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Sears Point Changes Get Mixed Reviews From Local Riders

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Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sears Point Changes Met With Mixed Reviews

By Michael Hannas

Motorcycles took to the revised Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point Raceway) for the first time Saturday, February 22, during a 3J’s Motorcycle Day. The revised Turn one, Turn 8a-9a section, and Turn 11 were all utilized for the first time. Those in attendance had mixed reactions to the changes.

The new Turn One layout is similar to the old AMA Turn One, circa 1996, which utilized orange cones in the middle of the dragstrip as the apex of a 90-degree left. The pavement at the end of the front straight has been extended 50 feet with cones similiar to the old AMA cones delineating the apex. The new turn is even tighter and slower than the old AMA Turn One and according to Infineon Raceway Vice President of Facilities Jere Starks, was designed to point the rider towards the middle of the straightaway underneath the Turn One bridge, away from the hillside.

The new Turn 8a-9a section, which was quickly being referred to as “The Bus Stop,” carries riders straight over the Turn 8a hillside parallel to the terraced grandstands, instead of bending to the right and into Turn Nine.

This means the rider does not have to let off the gas for Turn 8a as in the past, making for some nice wheelies in front of the grandstands for the fans. At the end of the short straight is a tight, second-gear, 90-degree right followed directly by an even tighter left that connects back onto the old track in between old Turn Nine and Turn 10. Now, the rider is accelerating through Turn 10, instead of letting off into the corner. The rider now accelerates through Turn 10 all the way until hitting the brakes for the new Turn 11, which turns directly behind the drag race tower, 40 feet closer than before.

The new Turn 11 is tighter than before and points the rider directly down the front straightaway, instead of towards the wall as in the past. Being 40 feet shorter than before, it causes the rider to brake almost as he or she is still leaned over to the right for Turn 10, at around the same point as in the past since the speed in Turn 10 is slower now.

Comments from the various local suspects who showed up were mixed. Most concerns centered around the new 8a-9a section, which creates a situation where a rider who either crashes or loses the brakes into the Turn 9 right-hander could cross into the path of a rider exiting the left-handed Turn 9a. Some felt this could create a bigger problem then the old Turn Nine or Turn 10 did. The old sections were fast and lined with walls, but didn’t cause very many accidents. The new chicane, it appears, could create more situations, albeit at a much slower speed. The transition from the old track onto the new section at Turn 8a is also bumpy, causing headshake and a wheelie.

Factory Kawasaki Supersport rider Tony Meiring said, “It needs a lot of work. I think it’s more dangerous for sure. If you crash going into that Bus Stop, if you tuck the front, your bike will slide into the guys on the other side. Turn One is fun but it is pretty tight. The first lap will be pretty hairy. The new Turn 11 is really tight, too. I don’t know, I liked the old track.”

2002 AMA Superbike Top Privateer Brian Parriott, out testing his new BMW Boxer Cup Replika on the new track in preparation for Daytona, also yearned for the good ol’ days. “I think it’s a bit safer, but not as fun. It’s gonna be a hard place to pass (the Bus Stop), there’s only one line through that chicane. The Turn 8a transistion is so bumpy even my Beemer wheelies. As for Turn 11, they should put it where it was before, last year. Or even split the difference between that and the old, old one. The way it is, it is hard to pass. Turn One, I think they should go back to wide-open, there’s plenty of space now. All these crybabies, ‘Waa, waaa, the hillside, the walls.’ They should put it back how it was, back in ’94. There used to be a fence you could hang your bike on in Turn Five.”

2002 AFM Overall #1 and Open Superbike Champion Dave Stanton seemed to like the changes more than others. “I like it. I think they’re moving in the right direction. It’s safer, and funner, more of a rider’s track. I think they’re working hard trying to improve the safety. Before I never really thought about safety. Now everyone is starting from scratch. It’s gonna be good, but bad for me- I’ll be giving up my local advantage. It’s gonna be great!”

2002 AFM #2 Ken Hill was concerned about the safety aspects of the new layout. “I think it’s fun and more of a rider’s challenge, but from a safety aspect there are still areas of concern. It tightens things up a lot. I think someone crashing into Turn Nine could take someone else out.”

The fastest AFM regulars were turning lap times in the 1:44 range by the end of the day. For comparison, Stanton turned 1:35s during the 2002 AMA Formula Extreme race en route to a top-10 finish. With the tighter layout, 600cc Supersport machines seemed to be able to lap at times very close to 1000cc Superbike-spec machines.

AFM officials on the scene displayed concern about the safety aspects of the new Turn 8a-9a section. The potential for bikes crashing and hitting other bikes was the concern, with the general feeling being that the old Turn Nine section didn’t present such a problem in the past. Officials later announced that the AFM would use the new Turn One, but use the old Turn Nine and Turn 11.

Infineon’s Starks noted the concern of the riders about the new section. According to Starks, the track is has plans to remedy the problem before the AMA Superbike Doubleheader, most likely in the form of a gravel trap that would attempt to stop crashed bikes before they could re-enter the track.

Updated Post: Barros, Edwards Fastest In Final Day Of MotoGP Tests At Jerez

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From a press issued by Yamaha:

POSITIVE CHECA AND MELANDRI THIRD AND FIFTH FASTEST IN JEREZ

Fortuna Yamaha Team duo Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri recorded the third and fifth fastest times at today’s final day of the three day MotoGP IRTA tests in Jerez, Spain. All fifteen of the MotoGP riders rode in long awaited sunny but slightly windy conditions, having lost a day to wet weather yesterday. Despite three tests since December at the Spanish circuit, this was just the third day that the Fortuna Yamaha Team were able to test in sunshine.

Checa continued testing his fuel injected Yamaha YZR-M1, setting his best lap time of the three days with 1:42.861. The Spanish rider concentrated on testing endurance tyres for Michelin in the latter part of the day and was satisfied with the progress made, “The lap time was not the most important thing for us today, as I was testing endurance tyres for Michelin for 16 laps. I still can’t find the feeling I want and need with the bike to win a race. I am having some problems with rear grip and overall balance. I would like to be able to control the rear tyre with the throttle, and at the moment I can’t do that. It’s quite hard to be optimistic now about this track, however we will keep working and I have confidence that we can improve in the areas we need to.”

Marco Melandri completed 68 laps with a best time of 1:43.2, bettering his time of 1:43.8 from Friday’s session.

“I have had a really good test,” commented the 250cc World Champion. “I am very happy with this weekend but I made a bit of a mistake right at the end. Until the last hour of the test we had used the same set-up of the fuel injection bike but towards the end of the session I wanted to try a change to the front geometry. I then felt too much weight at the front on turn 11 and took a tumble. It was also very windy at that moment inside the corner and so was easy for me to slide off. Generally I am extremely happy – with my time and with my feeling on the bike. I wasn’t focusing on the time but managed to improve on Friday’s time, and I felt better here than at all my previous tests with the M1. I even changed my riding line slightly today. Now we are going to Estoril where I think it will be quite difficult as there are many slow corners there, which were maybe easier on a 250cc bike than on a four-stroke.”

Melandri’s crew chief Fiorenzo Fanali was delighted with his new rider’s progress, “We have helped Michelin a lot today with tyre testing and were very happy to do so, then we decided to try something a bit different with the geometry in the last hour of the test. Unfortunately after we added more weight to the front Marco took a tumble so we will now go back to the old set-up for Estoril. I am quite happy with Marco’s performance in the last few days. He is sensitive to all the changes we make to the bike, and is good at communicating those feelings to us.”

Team Director Davide Brivio summed up the test positively, “Both riders have set good times, despite Marco’s small crash. Carlos has tried many different settings, we have faced some problems with the fuel injection system but at this stage of development it is quite normal. At the end of the session he was able to go consistently and at a good pace. We have a good base for him but there is room to improve more. Marco has now tested the fuel injection bike for the first time, and the new chassis. The next test will be useful for him to get more used to this bike. He was close in his times to all the top riders, so we are very pleased with the performance of both our riders today.”

The Fortuna Yamaha Team now travel to Portugal to take part in the next MotoGP IRTA group tests at the Estoril circuit on the 26th and 27th February.


LAP TIMES
1. Alex Barros, Gauloises Yamaha Team 1:42.640

2. Colin Edwards, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:42.818

3. Carlos Checa, Fortuna Yamaha Team 1:42.861

4. Troy Bayliss, Ducati Marlboro Team 1:42.890

5. Marco Melandri, Fortuna Yamaha Team 1:43.236

6. Shinya Nakano, D’Antin Yamaha 1:43.302

7. Loris Capirossi, Ducati Marlboro Team 1:43.541

8. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:43.910

9. Noriyuki Haga, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:44.218

10. John Hopkins, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:44.740


More, from a press release issued by Team Yamaha D’Antin:

YAMAHA D’ANTIN TESTS
JEREZ
February 23, 2003

GOOD WORK FOR TEAM YAMAHA D’ANTIN IN JEREZ

Today had concluded first IRTA tests, organized by the MotoGP teams association in Jerez circuit. Fortunately today, the last day, riders could ride their bikes with the sun shining, but the windy conditions has been the main problem in the way to get good lap times. Team Yamaha d’Antín leaves the Spanish track satisfied with the work done during the three days. They have improved the settings of the new Yamaha YZR-M1, the bike they will use in the opening GP next April 6 in Suzuka, Japan. The set-up of the electronic fuel injection system and chassis adjustments have been the main focus of the team during the three days.

Yamaha d’Antín Team Director, the former rider Luis d’Antín, was happy with the work done as he commented after the tests, “Overall, everything has gone quite well, the tests have been positive because it was the first time we had 2003 bike. Basically we have focused in set-up the injection and chassis, and also we have been testing many tyres from Michelin. We also have been getting used to the rider and vice versa. Our target is get the 100 percent for the opening race in Japan.”

During the three days of testing Shinya Nakano has completed almost 200 laps in Jerez circuit and he is happy with the progress. “The focus of these tests was the bike of 2003. Get the right chassis and injection set up was the hardest work, but yesterday we found a good set-up. Today I’ve been riding comfortable, but I still at 80 percent of my possibilities. We have to find the other 20%.”

Team Technical Director, Naoya Kaneko thinks the same as his rider. “We have test a lot of things and we have changed the settings many times, and now we know what we have to improve. Shinya has bettered his times in Jerez, but we still need a little bit to be prepared.”

The team Yamaha d’Antín now goes to Estoril circuit in Potugal to take part in IRTA tests session on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.


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

NEW SUZUKI MEETS THE RIVALS AT JEREZ

Team Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins concluded three incident-free days of testing at the Spanish GP circuit of Jerez today – with the all-new 2003 GSV-R Suzuki racer making further progress in the fast-forward development programme before the start of the season on April 6.

It was only the third test for the radically changed V4 990cc racer, marking the halfway point of the six-test schedule that started in January, when the factory surprised the team with the all-new machine. Engine and chassis have both been significantly changed compared with last year’s first GSV-R, as the design evolves towards the goal of winning races again for the factory that claimed the premier-class World Championship in 2000.

2000 World Champion Kenny Roberts set his best time today, the third day of open-to-all testing, improving on his best race lap time set here last year, in spite of unfavourably cool and windy conditions. Hopkins set his best time on the first day of testing, which was cloudy and overcast. The second day was spoiled by rain. Today was sunny but still cool, with a strong wind giving riders problems and causing several crashes.

Roberts completed 68 laps today, to bring his overall total to 131 over the three days. The Californian son of a legend’s best lap time of 1:43.918, was less than a second off the circuit lap record. He was placed eighth-fastest.

Hopkins ran 65 laps today, and a total of 173, with a best time of 1:44.652. The rider from California (but of English parentage) is new to the Suzuki team and to the new-generation 990cc four-strokes. His debut season last year was on a 500cc two-stroke.

All the rival teams except Honda attended the tests. Suzuki move on now to private tests in Valencia before rejoining the final IRTA test at Catalunya in mid-March.


KENNY ROBERTS – 1:43.918
We’ve worked hard here, when the weather allowed it. I can’t say I’m happy with the lap time. We need to get the base settings right before we can start to use the bike to its full, and we need the factory to help us. We have more tests and more parts coming. The bike has the potential. We need to unlock it, and we’re all determined to do that.


JOHN HOPKINS – 1:44.652
We made some steps here, but we still have many things to sort out. We need to make bigger steps in the upcoming tests in order to be where we want to be for the first race. The bike is still so new, and there are still so many things to get set right. We’re concentrating on one thing at a time, and that one thing leads to another. Here my main difficulty has been that the bike doesn’t turn well. I’m losing time into the turns and in the middle of the corner. We need a good ground plan for the upcoming tests, but my crew chief Stuart Shenton, away sick, will be back, and that should help us. Though I have to say my guys worked 110 percent here. It’s a great team.


GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager
This was only the bike’s third time out, and the first time with the rival machines. We learned a lot. Obviously there’s a lot of potential that we still need to find, and after the excitement of getting the new bike in January it’s a little disappointing. But we tested almost everything here that we needed to test. Now the factory will take the data and look for improvements in the areas we need. It’s never easy to take something so brand new and get the best out of it. It takes time, and we still have some more time. The factory has already proved how committed they are; the team feels the same. We’ll keep on working. This is gritty stuff for the riders. Doing development work at this sort of IRTA test where the others have their machines better sorted can be testing for a rider’s mental stamina.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

PRESS INFORMATION

BAYLISS ON RACE PACE, CAPIROSSI FALLS IN WINDY CONDITIONS

IRTA tests, Jerez, Spain
Sunday, February 23, 2003

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi battled strong, gusting winds at Jerez today as they completed their first group test session on the Desmosedici V4. Despite less than perfect weather throughout the three days – low track temperatures on Friday and rain yesterday – both men believe they have made important progress.

Bayliss was particularly happy at the end of the day, having completed an impressive race simulation with Michelin’s latest 2003 tyres. Capirossi however had a more torrid time, falling twice in the afternoon, the first when he was caught out by a gust of wind.

“We dedicated today to testing Michelin’s new tyres, doing almost no other work on set-up”, said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “Troy did a long run at a good pace but we weren’t so lucky with Loris. He lost the front twice. Both guys found the latest rear tyres very promising, and Troy also found a better front tyre.”

Bayliss, whose average pace during the race simulation was an impressive 1:43.5, was delighted with progress and keen to continue testing at Estoril next week. “The whole test has gone pretty good, we’ve kept moving forward,” said the former World Superbike Champion. “This is my third time at this track, so I expected some good times. We’ve made good progress and we’ve got some more ideas for the next test, and that’s what it’s all about. The track could’ve been better today, but I’m quite happy with the long run we did at the end of the afternoon. We’ve run Michelin’s new tyres and they feel good, the engine feels good too and we only did a little bit of playing around with the suspension today.”

Capirossi was happy enough with progress, despite two minor falls, the wind also claiming other victims during the day. “After two crashes I decided to concentrate on testing tyres and settings, because conditions weren’t right for trying to go really fast,” said the Italian, who nevertheless proved that he had lost none of his confidence by setting his fastest lap of the day on his penultimate lap. “Despite the crashes, everything has gone well from a set-up point of view, but unfortunately there was too much wind for me to give a good lap-time performance.”

Bayliss and Capirossi continue the Desmosedici test programme at Estoril, Portugal, next week, and then take Ducati’s MotoGP project to the next level at Catalunya, Spain, in mid-March, when they will ride their definitive 2003 bikes for the first time. The 16-round MotoGP World Championship commences at Suzuka, Japan, on April 6.




Mladin Looks For Fourth AMA Superbike Championship

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From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

23 February 2003

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
Season Preview

NEW BIKE, NEW SEASON – MLADIN CHASES FOURTH AMERICAN SUPERBIKE CROWN

The off-season break has been a very good one for three times American AMA Superbike champion, Australian Mat Mladin as he prepares for the famous Daytona 200, the opening round of this year’s AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship on March 9.

The most significant change is that Mladin will compete in this year’s 18-round championship aboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000 rather than the GSX-R750 that took him to three AMA Superbike crowns and two Daytona 200s.

The move to the full 1000cc capacity has been met with a huge amount of enthusiasm by Mladin and Team Yoshimura Suzuki for whom he will be competing for a seventh year.

“We are definitely going in the right direction with the new Suzuki GSX-R1000,” said Mladin. “I think we’ve got a motorcycle that can be very competitive this year. The way the rules have been, we had a motorcycle that we were always playing catch up with and if you didn’t get it set up 100 percent on the day, it made it very hard. I think we have a chance to be very strong and we should do well this year.”

Since the announcement by the AMA late last year regarding the rule changes to the class, Mladin’s team has been busy preparing brand new machines from the ground up and undertaking a testing program that included time at Daytona, California Speedway in Fontana, Laguna Seca and a four-day test at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.

“We’ve done a fair bit of testing since Christmas, with a couple of days at Fontana, followed by four in Malaysia and then at Laguna Seca last week. It’s not a huge amount by any means in the way of days tested, I think we would need double the amount that we have done, but what we did do was very productive,” added Mladin. “It rained at the Daytona test before Christmas and then it rained again last week at Laguna, so who knows where we would have been if we didn’t go to Malaysia. The four days that we had there proved to be very good for us.”

Mladin has recorded a number of very fast lap times aboard the GSX-R1000 at each of the circuits that he has tested this year, providing his opponents in this year’s championship with the knowledge that he has been fast and is eager to win a fourth AMA Superbike title.

“Any time you can have as much, if not more horsepower than people that have had more than you in the past, is certainly encouraging. Besides the horsepower, the bike works well. It feels very good to me, I’m very comfortable on the bike and I’m riding a lot more relaxed than I have over the past couple of years. I had to change the way I rode the bike in the past two years to a point where I wasn’t comfortable anymore. Mistakes started to creep into my riding, just because I wasn’t sitting on the bike the way I wanted to, but it was the only way we could get the bike to turn. I really did love the GSX-R750 that I won the championship on in 1999 and 2000 and the new GSX-R1000 feels a lot like that.”

This week, Mladin and his team will complete their final preparations before leaving their base in California and head across to Florida for the opening round of the championship, which kicks off with Bike Week at Daytona.


Mat Mladin:
1992 Australian Superbike Champion
1999, 2000, 2001 American AMA Superbike Champion
2000, 2001 Daytona 200 Champion
2000 American AMA Pro Athlete of the Year





Rain Hinders Ducati WSB And MotoGP Testing In Spain

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From press releases issued by Ducati Corse:

SECOND DAY OF SBK WINTER TESTING AT VALENCIA
INTERRUPTED BY BAD WEATHER

Ruben Xaus (Team Ducati Fila) headed the timesheets today on the second day of official SBK pre-season testing at Valencia. In the afternoon the two Ducati Fila riders, Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus did not go out onto the track after rain started to fall and two of the scheduled four sessions were not completed.

Spain’s Xaus completed a total of 55 laps on the Ducati 999, the Italian manufacturer’s new Superbike model, recording a time of 1:34.75, one-tenth of a second slower than the circuit record set by Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M) and six tenths of a second quicker than his time recorded one month ago at the same track. Ruben tested new rear tyres made available by Michelin, and constantly lapped at this pace during his mini race simulation in the morning.

“Everything is going really well” declared Ruben at the end of the day. “We tried some new race tyres, even though we couldn’t complete the entire programme due to the rain. The team is working well, and I’m getting a better felling with the 999 all the time. I made a good step forward with the bike here at Valencia because my time of 1:34.75 is the best I’ve ever recorded around here.”

Neil Hodgson focussed mainly on bike settings, trying to eliminate weight transfer imbalance in braking and acceleration and the British rider completed 38 laps today, setting a best time of 1:35.04.

“I got caught out with the weather because I wanted to save my best time for the end of the day, but it’s the same for everyone” commented Neil. “Today we made some progress with the 999 after going back to the settings I used in December. The handling now feels much better and I have a lot more confidence so I’m sure I can improve again tomorrow.”

Tomorrow will see the third and final day of official SBK testing at Valencia.

OFFICIAL TIMES: 1. Xaus (Ducati Fila) 1:34.75; 2. Hodgson (Ducati Fila) 1:35.04; 3. Laconi (Ducati NCR) 1:35.68; 4. Chili (Ducati) 1:36.06; 5. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) 1:36.06; 6. Walker (HM Plant Ducati) 1:36.12; 7. Corser (Foggy Petronas) 1:36.40; 8. Lavilla (Suzuki) 1:36.47; 9. Borja (Ducati DFX) 1:36.51; 10. Garcia (Ducati NCR) 1:36.87.





BAYLISS & CAPIROSSI PRAY FOR SUN AT RAINY JEREZ

IRTA tests, Jerez, Spain
Saturday, February 22, 2003

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi continued to make excellent progress during the year’s first IRTA tests at Jerez today, despite heavy rain showers that forced them to spend much of the morning in the pits. Both men are hoping to make up for lost time during tomorrow’s final day, when the weather is expected to be better.

As yesterday, the Australian and the Italian focused on fine tuning chassis settings, even though the circuit was in poor condition throughout, the rain having washed dust and dirt onto the track.

“The work we’re doing here is very important,” said Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali. “We have a very precise schedule of work to do before the first race in April, with a lot to do in a short time. At the moment we have no real references at most of the GP circuits, so we have to work very efficiently, and losing half a day of a three-day test here could be critical. But we believe in the project and we believe in the enthusiasm and professionalism of the whole team. I’m particularly grateful to Troy and Loris today, because in spite of the conditions they both continued working to give us the maximum amount of information about the bike.”

Former World Superbike champ Bayliss, who has never raced at Jerez, managed to ride 47 laps today, usefully expanding his knowledge of the Spanish circuit. “I could’ve sat around and done nothing, but even though the track wasn’t in a great state, you never know what kind of conditions you’re going to have to race in,” he smiled. “Even at the end of the day a couple of the corners were still a bit sketchy, with a couple of guys going down, so I just hope we have a good day tomorrow. We’ve been mostly playing with chassis setting, plus I tried a few different front Michelins. I found a couple of things I liked today, so I’m feeling keen for tomorrow. I want a bit of sun, so I can do a lot of laps.”

Capirossi, who has been racing here since 1990, rode 24 laps today, preferring not to take risks in the tricky conditions. But he also ended the day in good spirits. “The track was very dirty after the rain, which compromised our work today, but we still managed to get a lot done,” he said. “We tried some new chassis solutions and different configurations, so we’ve kept moving ahead. But tomorrow we need sun!”

Tomorrow both riders plan to do their first serious tyre testing with Michelin’s range of 2003 tyres, weather permitting.

Lap times
Troy Bayliss (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:45.640
Loris Capirossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:48.091


More, from a press release issued by Scuderia Caracchi NCR:

LACONI ON THE TOP AND GARCIA GROWS UP

(Valencia 2003, February 22)

A soft rain stopped today test on Valencia circuit. But the two practice sessions on the dry track showed a great Regis Laconi. The French rider of 998RS Caracchi NCR Nortel Networks recorsed the third fastest overall, leaded only by the two Fila Ducati factory bikes.

“Today too we worked first to find the best set up,” – declared at the end of the test day Regis Laconi – “Handling and gearbox have been our aim today, and we rode immediately one second faster as yesterday laptime; then we set at the best the hand lever for rear brake that I asked to Stefano as I like it works, well, a classic test day, but the third fastest we score shows that we are in the right direction. It has a pity that the rain forced us to stop working, we must set at the best the gearbox ratio, but I’m really satisfied about the work we have done.”

David Garcia, always very quiet in the pit, goes on to upgrade recording the tenth fastest of today practice.

“The rain ruined everything,” – said a disappointed Garcia – “I need to stay on the bike and ride kilometers on the 998RS, and unfortunately in the afternoon we couldn’t practice at all. In the morning sessions I feel very well, the gearbox was running well and I’m confident that, if the practices could go on, I could be faster. I found a good feeling with the team and now I am confident in a good racing debut next week-end.”

Unfortunately also for tomorrow, Sunday February 23, closing test day, the weather forecast doesn’t show anything good.

Two days test – Overall results:

1.XAUS Ruben (Ducati) 1:34.755; 2.HODGSON Neil (Ducati) 1:35.044; 3.LACONI Regis (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:35.685; 4.WALKER Chris (Ducati) 1:35.842; 5.TOSELAND James (Ducati) 1:35.932 ; 6.MARTIN Steve (Ducati) 1:36.061; 7.CHILI Pierfrancesco (Ducati) 1:36.061; 8.CORSER Troy (Foggy Petronas) 1:36.408; 9.LAVILLA Gregorio (Suzuki) 1:36.477; 10.BORJA Juan Batista (Ducati) 1:36.516; 11.GARCIA David (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:36.877


Nakano Fastest During MotoGP Testing At Jerez, In Poor Conditions

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From a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

MotoGP pre-season IRTA Tests
Saturday 22 February 2003 (day 2 of 3)
Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

CHECA AND MELANDRI HINDERED BY RAIN IN SPAIN

Poor weather conditions affected the second day of the Jerez IRTA tests in Spain today, soaking the track in the morning so much that it didn’t fully dry by the end of the day. Thirteen of the fifteen MotoGP riders present ventured out. Fortuna Yamaha Team rider Marco Melandri completed a total of just thirteen laps in the wet conditions while team-mate Carlos Checa chose to wait until the weather improves to ride his latest evolution of the Yamaha YZR-M1.

Team Director Davide Brivio commented: “We are not too worried to have lost one day as we still have some time to prepare for the first race. Carlos didn’t go out because the track still wasn’t totally dry. He has already tested in wet conditions so it’s better that he doesn’t take any risks this close to the start of the Championship. There isn’t much point him testing now unless he can push the bike to its maximum limit. Marco did some laps to get used to the wet because he still needs to practice this on the M1.”

Spaniard Checa recorded the second fastest time of 1:43.2 in yesterday’s action, and Italian Melandri recorded the fifth fastest time of 1:43.8. Better weather conditions are forecast for tomorrow’s action.

LAP TIMES (WET CONDITIONS)
1. Shinya Nakano, D’Antin Yamaha 1:45.214

2. Troy Bayliss, Ducati Marlboro Team 1:45.640

3. Colin Edwards, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:47.982

4. Loris Capirossi, Ducati Marlboro Team, 1:48.091

5. Garry McCoy, Fuchs Kawasaki Racing 1:48.263

6. Noriyuki Haga, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:48.314

7. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:48.488

8. John Hopkins, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:48.709

9. Alex Hoffman, Fuchs Kawasaki Racing 1:48.875

10. Andrew Pitt, Fuchs Kawasaki Racing 1:49.851

Marco Melandri, Fortuna Yamaha Team 1:56.7 (13 laps)



More, from a press release issued by D’Antin Yamaha:

YAMAHA D’ANTIN TESTS, JEREZ
February 22, 2003

NAKANO FASTEST RIDER OF THE SECOND DAY
Most of the winter tests celebrated in Jerez circuit had the same protagonist, the rain. In this second day of IRTA test, and confirming the forecast rain has appeared in the morning and no team had been able to test how they would like. In the afternoon the track was getting dry and the riders could take more track time.

Yamaha d’Antín team rider, Shinya Nakano has completed fifteen laps in the morning session, but with wet tarmac he didn’t managed to ride comfortable. Some riders as Brazilian Alex Barros (Yamaha) –the fastest yesterday- decided not to go out this afternoon. And in the last two hours, Nakano put on his leathers, taking advance of drying tarmac. In just five laps he has bettered his morning lap times in almost six seconds and has finished the session with a best lap of 1:45.214. The best lap time of the day.

“The conditions today weren’t so good. In the morning was raining heavily, later it stopped and when the track was drying, more rain. In the afternoon was better, but the track surface wasn’t completely dry and some parts were wet,” said the Japanese, who will start this year his third season in the premier class. “I’m happy because we have found good setting for the rear end that improve grip and turning. It has been a strange day, and although I’ve get the fastest lap time we have to consider that this afternoon too much rider didn’t go out. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

Forecast for Sunday are not so optimistic and everything says that the weather will be similar as today.



The World Superbike Office’s Take On Valencia Tests

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From a press release:

22/02/03

Rain Stops Play

A light fall of rain during the second afternoon of official pre-season World Superbike and Supersport practice sessions brought an early end to the day’s meaningful action. With a wet track surface persisting in the cold ambient weather conditions most teams elected to sit out the final few hours in the pit garage, rather than risk disaster on a slick, but not quite fully wet, 4.005km track.

The first two session of the day were enough to allow Ruben Xaus (Fila Ducati 999) to take the fastest time of the test so far, thanks to his 1:34.755 – making him the only rider inside the 1:35 mark so far. Warmer track conditions would have allowed Xaus and the other top runners to mount greater attempts to beat the circuit best of Ben Bostrom, a time of 1:34.649.

Neil Hodgson also pushed his time towards that of Bostrom, despite spending a large number of laps chasing a better base set-up in vain. His best of 1:35.044 came shortly before the rains invaded the east coast of Spain, engulfing the Valencia circuit.

Superbike race winner Regis Laconi, drafted into the NCR Nortel Ducati team this season, pulled out all the stops to go third fastest over the two-day test, with a 1:35.685 lap.

Chris Walker’s 2002 specification factory Ducati was not able to deliver the Englishman a better time than his opening day best of 1:35.842, despite setting a high overall lap count.

His HM Plant team-mate James Toseland was held back somewhat by his still-healing right hand injury, and he could not improve on his Friday time, leaving him fifth fastest overall.

Steve Martin (DFX Ducati) was one of the few riders to venture out in the wet conditions, to evaluate his Pirelli tyres on a slick Valencia circuit, while PSG-1 Ducati rider Pierfrancesco Chili went almost one second faster today than yesterday, securing an overall seventh fastest time over two days.

Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas Racing) took 0.6 seconds off his best time at Valencia, moving to eighth fastest overall.

Gregorio Lavilla was once more the top four-cylinder 1000cc runner, despite suffering a huge highside crash. Another local rider, Juan Borja, took his DFX Ducati twin to the top ten, one place ahead of Almeria rider David Garcia (NCR Ducati) and two ahead of British rider James Haydon (Foggy Petronas Racing).

The two top Supersport times from the opening day proved to be the best after the second day’s sessions as well, leaving Ten Kate Honda riders Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge clear at the top of the timesheets.

Another factory Honda rider, Christophe Cogan (BKM Racing Team) scored an excellent lap time of 1:38.564, a huge improvement over his first day performance. The majority of the Supersport riders scored faster times on the second day than on the first, with Katsuaki Fujiwara (Alstare Suzuki) fourth quickest, Gianluca Nannelli (Lorenzi by Leoni Yamaha) fifth and Alessio Corradi (Team Italia Spadaro) sixth.

The top Kawasaki rider once more proved to be Pere Riba, in 11th place. Despite a suspected broken rib World Supermoto Champion Thierry van den Bosch continued to ride his Yamaha Motor France machine on day two, securing a time of 1:1:39.185, good enough for a top ten ranking.

The tests reach their conclusion tomorrow, with the first race of the season scheduled for Sunday 2 March, also at Valencia.


Road Atlanta Announces Safety Changes

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From a press release issued by Road Atlanta:

ROAD ATLANTA MAKES COURSE CHANGES FOR MOTORCYCLE RACERS IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY

BRASELTON, GA (Feb. 21, 2003) — Road Atlanta has taken proactive steps to increase rider safety during its professional and amateur motorcycle races by re-designing the Turn 3-4 complex of its 2.54-mile Grand Prix course.


Photo by David Allio/Road Atlanta.

Motorcycle racers will use the new 550-foot section of the course. Sports cars will continue to use the original course. Official length of the new motorcycle course has yet to be determined. The new course will be used during the AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown presented by Dark Dog May 15-18, the WERA Regionals July 5-6 and the WERA Grand National Finals Oct. 29-Nov. 2. The new course will also be used for the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School.

“Responding to concerns of riders and AMA Pro Racing, Road Atlanta has taken these proactive steps to increase safety and provide the riders a more exciting venue,” says Mike Swaine, President and General Manager of Road Atlanta. “We have worked closely with AMA Pro Racing in order to build a new portion of the track that addresses the safety concerns.”

Instead of taking the fast, wide sweeping turns through Turns 3-4, motorcycle racers will now make a quick left-hand turn just past the apex of Turn 2, then continue with a right and left-hand turn combination going down the hill before blending back into the original track in Turn 4. The new portion of the track, paved in the wide grassy area between the original track and the retaining wall well away from the racing surface on the left, is 36 feet wide and substantially increases the runoff room on riders’ right.

“The changes have taken the wall at Turn 4 out of the picture and make for safer racing,” says Kevin Schwantz, the 1993 500cc World Champion and member of the AMA Pro Racing Board who also runs the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School at Road Atlanta. “I feel that Road Atlanta is one of the really great road courses on the (AMA Superbike) schedule and to make changes for safety reasons is a good idea. Turns 3-4 have been a point of concern over the past couple of seasons.

“I think the changes that are being made will add another passing area, and make racing safer. It will be a more technical section. You’ll get on the brakes going into the new Turn 3A, and you’ll accelerate going down the hill. You’ll be able to pass under braking coming out of 3A. It’s not just a silly chicane everybody has to just follow through the bike in front. If you’ve got a good bike, it will make you win by more. If you’ve got a bad bike, it will make you struggle more to keep up.”

For more information visit www.roadatlanta.com.




Suzuki Comments On New MotoGP GSV-R’s Jerez Debut

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From a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

RADICAL NEW SUZUKI MAKES PUBLIC DEBUT AT JEREZ

Team Suzuki Press Office. February 21st 2003

The radical new Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP prototype made its first public appearance at the Spanish GP circuit of Jerez today, meeting the opposition for the first time at the open-to-all IRTA test sessions.

The all-new bike, still in the early stages of development and at only its third test, proved close to the overall pace, but with some ground to make up before the start of the season on April 4.

But the mood of team and riders remained positive, with two more days at Jerez, plus two more European tests to go before the return to Japan, and yet more testing before the first race.

“It’s an interesting weekend,” said team manager Garry Taylor. “Some of our major opposition is here, though not all of it, and it’s a chance to assess the potential of the new bike.

“There is still a lot of work to do, and a lot more testing to come. We’re in this for the long haul,” he concluded.

The new GSV-R, code-named XRE1, uses last year’s first ever MotoGP four-stroke prototype as a basis, but with sweeping changes from front to rear. The new machine retains the DOHC 990cc V4 format, but with major revisions to the fuel-injected unit, including a wider 65-degree Vee angle (from 60 degrees). The chassis is also considerably changed, clothed in minimalist carbon-fibre bodywork with a sophisticated aerodynamic profile to the nose.

These are part of a redesigned package offering the potential for major improvement, warmly greeted by both riders – former World Champion Kenny Roberts Jr. and Suzuki new boy John Hopkins – when they saw the new bike for the first time in Malaysia in January.


KENNY ROBERTS: LOOKING FOR THE BASE
We’re still looking for a good base setting at this time, then we can move the bike forward from there. At the moment, it’s a bit like when you’re lost, and you feel really hopeless … then suddenly you see a signpost, and suddenly everything’s okay again. We’re looking for that signpost now, but I’m sure we’ll find it.


JOHN HOPKINS: LEARNING TO CRAWL
There’s a long way to go, but also a long way before the start of the season. Today I did find a good set-up, and that gives us a basis to improve, so we can work round the fine-tuning from there. At the moment we’re learning to crawl, before we can walk.



Updated Post: Hodgson Fastest In World Superbike Tests At Valencia

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From a press release issued by Scuderia Caracchi NCR:

SUPERBIKE WINTER TEST
FIRST DAY AT VALENCIA
(Valencia 2003, February 21)

Debut day today for the Winter Test special session organised by SBK International on Valencia Circuit where, next Sunday March 2nd will start the 2003 Superbike World Championship. Positive debut for the Scuderia Caracchi NCR, with Regis Laconi sixth fastest at the end f the first day.

“It has been a day without particular problems.” – commented at the end Regis Laconi – “We worked for long time to find a good set up of suspensions and I’m confident that we found a good basis for the handling. About the engine finally I tested also the new exhaust 2 into 1 and, comparing with the standard solution, I find it better at high revs, but not at low revs; now we’ll work together to find an electronic map that will allow us a good result in every condition. My laptime went quite easily and in the last session too, when it was quite cold, I recorded a good laptime, always using race tyres. As debut of this test I’m without any doubt very satisfied.”

David Garcia, too, that follows to learn the NCR Ducati 998RS Nortel Networks, recorded a very good 12th fastest, leading riders with a lot of experience.

“We worked a lot on the suspensions.” – said the rider from Almeria – “I have to find more feeling with a bike so different from the bikes I rode before, but at the end of this day I got a good feeling either with the bike and with the race tyres. I went on to have some trouble with the gearbox, like in the last occasion here in Valencia, but now the guys find what we believe could be the mistake and for tomorrow we are confident to be OK. I’m still learning, but I feel myself always better and better.”

Spanish tests will continue to Sunday February 23rd.

Today’s results:
1.HODGSON Neil (Ducati) 1:35.479; 2.XAUS Ruben (Ducati) 1:35.623; 3.WALKER Chris (Ducati) 1:35.842; 4.TOSELAND James (Ducati) 1:35.932; 5.MARTIN Steve (Ducati) 1:36.061; 6.LACONI Regis (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:36.545; 7.LAVILLA Gregorio (Suzuki) 1:36.596; 8.BORJA Juan Batista (Ducati) 1:36.727; 9.CORSER Troy (Foggy Petronas) 1:37.028; 10.CHILI Pierfrancesco (Ducati) 1:37.036;….. 12.GARCIA David (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:37.761


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION

HODGSON AND XAUS (TEAM DUCATI FILA) SET THE PACE AT VALENCIA ON DAY 1 OF WORLD SUPERBIKE TESTING

The World Superbike Championship returns to the track this weekend at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain for a three day testing session starting from today, in preparation for round 1 of the championship, which kicks off next Sunday at the same circuit.

Team Ducati Fila riders Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus set the pace on the first day of testing with the all-new Ducati 999, the heir to the 998 that clinched an eleventh Manufacturers’ title for the Italian manufacturer in 2002.

Both the 29-year-old British rider, who has not tested since early December due to corrective surgery on his left wrist, and the 25-year-old Catalan, in his third season with the factory Ducati Corse Superbike squad, were in fine form today around the 4.005 km track, despite each recording a harmless crash.

The workload mainly revolved around optimising the set-up on the four new race bikes, two apiece for the riders, and numerous suspension settings were tried out. Together with Michelin technicians, the two riders also verified the race tyre choice tested during the winter.

“That wasn’t a bad day” said Neil, “because I had to blow the cobwebs off after two months away from the track and it was the first real test for my wrist. After I high-sided at the first corner, I also felt stiff in the afternoon, so all things considered, I’m pretty happy with my quickest time. The bike is not quite the same as I remembered, but there again neither am I! I know I’ll go faster tomorrow, today I wasn’t pushing too hard”.

“I lost it at the final curve but it wasn’t because I was going too fast or slow, I just got my braking all wrong and it was all my fault” commented Ruben. “The 999 feels really good and I’m getting more and more used to it but the conditions are a bit different here to when we tested one month ago, so now we have to get back into the rhythm once again.”

OFFICIAL TIMES: 1. Hodgson (Ducati Fila) 1:35.47; 2. Xaus (Ducati Fila) 1:35.62; 3. Walker (HM Plant Ducati) 1:35.84; 4. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) 1:35.93; 5. Martin (Ducati DFX) 1:36.06; 6. Laconi (Ducati NCR) 1:36.54; 7. Lavilla (Suzuki) 1:36.59; 8. Borja (Ducati DFX) 1:36.72; 9. Corser (Foggy Petronas) 1’37.02; 10. Chili (Ducati) 1:37.03.



More, from a press release issued by the Superbike World Championship press office:

PRESS RELEASE
Valencia Pre-season Test
Friday 21/02/03

The first day of the official World Superbike Championship pre-season tests delivered the fastest lap of 1:35.479 to Fila Ducati rider Neil Hodgson, despite a high-speed fall suffered in the early sessions by the English rider. Lapping consistently fast on the new 999 F03 factory twin Hodgson also set a fastest top speed in the cold but dry conditions, with a mark of 289kmph.

Second quickest rider proved to be Hodgson’s team-mate Ruben Xaus, with a 1:35.623, despite the Spaniard also falling shortly after leading the time sheets in the early afternoon.

Slightly behind the factory duo, with a best time of 1:35.842, came HM Plant Ducati rider Chris Walker, running well on his 2002 spec works 998 F02. Walker’s quickest time came during the last session of the day, and although his team-mate James Toseland did not compete in that session he had already set the fourth fastest lap – 1:35.932.

Just outside the 1:35s came Aussie privateer Steve Martin (Ducati DFX 998RS) followed closely by Regis Laconi (NCR Nortel Network Ducati).

The new era of 1000cc four-cylinder machines, running air intake restrictors to limit peak horsepower, was ushered in on home ground by Spain’s Gregorio Lavilla (Alstare Suzuki), and he proved to be the highest-placed such rider on the day. His time of 1:36.598 was good enough for seventh place on the opening day’s timesheets. His Spanish countryman Juan Borja (DFX Ducati) went eighth fastest.

A top ten placing on the first day of true comparative tests was a heartening result for the all-new Foggy Petronas Racing Team and lead rider Troy Corser, with the 1996 champion setting the ninth-quickest time. His progress was consistently spectacular, with flames emanating from the tailpipes of the three-cylinder 900cc machine on the overrun.

Tenth quickest over four sessions proved to be the experienced SBK campaigner Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati), with 22 riders taking part in total.

Less than perfect weather predictions for the second and third days of the test may indicate that few riders will have a further chance to match the circuit best Superbike lap (1:34.649) set by Ducati rider Ben Bostrom in 2002.

In the Supersport class, arguably the most closely contested of all; the best times were put in by the Ten Kate Honda duo of Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge. Vermeulen, the younger of the Australian riders, had the honour of setting the best lap of the day, 1:38.120, in the final session.

Only 0.134 seconds behind came Muggeridge, plus three time WSS race winner in the past season Katsuaki Fujiwara (Alstare Suzuki) in third position on the timesheets.

One year of experience in World Supersport helped former European Supersport Champion Alessio Corradi (Team Italia Spadaro Yamaha) to a fine fourth fastest.

Thierry van den Bosch (Yamaha Motor France), a rookie to the World Supersport scene but a World Supermoto Champion of the very recent past, took his R6 to fifth fastest overall. He also set the highest number of Supersport laps on day one, with 63.

Pere Riba scored the top Kawasaki placing in eighth at his home circuit. The Valencia tests are a curtain raiser for the first race of the season, which takes place next weekend at the Spanish venue.

SBK Press Office


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Promising opening for Foggy PETRONAS Racing

Foggy PETRONAS Racing riders Troy Corser and James Haydon continued their pre-season progress
during the opening day of the three-day official World Superbike championship winter test.

Both riders improved lap times from their previous visit to the circuit as they were pitched against the forthcoming season’s opposition for the first time at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.

A test by the Formula One McLaren team over the previous three days had resulted in a dirty track that, when combined with low temperatures at the start and end of a chilly day, reduced meaningful track time. But, with scope for improvement in the provision of Michelin race tyres, Carl Fogarty’s new team were confident that the Foggy FP1 was capable of progressing towards the front of the field.

Corser finished the day 1.5 seconds behind the quickest time, set by factory Fila Ducati rider Neil Hodgson, while Haydon made significant in-roads into his previous best at the circuit.

Chief engineer Steve Thompson said: “I think we have progressed well today. I feel the performance of the engine is now close to that of all but a couple of the teams.”

Troy Corser said: “It has been a little bit like starting again because the engines we have now have more power and torque than when we were here before Christmas, and than we had at our last test in Malaysia, so a lot of the set-up and mapping work has to be done again. I’m quite happy with the times, although it was difficult to concentrate on them with the limited time on track.”

James Haydon said: “This is not a track that I know well because we have been unlucky with the bikes and the weather on previous occasions here. So I was pleased to knock so much off my previous best time. It’s obvious that the torque and pick-up of the engine has improved in the lower mid-range, where it was needed.”

Times: Day one of three

1 Hodgson Fila Ducati 1:35.479
2 Xaus Fila Ducati 1:35.623
3 Walker HM Plant Ducati 1:35.842
4 Toseland HM Plant Ducati 1:35.932
5 Martin DFX Racing 1:36.061
6 Laconi NCR 1:36.545
7 Lavilla Alstare Suzuki 1:36.569
8 Borja DFX Racing 1:36.727
9 Corser Foggy PETRONAS Racing 1:37.028
10 Chili Team PSG-1 1:37.036

15 Haydon Foggy PETRONAS Racing 1:38.203

Ducati Names New Head Of Global Sales

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From a press release issued by Ducati:

DUCATI ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW HEAD OF GLOBAL SALES

Bologna, Italy, February 21, 2003 – Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (NYSE: DMH and Borsa Italiana S.p.A.: DMH), a leading manufacturer of high performance motorcycles, announced the appointment of Mirko Bordiga, 34, as Group Sales Director.

Mr. Bordiga has been Head of Ducati Japan since September 1999, where he oversaw a transformation of the Ducati business and average unit sales growth of 38% per year. He has a degree in Business Administration from Bocconi University, Milan and began his career at Ducati in 1998 in the sales department at the Company’s Bologna headquarters in Italy.

“Mirko’s outstanding professionalism, dedication and understanding of the motorcycle business make him the right person to take responsibility for the company’s global sales,” said Carlo Di Biagio, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding. “Since he joined Ducati six years ago, Mirko has been trained internally, climbed up rapidly through the Company and shown a rare combination of talent, youthful energy and commercial maturity. His experience at Ducati in Bologna and Japan ensure that he knows the Company well, and that he will be operational and effective without delay.”

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to help build the Ducati business worldwide,” said Mr. Bordiga. “In these challenging times – with a contracting market and an escalating Euro – it is vital to stay very focused on strengthening our relationship with our dealer network and on continuing to build the brand. I look forward to starting immediately with renewed energy and commitment.”

Mr. Nicola Greco, the previous Group Sales and Commercial Director, has been appointed Network Development Strategy Manager of the Ducati Group, reporting directly to the CEO. Mr. Shinobu Sasaki, Sales & Marketing Manager of Ducati Japan, will become Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Ducati Japan and will continue to report to Mr. Bordiga, who will continue in his capacity as President of Ducati Japan.



Sears Point Changes Get Mixed Reviews From Local Riders

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sears Point Changes Met With Mixed Reviews

By Michael Hannas

Motorcycles took to the revised Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point Raceway) for the first time Saturday, February 22, during a 3J’s Motorcycle Day. The revised Turn one, Turn 8a-9a section, and Turn 11 were all utilized for the first time. Those in attendance had mixed reactions to the changes.

The new Turn One layout is similar to the old AMA Turn One, circa 1996, which utilized orange cones in the middle of the dragstrip as the apex of a 90-degree left. The pavement at the end of the front straight has been extended 50 feet with cones similiar to the old AMA cones delineating the apex. The new turn is even tighter and slower than the old AMA Turn One and according to Infineon Raceway Vice President of Facilities Jere Starks, was designed to point the rider towards the middle of the straightaway underneath the Turn One bridge, away from the hillside.

The new Turn 8a-9a section, which was quickly being referred to as “The Bus Stop,” carries riders straight over the Turn 8a hillside parallel to the terraced grandstands, instead of bending to the right and into Turn Nine.

This means the rider does not have to let off the gas for Turn 8a as in the past, making for some nice wheelies in front of the grandstands for the fans. At the end of the short straight is a tight, second-gear, 90-degree right followed directly by an even tighter left that connects back onto the old track in between old Turn Nine and Turn 10. Now, the rider is accelerating through Turn 10, instead of letting off into the corner. The rider now accelerates through Turn 10 all the way until hitting the brakes for the new Turn 11, which turns directly behind the drag race tower, 40 feet closer than before.

The new Turn 11 is tighter than before and points the rider directly down the front straightaway, instead of towards the wall as in the past. Being 40 feet shorter than before, it causes the rider to brake almost as he or she is still leaned over to the right for Turn 10, at around the same point as in the past since the speed in Turn 10 is slower now.

Comments from the various local suspects who showed up were mixed. Most concerns centered around the new 8a-9a section, which creates a situation where a rider who either crashes or loses the brakes into the Turn 9 right-hander could cross into the path of a rider exiting the left-handed Turn 9a. Some felt this could create a bigger problem then the old Turn Nine or Turn 10 did. The old sections were fast and lined with walls, but didn’t cause very many accidents. The new chicane, it appears, could create more situations, albeit at a much slower speed. The transition from the old track onto the new section at Turn 8a is also bumpy, causing headshake and a wheelie.

Factory Kawasaki Supersport rider Tony Meiring said, “It needs a lot of work. I think it’s more dangerous for sure. If you crash going into that Bus Stop, if you tuck the front, your bike will slide into the guys on the other side. Turn One is fun but it is pretty tight. The first lap will be pretty hairy. The new Turn 11 is really tight, too. I don’t know, I liked the old track.”

2002 AMA Superbike Top Privateer Brian Parriott, out testing his new BMW Boxer Cup Replika on the new track in preparation for Daytona, also yearned for the good ol’ days. “I think it’s a bit safer, but not as fun. It’s gonna be a hard place to pass (the Bus Stop), there’s only one line through that chicane. The Turn 8a transistion is so bumpy even my Beemer wheelies. As for Turn 11, they should put it where it was before, last year. Or even split the difference between that and the old, old one. The way it is, it is hard to pass. Turn One, I think they should go back to wide-open, there’s plenty of space now. All these crybabies, ‘Waa, waaa, the hillside, the walls.’ They should put it back how it was, back in ’94. There used to be a fence you could hang your bike on in Turn Five.”

2002 AFM Overall #1 and Open Superbike Champion Dave Stanton seemed to like the changes more than others. “I like it. I think they’re moving in the right direction. It’s safer, and funner, more of a rider’s track. I think they’re working hard trying to improve the safety. Before I never really thought about safety. Now everyone is starting from scratch. It’s gonna be good, but bad for me- I’ll be giving up my local advantage. It’s gonna be great!”

2002 AFM #2 Ken Hill was concerned about the safety aspects of the new layout. “I think it’s fun and more of a rider’s challenge, but from a safety aspect there are still areas of concern. It tightens things up a lot. I think someone crashing into Turn Nine could take someone else out.”

The fastest AFM regulars were turning lap times in the 1:44 range by the end of the day. For comparison, Stanton turned 1:35s during the 2002 AMA Formula Extreme race en route to a top-10 finish. With the tighter layout, 600cc Supersport machines seemed to be able to lap at times very close to 1000cc Superbike-spec machines.

AFM officials on the scene displayed concern about the safety aspects of the new Turn 8a-9a section. The potential for bikes crashing and hitting other bikes was the concern, with the general feeling being that the old Turn Nine section didn’t present such a problem in the past. Officials later announced that the AFM would use the new Turn One, but use the old Turn Nine and Turn 11.

Infineon’s Starks noted the concern of the riders about the new section. According to Starks, the track is has plans to remedy the problem before the AMA Superbike Doubleheader, most likely in the form of a gravel trap that would attempt to stop crashed bikes before they could re-enter the track.

Updated Post: Barros, Edwards Fastest In Final Day Of MotoGP Tests At Jerez

From a press issued by Yamaha:

POSITIVE CHECA AND MELANDRI THIRD AND FIFTH FASTEST IN JEREZ

Fortuna Yamaha Team duo Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri recorded the third and fifth fastest times at today’s final day of the three day MotoGP IRTA tests in Jerez, Spain. All fifteen of the MotoGP riders rode in long awaited sunny but slightly windy conditions, having lost a day to wet weather yesterday. Despite three tests since December at the Spanish circuit, this was just the third day that the Fortuna Yamaha Team were able to test in sunshine.

Checa continued testing his fuel injected Yamaha YZR-M1, setting his best lap time of the three days with 1:42.861. The Spanish rider concentrated on testing endurance tyres for Michelin in the latter part of the day and was satisfied with the progress made, “The lap time was not the most important thing for us today, as I was testing endurance tyres for Michelin for 16 laps. I still can’t find the feeling I want and need with the bike to win a race. I am having some problems with rear grip and overall balance. I would like to be able to control the rear tyre with the throttle, and at the moment I can’t do that. It’s quite hard to be optimistic now about this track, however we will keep working and I have confidence that we can improve in the areas we need to.”

Marco Melandri completed 68 laps with a best time of 1:43.2, bettering his time of 1:43.8 from Friday’s session.

“I have had a really good test,” commented the 250cc World Champion. “I am very happy with this weekend but I made a bit of a mistake right at the end. Until the last hour of the test we had used the same set-up of the fuel injection bike but towards the end of the session I wanted to try a change to the front geometry. I then felt too much weight at the front on turn 11 and took a tumble. It was also very windy at that moment inside the corner and so was easy for me to slide off. Generally I am extremely happy – with my time and with my feeling on the bike. I wasn’t focusing on the time but managed to improve on Friday’s time, and I felt better here than at all my previous tests with the M1. I even changed my riding line slightly today. Now we are going to Estoril where I think it will be quite difficult as there are many slow corners there, which were maybe easier on a 250cc bike than on a four-stroke.”

Melandri’s crew chief Fiorenzo Fanali was delighted with his new rider’s progress, “We have helped Michelin a lot today with tyre testing and were very happy to do so, then we decided to try something a bit different with the geometry in the last hour of the test. Unfortunately after we added more weight to the front Marco took a tumble so we will now go back to the old set-up for Estoril. I am quite happy with Marco’s performance in the last few days. He is sensitive to all the changes we make to the bike, and is good at communicating those feelings to us.”

Team Director Davide Brivio summed up the test positively, “Both riders have set good times, despite Marco’s small crash. Carlos has tried many different settings, we have faced some problems with the fuel injection system but at this stage of development it is quite normal. At the end of the session he was able to go consistently and at a good pace. We have a good base for him but there is room to improve more. Marco has now tested the fuel injection bike for the first time, and the new chassis. The next test will be useful for him to get more used to this bike. He was close in his times to all the top riders, so we are very pleased with the performance of both our riders today.”

The Fortuna Yamaha Team now travel to Portugal to take part in the next MotoGP IRTA group tests at the Estoril circuit on the 26th and 27th February.


LAP TIMES
1. Alex Barros, Gauloises Yamaha Team 1:42.640

2. Colin Edwards, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:42.818

3. Carlos Checa, Fortuna Yamaha Team 1:42.861

4. Troy Bayliss, Ducati Marlboro Team 1:42.890

5. Marco Melandri, Fortuna Yamaha Team 1:43.236

6. Shinya Nakano, D’Antin Yamaha 1:43.302

7. Loris Capirossi, Ducati Marlboro Team 1:43.541

8. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:43.910

9. Noriyuki Haga, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:44.218

10. John Hopkins, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:44.740


More, from a press release issued by Team Yamaha D’Antin:

YAMAHA D’ANTIN TESTS
JEREZ
February 23, 2003

GOOD WORK FOR TEAM YAMAHA D’ANTIN IN JEREZ

Today had concluded first IRTA tests, organized by the MotoGP teams association in Jerez circuit. Fortunately today, the last day, riders could ride their bikes with the sun shining, but the windy conditions has been the main problem in the way to get good lap times. Team Yamaha d’Antín leaves the Spanish track satisfied with the work done during the three days. They have improved the settings of the new Yamaha YZR-M1, the bike they will use in the opening GP next April 6 in Suzuka, Japan. The set-up of the electronic fuel injection system and chassis adjustments have been the main focus of the team during the three days.

Yamaha d’Antín Team Director, the former rider Luis d’Antín, was happy with the work done as he commented after the tests, “Overall, everything has gone quite well, the tests have been positive because it was the first time we had 2003 bike. Basically we have focused in set-up the injection and chassis, and also we have been testing many tyres from Michelin. We also have been getting used to the rider and vice versa. Our target is get the 100 percent for the opening race in Japan.”

During the three days of testing Shinya Nakano has completed almost 200 laps in Jerez circuit and he is happy with the progress. “The focus of these tests was the bike of 2003. Get the right chassis and injection set up was the hardest work, but yesterday we found a good set-up. Today I’ve been riding comfortable, but I still at 80 percent of my possibilities. We have to find the other 20%.”

Team Technical Director, Naoya Kaneko thinks the same as his rider. “We have test a lot of things and we have changed the settings many times, and now we know what we have to improve. Shinya has bettered his times in Jerez, but we still need a little bit to be prepared.”

The team Yamaha d’Antín now goes to Estoril circuit in Potugal to take part in IRTA tests session on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.


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

NEW SUZUKI MEETS THE RIVALS AT JEREZ

Team Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins concluded three incident-free days of testing at the Spanish GP circuit of Jerez today – with the all-new 2003 GSV-R Suzuki racer making further progress in the fast-forward development programme before the start of the season on April 6.

It was only the third test for the radically changed V4 990cc racer, marking the halfway point of the six-test schedule that started in January, when the factory surprised the team with the all-new machine. Engine and chassis have both been significantly changed compared with last year’s first GSV-R, as the design evolves towards the goal of winning races again for the factory that claimed the premier-class World Championship in 2000.

2000 World Champion Kenny Roberts set his best time today, the third day of open-to-all testing, improving on his best race lap time set here last year, in spite of unfavourably cool and windy conditions. Hopkins set his best time on the first day of testing, which was cloudy and overcast. The second day was spoiled by rain. Today was sunny but still cool, with a strong wind giving riders problems and causing several crashes.

Roberts completed 68 laps today, to bring his overall total to 131 over the three days. The Californian son of a legend’s best lap time of 1:43.918, was less than a second off the circuit lap record. He was placed eighth-fastest.

Hopkins ran 65 laps today, and a total of 173, with a best time of 1:44.652. The rider from California (but of English parentage) is new to the Suzuki team and to the new-generation 990cc four-strokes. His debut season last year was on a 500cc two-stroke.

All the rival teams except Honda attended the tests. Suzuki move on now to private tests in Valencia before rejoining the final IRTA test at Catalunya in mid-March.


KENNY ROBERTS – 1:43.918
We’ve worked hard here, when the weather allowed it. I can’t say I’m happy with the lap time. We need to get the base settings right before we can start to use the bike to its full, and we need the factory to help us. We have more tests and more parts coming. The bike has the potential. We need to unlock it, and we’re all determined to do that.


JOHN HOPKINS – 1:44.652
We made some steps here, but we still have many things to sort out. We need to make bigger steps in the upcoming tests in order to be where we want to be for the first race. The bike is still so new, and there are still so many things to get set right. We’re concentrating on one thing at a time, and that one thing leads to another. Here my main difficulty has been that the bike doesn’t turn well. I’m losing time into the turns and in the middle of the corner. We need a good ground plan for the upcoming tests, but my crew chief Stuart Shenton, away sick, will be back, and that should help us. Though I have to say my guys worked 110 percent here. It’s a great team.


GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager
This was only the bike’s third time out, and the first time with the rival machines. We learned a lot. Obviously there’s a lot of potential that we still need to find, and after the excitement of getting the new bike in January it’s a little disappointing. But we tested almost everything here that we needed to test. Now the factory will take the data and look for improvements in the areas we need. It’s never easy to take something so brand new and get the best out of it. It takes time, and we still have some more time. The factory has already proved how committed they are; the team feels the same. We’ll keep on working. This is gritty stuff for the riders. Doing development work at this sort of IRTA test where the others have their machines better sorted can be testing for a rider’s mental stamina.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

PRESS INFORMATION

BAYLISS ON RACE PACE, CAPIROSSI FALLS IN WINDY CONDITIONS

IRTA tests, Jerez, Spain
Sunday, February 23, 2003

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi battled strong, gusting winds at Jerez today as they completed their first group test session on the Desmosedici V4. Despite less than perfect weather throughout the three days – low track temperatures on Friday and rain yesterday – both men believe they have made important progress.

Bayliss was particularly happy at the end of the day, having completed an impressive race simulation with Michelin’s latest 2003 tyres. Capirossi however had a more torrid time, falling twice in the afternoon, the first when he was caught out by a gust of wind.

“We dedicated today to testing Michelin’s new tyres, doing almost no other work on set-up”, said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “Troy did a long run at a good pace but we weren’t so lucky with Loris. He lost the front twice. Both guys found the latest rear tyres very promising, and Troy also found a better front tyre.”

Bayliss, whose average pace during the race simulation was an impressive 1:43.5, was delighted with progress and keen to continue testing at Estoril next week. “The whole test has gone pretty good, we’ve kept moving forward,” said the former World Superbike Champion. “This is my third time at this track, so I expected some good times. We’ve made good progress and we’ve got some more ideas for the next test, and that’s what it’s all about. The track could’ve been better today, but I’m quite happy with the long run we did at the end of the afternoon. We’ve run Michelin’s new tyres and they feel good, the engine feels good too and we only did a little bit of playing around with the suspension today.”

Capirossi was happy enough with progress, despite two minor falls, the wind also claiming other victims during the day. “After two crashes I decided to concentrate on testing tyres and settings, because conditions weren’t right for trying to go really fast,” said the Italian, who nevertheless proved that he had lost none of his confidence by setting his fastest lap of the day on his penultimate lap. “Despite the crashes, everything has gone well from a set-up point of view, but unfortunately there was too much wind for me to give a good lap-time performance.”

Bayliss and Capirossi continue the Desmosedici test programme at Estoril, Portugal, next week, and then take Ducati’s MotoGP project to the next level at Catalunya, Spain, in mid-March, when they will ride their definitive 2003 bikes for the first time. The 16-round MotoGP World Championship commences at Suzuka, Japan, on April 6.




Mladin Looks For Fourth AMA Superbike Championship

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

23 February 2003

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship
Season Preview

NEW BIKE, NEW SEASON – MLADIN CHASES FOURTH AMERICAN SUPERBIKE CROWN

The off-season break has been a very good one for three times American AMA Superbike champion, Australian Mat Mladin as he prepares for the famous Daytona 200, the opening round of this year’s AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship on March 9.

The most significant change is that Mladin will compete in this year’s 18-round championship aboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000 rather than the GSX-R750 that took him to three AMA Superbike crowns and two Daytona 200s.

The move to the full 1000cc capacity has been met with a huge amount of enthusiasm by Mladin and Team Yoshimura Suzuki for whom he will be competing for a seventh year.

“We are definitely going in the right direction with the new Suzuki GSX-R1000,” said Mladin. “I think we’ve got a motorcycle that can be very competitive this year. The way the rules have been, we had a motorcycle that we were always playing catch up with and if you didn’t get it set up 100 percent on the day, it made it very hard. I think we have a chance to be very strong and we should do well this year.”

Since the announcement by the AMA late last year regarding the rule changes to the class, Mladin’s team has been busy preparing brand new machines from the ground up and undertaking a testing program that included time at Daytona, California Speedway in Fontana, Laguna Seca and a four-day test at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.

“We’ve done a fair bit of testing since Christmas, with a couple of days at Fontana, followed by four in Malaysia and then at Laguna Seca last week. It’s not a huge amount by any means in the way of days tested, I think we would need double the amount that we have done, but what we did do was very productive,” added Mladin. “It rained at the Daytona test before Christmas and then it rained again last week at Laguna, so who knows where we would have been if we didn’t go to Malaysia. The four days that we had there proved to be very good for us.”

Mladin has recorded a number of very fast lap times aboard the GSX-R1000 at each of the circuits that he has tested this year, providing his opponents in this year’s championship with the knowledge that he has been fast and is eager to win a fourth AMA Superbike title.

“Any time you can have as much, if not more horsepower than people that have had more than you in the past, is certainly encouraging. Besides the horsepower, the bike works well. It feels very good to me, I’m very comfortable on the bike and I’m riding a lot more relaxed than I have over the past couple of years. I had to change the way I rode the bike in the past two years to a point where I wasn’t comfortable anymore. Mistakes started to creep into my riding, just because I wasn’t sitting on the bike the way I wanted to, but it was the only way we could get the bike to turn. I really did love the GSX-R750 that I won the championship on in 1999 and 2000 and the new GSX-R1000 feels a lot like that.”

This week, Mladin and his team will complete their final preparations before leaving their base in California and head across to Florida for the opening round of the championship, which kicks off with Bike Week at Daytona.


Mat Mladin:
1992 Australian Superbike Champion
1999, 2000, 2001 American AMA Superbike Champion
2000, 2001 Daytona 200 Champion
2000 American AMA Pro Athlete of the Year





Rain Hinders Ducati WSB And MotoGP Testing In Spain

From press releases issued by Ducati Corse:

SECOND DAY OF SBK WINTER TESTING AT VALENCIA
INTERRUPTED BY BAD WEATHER

Ruben Xaus (Team Ducati Fila) headed the timesheets today on the second day of official SBK pre-season testing at Valencia. In the afternoon the two Ducati Fila riders, Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus did not go out onto the track after rain started to fall and two of the scheduled four sessions were not completed.

Spain’s Xaus completed a total of 55 laps on the Ducati 999, the Italian manufacturer’s new Superbike model, recording a time of 1:34.75, one-tenth of a second slower than the circuit record set by Ben Bostrom (Ducati L&M) and six tenths of a second quicker than his time recorded one month ago at the same track. Ruben tested new rear tyres made available by Michelin, and constantly lapped at this pace during his mini race simulation in the morning.

“Everything is going really well” declared Ruben at the end of the day. “We tried some new race tyres, even though we couldn’t complete the entire programme due to the rain. The team is working well, and I’m getting a better felling with the 999 all the time. I made a good step forward with the bike here at Valencia because my time of 1:34.75 is the best I’ve ever recorded around here.”

Neil Hodgson focussed mainly on bike settings, trying to eliminate weight transfer imbalance in braking and acceleration and the British rider completed 38 laps today, setting a best time of 1:35.04.

“I got caught out with the weather because I wanted to save my best time for the end of the day, but it’s the same for everyone” commented Neil. “Today we made some progress with the 999 after going back to the settings I used in December. The handling now feels much better and I have a lot more confidence so I’m sure I can improve again tomorrow.”

Tomorrow will see the third and final day of official SBK testing at Valencia.

OFFICIAL TIMES: 1. Xaus (Ducati Fila) 1:34.75; 2. Hodgson (Ducati Fila) 1:35.04; 3. Laconi (Ducati NCR) 1:35.68; 4. Chili (Ducati) 1:36.06; 5. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) 1:36.06; 6. Walker (HM Plant Ducati) 1:36.12; 7. Corser (Foggy Petronas) 1:36.40; 8. Lavilla (Suzuki) 1:36.47; 9. Borja (Ducati DFX) 1:36.51; 10. Garcia (Ducati NCR) 1:36.87.





BAYLISS & CAPIROSSI PRAY FOR SUN AT RAINY JEREZ

IRTA tests, Jerez, Spain
Saturday, February 22, 2003

Ducati Marlboro Team riders Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi continued to make excellent progress during the year’s first IRTA tests at Jerez today, despite heavy rain showers that forced them to spend much of the morning in the pits. Both men are hoping to make up for lost time during tomorrow’s final day, when the weather is expected to be better.

As yesterday, the Australian and the Italian focused on fine tuning chassis settings, even though the circuit was in poor condition throughout, the rain having washed dust and dirt onto the track.

“The work we’re doing here is very important,” said Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali. “We have a very precise schedule of work to do before the first race in April, with a lot to do in a short time. At the moment we have no real references at most of the GP circuits, so we have to work very efficiently, and losing half a day of a three-day test here could be critical. But we believe in the project and we believe in the enthusiasm and professionalism of the whole team. I’m particularly grateful to Troy and Loris today, because in spite of the conditions they both continued working to give us the maximum amount of information about the bike.”

Former World Superbike champ Bayliss, who has never raced at Jerez, managed to ride 47 laps today, usefully expanding his knowledge of the Spanish circuit. “I could’ve sat around and done nothing, but even though the track wasn’t in a great state, you never know what kind of conditions you’re going to have to race in,” he smiled. “Even at the end of the day a couple of the corners were still a bit sketchy, with a couple of guys going down, so I just hope we have a good day tomorrow. We’ve been mostly playing with chassis setting, plus I tried a few different front Michelins. I found a couple of things I liked today, so I’m feeling keen for tomorrow. I want a bit of sun, so I can do a lot of laps.”

Capirossi, who has been racing here since 1990, rode 24 laps today, preferring not to take risks in the tricky conditions. But he also ended the day in good spirits. “The track was very dirty after the rain, which compromised our work today, but we still managed to get a lot done,” he said. “We tried some new chassis solutions and different configurations, so we’ve kept moving ahead. But tomorrow we need sun!”

Tomorrow both riders plan to do their first serious tyre testing with Michelin’s range of 2003 tyres, weather permitting.

Lap times
Troy Bayliss (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:45.640
Loris Capirossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:48.091


More, from a press release issued by Scuderia Caracchi NCR:

LACONI ON THE TOP AND GARCIA GROWS UP

(Valencia 2003, February 22)

A soft rain stopped today test on Valencia circuit. But the two practice sessions on the dry track showed a great Regis Laconi. The French rider of 998RS Caracchi NCR Nortel Networks recorsed the third fastest overall, leaded only by the two Fila Ducati factory bikes.

“Today too we worked first to find the best set up,” – declared at the end of the test day Regis Laconi – “Handling and gearbox have been our aim today, and we rode immediately one second faster as yesterday laptime; then we set at the best the hand lever for rear brake that I asked to Stefano as I like it works, well, a classic test day, but the third fastest we score shows that we are in the right direction. It has a pity that the rain forced us to stop working, we must set at the best the gearbox ratio, but I’m really satisfied about the work we have done.”

David Garcia, always very quiet in the pit, goes on to upgrade recording the tenth fastest of today practice.

“The rain ruined everything,” – said a disappointed Garcia – “I need to stay on the bike and ride kilometers on the 998RS, and unfortunately in the afternoon we couldn’t practice at all. In the morning sessions I feel very well, the gearbox was running well and I’m confident that, if the practices could go on, I could be faster. I found a good feeling with the team and now I am confident in a good racing debut next week-end.”

Unfortunately also for tomorrow, Sunday February 23, closing test day, the weather forecast doesn’t show anything good.

Two days test – Overall results:

1.XAUS Ruben (Ducati) 1:34.755; 2.HODGSON Neil (Ducati) 1:35.044; 3.LACONI Regis (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:35.685; 4.WALKER Chris (Ducati) 1:35.842; 5.TOSELAND James (Ducati) 1:35.932 ; 6.MARTIN Steve (Ducati) 1:36.061; 7.CHILI Pierfrancesco (Ducati) 1:36.061; 8.CORSER Troy (Foggy Petronas) 1:36.408; 9.LAVILLA Gregorio (Suzuki) 1:36.477; 10.BORJA Juan Batista (Ducati) 1:36.516; 11.GARCIA David (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:36.877


Nakano Fastest During MotoGP Testing At Jerez, In Poor Conditions

From a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:

MotoGP pre-season IRTA Tests
Saturday 22 February 2003 (day 2 of 3)
Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

CHECA AND MELANDRI HINDERED BY RAIN IN SPAIN

Poor weather conditions affected the second day of the Jerez IRTA tests in Spain today, soaking the track in the morning so much that it didn’t fully dry by the end of the day. Thirteen of the fifteen MotoGP riders present ventured out. Fortuna Yamaha Team rider Marco Melandri completed a total of just thirteen laps in the wet conditions while team-mate Carlos Checa chose to wait until the weather improves to ride his latest evolution of the Yamaha YZR-M1.

Team Director Davide Brivio commented: “We are not too worried to have lost one day as we still have some time to prepare for the first race. Carlos didn’t go out because the track still wasn’t totally dry. He has already tested in wet conditions so it’s better that he doesn’t take any risks this close to the start of the Championship. There isn’t much point him testing now unless he can push the bike to its maximum limit. Marco did some laps to get used to the wet because he still needs to practice this on the M1.”

Spaniard Checa recorded the second fastest time of 1:43.2 in yesterday’s action, and Italian Melandri recorded the fifth fastest time of 1:43.8. Better weather conditions are forecast for tomorrow’s action.

LAP TIMES (WET CONDITIONS)
1. Shinya Nakano, D’Antin Yamaha 1:45.214

2. Troy Bayliss, Ducati Marlboro Team 1:45.640

3. Colin Edwards, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:47.982

4. Loris Capirossi, Ducati Marlboro Team, 1:48.091

5. Garry McCoy, Fuchs Kawasaki Racing 1:48.263

6. Noriyuki Haga, Alice Aprilia Racing 1:48.314

7. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:48.488

8. John Hopkins, Suzuki Grand Prix 1:48.709

9. Alex Hoffman, Fuchs Kawasaki Racing 1:48.875

10. Andrew Pitt, Fuchs Kawasaki Racing 1:49.851

Marco Melandri, Fortuna Yamaha Team 1:56.7 (13 laps)



More, from a press release issued by D’Antin Yamaha:

YAMAHA D’ANTIN TESTS, JEREZ
February 22, 2003

NAKANO FASTEST RIDER OF THE SECOND DAY
Most of the winter tests celebrated in Jerez circuit had the same protagonist, the rain. In this second day of IRTA test, and confirming the forecast rain has appeared in the morning and no team had been able to test how they would like. In the afternoon the track was getting dry and the riders could take more track time.

Yamaha d’Antín team rider, Shinya Nakano has completed fifteen laps in the morning session, but with wet tarmac he didn’t managed to ride comfortable. Some riders as Brazilian Alex Barros (Yamaha) –the fastest yesterday- decided not to go out this afternoon. And in the last two hours, Nakano put on his leathers, taking advance of drying tarmac. In just five laps he has bettered his morning lap times in almost six seconds and has finished the session with a best lap of 1:45.214. The best lap time of the day.

“The conditions today weren’t so good. In the morning was raining heavily, later it stopped and when the track was drying, more rain. In the afternoon was better, but the track surface wasn’t completely dry and some parts were wet,” said the Japanese, who will start this year his third season in the premier class. “I’m happy because we have found good setting for the rear end that improve grip and turning. It has been a strange day, and although I’ve get the fastest lap time we have to consider that this afternoon too much rider didn’t go out. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

Forecast for Sunday are not so optimistic and everything says that the weather will be similar as today.



The World Superbike Office’s Take On Valencia Tests

From a press release:

22/02/03

Rain Stops Play

A light fall of rain during the second afternoon of official pre-season World Superbike and Supersport practice sessions brought an early end to the day’s meaningful action. With a wet track surface persisting in the cold ambient weather conditions most teams elected to sit out the final few hours in the pit garage, rather than risk disaster on a slick, but not quite fully wet, 4.005km track.

The first two session of the day were enough to allow Ruben Xaus (Fila Ducati 999) to take the fastest time of the test so far, thanks to his 1:34.755 – making him the only rider inside the 1:35 mark so far. Warmer track conditions would have allowed Xaus and the other top runners to mount greater attempts to beat the circuit best of Ben Bostrom, a time of 1:34.649.

Neil Hodgson also pushed his time towards that of Bostrom, despite spending a large number of laps chasing a better base set-up in vain. His best of 1:35.044 came shortly before the rains invaded the east coast of Spain, engulfing the Valencia circuit.

Superbike race winner Regis Laconi, drafted into the NCR Nortel Ducati team this season, pulled out all the stops to go third fastest over the two-day test, with a 1:35.685 lap.

Chris Walker’s 2002 specification factory Ducati was not able to deliver the Englishman a better time than his opening day best of 1:35.842, despite setting a high overall lap count.

His HM Plant team-mate James Toseland was held back somewhat by his still-healing right hand injury, and he could not improve on his Friday time, leaving him fifth fastest overall.

Steve Martin (DFX Ducati) was one of the few riders to venture out in the wet conditions, to evaluate his Pirelli tyres on a slick Valencia circuit, while PSG-1 Ducati rider Pierfrancesco Chili went almost one second faster today than yesterday, securing an overall seventh fastest time over two days.

Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas Racing) took 0.6 seconds off his best time at Valencia, moving to eighth fastest overall.

Gregorio Lavilla was once more the top four-cylinder 1000cc runner, despite suffering a huge highside crash. Another local rider, Juan Borja, took his DFX Ducati twin to the top ten, one place ahead of Almeria rider David Garcia (NCR Ducati) and two ahead of British rider James Haydon (Foggy Petronas Racing).

The two top Supersport times from the opening day proved to be the best after the second day’s sessions as well, leaving Ten Kate Honda riders Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge clear at the top of the timesheets.

Another factory Honda rider, Christophe Cogan (BKM Racing Team) scored an excellent lap time of 1:38.564, a huge improvement over his first day performance. The majority of the Supersport riders scored faster times on the second day than on the first, with Katsuaki Fujiwara (Alstare Suzuki) fourth quickest, Gianluca Nannelli (Lorenzi by Leoni Yamaha) fifth and Alessio Corradi (Team Italia Spadaro) sixth.

The top Kawasaki rider once more proved to be Pere Riba, in 11th place. Despite a suspected broken rib World Supermoto Champion Thierry van den Bosch continued to ride his Yamaha Motor France machine on day two, securing a time of 1:1:39.185, good enough for a top ten ranking.

The tests reach their conclusion tomorrow, with the first race of the season scheduled for Sunday 2 March, also at Valencia.


Road Atlanta Announces Safety Changes

From a press release issued by Road Atlanta:

ROAD ATLANTA MAKES COURSE CHANGES FOR MOTORCYCLE RACERS IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY

BRASELTON, GA (Feb. 21, 2003) — Road Atlanta has taken proactive steps to increase rider safety during its professional and amateur motorcycle races by re-designing the Turn 3-4 complex of its 2.54-mile Grand Prix course.


Photo by David Allio/Road Atlanta.

Motorcycle racers will use the new 550-foot section of the course. Sports cars will continue to use the original course. Official length of the new motorcycle course has yet to be determined. The new course will be used during the AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown presented by Dark Dog May 15-18, the WERA Regionals July 5-6 and the WERA Grand National Finals Oct. 29-Nov. 2. The new course will also be used for the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School.

“Responding to concerns of riders and AMA Pro Racing, Road Atlanta has taken these proactive steps to increase safety and provide the riders a more exciting venue,” says Mike Swaine, President and General Manager of Road Atlanta. “We have worked closely with AMA Pro Racing in order to build a new portion of the track that addresses the safety concerns.”

Instead of taking the fast, wide sweeping turns through Turns 3-4, motorcycle racers will now make a quick left-hand turn just past the apex of Turn 2, then continue with a right and left-hand turn combination going down the hill before blending back into the original track in Turn 4. The new portion of the track, paved in the wide grassy area between the original track and the retaining wall well away from the racing surface on the left, is 36 feet wide and substantially increases the runoff room on riders’ right.

“The changes have taken the wall at Turn 4 out of the picture and make for safer racing,” says Kevin Schwantz, the 1993 500cc World Champion and member of the AMA Pro Racing Board who also runs the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School at Road Atlanta. “I feel that Road Atlanta is one of the really great road courses on the (AMA Superbike) schedule and to make changes for safety reasons is a good idea. Turns 3-4 have been a point of concern over the past couple of seasons.

“I think the changes that are being made will add another passing area, and make racing safer. It will be a more technical section. You’ll get on the brakes going into the new Turn 3A, and you’ll accelerate going down the hill. You’ll be able to pass under braking coming out of 3A. It’s not just a silly chicane everybody has to just follow through the bike in front. If you’ve got a good bike, it will make you win by more. If you’ve got a bad bike, it will make you struggle more to keep up.”

For more information visit www.roadatlanta.com.




Suzuki Comments On New MotoGP GSV-R’s Jerez Debut

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

RADICAL NEW SUZUKI MAKES PUBLIC DEBUT AT JEREZ

Team Suzuki Press Office. February 21st 2003

The radical new Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP prototype made its first public appearance at the Spanish GP circuit of Jerez today, meeting the opposition for the first time at the open-to-all IRTA test sessions.

The all-new bike, still in the early stages of development and at only its third test, proved close to the overall pace, but with some ground to make up before the start of the season on April 4.

But the mood of team and riders remained positive, with two more days at Jerez, plus two more European tests to go before the return to Japan, and yet more testing before the first race.

“It’s an interesting weekend,” said team manager Garry Taylor. “Some of our major opposition is here, though not all of it, and it’s a chance to assess the potential of the new bike.

“There is still a lot of work to do, and a lot more testing to come. We’re in this for the long haul,” he concluded.

The new GSV-R, code-named XRE1, uses last year’s first ever MotoGP four-stroke prototype as a basis, but with sweeping changes from front to rear. The new machine retains the DOHC 990cc V4 format, but with major revisions to the fuel-injected unit, including a wider 65-degree Vee angle (from 60 degrees). The chassis is also considerably changed, clothed in minimalist carbon-fibre bodywork with a sophisticated aerodynamic profile to the nose.

These are part of a redesigned package offering the potential for major improvement, warmly greeted by both riders – former World Champion Kenny Roberts Jr. and Suzuki new boy John Hopkins – when they saw the new bike for the first time in Malaysia in January.


KENNY ROBERTS: LOOKING FOR THE BASE
We’re still looking for a good base setting at this time, then we can move the bike forward from there. At the moment, it’s a bit like when you’re lost, and you feel really hopeless … then suddenly you see a signpost, and suddenly everything’s okay again. We’re looking for that signpost now, but I’m sure we’ll find it.


JOHN HOPKINS: LEARNING TO CRAWL
There’s a long way to go, but also a long way before the start of the season. Today I did find a good set-up, and that gives us a basis to improve, so we can work round the fine-tuning from there. At the moment we’re learning to crawl, before we can walk.



Updated Post: Hodgson Fastest In World Superbike Tests At Valencia

From a press release issued by Scuderia Caracchi NCR:

SUPERBIKE WINTER TEST
FIRST DAY AT VALENCIA
(Valencia 2003, February 21)

Debut day today for the Winter Test special session organised by SBK International on Valencia Circuit where, next Sunday March 2nd will start the 2003 Superbike World Championship. Positive debut for the Scuderia Caracchi NCR, with Regis Laconi sixth fastest at the end f the first day.

“It has been a day without particular problems.” – commented at the end Regis Laconi – “We worked for long time to find a good set up of suspensions and I’m confident that we found a good basis for the handling. About the engine finally I tested also the new exhaust 2 into 1 and, comparing with the standard solution, I find it better at high revs, but not at low revs; now we’ll work together to find an electronic map that will allow us a good result in every condition. My laptime went quite easily and in the last session too, when it was quite cold, I recorded a good laptime, always using race tyres. As debut of this test I’m without any doubt very satisfied.”

David Garcia, too, that follows to learn the NCR Ducati 998RS Nortel Networks, recorded a very good 12th fastest, leading riders with a lot of experience.

“We worked a lot on the suspensions.” – said the rider from Almeria – “I have to find more feeling with a bike so different from the bikes I rode before, but at the end of this day I got a good feeling either with the bike and with the race tyres. I went on to have some trouble with the gearbox, like in the last occasion here in Valencia, but now the guys find what we believe could be the mistake and for tomorrow we are confident to be OK. I’m still learning, but I feel myself always better and better.”

Spanish tests will continue to Sunday February 23rd.

Today’s results:
1.HODGSON Neil (Ducati) 1:35.479; 2.XAUS Ruben (Ducati) 1:35.623; 3.WALKER Chris (Ducati) 1:35.842; 4.TOSELAND James (Ducati) 1:35.932; 5.MARTIN Steve (Ducati) 1:36.061; 6.LACONI Regis (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:36.545; 7.LAVILLA Gregorio (Suzuki) 1:36.596; 8.BORJA Juan Batista (Ducati) 1:36.727; 9.CORSER Troy (Foggy Petronas) 1:37.028; 10.CHILI Pierfrancesco (Ducati) 1:37.036;….. 12.GARCIA David (Caracchi NCR Ducati Nortel Networks) 1:37.761


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI CORSE PRESS INFORMATION

HODGSON AND XAUS (TEAM DUCATI FILA) SET THE PACE AT VALENCIA ON DAY 1 OF WORLD SUPERBIKE TESTING

The World Superbike Championship returns to the track this weekend at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain for a three day testing session starting from today, in preparation for round 1 of the championship, which kicks off next Sunday at the same circuit.

Team Ducati Fila riders Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus set the pace on the first day of testing with the all-new Ducati 999, the heir to the 998 that clinched an eleventh Manufacturers’ title for the Italian manufacturer in 2002.

Both the 29-year-old British rider, who has not tested since early December due to corrective surgery on his left wrist, and the 25-year-old Catalan, in his third season with the factory Ducati Corse Superbike squad, were in fine form today around the 4.005 km track, despite each recording a harmless crash.

The workload mainly revolved around optimising the set-up on the four new race bikes, two apiece for the riders, and numerous suspension settings were tried out. Together with Michelin technicians, the two riders also verified the race tyre choice tested during the winter.

“That wasn’t a bad day” said Neil, “because I had to blow the cobwebs off after two months away from the track and it was the first real test for my wrist. After I high-sided at the first corner, I also felt stiff in the afternoon, so all things considered, I’m pretty happy with my quickest time. The bike is not quite the same as I remembered, but there again neither am I! I know I’ll go faster tomorrow, today I wasn’t pushing too hard”.

“I lost it at the final curve but it wasn’t because I was going too fast or slow, I just got my braking all wrong and it was all my fault” commented Ruben. “The 999 feels really good and I’m getting more and more used to it but the conditions are a bit different here to when we tested one month ago, so now we have to get back into the rhythm once again.”

OFFICIAL TIMES: 1. Hodgson (Ducati Fila) 1:35.47; 2. Xaus (Ducati Fila) 1:35.62; 3. Walker (HM Plant Ducati) 1:35.84; 4. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) 1:35.93; 5. Martin (Ducati DFX) 1:36.06; 6. Laconi (Ducati NCR) 1:36.54; 7. Lavilla (Suzuki) 1:36.59; 8. Borja (Ducati DFX) 1:36.72; 9. Corser (Foggy Petronas) 1’37.02; 10. Chili (Ducati) 1:37.03.



More, from a press release issued by the Superbike World Championship press office:

PRESS RELEASE
Valencia Pre-season Test
Friday 21/02/03

The first day of the official World Superbike Championship pre-season tests delivered the fastest lap of 1:35.479 to Fila Ducati rider Neil Hodgson, despite a high-speed fall suffered in the early sessions by the English rider. Lapping consistently fast on the new 999 F03 factory twin Hodgson also set a fastest top speed in the cold but dry conditions, with a mark of 289kmph.

Second quickest rider proved to be Hodgson’s team-mate Ruben Xaus, with a 1:35.623, despite the Spaniard also falling shortly after leading the time sheets in the early afternoon.

Slightly behind the factory duo, with a best time of 1:35.842, came HM Plant Ducati rider Chris Walker, running well on his 2002 spec works 998 F02. Walker’s quickest time came during the last session of the day, and although his team-mate James Toseland did not compete in that session he had already set the fourth fastest lap – 1:35.932.

Just outside the 1:35s came Aussie privateer Steve Martin (Ducati DFX 998RS) followed closely by Regis Laconi (NCR Nortel Network Ducati).

The new era of 1000cc four-cylinder machines, running air intake restrictors to limit peak horsepower, was ushered in on home ground by Spain’s Gregorio Lavilla (Alstare Suzuki), and he proved to be the highest-placed such rider on the day. His time of 1:36.598 was good enough for seventh place on the opening day’s timesheets. His Spanish countryman Juan Borja (DFX Ducati) went eighth fastest.

A top ten placing on the first day of true comparative tests was a heartening result for the all-new Foggy Petronas Racing Team and lead rider Troy Corser, with the 1996 champion setting the ninth-quickest time. His progress was consistently spectacular, with flames emanating from the tailpipes of the three-cylinder 900cc machine on the overrun.

Tenth quickest over four sessions proved to be the experienced SBK campaigner Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati), with 22 riders taking part in total.

Less than perfect weather predictions for the second and third days of the test may indicate that few riders will have a further chance to match the circuit best Superbike lap (1:34.649) set by Ducati rider Ben Bostrom in 2002.

In the Supersport class, arguably the most closely contested of all; the best times were put in by the Ten Kate Honda duo of Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge. Vermeulen, the younger of the Australian riders, had the honour of setting the best lap of the day, 1:38.120, in the final session.

Only 0.134 seconds behind came Muggeridge, plus three time WSS race winner in the past season Katsuaki Fujiwara (Alstare Suzuki) in third position on the timesheets.

One year of experience in World Supersport helped former European Supersport Champion Alessio Corradi (Team Italia Spadaro Yamaha) to a fine fourth fastest.

Thierry van den Bosch (Yamaha Motor France), a rookie to the World Supersport scene but a World Supermoto Champion of the very recent past, took his R6 to fifth fastest overall. He also set the highest number of Supersport laps on day one, with 63.

Pere Riba scored the top Kawasaki placing in eighth at his home circuit. The Valencia tests are a curtain raiser for the first race of the season, which takes place next weekend at the Spanish venue.

SBK Press Office


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Promising opening for Foggy PETRONAS Racing

Foggy PETRONAS Racing riders Troy Corser and James Haydon continued their pre-season progress
during the opening day of the three-day official World Superbike championship winter test.

Both riders improved lap times from their previous visit to the circuit as they were pitched against the forthcoming season’s opposition for the first time at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.

A test by the Formula One McLaren team over the previous three days had resulted in a dirty track that, when combined with low temperatures at the start and end of a chilly day, reduced meaningful track time. But, with scope for improvement in the provision of Michelin race tyres, Carl Fogarty’s new team were confident that the Foggy FP1 was capable of progressing towards the front of the field.

Corser finished the day 1.5 seconds behind the quickest time, set by factory Fila Ducati rider Neil Hodgson, while Haydon made significant in-roads into his previous best at the circuit.

Chief engineer Steve Thompson said: “I think we have progressed well today. I feel the performance of the engine is now close to that of all but a couple of the teams.”

Troy Corser said: “It has been a little bit like starting again because the engines we have now have more power and torque than when we were here before Christmas, and than we had at our last test in Malaysia, so a lot of the set-up and mapping work has to be done again. I’m quite happy with the times, although it was difficult to concentrate on them with the limited time on track.”

James Haydon said: “This is not a track that I know well because we have been unlucky with the bikes and the weather on previous occasions here. So I was pleased to knock so much off my previous best time. It’s obvious that the torque and pick-up of the engine has improved in the lower mid-range, where it was needed.”

Times: Day one of three

1 Hodgson Fila Ducati 1:35.479
2 Xaus Fila Ducati 1:35.623
3 Walker HM Plant Ducati 1:35.842
4 Toseland HM Plant Ducati 1:35.932
5 Martin DFX Racing 1:36.061
6 Laconi NCR 1:36.545
7 Lavilla Alstare Suzuki 1:36.569
8 Borja DFX Racing 1:36.727
9 Corser Foggy PETRONAS Racing 1:37.028
10 Chili Team PSG-1 1:37.036

15 Haydon Foggy PETRONAS Racing 1:38.203

Ducati Names New Head Of Global Sales

From a press release issued by Ducati:

DUCATI ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW HEAD OF GLOBAL SALES

Bologna, Italy, February 21, 2003 – Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (NYSE: DMH and Borsa Italiana S.p.A.: DMH), a leading manufacturer of high performance motorcycles, announced the appointment of Mirko Bordiga, 34, as Group Sales Director.

Mr. Bordiga has been Head of Ducati Japan since September 1999, where he oversaw a transformation of the Ducati business and average unit sales growth of 38% per year. He has a degree in Business Administration from Bocconi University, Milan and began his career at Ducati in 1998 in the sales department at the Company’s Bologna headquarters in Italy.

“Mirko’s outstanding professionalism, dedication and understanding of the motorcycle business make him the right person to take responsibility for the company’s global sales,” said Carlo Di Biagio, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding. “Since he joined Ducati six years ago, Mirko has been trained internally, climbed up rapidly through the Company and shown a rare combination of talent, youthful energy and commercial maturity. His experience at Ducati in Bologna and Japan ensure that he knows the Company well, and that he will be operational and effective without delay.”

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to help build the Ducati business worldwide,” said Mr. Bordiga. “In these challenging times – with a contracting market and an escalating Euro – it is vital to stay very focused on strengthening our relationship with our dealer network and on continuing to build the brand. I look forward to starting immediately with renewed energy and commitment.”

Mr. Nicola Greco, the previous Group Sales and Commercial Director, has been appointed Network Development Strategy Manager of the Ducati Group, reporting directly to the CEO. Mr. Shinobu Sasaki, Sales & Marketing Manager of Ducati Japan, will become Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Ducati Japan and will continue to report to Mr. Bordiga, who will continue in his capacity as President of Ducati Japan.



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