From a press release issued by Clear Channel Entertainment:

RIDE FOR A CURE
Join Mike Morris in a Motorcycle Ride to Benefit FSMA

Bloomington, Minn – Hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts will dust off their rides Saturday May 17th in Minnesota to benefit Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Grand marshal Mike Morris, who is morning show host on KFAN radio and a former Minnesota Viking will lead the pack of riders from its origination point at Toohey’s Bar & Grill in Savage, Minn.

“This is another great opportunity to help Families of SMA, I look forward to joining motorcyclists at the selected stops along the way. Minnesota has such a tremendous motorcycling population and some of the best riding roads”, said Mike Morris.

The Ride for A Cure event will begin at 10AM, followed by a scenic ride to selected stops through the rural Minneapolis / St. Paul areas including a rest at Indian motorcycle dealer, Fury Motors in South St. Paul. Participating riders in ‘Ride for A Cure’ will be asked to donate a minimum of $10 to benefit FSMA. The event will conclude at Toohey’s Bar & Grill where a live auction of motorcycle memorabilia and other prizes, along with live music and a BBQ will top off the days festivities.

The event is one of three fundraisers spearheaded by Mike Morris and KFAN to benefit Families of SMA. Families of SMA was founded in 1984 for the purpose of raising funds to promote research to find a cure for the Spinal Muscular Atrophies, and to support families affected by SMA. Since then, this volunteer-driven, non-profit organization has become the largest private funder of SMA research and the largest non-profit organization dedicated solely to finding a cure for SMA. FSMA has committed $3.5 million to SMA research in 2003 and over $10 million within the next 3 years. Other KFAN events that benefit FSMA are the Aim For A Cure Celebrity Clayshoot and the Superstar ‘ s Celebrity Golf Classic. For more info, visit www.fsma.org .

For further event information, visit www.kfan.com

From a press release issued by Willow Springs International Raceway:

TOYE TAKES YET ANOTHER WIN AT WILLOW SPRINGS RACEWAY

Rosamond, CA – 2002 WSMC champion Jeremy Toye once again enjoyed the lead from start-to-finish in this month’s installment of the Toyota Cup Unlimited Formula One series held at the historic Willow Springs Raceway on Sunday. It was his third win in as many starts.

Toye’s team mate Marte Cooksey who also races for Lee’s Cycles out of San Diego, started strong, battling more experienced riders Jack Pfeifer, Stoney Landers and Corey Eaton for the second slot. Throughout the early running, these four riders shuffled back and forth running nose-to-tail and often handlebar-to-handlebar. As the pack turned into turn one on the sixth lap, Cooksey lost his footing and tumbled, putting himself out of the race. He was not injured.

As the yellow flag went out, Toye had already secured a ¾ mile lead ahead of the remaining riders. A tight pack of five riders followed with Pfeifer ahead in 2nd place, Landers in 3rd and Jeff Stern in 4th. Eaton and Clinton Whitehouse continued to nip at their heels.

By the start of the 8th lap, safety crews had cleared Cooksey’s wreckage and riders were under a green flag as they once again tussled for position. Suddenly along the backstretch, Eaton, who had been running strong, encountered problems and fell off the pace a bit, while Landers crept up on Pfeifer who seemed determined to hold onto second place. Pfeifer and Stern both hail from Las Vegas and seem to have a bit of a rivalry going. Stern edged out Pfeifer for third in last months race and the two are vying for bragging rights as Las Vegas’ fastest.

Earlier in the day, Pfeifer had taken a tumble in a prelim on the same Suzuki, but obviously was none the worse for wear as he continued strong through traffic near the tail end of the 30 miles trek.

Landers who had a strong second-place finish last month, continued to challenge Pfeifer up to the final moments. As Jeremy Toye took the checkered flag, the two battled neck and neck for the second slot. But Pfeifer managed to maintain his lead and was next across the finish. Landers was followed by Corey Eaton and Jeff Sterns to round out the top five finishers.

Toye’s runaway finish was made even more remarkable by the fact that his regular mechanic was off racing himself this weekend in Phoenix so Toye had to recruit his girlfriend to tote tires and help with last minute adjustments.

“Call it luck if you want, but I had a good combination running today and decided to get out front early and enjoy the weather!”

The clear blue skies and sunny temperatures of Sunday’s races were a marked change from the practice rounds on Saturday that had been halted by torrential rains. All claimed the track was in great shape for the main event.

The Toyota Cup Unlimited Series is a yearlong calendar of events sanctioned by the Willow Springs Motorcycle Cub. These high-charged, unlimited Formula 1 races lead up to the grueling Toyota 200 race to be held October 19th. Here top riders will compete for a $150,000 purse with the winner taking home $50,000, one of the richest rewards in motorcycle racing.

This world-class event is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the famed Willow Springs International Raceway. Founded in the fall of 1953, the track has been under the ownership of Bill Huth for over 40 years and has hosted many legendary racers.

Round Four of the Toyota Cup will be held April 18-20th, with the main event scheduled for Sunday, April 20th. Race schedules and ticket information can be obtained from the track office at (661) 256-2471. Admission including pit passes and camping privileges is only $10/person for all three days.


More, from a press release issued by Team Orthopedics:

Jack Pfeifer wins three at Willow

Team Orthopedics’ rider Jack Pfeifer won the 600 Superstock, 600cc Modified Production, and the Formula 2 race on his F-USA spec Suzuki GSXR600. Arriving late to Willow Springs Sunday morning due to mechanical problems with our GSXR1000 and our race truck returning late from Daytona, gave Jack a good four hours sleep before raceday.

After replacing the throttle position sensor that gave Jack trouble on the last eight laps at Daytona we found ourselves battling the same front-end gremlins on his Suzuki GSXR1000. On the first lap of the Open Superbike class Jack low-sided his GSXR1000 in turn three while running second. The team quickly repaired most of the crash damage except for a bent left handlebar and sent Jack back out for the Toyota Cup Unlimited Formula 1 race. Jack put forth a great effort on the recently crashed GSXR1000 and finished second to Jeremy Toye in the F1 race.

Jack Pfeifer is a contestant in the Team Hammer Talent Search presented by AlpineStars.

Team Orthopedics thanks its sponsors:Dr. Paul Canale, Dr. Ernie Louk, Desert Motorsports Las Vegas, Dunlop Tires, Dynojet, Galfer Brakes, Hotbodies, Lockhart Phillips, Mike Farney, Motorex, Pricz Tattoo, SIDI boots, Skorpion Racing, Suomy Helmets, The Pfeifer Family and Vortex.

From a press release issued by Norm Viano, Lawdog Sports Management:

Lee Bivens does Miguel Duhamel

March 17, 2003 – Atlanta, GA. Race fans take note. Artist Lee Bivens (www.ArtLee.com) is introducing limited edition lithographs featuring none other than Miguel Duhamel, the recent Daytona 200 winner. Although Lee has been commissioned by athletes in several different sports, his best selling and most impressive works have often been Miguel pieces.

These particular Miguel prints are limited to only 100 artist proofs and are hand signed by both the artist and Miguel. They are in full color, printed on 110lb museum quality paper, and measure 19″ x 21″ in size. Visit Lee’s website at www.Artlee.com or call Lee directly at (770) 822-2333 for more details or to place your order. Credit cards are accepted over the phone for quick UPS insured delivery in heavy duty shipping tubes.

From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

IRTA MotoGP test Catalunya, March 16, 2003.

Weather, fine and sunny; temperature, 19 degrees C; track conditions, good.

Capirossi Springs Surprise on Day Two at Montmelo – Ukawa Second Fastest

The two-day IRTA test at the Montmelo circuit ended with the Honda RC211V riders in good spirits having tried and tested all they hoped to at Montmelo over the weekend. The teams and riders now take a short break before their final pre-season shakedown test at Suzuka, the venue for the first race of the season, one week before the championships gets underway.

Day one of the IRTA test had been interrupted by a mid-afternoon rain shower that ended the serious work planned for the day. Bright sunshine, however, greeted the riders as they arrived at the track for today’s session, and all made use of warmer temperatures to lower the times they set on the opening day.

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda) was the fastest Honda rider in the afternoon timed session, the ‘MotoGP best Qualifier’ run live on television. Rossi topped the times as the session entered its final minute but his fellow countryman Loris Capirossi (Marlboro Ducati) and Brazilian Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha) upstaged the Italian in the dying seconds of the televised session.

Capirossi and Barros were still out on track as Rossi entered the pits and both men promptly dipped under his fastest lap time of 1:44.324, Capirossi by a massive 0.690s, Barros by 0.446s.

The top three men looked comfortably the fastest riders present when the session ended but in the free practice session that followed several riders put them under serious pressure. Tohru Ukawa (Camel Pramac Honda) had changed engine in his RC211V, made changes to front and rear suspension settings, then went out and put in a series of fast laps that culminated in him circulating the 4.727km circuit at 1:43.832, faster than all but Capirossi!

Local man Sete Gibernau (Telefonica MoviStar Honda) had been in sparkling form over the two days and, despite a crash that left him with an injured right hand, quickly emulated Ukawa’s performance. The Spaniard setting fourth fastest time of the day, 0.193s behind Barros, who held on to third. Gibernau’s performance pushed Rossi back to fifth place, while Daijiro Kato, Gibernau’s teammate, dropped to sixth.

Max Biaggi (Camel Pramac Honda) was fourth fastest in the televised session, having overcome chassis setting problems that slowed him on Saturday, but dropped too seventh after the final free practice.

The fastest seven riders at Montmelo this weekend were all under the pole position time of 1:44.523, set by Biaggi for the 2002 grand prix.

American Superbike Champion Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda) was the RC211V rider who made the most progress. Hayden, just 21, makes his MotoGP debut this season and is paying his first visit to the Montmelo circuit. He is beginning to find his feet at the top level, clearly illustrated by his time of 1:45.626, almost 1.3s faster than on the first day!

The Pramac Honda team had a day of mixed fortune while continuing their Bridgestone tyre-testing programme. Makoto Tamada was in fine form as he evaluated the performance of various sized tyres in ever warming track conditions and easily bettered his time of yesterday. Unfortunately his teammate, Shinichi Itoh crashed heavily in the third session today and broke a bone in his left foot. Itoh’s injury is not severe and he will be ready to resume testing with Bridgestone in two weeks.

Tohru Ukawa, JPN Camel Pramac Honda, 2nd – 1:43.832: “I have a good feeling on the bike and was able to set a really fast time. In fact I have improved a lot on my lap time of last year at this circuit. Yesterday I crashed when I lost the front-end and that slowed me a little, but today I was full of confidence again. We spent the whole day working on various suspension settings and tyres. I think I am ready for the first race and I am looking forward to putting in a good performance in front of my home crowd.”

Max Biaggi, ITA Camel Pramac Honda, 4th – 1:44.326: “Today we took a big step forward, we were able to set up the bike quite the way we want it, it had a good balance today. I also had a very good set of tyres. We had them yesterday but I did not try them at theme! Going into the corners I still have some problems and I understand we can only cure the clutch problem with new parts. We have to be patient and wait, doing our best with what we have. I know solving the clutch problem I have we can make a very big step forward.”

Biaggi went on to say. “The new safety car regulation is quite complicated and in racing we need as few complications as possible. I’m not sure how it will work in a race situation, rain, cold tyres, riders all together in a group? But it’s a regulation now, so we will see how it works out!”

Valentino Rossi, ITA Repsol Honda, 5th – 1:44.111: “This is not a test; it was really the 17th GP. We really didn’t test anything – the temperature was too cold but also we start like a MotoGP and we have one hour of practice – it’s not like a real test. However the bike felt good and all the testing we have done over the winter has shown good benefit. I’m looking forward to going to Suzuka and racing!”

Nicky Hayden, USA Repsol Honda, 13th – 1:45.533: “The weekend was good but like any other racer you always want a little more and I’d like to be in front of a few more guys. The ‘qualifying’ session was fun – something a little different for me. I got on with the track real well. Tady (Okada) was helpful, as were the split times – I’ve never had that before in MotoGP. I could see where I was fast and slow. The atmosphere was great. Never heard air horns at a test!”

Sete Gibernau, SPA Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 4th -1:44.071: “We can leave here very satisfied with the work we did. This weekend I was the fastest Honda, until the last minutes of testing. I had a good pace and was consistent all through the test. I want to thank the team for the work they did this weekend. Now we have to keep our heads down and keep working. It’s a pity I crashed today, I have a little injury to my right wrist which troubled me and I could only do a few laps at a time.”

Daijiro Kato, JPN Telefonica MoviStar Honda, 6th – 1:44.290: “It’s a pity the way the test went for me. I tried hard to find a good setting and feeling with the bike all weekend – but didn’t find it. Now we go to the first GP of the season in Japan and I want to make sure I’m ready and put in a good performance on home ground.”

Makoto Tamada, JPN Pramac Honda, 17th – 1:45.817: “We’re working full-time on developing the Bridgestone tyres. Today I tested a new series that the Japanese company brought here to Catalunya and I was also able to try out different sized tyres so that we can gather further data to help the company continue its work on this project. We’ll be back on track at Suzuka the weekend before the first race on 6 April: then we’ll be making the final preparations for the beginning of the championship.”

Shinichi Itoh, JPN Bridgestone test rider, 24th -1:46.401: “My fall came as a result of a loss of grip on the rear wheel: it made the bike highside and I just went flying. No serious harm just a minute fracture that’s nothing to worry about. I’ll soon be back in the saddle.”


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

MotoGP pre-season IRTA Tests
Sunday 16 March 2003 (day 2 of 2)

Catalunya, Spain

FORTUNA YAMAHA RIDERS IMPROVE TIMES BUT STILL HAVE A WAY TO GO

In a brighter and warmer day than yesterday at the Montmelo circuit in Catalunya, Spain, Fortuna Yamaha Team riders Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa improved on the times they set during yesterday’s test. Both riders had small falls during the session but got back out on track quickly so as not to lose much time. This was the last day of testing on European soil for the MotoGP riders before they head east for the final group IRTA test in Japan on 30th and 31st March at the Suzuka circuit. Then battle will commence at the first Grand Prix there on 6th April.

The Fortuna Yamaha Team toiled all weekend to make small adjustments to Carlos Checa’s YZR-M1 machine to try to give him an improved feeling with the bike. The Spaniard completed 52 laps at his home circuit today and although he improved on his time from yesterday (1:45.733), to a new time of 1:44.992 he still did not manage to achieve the lap time he was hoping for and finished eleventh fastest overall.

“I’m really quite disappointed with the way things have gone this weekend”, admitted Checa. “Firstly, the tumble I had on Thursday during our private test didn’t help. We have made quite a lot of changes during that test and during this IRTA test which haven’t necessarily benefitted us overall. The team are working really well, and so is the bike, as Barros proved. Last month when we tested at this circuit we got some good lap times, so we need to go back to that set-up again.

“I am looking forward to the Suzuka GP and am trying to think positively. It will be good to have some testing time there before we race.”

Checa’s 20 year old team-mate Marco Melandri rode consistenly during the weekend despite a couple of minor falls. This was the first time that the Fortuna Yamaha Team rider had both bikes set up the same with Yamaha’s fuel-injection system. Melandri completed 67 laps with a best time of 1:44.922, 0.7 seconds faster than his time from yesterday’s session.

“I’m feeling better physically, for sure better than yesterday” commented Melandri. “This morning I crashed on the straight, I braked a bit too far beyond the turn. The bike highsided, the steering locked when I had almost stopped. It was my mistake, maybe because I was a little bit nervous. I felt that this was the first official test, and therefore the first competition of sorts. So I didn’t ride really well – strangely I rode better when I wasn’t trying to go as fast, or checking the lap times.”

The highlight of the day took place when the normal testing schedule was broken for a simulated 55-minute qualifying session for the 27 MotoGP riders present. There was some extra motivation for the riders, as the fastest lap time setter had the chance to win a brand new BMW 330CD. The IRTA test became more like a genuine Grand Prix frenzy as the riders competed. The eventual winner was Italian Loris Capirossi, who set a time of 1:43.634.

Of the qualifying simulation, Melandri commented, “Going as fast as you can for two laps only is not so important for me. Capirossi has always been the best at this kind of thing – he deserves the BMW!

Team Director Davide Brivio commented about the weekend, “We are happy about Marco’s performance here. If this had been a real final qualifying session, he would have started from second row, which would be a great achievement. Now we are going to Suzuka for the first race and we hope that Marco can continue to improve from there on. I am disappointed for Carlos’ performance because as a rider and with the bike he can do more. I hope that he will do better in Suzuka.”


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

MORE TO COME FROM EXCITING NEW SUZUKI

Barcelona – March 16, 2003:

Team Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins finished the two-day Catalunya tests early today, after completing all scheduled tests on the latest update to the all-new 2003 MotoGP motor, with arrived earlier in the week.

Lap times were close to lap record pace at last year’s race, showing Suzuki’s improvement with the Mk2 GSV-R racer. But the whole class has also taken a step forward, and when the pair stopped testing with two hours still remaining, Hopkins was placed 13th overall and Roberts 17th.

The new GSV-R motor – a 990cc four-camshaft V4 – differs from last year’s machine in every detail, and in one major respect – the vee angle has been opened up to 65 degrees from 60 degrees, to make more space for improved induction tracts. The latest version refines the design still further, reducing internal friction and offering further scope for development.

The new motor proves once again the commitment from the Suzuki factory, and the team faces the season ahead with the same motivation, and the belief that the potential of the new bike remains high.

There is one more group test, at Suzuka in Japan, before the season proper begins with the Japanese GP at the same circuit on April 6.


PROJECT LEADER, KUNIO ARASE – Basically there is not a lot of difference between this motor and that used earlier this year – but all parts are new for an overall improvement. The firing interval is also slightly changed. We will continue to test with different firing intervals.

We have a lot more power than last year’s engine, but we still need more to become fully competitive. I am confident we can find more power by improving all areas of the motor, such as internal friction, and by more refinement to the engine management ECU. The engine is now at about 80 percent of its potential.

The first target is to improve the power characteristic – to make the throttle response more linear, and to make the bike more rider-friendly and more tyre-friendly. In terms of the new injection system, we are always developing new techniques.

We expect the next step forward for this engine in time for the first race weekend at Suzuka.

In handling terms, the stability under braking is much improved from last year. The slipper clutch system is similar to that used last year, with much more refined electronic controls, so that reduction of engine braking is also improved.


TEAM MANAGER, GARRY TAYLOR – Obviously we still have a lot of work to do with the new bike, and of course it’s frustrating for the riders to watch the competitors going faster. We’re starting at the bottom again, with a new bike in January, and this week a second version of the new engine. But the potential is all there, our motivation is still high, and our intention remains the same … to get Suzuki back to the winner’s circle again.

We have the full support of the factory, and there were some top people here this weekend, so they have a very clear idea of what we need.

This wasn’t where we had hoped to be at this stage, but we’re ready to work non-stop until we get there.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Loris Capirossi put the new Ducati Desmosedici on top on the second day of IRTA team tests at Catalunya, winning a BMW car in the process.

John Hopkins was the fastest American in the times for the BMW Award.

BMW Award times follow.

IRTA Team Tests
Lap Times
BMW Award
Catalunya, Spain
March 16

1. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Ducati, 1:43.634
2. Alex Barros, Brazil, Yamaha, 1:44.154
3. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Honda, 1:44.324
4. Max Biaggi, Italy, Honda, 1:44.326
5. Tohru Ukawa, Japan, Honda, 1:44.487
6. Daijiro Kato, Japan, Honda, 1:44.496
7. Sete Gibernau, Spain, Honda, 1:44.655
8. Marco Melandri, Italy, Yamaha, 1:44.922
9. Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha, 1:44.992
10. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 1:45.076
11. Shinya Nakano, Japan, Yamaha, 1:45.108
12. Olivier Jacque, France, Yamaha, 1:45.263
13. John Hopkins, USA, Suzuki, 1:45.624
14. Nicky Hayden, USA, Honda, 1:45.626
15. Jeremy McWilliams, UK, Proton, 1:45.709
16. Norick Abe, Japan, Yamaha, 1:45.887
17. Garry McCoy, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:45.961
18. Nobuatsu Aoki, Japan, Proton, 1:46.034
19. Alex Hofmann, Germany, Kawasaki, 1:46.125
20. Kenny Roberts, USA, Suzuki, 1:46.552
21. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:46.586
22. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:47.498
23. Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda, 1:47.529
24. Chris Burns, UK, Harris WCM, 1:47.928
25. Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Aprilia, 1:48.023

DNS, Colin Edwards, USA, Aprilia, crash.
DNS, Shinichi Itoh, Japan, Honda, crash.

IRTA Team Tests
Top Speeds
Catalunya, Spain
March 16

1. Capirossi, Ducati, 328.2 kph, 203.9 mph
2. Bayliss, Ducati, 322.8 kph, 200.6 mph
3. Rossi, Honda, 320.9 kph, 199.4 mph
4. Kato, Honda, 320.7 kph, 199.3 mph
5. Ukawa, Honda, 320.5 kph, 199.2 mph
6. Nakano, Yamaha, 319.8 kph, 198.7 mph
7. Hayden, Honda, 317.6 kph, 197.4 mph
8. Biaggi, Honda, 316.5 kph, 196.7 mph
9. Checa, Yamaha, 316.2 kph, 196.5 mph
10. Abe, Yamaha, 315.2 kph, 195.9 mph
11. Hopkins, Suzuki, 314.9 kph, 195.7 mph
12. Barros, Yamaha, 314.9 kph, 195.7 mph
13. Gibernau, Honda, 314.7 kph, 195.6 mph
14. Melandri, Yamaha, 314.7 kph, 195.6 mph
15. Jacque, Yamaha, 314.1 kph, 195.2 mph
16. Tamada, Honda, 312.2 kph
17. Roberts, Suzuki, 310.6 kph
18. Itoh, Honda, 309.6 kph
19. Pitt, Kawasaki, 309.0 kph
20. Haga, Aprilia, 308.6 kph
21. Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 306.6 kph
22. McCoy, Kawasaki, 306.1 kph
23. Hofmann, Kawasaki, 306.0 kph
24. Burns, Harris WCM, 295.5 kph
25. McWilliams, Proton, 289.4 kph
26. Aoki, Proton, 288.2 kph

After issuing the above times headlined “BMW Award–2033 MotoGP Best Qualifier,” MotoGP timing & scoring then released another set of times headlined “Official Combined Practice Time.” This second set of times shows Nicky Hayden as fastest American, and follows:

1. Capirossi, 1:43.634
2. Ukawa, 1:43.832
3. Barros, 1:43.878
4. Gibernau, 1:44.071
5. Rossi, 1:44.111
6. Kato, 1:44.111
7. Biaggi, 1:44.326
8. Nakano, 1:44.803
9. Bayliss, 1:44.893
10. Melandri, 1:44.922
11. Checa, 1:44.992
12. Jacque, 1:45.263
13. Hayden, 1:45.533
14. Hopkins, 1:45.624
15. McWilliams, 1:45.709
16. Haga, 1:45.755
17. Tamada, 1:45.817
18. Abe, 1:45.858
19. Roberts, 1:45.956
20. McCoy, 1:45.961
21. Aoki, 1:46.034
22. Hofmann, 1:46.125
23. Edwards, 1:46.296
24. Itoh, 1:46.401
25. Pitt, 1:46.586
26. Yanagawa, 1:46.893
27. Burns, 1:47.928

More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

AWESOME CAPIROSSI TOPS CATALUNYA TESTS

Ducati Marlboro Team rider Loris Capirossi topped this afternoon’s official preseason test session at Catalunya in sensational style, outpacing his nearest rival by almost a quarter of a second aboard the Italian factory’s all-new Desmosedici. Team-mate Troy Bayliss was also in brilliant form, bettering yesterday’s times by 1.81 seconds in his first visit to this complex Spanish track.

Capirossi’s astonishing pace – 1.96 seconds inside the track record – underlined the remarkable progress made by Ducati since the start of the Desmosedici MotoGP project. The bike has yet to turn a wheel in anger but has already shown that it should be a real force once the 2003 MotoGP season starts in Japan on April 6. Today the machine also broke its own record for the fastest-ever top-speed figure in GP racing, tripping the Catalunya speed trap at 328.2kmh/203.9mph.

“We weren’t really expecting this so soon!” smiled Ducati Corse managing director Claudio Domenicali. “And while we don’t anticipate being so competitive, so soon at every circuit, this does prove that Ducati has the capability to start a new project from scratch and reach a high level very quickly – all our engineers should be very proud. Of course, Loris also made a big difference today, and we found a perfect set-up for the bike, which really suits the high-speed nature of this track.”

Capirossi – whose spectacular best lap was watched on live TV by millions of bike-race fans around the world – was ecstatic with his performance. “I’m so happy, I really wanted that, so I rode 110 per cent!” beamed the Italian who had earlier suffered a minor fall, when an oil pipe split and leaked oil onto the rear tyre. “My fastest lap was hot – I went into a few corners a bit too fast but the bike still turned, no problem.”

Generous Capirossi immediately donated his BMW sports car – the prize for today’s fastest rider – to his mechanics, who will sell the vehicle and split the proceeds amongst themselves. “My mechanics have worked so hard for this, so they deserve it,” he added. “But we have a long season ahead of us, and a lot more work to do.”

MotoGP newcomer Bayliss ended the time one-hour session tenth and satisfied with progress. “This is my first time here so I just eased myself into it, did a lot of laps and things came good, so I’m happy, and I’m happy for Loris too!” said the Aussie. “We’ve been working on the same thing as always – making the bike go faster around the racetrack! And hopefully we can keep making progress in the run-up to Suzuka.”

Despite the mood of euphoria in the Ducati Marlboro Team pit, technical director Corrado Cecchinelli was keen to focus on the task ahead. “Now we have the highest top speed and the best lap time,” he said. “But you have to remember – you only get points for races! That was an incredible lap from Loris – with the bike in race set-up with an average fuel load and the same tyres as all the other Michelin riders. We let him focus on riding today, rather than set-up, so he could get comfortable for the timed session.”

The Ducati Marlboro Team now returns to Italy to prepare for the big trip to Suzuka, where Capirossi and Bayliss will test alongside their rivals on March 30 and 31.

More, from a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON RIDERS POLISH UP THEIR SKILLS

Circuit of Catalunya, Barcelona – March 16, 2003: Proton Team KR riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobuatsu Aoki concentrated on getting themselves back up to racing speed at this weekend’s group tests at the Catalunya GP circuit at Montmelo, riding last year’s three-cylinder 500cc lightweight – the only two-stroke left in the MotoGP field.

It was a holding operation for the pair, who are eagerly awaiting the team’s own brand new 990cc four-stroke, a V5 design that is undergoing intensive development at base at Banbury in England. Even so, they were faster than a number of four-strokes, with McWilliams placed mid-pack.

Even without the new bike, team and riders had reason to be pleased with this weekend’s tests. Both McWilliams and Aoki improved on the lap times they had set at the GP here last year in spite of cool track conditions. This reflected not only refinement to the machine during last season, but also significant improvements to the Bridgestone tyres, which Proton Team KR will use for a second season in 2003.

The first GP of the season is the Japanese round at Suzuka on April 6.

JEREMY McWILLIAMS: 15th Position – 1:45.709
It’s frustrating with all the four-strokes. Both of us have gone quicker than ever before round here – but the gap to the leaders is even bigger. It’s been hard to stay upbeat. It was easier when we couldn’t see the other bikes. The main thing is that the new bike is on the way, and it’s very exciting. I have tried it for size, and it’s really compact – about the same size as the two-stroke. This weekend was hard, but we have a lot to look forward to.

NOBUATSU AOKI: 21st Position – 1:46.034
It’s a difficult start to the year, but I think we did a good job. We improved half a second on the GP times, and that’s good enough. It’s good to be out on a race track again, and it will be even better when we can start developing the new bike.

CHUCK AKSLAND – Team Manager
Of course being the only two-stroke is frustrating, but I was pleasantly surprised to see our guys so far up. It must be even more frustrating for the four-stroke riders who were slower than us. We came because we needed to get our riders some track time, and we were also able to find some more information for Bridgestone.

The V5 four-stroke is undergoing dyno tests, and it’s very promising. All the major components are performing well, and we’re working on details. Unless there is a major hiccup, we expect to have the bike out somewhere for first rolling shakedown tests, with Jeremy riding, and probably Kenny Roberts as well, and then begin serious track tests.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

MotoGP Practice Lap Times
IRTA Team Tests
Catalunya, Spain
March 15

1. Alex Barros, Brazil, Yamaha, 1:44.112
2. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Ducati, 1:44.370
3. Sete Gibernau, Spain, Honda, 1:44,793
4. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Honda, 1:45.167
5. Shinya Nakano, Japan, Yamaha, 1:45.328
6. Daijiro Kato, Japan, Honda, 1:45.476
7. Tohru Ukawa, Japan, Honda, 1:45.581
8. Marco Melandri, Italy, Yamaha, 1:45.684
9. Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha, 1:45.733
10. John Hopkins, USA, Suzuki, 1:45.826
11. Kenny Roberts, USA, Suzuki, 1:45.956
12. Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda, 1:46.295
13. Colin Edwards, USA, Aprilia, 1:46.296
14. Max Biaggi, Italy, Honda, 1:46.382
15. Alex Hofmann, Germany, Kawasaki, 1:46.462
16. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:46.590
17. Shinichi Itoh, Japan, Honda, 1:46.761
18. Nobuatsu Aoki, Japan, Proton, 1:46.764
19. Olivier Jacque, France, Yamaha, 1:46.783
20. Norick Abe, Japan, Yamaha, 1:46.835
21. Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Aprilia, 1:46.866
22. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 1:46.880
23. Jeremy McWilliams, UK, Proton, 1:46.898
24. Nicky Hayden, USA, Honda, 1:46.913
25. Garry McCoy, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:47.009
26. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:47.444
27. Chris Burns, UK, Harris WCM, 1:48.947


Moto GP Practice Top Speeds
IRTA Team Tests
Catalunya, Spain
March 15

1. Capirossi, Ducati, 325.9 kph, 202.5 mph
2. Bayliss, Ducati, 322.4 kph, 200.3 mph
3. Ukawa, Honda, 321.6 kph, 199.8 mph
4. Rossi, Honda, 321.4 kph, 199.7 mph
5. Kato, Honda, 320.7 kph, 199.3 mph
6. Nakano, Yamaha, 320.2 kph, 199.0 mph
7. Hopkins, Suzuki, 319.6 kph, 198.6 mph
8. Pitt, Kawasaki, 319.6 kph, 198.6 mph
9. Checa, Yamaha, 319.1 kph, 198.3 mph
10. Hayden, Honda, 318.4 kph, 197.9 mph
11. Tamada, Honda, 318.1 kph
12. Abe, Yamaha, 317.9 kph
13. Itoh, Honda, 317.8 kph
14. Barros, Yamaha, 317.7 kph
15. Biaggi, Honda, 317.6 kph
16. Gibernau, Honda, 317.2 kph
17. Jacque, Yamaha, 316.3 kph
18. Melandri, Yamaha, 315.6 kph
19. Haga, Aprilia, 313.0 kph
20. Roberts, Suzuki, 312.5 kph
21. Edwards, Aprilia, 311.5 kph
22. Hofmann, Kawasaki, 311.0 kph
23. Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 309.9 kph
24. McCoy, Kawasaki, 304.5 kph
25. Burns, Harris WCM, 297.2 kph
26. Aoki, Proton, 293.6 kph
27. McWilliams, Proton, 290.0 kph



More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI V4 BECOMES FASTEST BIKE IN MOTOGP HISTORY

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss commenced this weekend’s first all-team MotoGP tests at Catalunya in fine form today, Capirossi’s Desmosedici V4 clocking the fastest top speed ever recorded by a GP bike.

The Italian rocketed through the Catalunya speed trap at a phenomenal 325.9kmh/202.5mph, proving that Ducati’s engine and aerodynamics engineers have already done some great work with the Desmosedici. The previous best was 324.5kmh/201.6mph, recorded on Mugello’s faster straight during last year’s Italian GP. And yet Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli was quick to play down the remarkable performance.

“We’re very pleased,” he said. “But I’d like to say that whenever you have the best top speed but not the best lap time, it means that there are other bikes going around the corners faster, which means we still have some thinking to do!

“We’ve had a good day today, Troy continuing to learn the track, because this is his first visit here, while Loris did some set-up tests and tried Michelin’s 2003 tyres.”

This week’s tests – the team’s penultimate session before the season kicks off at Suzuka on April 6 – are particularly significant because they mark the first appearance of the definitive Ducati Marlboro factory machines, as opposed to the pre-prototype bikes that have been used at all previous tests. The differences are in fact minimal – just detail changes to bodywork and a neater finish to some parts – but the bikes have performed well.

Capirossi ended the day second fastest. “I’m very happy with what we’ve achieved so far,” said the former 125 and 250 champ. “It’s great to be fastest on the straight, though top speed isn’t so important, what I’m really happy about is the overall performance of the bike – it’s very, very good – and it’s getting better every day. I’m using the new bike for the first time here, so we’re just working at fine-tuning now.”

Bayliss, who clocked an amazing 90 laps during private tests here on Thursday, is steadily getting to grips with this complex circuit. “There’s some places that are easy first time out, while other places take longer to get to grips with,” said the Australian. “We’ve been working on a lot of things here – mainly grip and handling – and I felt like I’d run into a bit of a wall this morning. We finally started to make some progress this afternoon, just as it started raining! Overall I’m pretty happy, but after going to so many new tracks, it’d just be nice to go to a track that I know, somewhere I’d know the limit.”

Rain fell at Catalunya this afternoon and the day ended with a dummy wet-weather restart – organised to allow riders to familiarise themselves with the new wet-weather restart procedure introduced for the 2003 season.

Lap times

Loris Capirossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:44.370

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:46.880


More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

MotoGP pre-season IRTA Tests
Saturday 15 March 2003 (day 1 of 2)
Catalunya, Spain

SLOW START FOR FORTUNA YAMAHA RIDERS ON CHILLY FIRST DAY

Fortuna Yamaha Team duo Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa recorded the eighth and ninth fastest times respectively today at the official MotoGP group IRTA test at the Montmelo circuit in Catalunya, Spain. The test is the first on-track meeting of all of the 2003 MotoGP competitors before the World Championship commences in earnest at Suzuka, Japan on 6th April.

Dark clouds, cold conditions and patches of rain hampered testing this afternoon with the fastest times being recorded at the end of the morning. Italian Melandri was happy to be back in the action again, after a recent testing injury to his shoulder, and he already tested here with the team in a private test on Wednesday and Thursday. He recovered sufficiently to complete a total of 46 laps, and gradually improved on his time, but like the other riders was stopped by the weather.

“Unfortunately my shoulder is hurting now,” commented the 250cc World Champion. “It was not so bad when I was riding but whenever I rest it starts to hurt again. Hopefully it will feel better tomorrow. We started today with the best set-up that we found in the test here two days ago, and I’m really happy with the way the bike feels now. I’m pleased that Barros set such a good time – it shows what the bike is capable of. I’m able to slide the M1 more and more now, which I like.

“It’s not so easy to improve on your time when you are out there alone, it gives you much more motivation when other riders are in front of you. Tomorrow I will be out more with the other riders and try to go one step faster.”

Teammate Carlos Checa did not have such a positive day, as he struggled to find the times he was hoping for at his home circuit. He completed 44 laps with a fastest lap time of 1:45.733 and despite every effort with his crew, could not improve.

“I’m not really happy with my performance today,” said the Spaniard. “We’ve made quite a few changes but I still can’t get a good feeling. Anyway, I certainly don’t feel that I can go any faster at the moment. I’m having problems with edge-grip on the right-hand corners. It’s my problem and I must fix it myself, that’s it.”

Team Director Davide Brivio remained optimistic: “It’s only the first day so we have to stay positive. Marco has obviously made a very good recovery from his injury and is making good progress. It’s very good experience for him to be testing with so many other riders. Carlos is having a few problems today but I am sure he and his team will sort them out tomorrow to be able to fulfil the bike’s potential. It’s amazing that it was so cold today as conditions yesterday were so warm and sunny.”

An interesting experiment ended today’s session when all 27 riders present had to form up behind the pace car before coming into the pits. They then re-formed behind the car to practice a rolling start. The test is a result of new rules introduced for the 2003 season that aims to speed up the re-start process in case of a rain-interrupted race in the MotoGP class.


More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

IRTA MotoGP test Catalunya, March 15, 2003.

Weather, warm and sunny – rain shower mid-afternoon, temperature, 15 degrees C; track conditions, good.

Barros Tops IRTA Test on Day One – Gibernau Fastest Honda Rider

The Montmelo circuit at Catalunya hosts the two-day IRTA test for MotoGP teams, the prelude to the 2003 season, the first time all competing teams have been present at the same testing venue this winter.

State of the art three, four and five-cylinder four-strokes now rule the roost in grand prix racing and one exciting rule change will enhance the atmosphere for race fans. For the 2003 season the decibel limit has been raised to 130dB. Together on the track today 20 plus MotoGP machines produced an ear-splitting cacophony of melodious mayhem that will bring an added dimension to the colourful spectacle of modern day GP racing.

Honda teams were at full strength at Montmelo. The four squads, led by the Repsol Honda factory team of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, will race RC211V 990cc five-cylinder four-strokes in 2003. The Barcelona based Honda Pons squad race in Camel Pramac Honda colours this season, with Max Biaggi and Tohru Ukawa as team riders.

Fausto Gresini, a former double 125cc Kingpin, paraded his Telefonica MoviStar Honda team of Daijiro Kato and Sete Gibernau at Montmelo. While Pramac Honda enter their second grand prix season with, new to MotoGP, Makoto Tamada aboard their RC211V.

The RC211Vs have undergone eight months of intensive development since the grand prix at Montmelo, in June of last year. The RCVs are now producing in excess of 200PS, and running at over 320km/h in a straight line, and consequently the Honda riders spent the early part of the day finding chassis and engine settings to suit the new RCV at the 4.727km circuit.

Fastest Honda rider on the day was local man Sete Gibernau, who lives in Barcelona. Gibernau used his circuit knowledge to good advantage to end the day in third place on the time sheet. Had it not rained Gibernau would certainly have been faster today. As it was he set a time three-tenths of a second faster than reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi in fourth place. Daijiro Kato was sixth fastest, followed by Tohru Ukawa. That was before a light rain shower and falling temperatures called a halt to serious action for the day.

The Repsol Honda team treated the first day, as they would have race practice. Rossi and Hayden chasing chassis and suspension settings and testing a variety of Michelin tyres. Hayden is paying his first visit to Montmelo and was beginning to lower his times when the rain fell. With sunshine forecast for tomorrow the young American is confident of further improvement.

Tohru Ukawa was fast to find his feet with his new team and his growing confidence was clearly visible, despite a crash at midday. Teammate Biaggi was a little slower but the Italian concentrated his day’s work on finding the optimum settings for his RCV.

Japanese rider Makoto Tamada made his European debut at Montmelo today. The Pramac Honda team run Bridgestone tyres and Tamada, together with Bridgestone test rider Shinichi Itoh spent the day finding a front and rear tyre combination to suit the track. Once he felt at home with both machine and tyres Tamada began to lower his lap times, eventually setting 12th fastest time.

Itoh meanwhile spent his time evaluating the performance of the range of tyres Bridgestone brought to Montmelo. Itoh, now 36, has lost little of his former speed, the near veteran set 17th fastest time today.

Brazilian Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha) set the pace from the word go and the Brazilian was still the fastest man when the rain shower arrived. Loris Capirossi (Marlboro Ducati) was second fastest man on the day.


Sete Gibernau, SPA Telefonica MoviStar Honda – 3rd 1:44.793: “In contrast to most of the teams here we have not tested at Montmelo this winter. I’m satisfied with the results of today but if we had the complete day of training in the dry I could have been faster. I still have tomorrow, I just hope it stays dry.”


Valentino Rossi, ITA Repsol Honda – 4th 1:45.167: “Today has really been for nothing! For only one hour was it possible to push but during that time the bike felt good and I was happy. It feels like last season except stronger. Sure, this time last year we were ahead of the competition and now it is very even. It will be a good close fight for the race wins. Today I wear a helmet with special paint. The ‘7′ is for Barry because I love Barry as a person and a rider and the rainbow colour with peace written on the back is because we don’t want war! Simple as that!”

Nicky Hayden, USA Repsol Honda – 24th 1:46.913: “Not such a bad day. This track is the bumpiest GP track I’ve ridden so far. But it’s not so bad; it’s more like what I’m used to. I’ve been moving along quite good and feel I’ve been making quite a bit of progress. After lunch I only got in a few laps, as the weather was not so good. I haven’t really got to ride with anyone but the experience has been really fun especially after all the tests we’ve been doing. There is a great atmosphere here; feels more like a race. I’m now just looking forward to racing and getting out there with other people.”

Daijiro Kato, JPN Telefonica MoviStar Honda – 6th 1:45.476: “The day was very short before the rain came. It’s a pity because I was just getting the feel of the bike. I hope we have a full day on the track tomorrow.”

Tohru Ukawa, JPN Camel Pramac Honda – 7th 1:45.581: “I’m happy with today, even if I did have a small crash. I just lost the front end, no damage and I’m OK. After the crash we didn’t have much dry time before it rained so I could not improve my lap time. The weather forecast for tomorrow is good so I’m sure I will improve. We have some changes to make to the front and rear suspension, I will also try another engine tomorrow.”

Max Biaggi, ITA Camel Pramac Honda – 14th 1:46.382: “This is the first time all the MotoGP teams have tested together and it was fun. I had a few problems to fix today, particularly steering into corners, so I was in and out of the pits. I was surprised how slow I was today. I hope we can fix the problem overnight.”

Makoto Tamada, JPN Pramac Honda – 12th 1:46.295: “These two days of tests are letting me get to grips with the circuit and we really put in a lot of work today. It’s a pity about the rain that broke up our rhythm in the afternoon. Unlike Itoh, who tried out some new Bridgestone material, I went out on the tyres we’d already tested last time around. The dress rehearsal for the rain procedures certainly is spectacular, and I think the spectators are going to love it, and after starting again from the pits behind the pace car, the group of riders at the first corner really was something to see.”

Shinichi Itoh, JPN Bridgestone test rider – 17th 1:46.761: “My work programme for today was to try out a number of new front tyres, and I almost managed to complete the job before taking part in the dress rehearsal for the new procedure in case of rain during the race. My first impression is that, compared with last year, the new system is great not just because it’s spectacular, but from a strategic point of view as well. If the weather doesn’t get worse, my plan is to carry on testing the new materials Bridgestone has brought here to Catalunya.”