stuff I’d been really fighting our bike and blistering my hands, but I’d just kinda thought it was either me or the line. But Carlos’s bike was much more stable coming out of turn three and that kinda kicked stuff off for us to work in that direction. I was fighting it non-stop and my corner speed through there wasn’t very good. So for the last hour we made some big improvements and for here darn-near fixed it completely. At first, we didn’t really know how to fix it, we thought it was coming from the link and the shock. But to cut a long story short, it seems like we’ve made a big improvement. Laptime-wise, we weren’t able to do much tyre testing for Michelin, but we did a low 2m 03 on race tyres but I’m sure I could have been somewhere in the 2m 02s if we’d worked at it. So we’re at a good stage right now.” More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: CAPIROSSI AND STONER ON THE PACE IN FINAL DAY OF TESTING IN MALAYSIA The third and final day of testing in Malaysia came to a close today in stifling heat, with Loris Capirossi successfully completing set-up work on his Desmosedici GP7, both on an engine and suspension level and with the tyres. Loris in fact completed an eleven-lap race simulation at an excellent pace, similar to his record time set last year. The Italian ace recorded his quickest time on race tyres, 2m02.146s, on the final lap of his long run, a performance that gave great satisfaction to himself, the Ducati team and to Bridgestone. Like most of his colleagues, Loris then bolted on a qualifying tyre to set the third quickest time of the day. Casey Stoner opted not to fit the softer tyres but despite still suffering slightly from arm cramp and taking more time than his Italian team-mate to find the right set-up, he recorded a good time on race tyres to positively conclude the three-day session at Sepang. The young Australian is now looking forward to the next tests at his home circuit where he expects to make further progress. The Ducati Marlboro Team will continue pre-season testing next week in Australia at the Phillip Island circuit from January 30th to February 1st. Loris Capirossi (61 laps – Qualifying tyre: 2m01.274s, Race tyre: 2m02.146s) “I am really pleased with the work we’ve done over the last three days. We have made a big improvement and are now competitive. The fact that I set my best time on race tyres at the end of a long-run of 11 laps means that both the bike and the tyres also go well on this circuit. For the first time we used qualifying tyres with the 800 and I am quite satisfied with my time. We can see that the GP7 needs different qualifying tyres than the 1000 because you are leaning over longer in the corners and this puts more stress on the soft tyre. Now the Bridgestone guys have got a lot of data to work with and I am sure they will do a good job. We are going to Australia in a confident mood and I can’t wait to lap on one of my favourite tracks”. Casey Stoner (53 laps – Race tyre: 2m02.407s) “It was a tough day today. We struggled a bit to find the right set-up but got there in the end! We changed the settings a lot and half-way through the day I was a bit confused because we couldn’t find the right solution, but the team was great and in the end we solved the problems and found the right direction. Thanks again to the guys from the Clinica Mobile: with their treatment I was able to lap without too much discomfort in my arms. I just felt a bit of pain during my last exit but without them I couldn’t have got through the day! Now we’re off back home and I can’t wait to test the GP7 at Phillip Island!”. Livio Suppo (MotoGP Project Director) “We are very pleased with the way these tests went. Everyone did a great job and we are competitive. Special thanks go to Shell, with whom we are working very closely to perfect the fuels and lubricants and improve the efficiency of the engine, which is fundamental in reducing fuel consumption. Today we were able to maintain an excellent pace with the bike always in race trim. It’s a great result for the start of the 800cc’s development curve and it’s all come about thanks to the work of our engineers and Shell’s experience in racing. Bridgestone are also doing an excellent job and we can only be happy with this start to the season”. Sepang lap record : Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2006, 2m02.127s Sepang pole record : Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2006, 2m00.605s Temperature: air 34� / track 53� C Wednesday JAN 24 – Unofficial times: Rossi 2m00.936s Hopkins 2m01.026s Capirossi 2m01.274s Pedrosa 2m01.664s Vermeulen 2m01.691s De Puniet 2m01.878s Hayden 2m01.884s Edwards 2m02.266s Stoner 2m02.407s Melandri 2m02.489s Checa 2m02.583s Barros 2m02.630s Elias 2m02.927s Hofmann 2m03.040s Nakano 2m03.077s Tamada 2m03.308s Roberts Jr 2m03.330s Jacque 2m03.592s Ito 2m03.790s More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: Rizla Suzuki MotoGP right on the pace in Malaysia Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins completed 2007’s first test at Sepang in Malaysia today with a simulated race distance, bettering his 990cc race time from 2006 by an incredible seven seconds. The Anglo-American star conducted the long distance test during the hottest part of the day, with track surface temperatures rising to over 60°C. His overall time for the twenty flying laps was 41 minutes and one second, in comparison to his 2006 time of 41’08. The new Suzuki GSV-R800 performed with consistency over the race simulation and, allied to the latest generation of Bridgestone race tyres, the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP package is looking increasingly competitive for the forthcoming season. Hopkins and team-mate Chris Vermeulen also tested some of the latest Bridgestone qualifying tyres for the first time on an 800cc Suzuki and were able to give very consistent data to the engineers. Hopkins recorded a quickest time of 2’01.026 with Vermeulen clocking a fastest time of 2’01.691 on their qualifiers to give them second and fifth place respectively on the timesheets. Vermeulen also completed a race simulation and was very pleased with the results, even though he was hampered by the weather half way through as rain started to lightly fall. He completed 43 laps today and recorded his best ever lap around Sepang. Hopkins completed 38 laps and the data that he and Vermeulen collected will prove valuable to themselves, the team and Suzuki’s hard-working engineers as they move forward onto the next test. Rizla Suzuki MotoGP now travels to Phillip Island in Australia for the second test of 2007, starting on Tuesday 30th January. The first race of the MotoGP season is in Qatar on Saturday 10th March. John Hopkins: “I’m really happy with the way the week has gone. We’ve got a new bike here so at first we needed to get it set-up, which we did on the first day to the way I liked it and from then it’s only been simple little changes. We have tested a lot of tyres for Bridgestone and everything has been going really well. Today I tried some qualifiers as I’d never used them on the 800 before and it was good to see how they worked. Then I did a race distance and I’m really excited about how that went! We did it at the hottest part of the day and we managed to run a very competitive time. Everything at the moment feels good and overall I’m thoroughly happy with it. This is a big year for me and I’ve got a couple of new personal sponsors with Monster Energy drinks and Amp’d Mobile coming on board, so I really want to do well for them as well as for Suzuki, Rizla and all the people who have supported us!” Chris Vermeulen: “It has been a good test on the whole. We got three good days of dry weather which is unusual here in Malaysia and we’ve got through lots of work. We tested front, rear and qualifying tyres from Bridgestone, as well as a lot of Suzuki test items. John and I both had the 2007 bike which was good to use and found some good things with it. I went quicker and quicker and I did my fastest ever lap around the circuit during this test. This afternoon we did a race distance which was quicker than I did in the race last year even with some rain falling over on the back of the circuit. I felt really comfortable out there and I am now looking to getting to Phillip Island and carrying on from here!” Paul Denning Team Manager: “The test couldn’t have gone any better, apart from maybe Mr Rossi going 0.09 slower on his qualifier so that John would have been fastest on all three days! The new 2007 GSV-R has further improved from the prototype that we used last year. Both riders got through a mountain of work and the reliability and consistency of the new bike has been superb. Obviously it’s nice to be on the top of the timesheets, but it is more pleasing to see how competitive we were on the long runs during the final day. We have also provided the Bridgestone guys with lots of good data to assist them with their development programme. It’s great to start the year with a base package that works well and is giving the riders good confidence, but we know that the competition is already at a good level and will no doubt improve rapidly over the forthcoming tests. We still have areas of the bike that could improve and the factory will be focusing on them quite aggressively over the next few weeks. We won’t get too carried away over these results from Sepang because this is a good track for Bridgestone and, historically, a relatively good one for the GSV-R. We are looking forward to getting to Australia and hoping that we can be close to the other bikes around there as we struggled a bit last year. If we can come away from Phillip Island with a positive test result then everyone at Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will be very much looking forward to the first Grand Prix of the season!” Sepang MotoGP Overall Test Times: 1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2’00.936: 2. JOHN HOPKINS (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 2’01.026: 3. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2’01.274: 4. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 2’01.664: 5. CHRIS VERMEULEN (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 2’01.691:

QUEBEC START FOR SUPERBIKES TORONTO, ON For the first time in series history the Parts Canada Superbike Championship will open its season at Quebec’s Le Circuit Mont- Tremblant. The 2007 title battle will begin at the scenic 2.65-mile (4.28km) venue north of Montreal on the May 31-June 3 weekend as the national championship heads into its 28th year of competition. “We’re happy to kick the Parts Canada Superbike season off,” said Vince Loughran, VP Operations for Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant. “We’re looking forward to another exciting weekend of racing and welcome everybody back.” The series will consist of seven rounds at five venues, with the 2007 titles to be awarded at Shannonville Motorsport Park on the Labour Day Weekend of Aug. 31-Sept. 2. The season finale will be run on the 1.5-mile (2.4km) ‘Pro Track.’ Pirelli returns as spec tire supplier. The tour will again highlight a mid-season doubleheader at Mosport International Raceway July 12-15. The daunting 2.46-mile (3.9km) track will host races for the Parts Canada Superbike, Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike, Thunder and Suzuki SV650 National Cup on both Saturday and Sunday. There will be an additional doubleheader June 28-July 1 at Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park. The 2.0-mile (3.2km) facility has held “twin bills” in the past, most recently in the 2005 season. The 2007 Parts Canada Superbike Championship schedule is rounded out by an event at the rolling 1.6-mile (2.56km) Atlantic Motorsport Park circuit in Shubenacadie, NS Aug. 9-12. All rounds will stage features for the Superbike, Pro 600 Sport Bike, International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike, Thunder and Suzuki SV650 support classes. “We are very pleased with the diversity of the venues our schedule offers,” said Colin Fraser of Professional Motorsports Productions, which organizes the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. “Each track brings a unique set of challenges for our competitors and tests them in different ways.” The series will also run a test at Jennings Motorsport Park in Jennings, FL Apr. 16-17. This event should attract all the factory teams and give a hint of how the new rider and team combinations stack up. Defending Superbike and Pro 600 champion Jordan Szoke will be joined on the Canadian Kawasaki factory team by rookie Brett McCormick. Two-time national champ Pascal Picotte will make his debut with his new Team Suzuki / Blackfoot Racing / Picotte Performance squad and Superbike wins leader Steve Crevier returns to Canada riding for the Fast Company Yamaha team. Last year’s Superbike runner-up Kevin Lacombe is also back on Yamahas, riding for the Brooklin Cycle team. 2007 Parts Canada Superbike Championship Schedule Round 1 May 31-June 3 Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant Mont- Tremblant, QC Round 2 June 28-June 30 Race City Motorsport Park Calgary, AB Round 3 June 28-July 1 Race City Motorsport Park Calgary, AB Round 4 July 12-14 Mosport International Raceway Bowmanville, ON Round 5 July 12-15 Mosport International Raceway Bowmanville, ON Round 6 Aug. 9-12 Atlantic Motorsport Park Shubenacadie, NS Round 7 Aug. 31-Sept.2 Shannonville Motorsport Park (Pro Track) Shannonville, ON For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com

SEPANG DAY 2: Melandri and Elias keep on working Action goes on at Sepang, Malaysia, for the first test session of the 2007 season, in preparation of World Championship. Today the Honda Gresini riders focused on the best possible base line to work from and started an intense tyre programme together with the Bridgestone technicians. MARCO MELANDRI (76 laps, 2.03.253): “It was a demanding day. The temperatures were very high and we worked no stop to finish today’s programme. We struggled a bit in the morning but in the end we find a solution that I like. We tested different set up solutions and studied the geometry of the bike before starting to test tyres. I’m quite satisfied , the clutch has improved and I have a better feeling now. Tomorrow we will focus on tyre testing. I’m confident,.I see the Honda Engineers and the Bridgestone technicians very motivated”. TONI ELIAS (75 laps, 2.04.124): “Today we focused on tyre testing without making too many changes on chassis and suspensions. We tested many variations, rear tyres and front tyres, in order to find the right solution for the Honda- Bridgestone package. It has been a tough day but I’m happy and confident. At this moment of the year is important to work step by step, because we need to understand how the new bike works with these new tyres. Tomorrow we will continue the tyre testing while in Australia we will go back working on the setting of the bike”. UNOFFICIAL TIMES 1. Hopkins (Usa-Suzuki) 2’01″806 2. Edwards (Usa-Yamaha) 2’01″930; 3. Vermeulen (Aus-Suzuki) 2’02″275; 4. Barros (Bra-Ducati) 2’02″538; 5. Rossi (Ita-Yamaha) 2’02″613; 6. Capirossi (Ita-Ducati) 2’02″793; 7. De Puniet (Fra-Kawasaki) 2’02″806; 8. Hayden (Usa-Honda) 2’02″948; 9. Pedrosa (Spa-id.) 2’03”098; 10. Stoner (Aus-Ducati) 2’03″190; 11. Melandri (Ita-Honda) 2’03″253; 12 Nakano (Gia-id.) 2’03″633; 13. Checa (Spa-id.) 2’03″681; 14. Ito (Gia-Ducati) 2’03″700; 15. Roberts (Usa-Kr/Honda) 2’03″800; 16. Hoffman (Ger-Ducati) 2’03″895; 17. Elias (Spa-Honda) 2’04″124; 18. Jacque (Fra-Kawasaki) 2’04″171; 19. Tamada (Gia-Yamaha) 2’04″350; 20. Guintoli (Fra-id.) 2’04″892; 21. Yoshikawa (Gia-id.) 2’05″646; 21. Fujiwara (Gia-id.) 2’06″737. More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: Hopkins heads Edwards on second day in Sepang MotoGP Testing Day 2/3 – Sepang, Tuesday 23rd January At the second of three days at the Malaysian circuit of Sepang, where nearly the entire MotoGP grid for 2007 are testing after a six week ban, teams were able to put in a full uninterrupted session as they look to develop their 800cc machines for the coming season. As yesterday, Suzuki and Yamaha continue to lead the way at this first test of the year. John Hopkins has been the stand-out rider of the first two days, topping the unofficial timesheets for the second day in a row with an impressive lap of 2’01.806. The 23 year-old American was joined by countryman Colin Edwards as they became the only two riders to go round in under 2’02. Edwards, the ‘Texan Tornado’, cut just under 1.5 seconds from his fastest lap yesterday, and the duo frequently dipped under race lap record pace set on last year’s 990cc machines. Behind the Americans, Chris Vermeulen was also on form with the Suzuki GSV-R800. Using a new chassis today, the Australian is found at ease with the 800cc bike as he maintains his confident preseason form. Despite taking a tumble earlier in the day, the returning MotoGP veteran Alex Barros was the fastest Ducati rider in the second session of the week, ahead of Pramac d’Antin team-mate Alex Hofmann and the official factory team duo. This could be further evidence of an elevation in competitiveness for the satellite team, who in the Brazilian have a proven podium finisher in their midst for 2007. Barros’ inclusion in the top four also put him faster than five-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, who had noted yesterday the fatigue induced by a break in action over the winter. Fellow Italian Capirossi was just behind the Yamaha star on the Ducati Desmosedici GP7, ahead of Kawasaki’s Randy de Puniet. The seven fastest riders were all within a second of Hopkins’ leading time, illustrating the closeness of the new 800cc bikes. Down in eighth, World Champion Nicky Hayden was the quickest Honda rider on day two. Getting used to the bike again after returning from shoulder surgery, the ‘Kentucky Kid’ went round in 2’02.948, followed by team-mate Dani Pedrosa, Ducati’s Casey Stoner and fellow RC212V developers Marco Melandri, Shinya Nakano and Carlos Checa. The weather stayed kind to the riders, who were spared wet conditions, although a continuation of the extreme humidity experienced over the past two days is forecast for tomorrow’s final day. Sepang MotoGP Test: Day 2 Unofficial Times 1. John Hopkins- Rizla Suzuki 2’01.806 2. Colin Edwards – Yamaha Racing 2’01.930 3. Chris Vermeulen- Rizla Suzuki 2’02.275 4. Alex Barros – Pramac d’Antin 2’02.538 5. Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Racing 2’02.619 6. Loris Capirossi – Ducati MotoGP 2’02.793 7. Randy De Puniet – Kawasaki Racing 2’02.806 8. Nicky Hayden – Repsol Honda 2’02.948 9. Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda 2’03.098 10. Casey Stoner – Ducati MotoGP 2’03.190 11. Marco Melandri – Honda Gresini 2’03.253 12. Shinya Nakano – Konica Minolta Honda 2’03.633 13. Carlos Checa – Honda LCR 2’03.681 14. Shinichi Ito – Bridgestone Test 2’03.700 15. Kenny Roberts Jr. – Team Roberts 2’03.800 16. Alex Hofmann – Pramac d’Antin 2’03.895 17. Toni Elias – Honda Gresini 2’04.124 18. Olivier Jacque – Kawasaki Racing 2’04.171 19. Makoto Tamada – Yamaha Tech3 2’04.350 20. Sylvain Guintoli – Yamaha Tech3 2’04.892 More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Factory Racing Team: Second Session Gives Yamaha More Confidence in Sepang A second day of testing in Malaysia today saw the Yamaha Factory Racing Team continue to come on in leaps and bounds with the development of their new prototype 800cc motorcycle. With rain threatening for tomorrow’s third and final day of testing, both Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards elected to take advantage of clear skies and complete their long-run today, the first for either rider on the new bike. Initial feedback was good and Rossi especially was very pleased with the performance of his Yamaha under race conditions. Edwards, who was trying a different set-up and tyre package to his team-mate in order to gather as much information as possible for Yamaha’s engineers and Michelin, was less comfortable during his long-run, but importantly was able to identify some of the key areas in which the team still need to focus their attention over the coming tests. Both riders improved on their times from yesterday, with Edwards dipping under the old 990cc lap record pace with a fastest lap of 2’01.930, set during the morning on race tyres. He was just behind Suzuki’s John Hopkins, who topped the unofficial time sheets for the second day running in a time of 2’01.806. Rossi posted the fifth fastest time of the day after completing 57 laps, with a time of 2’02.619. The Yamaha Factory Racing Team will complete their final day of this first test tomorrow. Colin Edwards Position: 2nd Time: 2’01.930 Laps: 60 “I’m not sure if it’s to do with the fact that I’m getting old, or just that I’ve been off the bike for six weeks, but this week it seems that I’m much stronger in the morning than in the afternoon! The morning felt really good today, Michelin had me working in one direction and Valentino in another and I was quite excited about how everything was feeling and about the times I was able to do. I did my best time on a race tyre and it was coming pretty easily. Michelin have worked seriously hard over the winter and the new front tyres they’re bringing us are just getting better and better, so congratulations to them. This afternoon was much harder and it was pretty hot out there too. The package I used for the long-run wasn’t so good, it definitely wasn’t the right direction for the rear tyre and it was hard work for me. Anyway Valentino’s package worked well and that’s why we’re here after all to work out what does work and what doesn’t! It’s given us some clear answers and now we can use tomorrow to double check what we’ve learned this week and finish on a good note.” Valentino Rossi Position: 5th Time: 2’02.619 Laps: 57 “Today I made my first long-run with the new bike, because I was worried about the weather for tomorrow. It was important to be able to see the level of the bike over a long distance, so we didn’t want to risk waiting for the last day. I am very happy about how it went; the performance of the bike and tyres was very good. We still need to improve the braking a bit, but I am sure it will get better as we continue to work on the set-up. The temperature at noon was very high and the sun felt like a sword beating down on my helmet, but it was still great fun and I really enjoyed myself! Of course with the 990cc bike the top speed was a bit faster, but overall with the new bike the pace on a long-run isn’t so different, because it puts less stress on the tyres so their performance remains higher for longer. The physical effort is similar for both bikes, and I feel very motivated after the long-run today. We tested the 16″ front tyre today; we still need to work more on this, but the initial feeling is very good and the handling is a bit better with it. The bike is more stable in the corner and therefore I have more confidence. I think in the end it could be a good solution, but we need more time to be sure. Tomorrow we have other tyres to test and we will just continue to work on the general set-up of the bike.” Davide Brivio Team Director “It has been another good day for us here in Malaysia. Every day we understand more and more about our new bike and we gain more experience about the right way to work and ride with this new 800cc Yamaha. Today both riders made a long-run, which is always an important indication of how we are progressing. Valentino’s was very positive and we gathered a lot of important information from it. Colin had more difficulty and showed some of the problem areas we need to work on, but he also gained positives from today and his best time this morning was very fast. Of course we’ve got a lot of work to do, but that is the reason for testing! Tomorrow we will continue like this, working on the set-up of our bike and also testing some new tyres for Michelin.” Unofficial Lap Times 1. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 2’01.806 2. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 2’01.930 3. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 2’02.275 4. Alex Barros (BRA) Ducati 2’02.538 5. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 2’02.619 6. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 2’02.793 7. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 2’02.806 8. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 2’02.948 9. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 2’03.098 10. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati 2’03.190 11. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 2’03.253 12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda 2’03.633 13. Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda 2’03.681 14. Shinichi Ito (JPN) Bridgestone Test 2’03.700 15. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team KR 2’03.800 16. Alex Hoffman (GER) Ducati 2’03.895 17. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 2’04.124 18. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Kawasaki 2’04.171 19. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Yamaha 2’04.350 20. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Yamaha 2’04.892 Sepang Lap Record (990cc) Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2006 – 2’02.127 Sepang Best Lap (990cc) Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2006 – 2’00.605 More, from a press release issued by Konica Minolta Honda: KONICA MINOLTA Honda continues hard work at Sepang Today at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, the KONICA MINOLTA Honda team made more progress with their new rider Shinya Nakano in the first major test of the 2007 MotoGP season. Today’s work centred around testing new Michelin tyres and working on suspension as Nakano aims to get a good base setting as he adapts to his new Honda RC212V, Michelin tyres and his new team. Shinya completed 70 laps in good weather conditions and finished the day 12th overall in unofficial timing. Gianluca Montiron Team Manager KONICA MINOLTA Honda “I’m happy, as today we’ve improved. We modified the suspension a little bit and then we mostly worked on testing Michelin tyres. I think it’s clear that riders who have had the opportunity of testing the new prototypes here in November have an advantage and this can be clearly seen in the results. We are not too worried by this, as we know that the advantages of having tested here before are giving a benefit in improved lap-times to these riders. We are confident that tomorrow the difference in time will be lower than today. With a new rider for the team to work with and for Shinya to have to learn to work with his new team, new bike and new tyres, we knew we’d need much more time, which is why we planned a lot of pre-season testing. We are confident this will give Shinya the best opportunity to be competitive by the first race of the season in March.” Shinya Nakano Rider, KONICA MINOLTA Honda “Most time of the time today was dedicated to testing some new Michelin front tyres. Unfortunately it was difficult to get confidence in the front-end of the bike and I struggled a lot with chatter from the front of the bike. Because of this I was not able to keep up the corner speed you need with these new 800cc machines. Apart from this, as a team I can see that we are working in the right direction to solve this problem. Compared to my first test on the new bike in Jerez I have a much better feeling with the 212V and I’m starting to get used to the Honda, even if I have many new things to learn on this bike! Many other riders have recorded good times today, but I’m not worried, I’m concentrating on finding a good base setting for the new 212V and from there we will work on getting a good lap time. I know some riders are struggling with the fact that the new 800cc machines are much smaller than the 990cc bikes, but my feeling is that I’m very happy with the smaller, more compact size of the RC212V as it suits me very well.” Yutaka Hirano Head Technician, KONICA MINOLTA Honda “Today we have completely dedicated our time to tyre testing, with this work mainly concentrating on the front-end of the new RC212V. This has set us some chattering problems, but we have made some improvements on front suspension settings and we’re confident that we’ll find the overall solution. Tomorrow we plan to work on the electronics system on the bike as the new software gives us many possibilities for adjustments, but must be correctly set-up and fine-tuned for the rider and this takes time. We will start our work on this first thing tomorrow. By working on this we are sure that our overall lap time will be better. I’m happy with the team who are working very hard to give Nakano the best machine set-up possible.” More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing: Honda riders up their pace on day two of Sepang MotoGP test The Honda teams present at the MotoGP test at Sepang, Malaysia got down to serious business on the second day of the three-day test session. In extremely high ambient and track top temperatures all six RC212V riders and Kenny Roberts Jnr (KR212V) improving their lap times by at least half a second Repsol riders Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa both improved on their performances of yesterday at Sepang today as the first of the year’s three-day MotoGP test sessions continued at the 5.548 km Malaysian track. The Repsol Honda factory riders worked through an extensive programme of tests aimed at further developing the prototype RC212V that will campaign the 2007 season. Hayden, the reigning MotoGP World Champion, began his day working on the front end of his RCV trying various front forks and settings in combination with a variety of Michelin front tyres. The team also worked on engine power delivery to improve top speed. Hayden’s Repsol Honda team-mate, Dani Pedrosa concentrated his efforts on overall chassis and suspension performance of his RCV. Pedrosa emerged unscathed from a slow speed crash at turn nine to set a best lap time half a second faster than his best of yesterday. Gresini Honda riders Marco Melandri and Toni Elias both put in 70 plus laps at the 5.548km circuit today. Italian Melandri working hard on machine balance, geometry and the clutch before moving on to test a range of tyres for team supplier Bridgestone. The former 250c world champion ended the day with a best lap time a full second faster than his best on the opening day of the test. Elias worked almost exclusively on tyre testing for Bridgestone. Working methodically the team tried several combinations of different profiles, constructions and compounds. The Spaniard improved on his best lap time of yesterday by six-tenths of a second. Shinya Nakano ran into front-end problems on his Konica Minolta liveried RC212V but despite the front ‘Hopping’ under heavy braking the Japanese rider lowered his lap times by half a second. Near veteran Spaniard Carlos Checa continued his efforts to adjust to the 800cc four-cylinder RC212V and put in a mammoth 86 lap stint that saw him improve his feel for the machine and his lap times of yesterday. Team Roberts changed to a second all new chassis overnight. The RC212V powered machine, which has the same geometry as the first chassis tested yesterday. The version tested today has a different method of construction to that of the chassis used on day one. Team rider Kenny Roberts Jnr felt some improvements on turning into corners and mid-corner speed and he was immediately able to lower his time to 2m 03.88s in the morning. With the hotter afternoon temperatures he wasn’t able to further improve his time. The team tested the same swinging-arms from yesterday, worked on some tyre testing and experimented with the engine braking control. Tomorrow they’ll work on engine power management. Honda rider quotes and lap times. Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda: 2m 02.948s 82 laps “We actually learned quite a lot about how the new bike works today and we improved by almost half a second so it’s nice to see some progress. We weren’t testing new parts from HRC, just working with suspension, wheelbase, springs general settings stuff to try and get the bike a little bit quicker. We definitely improved the bike and learned some more about how it works and reacts to different settings and conditions. We’re still some way off where we need to be though so we’ve got to keep our heads down and keep working really hard.” Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 2m 03.098 70 laps “Today we worked hard on many different ways to improve the bike. With testing there are always some things that work and some that don’t work so it was a useful day even though we didn’t set a very fast lap time. Unfortunately I made a small mistake on the brakes into the slow left-hander at turn nine – I was a little off-line and lost the front, but it wasn’t a big crash, just a human mistake. Tomorrow we will try to go a little quicker and we’ll also be working with Michelin on some tyre testing.” Carlos Checa, LCR Honda: 2m 03.681s 86 laps. “Basically all the Honda riders have the same difficulties but we are working hard to fit the bike and I am pretty confident for the future. The last two years I raced on different bikes with different tyres and need more time to adapt to the new bike. I put more miles on the bike today testing different tyres with Michelin but we still miss something to be faster especially in the exacting part of the track.” Kenny Roberts Jnr, Team Roberts: 2m 03.800s. “We basically got on our new machine this morning and on the first run I got down into the high 2m 03s lap times. The bike felt a little bit more positive on turn-in and was better on mid-corner grip. We went through some settings and tried some different swing-arms – kinda a replica of what we did yesterday. Then we did some tyre testing at the end of the day but the team had a late night last night – until about two in the morning – so we stopped with a few hours to go to regroup and see what we had left, and to make a battle plan for tomorrow so that we can run all day.” Shinya Nakano, Konica Minolta Honda: 2m03sec.633s 70 laps. “Today I am a little bit disappointed because I was struggling with the set-up of the machine. In the beginning it went quite well so I thought I could mark good lap times. Then the front end started hopping during braking which made me a little nervous. I tried Michelin new 16 inch tyre but as the basic set-up wasn’t well fixed yet, I couldn’t feel the advantage of the tyre. But it is only the second day here and I still have improved my lap times from tomorrow, so I don’t have to worry so much. Tomorrow, I will change front suspension set-up drastically and see how it goes.” Marco Melandri, Gresini Honda: 2m 03.253s 76 laps. “It was a demanding day. The temperatures were very high and we worked non-stop to finish today’s programme. We struggled a bit in the morning but in the end we found a solution that I like. We tested different set up solutions and studied the geometry of the bike before starting to test tyres. I’m quite satisfied, the clutch has improved and I have a better feeling now. Tomorrow we will focus on tyre testing. I’m confident that there is enough time to be ready for the championship. I see the Honda Engineers and the Bridgestone technicians very motivated”. Toni Elias, Gresini Honda: 2m 04.124s 75 laps. “Today we focused on tyre testing without making too many changes on chassis and suspensions. We tested many variations, rear tyres and front tyres, in order to find the right solution for the Honda- Bridgestone package. It has been a tough day but I’m happy and confident. At this moment of the year is important to work step by step, because we need to understand how the new bike works with these new tyres. Tomorrow we will continue the tyre testing while in Australia we will go back working on the setting of the bike”. Sepang MotoGP Test: Day 2. Unofficial Times 1. John Hopkins- Rizla Suzuki 2m 01.806s. 2. Colin Edwards – Yamaha Racing 2m 01.930s. 3. Chris Vermeulen- Rizla Suzuki 2m 02.275s. 4. Alex Barros – Pramac d’Antin 2m 02.538s. 5. Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Racing 2m 02.619s. 6. Loris Capirossi – Ducati MotoGP 2m 02.793s. 7. Randy De Puniet – Kawasaki Racing 2m 02.806s. 8. Nicky Hayden – Repsol Honda 2m 02.948s. 9. Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda 2m 03.098s. 10. Casey Stoner – Ducati MotoGP 2m 03.190s. 11. Marco Melandri – Honda Gresini 2m 03.253s. 12. Shinya Nakano – Konica Minolta Honda 2m 03.633s. 13. Carlos Checa – Honda LCR 2m 03.681s. 14. Shinichi Ito – Bridgestone Test 2m 03.700s. 15. Kenny Roberts Jr. – Team Roberts 2m 03.800s. 16. Alex Hofmann – Pramac d’Antin 2m 03.895s. 17. Toni Elias – Honda Gresini 2m 04.124s. 18. Olivier Jacque – Kawasaki Racing 2m 04.171s. 19. Makoto Tamada – Yamaha Tech3 2m 04.350s. 20. Sylvain Guintoli – Yamaha Tech3 2m 04.892s. More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: CAPIROSSI AND STONER MAKE PROGRESS ON DAY 2 OF TESTING IN MALAYSIA Testing in Malaysia is continuing at a rapid pace for the riders of the Ducati Marlboro Team who today were able to take advantage of more sunny weather and continue development work on the new 800cc machine. Both Capirossi and Stoner improved their times set Monday and while the Italian constantly improved the settings on his Desmosedici to join the group of sub 2m03s riders, his Australian team-mate was sidelined half-way through the afternoon with forearm cramp after setting a couple of early quick laps. The first test session of the new year will conclude tomorrow Wednesday. Loris Capirossi (58 laps – 2m02.793s) “We made a lot of progress today with engine management and generally improved the feeling with the new bike, but in particular we worked closely with Bridgestone on some new rear tyres. At the moment I have the best feeling with the �smaller’ profile tyre that makes the bike handle better and gives improvement under braking. It’s too early however to say whether or not this is the direction we have to take with the new 800cc because last year, on this track, we also preferred this type of profile and not the larger one that we used on all the other circuits. Tomorrow we’ve still got some more tyres to test and I am sure that we can improve”. Casey Stoner (42 laps – 2m03.190s) “We began the day really well: my first lap was 2m03.303s and my second, which ended up being my best time of the day, was 2m03.190s, a big improvement on yesterday. We’re moving in the right direction and just need to do a lot of laps. Unfortunately however late in the morning I began to get cramp in my arms which prevented me from riding and me and the team decided to stop so as not to worsen the situation and to be on form for tomorrow. A big thanks to the Clinica Mobile (Dr. Monica Lazzarotti and physiotherapist Francesco Chionne), who luckily are present at the test and who are helping me to resolve this problem which I have never had before. Hopefully they’ll help me to continue tomorrow so I can carry on testing and developing the bike and tyres”. Sepang lap record : Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2006, 2’02.127 Sepang pole record : Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2006, 2’00.605 Temperature: air 34� / track 53� C Tuesday Jan 23 – Unofficial times: Hopkins 2m01.806s Edwards 2m01.930s Vermeulen 2m02’275s Barros 2m02.538s Rossi 2m02.619s Capirossi 2m02.793s De Puniet 2m02.806s Hayden 2m02.948s Pedrosa 2m03.098s Stoner 2m03.190s Melandri 2m03.253s Nakano 2m03.633s Checa 2m03.681s Ito 2m03.700s Roberts 2m03.800s Hoffman 2m03.895s Elias 2m04.124s Jacques 2m04.171s Tamada 2m04.350s Guintoli 2m04.892s More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins today topped the timesheets for the second successive day at Sepang in Malaysia, recording a fastest time inside the current lap record. Hopkins’ time of 2’01.80 on the new GSV-R800 was over three tenths of a second quicker than the lap record held by Loris Capirossi on a 990cc Ducati. The Anglo-American continued his great form on day two of the three day test as he completed 60-laps of the 5.5km Sepang International circuit. Team-mate Chris Vermeulen was again right on Hopkins’ tail with a time of 2’02.27 to give him third place overall from his 67-laps. Both riders recorded their quickest times as they conducted thorough Bridgestone rear tyre tests. They completed many seven and 10 lap runs as they tested new compound and construction race tyres. Hopkins and Vermeulen also assessed many new chassis settings and analysed further developments to the GSV-R. The three-day test concludes tomorrow with Rizla Suzuki MotoGP planning to simulate race conditions by holding a race distance test during the afternoon.