From a press release issued by d’Antin Ducati:

Hodgson and Xaus back into action

This weekend the d’Antin MotoGP riders go back into action in the Catalunyan Circuit, where all the teams will take part in the Official MotoGP Test. Three days of hard work will end on a Sunday 45 minutes timed session where the fastest rider will get a valuable price.

Neil Hodgson, Superbikes World Champion, is a fast laps’ specialist with another objective: “I like this circuit although since 1995 I have not had the chance of running here and I remember that at that time I was in a bad patch. Anyway, I am longing to ride the bike once again and to take the very best of this working days. We need to keep making progress and I think that there are other riders more interested in getting the best time on the next Sunday’s session, above all to annoy their rivals and that is not our trouble for the moment”.

Ruben Xaus looks forward to this special meeting because he is from Barcelona and will ride at home: “I already have ridden here, but from 1996 up I have not had the chance and I am thrilled to ride here. Also we will have a chance to work for next June’s Grand Prix and to get some information as we have no reference about this track. We have two bikes and I hope we will manage to take advantage of our possibilities along those three days. As for the Sunday timed session I must admit it is not our objective but if I feel at ease I will do as much as I can”.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thursday’s 250cc Lap Times From The IRTA Test At Catalunya:

1. Randy DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 1:47.096
2. Toni ELIAS, Honda, 1:47.311
3. Sebastian PORTO, Aprilia, 1:47.526
4. Manuel POGGIALI, Aprilia, 1:47.822
5. Daniel PEDROSA, Honda, 1:47.912
6. Alex DE ANGELIS, Aprilia, 1:47.996
7. Franco BATTAINI, Aprilia, 1:48.711
8. Hiroshi AOYAMA, Honda, 1:48.930
9. Anthony WEST, Aprilia, 1:49.000
10. Fonsi NIETO, Aprilia, 1:49.096
11. Jakub SMRZ, Honda, 1:49.421
12. Roberto ROLFO, Honda, 1:49.653
13. Joan OLIVE, Aprilia, 1:49.673
14. Arnaud VINCENT, Aprilia, 1:49.791
15. Sylvain GUINTOLI, Aprilia, 1:50.008
16. Gregory LEFORT, Aprilia, 1:50.087
17. Erwan NIGON, Yamaha, 1:50.213
18. Alex DEBON, Honda, 1:50.624
19. Naoki MATSUDO, Yamaha, 1:50.655
20. Alex BALDOLINI, Aprilia, 1:50.685
21. Chaz DAVIES, Aprilia, 1:50.835
22. Hector FAUBEL, Aprilia, 1:50.916
23. Eric BATAILLE, Honda, 1:51.019
24. Johan STIGEFELT, Aprilia, 1:51.589
25. Max SABBATANI, Yamaha, 1:52.133
26. Hugo MARCHAND, Aprilia, 1:52.286
27. Taro SEKIGUCHI, Yamaha, 1:52.667
28. Christian GEMMEL, Honda, 1:54.118
29. Dirk HEIDOLF, Aprilia, 1:54.501


Best Overall Lap Ties Of Test:

1. DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 1:47.096
2. ELIAS, Honda, 1:47.311
3. PORTO, Aprilia, 1:47.422
4. POGGIALI, Aprilia, 1:47.822
5. PEDROSA, Honda, 1:47.912
6. DE ANGELIS, Aprilia, 1:47.996
7. BATTAINI, Aprilia, 1:48.711
8. NIETO, Aprilia, 1:48.821
9. AOYAMA, Honda, 1:48.930
10. WEST, Aprilia, 1:49.000
11. DEBON, Honda, 1:49.205
12. SMRZ, Honda, 1:49.421
13. ROLFO, Honda, 1:49.588
14. OLIVE, Aprilia, 1:49.673
15. VINCENT, Aprilia, 1:49.791
16. MATSUDO, Yamaha, 1:49.799
17. GUINTOLI, Aprilia, 1:50.008
18. LEFORT, Aprilia, 1:50.087
19. NIGON, Yamaha, 1:50.213
20. BATAILLE, Honda, 1:50.569
21. BALDOLINI, Aprilia, 1:50.685
22. DAVIES, Aprilia, 1:50.835
23. FAUBEL, Aprilia, 1:50.916
24. MARCHAND, Aprilia, 1:51.016
25. STIGEFELT, Aprilia, 1:51.589
26. SABBATANI, Yamaha, 1:52.133
27. SEKIGUCHI, Yamaha, 1:52.667
28. GEMMEL, Honda, 1:54.118
29. HEIDOLF, Aprilia, 1:54.501

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

BARCELONA CROWDS TREATED TO AN ACTION PREVIEW AS YAMAHA UNVEILS ITS NEW LINE-UP

Yamaha launched its MotoGP effort for 2004 with an action-packed ceremony in the centre of Barcelona this afternoon. Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Carlos Checa were joined by Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 team-mates Marco Melandri and Norick Abe as they unveiled their 2004 MotoGP machines in full race livery for the first time in front of a packed press conference. The local public were then treated to a stunning display of wheelies and burn-outs as the four riders took to the streets in the shadow of Montjuic Castle and showed off the power of their YZR-M1s.

Speaking about his move from Honda to Yamaha, Italian World Champion and Yamaha new recruit Valentino Rossi said: “For sure it was a big decision, a big change and a big challenge for me, my mechanics and Yamaha. We know that it’s going to be more difficult than last year, but I’m confident we can get some good results. My situation is different from 2003, we know that we are still a little behind and need more time to work on the bike, so that means that there’s not as much pressure to win each race. But all this is a big motivation! I am very happy with where we are at the moment and with what we’ve achieved in only two months – Yamaha has worked very hard and that looks good for the future.”

Local star Carlos Checa, who starts his sixth season in the Yamaha Factory Team this year, said: “Each year you expect a lot from the new season, but so far this year the impression I have is even more positive than usual. Yamaha has made a big change since last year. We’ll have to wait and see what happens when the racing starts but I do feel optimistic. It’s a great pleasure for me to have Valentino Rossi as my team mate and to stay working with Yamaha. He’s the number one rider in the world so it’s a big motivation to ride with him.”

Presented by BBC Motorsport Correspondent Suzi Perry, Barcelona’s Sports Minister Mr Pere Alcober welcomed the guests to Barcelona. He was followed by Masao Furusawa, General Manager of Yamaha Motor Company’s Technology Development Division, who spoke briefly about his excitement for the coming season and the arrival of the five-time World Champion. Mr. Jean-Dominique Comolli and Mr. Pablo Isla, co-presidents of Altadis, the parent company of Yamaha’s title sponsors Gauloises and Fortuna, also spoke for a short time about the forthcoming season and the importance of the MotoGP programme to their brands.

The riders were preceded on stage by their Team Managers – Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team Director Davide Brivio and his Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 counterpart Herve Poncharal. Brivio commented: “It’s been a very busy winter with something new to try and evaluate at every test. But the machinery is getting better each time. It’s going to be interesting at these last two tests to see where we are with the competition before we start racing.”

After the press conference the four riders took their M1 race bikes in new 2004 livery out onto the avenue to great applause and cheers from the crowd, who had been gathering for hours in the sunshine. The presentation finished just in time. After a 20 minute display, during which the riders took turns to show off their new-look bikes in the dramatic surroundings, the sun disappeared and Barcelona was treated to a violent hail and thunderstorm.

The Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha team, which has completed four tests so far this year in Malaysia and Australia, begins the first of the two official IRTA group tests tomorrow at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. They will test there for three days before moving on to Jerez in southern Spain next week for the final test before the season-opening Grand Prix in South Africa on 18 April.

From a press release issued by the AMA:

AMA ANNOUNCES 2006 WOMEN & MOTORCYCLING CONFERENCE

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that the fourth AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference will be held June 29 through July 3, 2006 in Athens, Georgia.

“The AMA is pleased to once again host the Women & Motorcycling Conference,” said Robert Rasor, President of the AMA. “Based on the success of our previous conferences, we’re confident that the 2006 event will be a valuable experience for all who attend.”

The first three AMA Women & Motorcycling Conferences were held in 1997, 2000, and 2002. Nearly 700 women and men attended the 2002 conference, from nearly every U.S. state and several foreign countries.

Athens was chosen as the site of the 2006 AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference for its excellent facilities, and for its proximity to great motorcycle riding. The AMA is working closely with the leadership of national women’s motorcycling organizations — including Motor Maids, Twisty Sisterz, Women in the Wind, Women on Wheels, Women’s International Motorcycle Association-USA, and Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation — to plan the 2006 conference.

The AMA will announce more details about the 2006 AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference in the coming months. For more information, visit www.womenandmotorcycling.com or www.AMADirectlink.com, or call 1-800-AMA-JOIN.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

TOSELAND (DUCATI FILA) AIMS HIGH DOWN UNDER

Phillip Island (Australia): Ducati Fila rider James Toseland goes into this weekend’s second round of the World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island, Australia with a 12-point lead after a superb start to the season in the Valencia opener.

The 23-year-old from Sheffield, England crashed out in January’s pre-season testing on the spectacular Australian circuit, but returns to the island brimming with confidence following a win and a second place in Spain.

“I love everything about racing at Phillip Island, the circuit is picturesque, fast and exciting and it is a real riders’ track” declared James. “I especially like the fast bit through Haystacks, but after my crash in January’s test I would say the worst part is between Honda hairpin and Siberia, where they really ought to put some softer tarmac down!”

Toseland hasn’t had great results at Phillip Island in his three appearances there, his best performance being a fifth place last year. “I was battling for third in race 1 but then my fairing fell off and I was black-flagged!” he explained.

“The main thing about Phillip Island is that you need to set up the bike different to all the other tracks but you’ve really got to be smooth round here” he added. “The last two lefts are critical because you can lose so much time there”.

“I’m feeling really good this season and I’m enjoying my racing. I’m giving 110% every time I go out, and although I’m leading the championship, I’ve still got to keep it all together because anything can happen over a race weekend – just look at Regis!” he concluded.

Team-mate Regis Laconi wants nothing better than to put his nightmare start to the season behind him after scoring two DNFs in the Valencia opener. The 28-year-old Frenchman crashed out on a wet track surface in the first race and then retired with a mechanical problem early in race 2.

“I was not happy with the result at Valencia” Laconi explained, “but I feel confident about the next round. I know I am quick, I was faster than everyone else in testing, practice and qualifying so now I just want to get some racing under my belt, start off the season at Phillip Island, and take my first win of the year.

“I like the Phillip Island circuit so much, it’s a place where the rider can really make all the difference. In the fast corners you can push hard but in the two slow corners it’s easy to make a mistake and ruin your lap. Because the corners are so long and fast, the left side of the tyre needs to be fast for all the race and that makes all the difference” he added.

POINTS (after 1 of 11 rounds): Riders – 1. Toseland 45; 2. Chili 33; 3. Haga 25; 4. Walker 25; 5. Borciani 21; 6. McCoy 19; etc.

Manufacturers – 1. Ducati 50; 2. Petronas 25; 3. Honda 15; 4. Suzuki 12; 5. Yamaha 8; 6. Kawasaki 8.

CIRCUIT INFO: Name: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Length: 4.445 km. Pole Position: Left. Corners Left/Right: 7/5. Finish Line Length: 835 m. Capacity: 150,000 spectators.

STATISTICS: Best lap: Corser (Ducati), 1:32.193 (1999). Lap record: Corser (Ducati), 1:33.019 (1999). Superpole: Corser (Ducati), 1:32.193 (1999).

TV COVERAGE: Eurosport (pan-European) – Sunday 28 March, 0400 Race 1 (live), 0730 Race 2 (live). La 7 (Italy), Saturday 27 March, 1100 Superpole (delayed); Sunday 28 March, 1400 Race 1 (delayed), 1725 Race 2 (delayed).

From a press release issued by New Hampshire International Speedway:

THE EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL LOUDON CLASSIC WEEK: THE TRADITION CONTINUES

By Ron Meade

(LOUDON, N.H. – March 24, 2004) — The Eighty-first Annual Loudon Classic Week is shaping up to be one of the most action-packed in the event’s storied history. The Classic has recaptured the excitement of past years with top level, handlebar-to-handlebar, nose-to-tail pack racing run rain or shine. A number of Canadian riders have been invited to the Classic to test our best at the nation’s oldest professional race meet in the fan favorite Diablo 125 GP Can-Am Challenge.

In addition to the Canadian riders, the Loudon Road Racing Series (LRRS) racers will again compete with the Formula USA teams adding to the excitement of this legendary event. The LRRS riders will use their Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13 race weekend as a final tune-up for the Classic.

Throughout that same weekend, the Merrimack Trail Riders will be conducting trail runs from the Speedway to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Society.

On Monday, June 14, the great riders and bikes from the early years of the Loudon Classic will challenge the 1.6 mile road course in the U.S. Classic Racing Association (USCRA) North American Vintage Road Race Championships. Many motorcyclists will join the Gypsy Tour at Weirs Beach and head south for a scenic run that will be highlighted by two parade laps around the NHIS road course.

The Penguin Racing School is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, June 15-16. Present and future road racers can get the necessary training to become fully licensed to compete in the Loudon Road Racing Series events at NHIS. Bikes and leathers can be rented from the school for those who are just getting started.

A Promoter’s Practice Day on Thursday, June 17 gives the teams competing at the Loudon Classic an opportunity to practice and tune their machines for the weekend.

The Eighty-first Annual Loudon Classic officially begins on Friday, June 18 with practice and qualifying sessions for all Formula USA classes. Rally & Race visitors will also have the opportunity to make a second Gypsy Tour to the Speedway from Rally & Race Headquarters.

Friday afternoon features the grueling 100-lap Loudon Team Challenge. Sidecar and Super Motard practice sessions conclude the day’s action.

Saturday, June 19 at the Classic will showcase the talents of both the amateur and professional classes. After the morning practice sessions, the afternoon is filled with amateur races, Formula USA qualifying, and the 2nd Annual Super Motard, an event which combines pavement and dirt racing.

The Eighty-First Annual Loudon Classic concludes on Father’s Day, June 20 with a full slate of Formula USA Championship Series National Road Race Series events. The racing at the track gets underway at noon with the ThunderBikes followed by the Diablo 125 GP Can-Am Challenge, the UL Expert GP, Rising Sun 250 GP, SportBike and SuperBike events. The action will be non-stop all afternoon.

A giant Parade to the Speedway starts at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 20 at the Meredith High School. Last year’s parade saw an estimated 500 bikes make the trip to NHIS. Riders enjoy this run as local residents line the route to thank our visitors for a wonderful week.

Make your plans now to attend the Classic by calling Speedway Guest Services at (603) 783-4931 for money-saving advance sale tickets or visit us online at www.nhis.com. Camping is available for all VIP Weekend ticket holders.

From a press release issued by MonsterMob Ducati:

British Superbike Championship – Round 1 – Silverstone, Northants – 27/28 March

MONSTERMOB DUCATI READY FOR ACTION

Defending double British Superbike Champions MonsterMob Ducati go into this weekend’s opening round of BSB2004 brim full of confidence as their bid for a third successive title gets underway at Silverstone on Sunday.

After the late Steve Hislop’s title success in 2002 followed by Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne lifting the crown again last season before moving onto Moto GP, the Paul Bird Motorsport squad are pinning their hopes on the experienced Sean Emmett in the Superbike class aboard the factory supported Ducati 999 F04.

The 34 year old Londoner has endured a torrid time over the past few seasons and views his chances with Britain’s most successful team in recent years as his best bet for landing the elusive title:

“I’m very confident, especially after the test at Silverstone last week when I was fastest, but I know come race day it will be a different matter. It’s important we leave Silverstone with a good points haul as the next two tracks we go to are two of my favourites but I just can’t wait to get going. A double would be fantastic to get the season rolling but we’ll have to wait and see” declared the former 500cc GP rider.

Another new face joins Emmett in the Penrith-based team in the shape of young Ulsterman Michael Laverty who will be hoping to win back the Supersport title that the team relinquished last season.

The 22 year old County Antrim rider will have the latest works 749cc Ducati at his disposal and starts as one of the favourites going into round one:

“It’s going to be tough but I know I have the best package out there” said Laverty. “We’ve not had as much testing as I’d have liked but I feel very comfortable on the bike and I’m confident we can find a good race set up in order to be on the pace come Sunday.”

Team owner Paul Bird too is looking forward to the season ahead as he bids for an unprecedented third title. The Penrith businessman, who has spent much of the winter behind the wheel of his Ford Focus World Rally Car whereby he has rapidly climbed the UK driver’s rankings, is also quietly confident:

“We know that we are the team to beat and that everyone has upped their game this year to try to do just that but we remain confident with the package we have in place. Both riders have points to prove and with the best machinery from Ducati at our disposal, I see no reason why we can’t keep winning. My team of Phil Borley, Stuart Bland and Jonathan Clucas have been working round the clock to get everything ready and I’d like to pay tribute to them all for their efforts and hope the riders can repay them for all their hard work this weekend.”

BSB 2004 Dates

Mar 28: Silverstone, Northamptonshire.
Apr 12: Brands Hatch Indy, Kent.
Apr 25: Snetterton, Norfolk.
May 3: Oulton Park, Cheshire.
May 23: Mondello Park, Ireland.
Jun 6: Thruxton, Hampshire.
Jun 20: Brands Hatch, Kent.
Jul 4: Knockhill, Fife, Scotland.
Jul 18: Mallory Park, Leicestershire.
Aug 15: Croft, North Yorkshire
Aug 30: Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire.
Sep 12: Oulton Park, Cheshire.
Sep 19: Donington Park, Leicestershire

Editorial Note: MonsterMob Ducati also announced new sponsorship deals with “Europe’s largest retail finance partner Cetelem” and “French helmet manufacturer Shark” in separate press releases.


More, from a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki:

HAWK KAWASAKI PREPARE FOR ZX-10Rs RACE DEBUT

Hawk Kawasaki will race its brand new ZX-10R superbikes for the first time this weekend at the opening round of the British Superbike Championship, at Silverstone, Northamptonshire.

This year’s 13-round series kicks off on the fast and flowing 2.252 mile International circuit where Hawk Kawasaki rider Glen Richards took two third places in last year’s event. Despite an encouraging first test at the track last week the Hawk team is expecting a tough weekend.

“The first thing that’s uppermost in my mind is that I’d like to see both riders finish both races in the top 10,” explains Hawk Team Principal Stuart Hicken. “I will be happy if they do that because the ZX-10 is a totally unraced motorcycle, as a superbike, and it’s only 65 per cent ready as a complete package because we don’t have the race ignition or race pistons in the bike yet, although we do have special Arrow titanium conrods that are made specifically for the ZX-10R in the motor already. We’ve done a lot of work on the bike but we’re still a long way from having a completed motorcycle, so if we finish both races with both riders we’ll have learnt a huge amount about the bike. That’s what we’re aiming to do – learn about the bike and allow the riders to learn how to ride the bike.”

Hawk Kawasaki rider Scott Smart, who has been heavily involved in the development of the team’s 10Rs, has been impressed by the bike in testing, but is aware of how crucial both practice and qualifying will be for the team: “At the moment we just need to get as many laps under our belts as possible. It’s always tough with a new bike because there’s no data to compare against, so you have to learn everything from scratch. The test we had at Silverstone went well for us and the bike felt good, but that was just testing. Racing these things is completely different. We’ve found that the bike works well on fresh tyres, but at the moment it’s not so good when the rear tyre starts to wear – that’s one area we’ve really got to work on this weekend. I’m a little nervous but I’m also excited to be racing again.”

His team mate, Richards, is also keen to get the season underway, but is aware of how critical Friday and Saturday will be for the team: “We’re lucky that the basic package feels so good so soon, but there’s a load of work for us to get stuck into as soon as we get to the track. I’m going to be working hard to get the chassis, and particularly the front end of the bike, feeling the best I can because at the moment we’re still a little down on power compared to the others. I like the track though and if I can get the bike working how I want I’ll be happy.”

Practice for the opening round starts on Friday 26, qualifying is to be run on Saturday 27 and race day is on Sunday 28.

From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Everybody on track! Three MotoGP test days at Barcelona

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM READY FOR THE CHALLENGE

Bologna, March 24th, 2004 – The countdown has begun. It’s less than one month to the first MotoGP world championship race (April 18th at Welkom, in South Africa), and the season this year promises to be even more of a challenge and even more hard-fought. On Friday 26th , Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th, riders and teams will all be on the track together, for the “traditional” MotoGP tests, the first real chance to compare progress. The first part of the tests will be held at the circuit of Catalunya, and then, the circus will move to Jerez de la Frontera, where the second part of the tests will be held on Wednesday, March 31st and Thursday, April 1st.

It is an important, decisive test and the Ducati Marlboro Team is ready for the “takeoff” of its second MotoGP season. Returning to the Catalunya circuit means a lot for the Borgo Panigale “Reds”. It was on this track, exactly one year ago (March 16th, 2003), that Capirossi set his record speed of 328.2 Km/h and recorded the fastest lap time of the test. Loris’s fast lap was only the beginning of an exciting season, which immediately saw the Ducati Marlboro Team among the protagonists: the season kicked off with a podium at the very first GP (with Capirossi third and Bayliss fifth), followed by the first, historic Ducati MotoGP win, again on the Catalunya track of Montmelò (June 15th, 2003), on a triumphant day for Capirossi and the Desmosedici.

After the winter tests in Malaysia (Sepang), Australia (Phillip Island) and Spain (Valencia), the Ducati Marlboro Team continued the development and set-up of the new Desmosedici GP4: Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss are ready for the direct challenge with their opponents, to demonstrate all the potential of the new Ducati Desmosedici. These tests will be useful to complete the final set-up, to check the new exhaust system, new mapping (studied to further improve the bike’s rideability), and a new, exclusive Shell Advance lubricant oil, developed with the support of Shell Research and Technology Centre of Hamburg: dyno tests have already shown that it is able to further improve the Ducati four-cylinder engine performance.

“I can’t wait to test at Barcellona – said Capirossi just before leaving for the Catalunya tests – We have especially good memories of that circuit. Last year we were the fastest in the winter tests, and I returned to the highest podium step there. The new bike feels promising, the tests we’ve done so far already showed the great potential of this project, and I can’t wait to test the new parts, the fruit of all the hard work that they’re doing at Borgo Panigale.”
Team mate Troy Bayliss is also ready for the first official challenge: “There are still two days to go but my mind is already in Spain,” said the Ducati Marlboro Team rider. “The GP4 has much improved with respect to last year, but we’re planning to test new modifications at Barcelona which will hopefully help us do even better. These tests and the Jerez tests are critically important, just before the beginning of the Championship. And at last, in Barcelona, we’ll all be on the track together, just like in a race!”

The Development team will also be taking part in the tests. For the three test days, the official tester Vittoriano Guareschi will continue his delicate and essentially important work on the Ducati Desmosedici.


More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:

MotoGP IRTA Tests,
Catalunya, 26/27/28 March 2004

Preview

The 2004 racing season is all set to begin this weekend. With the “winter” test sessions over, the time has come to raise the curtain on the World Championship season. In just a few hours’ time, the IRTA tests will get underway at Montmelò. This is the classic start of the season – a long-awaited rendezvous where, for the first time, all the MotoGP participants come together on the track for a contest, a challenge, that in terms of intensity and significance could well be considered as the first “race” of the season. Even so, we are still going to have to wait until 18 April for the first of the 16 World Championship rounds. This will be when the green light comes on in South Africa, on the home straight of the Welkom circuit.

JT International, the title partner with the Camel brand of the yellow-blue Camel Honda team, will be the official sponsor of these IRTA tests. This will certainly be a magisterial world preview that will reveal the potential of many of those taking part. And it will also be a big media-oriented event with a huge public that has been waiting all winter long. IRTA sponsorship will also involve a special promotion for the public, for Camel has distributed 35,000 invitations for the three days of tests, letting thousands take part in a lottery that has a Honda CRB 1000 RR and five Honda 100 cc scooters as prizes. All the machines will naturally bear the yellow-blue colours of the Camel Honda team.

After the “catwalk” in Milan, the Camel Honda team was officially presented in Italy last week: the whole team, with Team Principal Sito Pons and the riders, will have another meeting with the media at Montmelò. An informal encounter slated for Friday 26 March from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. in the paddock.
In other words, another “showcase” for the yellow-blue Honda RC211Vs, before the bikes roar into action and the timekeepers pronounce their verdict.

The first comments as this important pre-championship test session drew close came from the riders:

Max Biaggi – Camel Honda (Michelin tyres)
“I love the Barcelona circuit but I must say that, after years of Formula One, the surface has been a bit ruined, especially in the braking areas. In any case, it’s a great track to start off a series of important tests. We should be receiving some new components from Honda for the chassis, but in any case we’ll be starting off with the basic settings we used last time we were here. We’ll also naturally be taking into consideration the results of the last tests, especially for the front tyres, and I believe Michelin has brought along some new stuff. We’ve got three days – all the time we need to do a good job, and we’ll draw our conclusions at the end.”

Makoto Tamada – Camel Honda (Bridgestone tyres)
“These tests in Catalunya are really important. They’re the last chance we’ve got to get the bike’s settings right before the World Championship starts up. We’ve got to make the absolute best of this series of tests to make the best possible decisions. I’m really pleased with the bike and its amazing power, and as far as the tyres are concerned, I know that Bridgestone is going to be coming here to Montmelò with some new materials and I can’t wait to try it all out over the weekend. I particularly like this track, so I’m expecting some pretty tough work over the next three days, but also plenty of satisfaction.”

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Several Dunlop-sponsored AMA teams are completing the second day of a two-day test at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California today.

The test is open to Dunlop-sponsored teams only.

Attending the test are: Yoshimura Suzuki, American Honda, Erion Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha/Graves Yamaha.

The biggest news is that Anthony Gobert has resolved his visa problems and is testing alongside his teammate/brother Alex on the Erion Honda CBR1000RR Superstock bike at Laguna.

Anthony Gobert encountered visa problems after he switched immigration lawyers.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Wednesday’s 250cc Lap Times From IRTA Test At Catalunya:

1. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, 1:47.154
2. Sebastian Porto, Aprilia, 1:47.422
3. Toni Elias, Honda, 1:47.963
4. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 1:48.414
5. Alex De Angelis, Aprilia, 1:48.567
6. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:48.821
7. Hiroshi Aoyama, Honda, 1:49.019
8. Manuel Poggiali, Aprilia, 1:49.149
9. Alex Debon, Honda, 1:49.205
10. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 1:49.588
11. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 1:49.654
12. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 1:49.799
13. Jakub Smrz, Honda, 1:50.016
14. Sylvain Guintoli, Aprilia, 1:50.491
15. Arnaud Vincent, Aprilia, 1:50.514
16. Eric Bataille, Honda, 1:50.569
17. Anthony West, Aprilia, 1:50.899
18. Joan Olive, Aprilia, 1:50.945
19. Hugo Marchand, Aprilia, 1:51.016
20. Chaz Davies, Aprilia, 1:51.182
21. Erwan Nigon, Yamaha, 1:51.249
22. Hector Faubel, Aprilia, 1:51.721
23. Gregory Lefort, Aprilia, 1:51.774
24. Johan Stigefelt, Aprilia, 1:52.287
25. Alex Baldolini, Aprilia, 1:52.440
26. Max Sabbatani, Yamaha, 1:55.510
27. Christian Gemmel, Honda, 1:55.821
28. Dirk Heidolf, Aprilia, 1:57.591
29. Taro Sekiguchi, Yamaha, 2:03.725