Casey Stoner - 1st - 1:29.938, 45 laps
Today I set my fastest lap on tyres that had 22 laps on them and that is really positive because it means that the modifications we tried on the set-up have had the desired effect, which was to increase tyre durability. This also allows us to consider using softer tyres, at least in the odd race. This morning I went out twice for just 5 laps each to verify engine response, which is now smoother at the bottom end; everything worked brilliantly and I'm really pleased. The track conditions were never perfect but with some changes to the rear suspension we were able to set some fast times, all of them on race tyres. I think it will be possible to repeat those times in the race here too because the new Bridgestones are even better than the ones we used last year. Hopefully the weather is good tomorrow so that we can complete a race simulation.
Alex De Angelis - 2nd - 1:30.449s, 54 laps:
I'm satisfied of today's test session, finishing with the second fastest time is a satisfaction. This morning we started in wet conditions, but in the afternoon the track dried out and things improved. We worked on the cycle parts to improve traction. We only tested race tyres and my rhythm was good. Tomorrow we will test some new tyres and hope to make another step forward. I feel much better than at Sepang, my results on track prove this.
Andrea Dovizioso - 3rd - 1:31.074, 60 laps:
After our very positive first day I can also have that feeling again today, despite the weather and a small crash! Again, the main thing is that Phillip Island has never been my favourite track because the layout of the track is complicated and there are so many elevation changes. Also, the thing about this layout is that it’s close to the sea so you can imagine how slippery it can be. Also, the strong winds you get here play a part of in dictating the track conditions, so you can imagine overall how tricky it can be to ride here in less than perfect conditions! Still, overall we are satisfied at the result we achieved today and the feeling from the Honda on Michelin tyre is very good. I was fast in wet conditions with lap times very close to the times you would expect in wet races here, so I am happy. In the afternoon the racetrack was drier but the temperature was particularly low, but we know conditions will be better tomorrow – one day of rain is enough thank you!
Shinya Nakano - 4th - 1:31.316, 74 laps:
I'm happy of the work done today even if I haven't improved my lap time of yesterday. I kept on working on the general set up: geometry, forks and Nissin brakes. It was an intensive programme but it was worth it. I have found a good feeling and I have fun riding, this is very important for a rider. Tomorrow we will keep on working on the new Honda RC212V.
Nicky Hayden - 5th - 1:31.373, 72 laps:
You know, we get a lot more dry races than wet, so the dry’s more important, but we’ve got to be ready for everything, so today was useful. We were able to check the bike in the wet and make a few little adjustments. Conditions stayed stable long enough to do that, which a lot of times in the rain is hard, you know, it’s dry, it’s wet, it’s pouring, it’s deep water, but today it stayed pretty stable so we got to check some stuff. The general feeling in the wet was okay, then in the afternoon it dried out enough to get some dry lap times. My best time was about the same as I did yesterday, I wasn’t able to improve, though conditions were a little bit cooler and not as good today, so I think that’s a positive. We’re not where we need to be on race pace consistently. I tried to test a few tyres today but at the moment we’re struggling for traction on the edge. So we need to have a meeting tonight with Michelin and maybe try something completely different. We struggled a bit here when we were here for the race, so we need to definitely address the problem tomorrow. We get one more day at it and hopefully the weather looks a lot better, so we’ll come in here and try to make a big step forward.
James Toseland - 6th - 1:31.451, 55 laps:
It was important to try the bike in the wet for the first time and I got to grips with it quickly. Luckily I did a lot of wet tyre testing for Michelin last year at the Suzuka Eight-hour. I had five days of testing and three-and-a-half days were completely wet and I got a bit of time on the Michelin wets so I got a pretty good feeling pretty quickly. The electronics work very well and I had a lot of grip. The track was really dirty once it had dried. I don’t know whether the rain brought some sand with it but the track was really slippery. I went out and couldn’t break a 1.35 and it was completely dry. I got back down to some decent times but the conditions were still not as good as yesterday. There was just no drive grip exiting corners, so it was more difficult to make a lap time. Quite slow corners lead onto the fast straight sections on this track and if you can’t get good grip on the exit, you can’t carry momentum on the straight and that can cost a lot of time. It also got quite windy in the afternoon and that makes it difficult as well. I got some good experience of riding in the rain, and but hopefully it will be dry tomorrow so I can try a full race simulation.
Marco Melandri - 7th - 1:31.478, 80 laps
Today was really tough - we did 80 laps in total, 35 of them in the wet. It was the first opportunity I've had to test the Ducati in the wet and even though it was just a case of getting a few laps in to get used to it, I felt really comfortable by the end. In the afternoon, when the track had dried out, we continued with the work we had started yesterday, concentrating on weight distribution. I feel as though the balance of the bike is noticeably improved, on both the front and rear, and I can push harder through the corners. I did a lot of laps on used tyres and the feeling continues to improve. We've been able to confirm that my riding style is completely different to Casey's and I have to work hard with my crew to find the best way forward for me.
Loris Capirossi - 8th - 1:31.545,62 laps:
I was able to ride the bike in the wet today for the first time and for me the feeling was good right away. We changed some settings and made some more adjustments and by the time the track started to dry we think we have a good set-up for the rain. As it dried in the afternoon we were able to test a couple of bits and we went well on the race tyres, even though the track was not in the best condition because of the weather earlier. I put on a qualifier at the end of the day, but unfortunately I crashed. I am ok and will be able to continue with the test tomorrow.
Randy De Puniet - 9th -1:31.575, 72 laps:
We lapped in the wet till midday and my pace was pretty fast. It was the first time for me in the wet on this bike and felt quite comfortable. We tested several rain tyres gathering important data for the season. After lunch, when the track started to dry up, I came out to proceed with my set-up work but the surface was dirty and slippery. We tested a couple of rear race tyres and we worked on engine map to improve the engine connection. The problem I had yesterday with the front is almost fixed and the bike is more stable now.
Colin Edwards - 10th - 1:31.593, 44 laps:
It was a difficult day with the weather but we still managed to take something positive out of it. I tried a new front rain tyre from Michelin that I was asking about and they produced one out of the back of the truck and I was really happy with it. Michelin seem to have really taken steps forward with slick and wet tyres. The tyre was different to what I had in the wet last season and it felt more natural for my style. The electronics in the rain are so much better too. The bike is easier to ride. I came in after the first run and gave my electronics guys a hug because I was so happy with it. I liked the ’08 chassis in the rain too. It gives me a lot of confidence and I can understand more what’s going on with the front tyre. This afternoon the track was slippery as hell. I tried a few tyres from Michelin but it was hard to gauge with the track being so greasy. At the end of the day I think we have learned something for Michelin and Yamaha and that’s the key.
Chris Vermeulen - 11th - 1:31.774,50 laps:
It has been a positive day today - although my position is not where I would want to be - we got through a lot of work and have a definite direction we want to go in. We had a good run in the rain this morning and know where we need to be in the wet. When it dried out we did some tyre testing and continued to get the best set-up we can for here, and we are now closer to getting there than we have been before, we have made some big steps forward! We still have some way to go to get the bike to be as competitive as we want it for this track, but what the guys have produced over the last couple of days has really made that target closer.
Anthony West - 12th - 1:32.242 - 75 laps:
It was a shame to lose dry testing time this morning, but it was good to get out on the new bike in the wet for the first time as well. Once the rain had cleared and the track had dried out we started a pretty heavy tyre testing session with Bridgestone. The tyres they'd brought here for us to try we've not used before, but we quickly identified a number of them that seemed to work pretty well at this circuit. Despite the rain, it's been a pretty productive day. I'm down to do a race simulation run tomorrow. Hopefully it will be just one long run; I told Hopper when he got back from the hospital that if the team make me do his race simulation as well tomorrow then he'll be getting a bill for it!
Toni Elias – 13th - 1:32.246, 59 laps:
This morning rain hasn’t helped us. We need to do as many laps as possible on the dry to find the right setting of the bike and consequently be competitive also in wet conditions. We made it to work on completely dry track for less than a couple of hours and we manage to obtain some good result. We have found a good solution for the front tyre and we will keep working on it tomorrow.
Sylvain Guintoli – 14th - 1:32.431, 64 laps:
Also today it was a good day of work for us, also because I had my first experience on wet track with this bike and Bridgestone tyres. I can consider my self satisfied for how we performed. We were in the middle of the standing and this is good for us. We couldn’t do much in the few laps we had with total dry track, but we count on a sunny day tomorrow to try to improve our lap times and maybe try some qualifying tyres.
John Hopkins - 15th - 1:42.130, 27 laps:
My lap times had been coming down by a second a lap, but then I got caught out at turn one while pushing for a faster time. I got on the gas a little too early on the exit, lost the rear and got flicked over the highside when the bike came round on me. I must have been horizontal in the air, because I landed flat on my side. It was a hard landing and it felt painful straight away. I went to hospital in Melbourne, where the doctors confirmed that I'd torn around 50 percent of the abductor muscle from the bone. It's not a serious injury, but it is quite painful at the moment. I'm determined to be back on the Kawasaki for the IRTA Jerez test, so I'm going to head home to see Doctor Ting and to get treatment on the injury as soon as possible.
Test times - day 2 - Phillip Island:
1. Stoner, Ducati Marlboro - 1'29.938 (45)
2. De Angelis, Honda Gresini - 1'30.449 (54)
3. Dovizioso, JiR Team Scot - 1'31.074 (60)
4. Nakano, Honda Gresini - 1'31.316 (74)
5. Haydon, Repsol Honda Team - 1'31.373 (72)
6. Toseland, Yamaha Tech3 - 1'31.451 (55)
7. Melandri, Ducati Marlboro - 1'31.478 (80)
8. Capirossi, Rizla Suzuki - 1'31.545 (62)
9. De Puniet, LCR Honda - 1'31.575 (72)
10. Edwards, Yamaha Tech3 - 1'31.593 (44)
11. Vermeulen, Rizla Suzuki - 1'31.774 (50)
12. West, Kawasaki Racing - 1'32.242 (75)
13. Elias, Alice Team - 1'32.246 (59)
14. Guintoli, Alice Team - 1'32.431 (64)
Source: highrevs.net
No comments:
Post a Comment