MotoGP – Honda goes hunting for Rossi again –

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Honda returns to the Rossi hunt

MotoGP - Honda sets out to hunt for Rossi again -

The 2006 MotoGP season is already well underway: the Japanese teams met in Malaysia on the Sepang track, while Ducati traveled to the far south of Europe, on the Jerez circuit. Report.

Unlike cyclists, MotoGP riders all claim without exception that their tests have been "positive". And in view of the times achieved, it seems that the runners did not spare their efforts despite mixed weather conditions….

At Sepang, Valentino Rossi set the best time on the handlebars of the 2006 M1 prototype, right from his first outing! But this performance went almost unnoticed compared to that of Dani Pedrosa who seems to have found – and fully read – the instructions for use of the RCV! Toni Elias is not left out since he is one hundredth behind Dani, Melandri and Hayden framing the two rookies. Next, also in a pocket square, are Nakano, Edwards, Checa and Hopkins. Behind them, Stoner, De Puniet, Vermeulen and Ellison continue their apprenticeship.

And meanwhile in Jerez, Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau were also training, both turning within one second of the race record set by Rossi..

Japanese women in Sepang

The Doctor – who was wearing the Gauloises colors for the last time – set the best time of the three days of testing on his new M1: "we had planned to do a longer session with the new bike this morning (Wednesday, Editor’s note), but unfortunately the weather did not allow it", regrets the seven-time world champion.

Vale was not disappointed though: he had the opportunity to test several types of tires and to collect a lot of data concerning the 2005 and 2006 models of the M1. The goal is that "Yamaha is working on it this winter before coming back here in January". Until then, Valentino will take advantage of the winter break to recharge his batteries and prepare to keep his title against the djeunz who are pushing harder and harder, starting with his runner-up Marco Melandri !

The Italian hedgehog took advantage of the wet track on Wednesday morning to test wet tires. But the sun and the heat got the better of the thin film of water, giving the pilots a very inconvenient half-dry half-wet track. "I was supposed to do a race simulation and test four types of tires but the rain stopped me. And the reverse happened with the rain tires !", deplores Marco.

The two previous days however allowed him to improve his pace compared to that of his race in 2005: "the tests were very positive for me and the team. I am now expecting the new bike in January", specifies the Italian whose role within Honda is not yet clearly established…

The performances of the two Italians were somewhat eclipsed by that of Dani Pedrosa, who achieved the best time of the last day and climbed on the "virtual podium" of his last tests in 2005: his time of 2’02.77 would have placed him in 10th position on the starting grid at the Malaysian GP this year, just behind Melandri but above all ahead of Edwards, Barros, Biaggi and many others !

The Spaniard admits to having surprised himself and finding himself "very, very tired"after his first real tests on the RCV. After a well-deserved rest"five days"at least the young Spaniard will no doubt have to work on his endurance. But when it comes to pure speed, Dani is undoubtedly in the game, with all due respect to his detractors who saw him too fragile to manage the 240 hp of a MotoGP and its 148 kg. Further proof that motorcycle racing is above all a question of mentality and commitment….

Just behind the 250 world champion is tech3 defector Toni Elias, who also seems to be on the right track. And if "half wet, half dry track is not ideal for testing", the young prodigy said to himself"satisfied with the tests: the bike is good and I gain confidence, even if I am not where I should be"… Apart from Pedrosa, the leading men may be difficult to dislodge…

Nicky Hayden, after three years spent supporting the greatest (Rossi, Barros and Biaggi) is finally at the head of the Honda armada. The American tested the framework used by Biaggi and Gibernau at Sepang after Donington: "he has good points but I found the old one slightly superior because I know him so well"he explains.

The Kentucky Kid completed the lap in 2’02.79, a hundredth slower than Elias, two hundredths slower than Pedrosa and 14 slower than Melandri. Suffice to say that Honda achieves a superb group shot: will its pilots be able to offer the 2006 RCV – which has not yet turned – the title of the best machine next year? ?

Shinya Nakano had to show his legendary fighting spirit to test the 2006 prototype of the Kawasaki ZX-RR which has a new chassis, a new swingarm and a more compact engine. Still suffering from his left wrist – damaged during the last race of the season in Jerez – the Japanese released his new mount and experimented with two different types of ignition for "provide engineers with data allowing them to find the best compromise between torque and maximum power".

Behind the Japanese is Colin Edwards, who was able to test the 2006 vintage M1 during the last day: "stability has greatly improved and feedback (feedback in English in the text, editor’s note) of the motorbike is really good", says the Texan Tornado. Aware that with"a new bike, it is always a question of sacrificing something to improve other points", Colin guarantees that"the current combination of the M1 is great !". With Rossi and his men as trainers, we would have suspected it…

Dean Carlos Checa filmed around the same time as his two previous comrades, also declaring that these tests were "very positive"! While no official announcement has been made, Carlos explains on his personal website that"we’ve done quite a bit, although I’ve used this year’s bike and next year’s bike will be different. The most important thing was to see how my riding style could adapt to the characteristics of the bike and how the team works". The Spaniard thus sweeps away the little suspense that remained about his participation – and that of Team Pons – in the next championship…

Like Rossi and Nakano, Hopkins was able to evaluate the new version of his MotoGP armed with new Bridgestones and all new Ohlins suspensions: "my first feeling was that the bike was very different but after a few laps I felt better. The times were affected and we found the times of the 2005 model". According to his team manager Paul Denis,"John has grown in stature and fully appreciates his responsibility to set the direction of Suzuki’s work for the next season.". Next course for the American, therefore: improve its performance in 2005 !

At the end of the pack, we logically find the newcomers: Casey Stoner and his Honda Pons dominated De Puniet and his Kawa. Randy set his best time on tires that have already completed twelve laps: "with a new train, I could have been faster", assures the French who tested various configurations of injections and engine settings."But that was not the point of these tests", specifies Randy who was able at the end of the session to complete ten more laps on the 2006 ZX-RR:"I first had to learn and understand the basic settings of the bike !"

Similar focus and application at Chris Vermeulen, who had a lot to discover: "I spent the first day learning the track and understanding the bike, since this is my first real test on the GSV-R and the Bridgestones. I tested a lot of things, especially the second day I did long runs for Bridgestone". The Australian is now impatiently awaiting the next tests during which he will be able to test the new GSV-R, but will have to find a number other than the 17, attributed to Randy de Puniet … The 7, his mentor’s favorite number Barry Sheene, being already worn by Checa and the 77 already taken by Ellison, will Vermeulen choose the 71 ?

Finally, James Ellison turned on the Yamaha M1 of the Tech3 team, which should be supported by … Dunlop! A real relief for the French who had promised to be there next season (read).

Sepang Tests – Best times of the three days:

  1. Valentino rossi – Yamaha Factory Racing – 2’02.61 (Tuesday)

  2. Marco melandri – Fortuna Honda – 2’02.65 (Tuesday)

  3. Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – 2’02.77 (Wednesday)

  4. Toni Elias – Fortuna Honda – 2’02.78 (Tuesday)

  5. Nicky hayden – Repsol Honda Team – 2’02.79 (Wednesday)

  6. Shinya nakano – Kawasaki Racing Team – 2’02.93 (Wednesday)

  7. Colin edwards – Yamaha Factory Racing – 2’02.94 (Tuesday)

  8. Carlos checa – Honda Pons – 2’02.96 (Tuesday)

  9. John hopkins – Team Suzuki MotoGP – 2’03.10 (Tuesday / Wednesday)

  10. Casey stoner – Honda Pons – 2 ’03 .56 (Tuesday)

  11. Randy de Puniet – Kawasaki Racing Team – 2’04.27 (Wednesday)

  12. Chris Vermeulen – Team Suzuki MotoGP – 2’04.50 (Tuesday / Wednesday)

  13. James ellison – Tech 3 Yamaha – 2’05.00 (Wednesday)

Pole position 2005: Capirossi – 2’01.731
Best race time: Hayden – 2’02.993

Italian in Jerez

Closer to home, so at temperatures very different from those of Sepang (15 ° C instead of 30), the official Ducati team carried out tests on the Spanish track in Jerez. Both pilots had the Desmosedici GP6.

Loris Capirossi has done a lot of work on the tires: "we worked a lot on tires of the same composition but with different structures and I think our friends at Bridgestone got some interesting readings", warns the Italian victorious twice last season, in part thanks to the clear progress of the Japanese manufacturer.

For his part, Sete Gibernau was able to test the qualifying tires for the first time and was very satisfied, completing his best lap less than a tenth behind his new team-mate. "During these three days, my team and I got to know each other better. We did a good job and although there is still a lot of work to be done, it is a great stimulation for me !"

From January 23, Ducati will join the rest of the Continental Circus in Sepang. The opportunity for observers and participants to estimate the level of the Italians against the Japanese…

Jerez Test – Best times:

  • Loris Capirossi – Team Ducati – 1’40.947 (qualifying tires) / 1’41.394 (racing tires)>

  • Sete Gibernau – Team Ducati – 1’41.024 (qualifying tires) / 1’41.609 (race tires)

Pole position 2005: Rossi – 1’39.419
Best time in the race: Rossi – 1’40.596

They are also preparing…

If they were not present at Sepang with their little friends from Honda, Makoto Tamada and his Italian team are no less determined to turn the page – desperately virgin! – of the 2005 season. But the equipment for the 2006 season not being available until the beginning of next year, the team did not consider it technically useful and financially reasonable to go to the other side of the world to ride on their old RCV.

Luca Montiron, the team manager, consoles himself by saying that "Tamada was often the fastest in extra-European winter testing, but then fell victim to temperature variations". To overcome this handicap, he would prefer to ride his foal in cooler conditions … But it is on the Sepang circuit that we will find Tamada next time. !

The next tests will perhaps also be the occasion to review Max Biaggi, who according to the Gazetta dello Sport would be in very advanced negotiations with Kawasaki to align a third ZX-RR … In the meantime, the Roman Emperor – fallen? – said to himself "moved"to see so many fans cheering him on at the recent Milan Motor Show:"don’t give up, we want to see you ride a MotoGP in 2006 !". As for the official website of Biaggi, it states loud and clear that"Max will be there !"

Next meeting with the entire MotoGP 2006 field: January 23 in Sepang. But until then, stay tuned: a surprise awaits you !

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