|
|
2006-12-22 Superbike test: Losail: Bayliss fastest, Biaggi and Corser share second
 Be first to comment this story
 Times tumbled again at the latest Pirelli test in Losail, with a drop on the winds which had hampered the first two days being matched by an increase in ambient temperature. The 5.380km Losail circuit still proved to be a tough challenge even on day three but nonetheless the times came down as the riders improved set-up and worked through more tyre options.
Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) was once more on peerless form, setting a best of 1'58.1, the best ever Superbike lap at the Losail circuit. He also did a long run of 16 laps at a high pace, only cut short when he ran out of petrol.
Troy Bayliss:
I'm very happy to have come away from the test in this sort of form and it's great to be able to go home for Christmas knowing that you've done a good job. That time was set on a softer tyre which it's not possible to do a race distance on but my long run was good as well. We did almost race distance and I was a lot quicker than in last February's race. It's been a long hard year but it's been great and certainly worth all the effort. I've had a great time being back in Superbike and couldn't have asked for more. Now everyone can go home for Christmas with the knowledge that they've done a great job. Next year is going to be a hard one and we're under no illusions but the bike is great, the team also and we're ready for it.
The last lap of the day put in by Ex-MotoGP star Max Biaggi (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) proved to be on a par with the impressive 1'58.9 set by Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia). Biaggi had to work hard on his machine set-up to get the most out of the 2007 Suzuki, and his team-mate, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) also toiled to get his times down, finally setting a best of 2.00.1, ninth fastest in the test.
James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) relied on his second day best of 1'59.1 to set the overall fourth best time, but a big jump from Regis Laconi (PSP-1 Kawasaki Corse) scored him a 1'59.2, putting both rider and Kawasaki as a manufacturer into the top five, making it five different manufacturers in the top five places.
Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) set his best of test time of 1'59.3 seconds today, keeping the margins close in the top few positions, and in the process outpacing PSG-1 Kawasaki rider Fonsi Nieto's Wednesday best time of 1'59.5, to go sixth fastest. Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) did not enjoy the early part of the test but finally found a set-up and tyre combination to record a best 1'59.7, going eighth overall. Robby Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) rounded out the ten Superbike entries with a time of 2'01.7.
AUSTRALIA BECKONS FOR ALL The final pre-season Pirelli Development Test, in readiness for the 2007 season, takes place at Phillip Island, in Australia, between 13 and 15 January.
OVERALL BEST TIMES(provided by Pirelli):
1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1m58.1s;
2. Corser (Yamaha) & Biaggi (Suzuki) 1m58.9s;
4. Toseland (Honda) 1m59.1s;
5. Laconi (Kawasaki) 1m59.2s;
6. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 1m59.3s;
7. Nieto (Kawasaki) 1m59.5s;
8. Haga (Yamaha) 1m59.7s;
9. Kagayama (Suzuki) 2m00.1s;
10. Rolfo (Honda) 2m01.7s.
|
Back to MotoGP news home
|
|
|
