The DUCATI Marlboro Team completed their final test of 2008 today with Nicky Hayden fifth fastest at the end of a day that saw a particularly late start to the action on track. Despite slightly warmer temperatures than Wednesday, overnight rain made for a damp track surface until the early afternoon. Hayden took to the track shortly before 2pm and, like yesterday, he steadily improved his pace with each outing. The American worked calmly and methodically despite the limited time available as he continued to get comfortable with the Ducati and Bridgestone tyres. Both the rider and the team were satisfied with his progress. The next on-track appointment for the Ducati Marlboro Team is a three-day test from 5th-7th February 2009 at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia.
Nicky Hayden - 1:40.486 (70 Runden): “We’ve made a big improvement today. It was important to have back-to-back days with similar conditions because at Valencia we only had one dry day and we weren’t able to check that the changes we made to the bike overnight had worked. Today my feeling with the bike was much better from the first run and it is important that we’ve taken over a second and a half off my best time from yesterday. We are still a second off the top guys and I know the last second is the most difficult to find but at the same time we’re less than a tenth off third fastest and the team is working well, I feel more and more comfortable with the bike and tyres and I can head home with a clear mind. I was pleased that Casey wanted to be here at the test. It has been useful to speak with him and Filippo (Preziosi) and it shows how tight the team is and how well everybody wants to do next season! I just want to finish by saying ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ to everybody in America!”
2008 testing are over for the Pramac Racing Team with the two new riders, Mika Kallio and Niccolò Canepa, who concluded respectively in seventh and eleventh position. Mika made it to finish with only just a tenth of a second over the third position occupied by Jorge Lorenzo and this underline the good feeling found with the DUCATI Desmosedici GP9 Sat by the Finnish rider. Niccolò has worked hard on the set up of the bike, concluding just over half a second from his teammate. Notwithstanding the rain that came down during the night, the track had dried out quickly allowing the riders to ride for many laps from 2pm till 5.30pm. After the winter break the Pramac Racing Team will be back on track for the Sepang test next 5th, 6th and 7th of February.
Mika Kallio – 1:40.564 (54 Runden): “It has been a good start for us. Apart Rossi and Pedrosa, that are at the moment too fast, we are only a tenth of a second from the third position occupied by Lorenzo. Yesterday I was a bit worried because this track was a bit too difficult with this bike, but instead today we have worked really well and we made it to achieve a good result. Of course lap times don’t count so much right now, but it give us good hopes for the next season.”
Niccolò Canepa - 1:41.077 (48 Runden): “I am very happy by the work done in these two days. Our final position is not the best but we are only half of a second from the third position and it’s not too bad at this moment. I made it to improve my last year lap time on this circuit by more than one second and a half. Today we have concentrated to find a good rhythm and I had to get used to the new rear brake positioned on the handlebar. Everything things going in the right direction.”
Rundenzeiten Tag 2:
1.[46] Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha - 1:39.429
2. [2] Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda - 1:39.447
3. [48] Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha - 1:40.426
4. [24] Toni Elias SPA Honda Gresini - 1:40.448
5. [69] Nicky Hayden USA DUCATI Marlboro - 1:40.486
5. [3] Alex de Angelis RSM Honda Gresini - 1:40.486
7. [36] Mika Kallio FIN Pramac DUCATI - 1:40.564
8. [5] Colin Edwards USA Tech3 Yamaha - 1:40.604
9. [59]Sete Gibernau SPA DUCATI Onde2000 - 1:40.856
10. [4] Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda - 1:40.966
11. [88] Niccolò Canepa ITA Pramac DUCATI - 1:41.077
12. [52] James Toseland GBR Tech3 Yamaha (M) - 1:41.740
13. [22] Vittoriano Guareschi ITA DUCATI Test Team - 1:42.906
14. [..] Yuki Takahashi JAP Scot Honda - 1:42.918
