Phillip Island Test - 30th - 1st

[tha_jackal]

Day 1:-

1. Edwards (Yamaha-Fiat) 1.29.566
2. Stoner (Ducati-Marlboro) 1.30.178
3. Dovizioso (Honda-Scot) 1.30.701
4. De Angelis (Honda-Gresini) 1.30.811
5. Toseland (Yamaha-Tech 3) 1.30 804
6. Melandri (Ducati-Marlboro) 1.31.225
7. Capirossi (Suzuki-Rizla) 1.31.274
8. Hayden (Honda-Repsol) 1.31.327
9. De Puniet (Honda-LCR) 1.31.436
10. Nakano (Honda-Gresini) 1.31.600
11. Hopkins (Kawasaki-Monster) 1.31.623
12. West (Kawasaki-Monster) 1.31.786
13. Guintoli (Ducati-Alice) 1.32.484
14. Elias (Ducati-Alice) 1.32.573

Michelin looking good ey?

[Hotlavaaaa]

What the hell got into Colin Edwards? His time was probably on a qualifier, but he was quick in Malaysia and now quick at PI too. Hopefully this speed continues.

[jim mcglinchey]

Sure his middle name should be " great in qualifying, crap in race "

Where is local boy Chris V, and Rossi & Lorenzo?

[NinjaMaster]

Interesting to see Edwards listed as on a Fiat Yamaha. Perhaps he's no longer a Yamaha factory rider in name only? I still think the order that we've seen in a lot of the testing is out-of-kilter with what we'll see come race time. Time will tell I s'pose.

[Roby44]

Sure his middle name should be " great in qualifying, crap in race "

Where is local boy Chris V, and Rossi & Lorenzo?


Vale and Lorenzo aren't going to PI. 3 years in a row for Vale to miss testing at the island!! Hopefully it won't mean the same as the last 2 years!! Could be I'm just superstitious!!

[Roby44]

Day 1:-

1. Edwards (Yamaha-Fiat) 1.29.566
2. Stoner (Ducati-Marlboro) 1.30.178
3. Dovizioso (Honda-Scot) 1.30.701
4. De Angelis (Honda-Gresini) 1.30.811
5. Toseland (Yamaha-Tech 3) 1.30 804
6. Melandri (Ducati-Marlboro) 1.31.225
7. Capirossi (Suzuki-Rizla) 1.31.274
8. Hayden (Honda-Repsol) 1.31.327
9. De Puniet (Honda-LCR) 1.31.436
10. Nakano (Honda-Gresini) 1.31.600
11. Hopkins (Kawasaki-Monster) 1.31.623
12. West (Kawasaki-Monster) 1.31.786
13. Guintoli (Ducati-Alice) 1.32.484
14. Elias (Ducati-Alice) 1.32.573

Michelin looking good ey?

Dovi is going very well!! My money is on him for Rookie of the year!! :p :

[Corny]

What the hell got into Colin Edwards? His time was probably on a qualifier, but he was quick in Malaysia and now quick at PI too. Hopefully this speed continues.

Remember 06/07 tests, on some occasions he was even faster than Vale, but in both years he and Yamaha struggled

[ChrisS]

Interesting to see Edwards listed as on a Fiat Yamaha. Perhaps he's no longer a Yamaha factory rider in name only? I still think the order that we've seen in a lot of the testing is out-of-kilter with what we'll see come race time. Time will tell I s'pose.

Most likely a type error. though its possible they give him the parts to test

[tha_jackal]

Day 2:

motogp.com is reporting Hopkins binned it in the wet and ripped his groin..

1.Stoner (Ducati) 1m29.93 (45 laps)
2.De Angelis (Honda) 1m30.44 (54 laps)
3.Dovizioso (Honda) 1m31.07 (60 laps)
4.Nakano (Honda) 1m31.31 (74 laps)
5.Hayden (Honda) 1m31.37 (72 laps)
6.Toseland (Yamaha) 1m31.45 (55 laps)
7.Melandri (Ducati) 1m31.47 (80 laps)
8.Capirossi (Suzuki) 1m31.54 (62 laps)
9.De Puniet (Honda) 1m31.57 (72 laps)
10.Edwards (Yamaha) 1m31.59 (44 laps)
11.Vermeulen (Suzuki) 1m31.77 (50 laps)
12.West (Kawasaki) 1m32.24 (75 laps)
13.Elias (Ducati) 1m32.24 (59 laps)
14.Guintoli (Ducati) 1m32.43 (64 laps)
15.Hopkins (Kawasaki) 1m42.13 (27 laps)

[NinjaMaster]

Bad news for Hopkins and Kwak. Hopefully he can heal up soon and there is no ligament damage.

An armada of Honda's near the top looks a little ominous. Early days but they are consistently there and really look to be the bike to be on. Unless you are Casey Stoner who makes that Ducati go insanely fast, even short of full fitness. At this rate, this is the only way he'll know anyone else is racing against him this year!
http://www.mcnews.com.au/MotorcycleRacing2008/MotoGP/Test_Jan_Sepang/Gallery_D/images/Stoner_08SepT1_0900_AN.jpg

[osg]

Say what you want about Stoner.... the kid is just that good. Those times are crazy on race tyres, on a drying circuit.

Bad luck for Hopper.

[fatman]

Did I miss something? WHere is Rossi and Lorenzo? Are they doing a private test somewhere else ??

[maxu05]

Did I miss something? WHere is Rossi and Lorenzo? Are they doing a private test somewhere else ??

Gee Ryan, I thought you would have been onto crash.net before you logged in mate :laugh: No, Rossi and Hor-gay are giving Australia a miss.

[jim mcglinchey]

[quote="tha_jackal"]Day 2:

motogp.com is reporting Hopkins binned it in the wet and ripped his groin..

probably just a hernia, no big deal.

[ChrisS]

OT, I was looking at pics from the motogp tests and I noticed most teams dont have the rider's number on the side of the bike

I checked the rules and it seems in MotoGP numbers are only mandatory on the front of the bike

[fatman]

Gee Ryan, I thought you would have been onto crash.net before you logged in mate :laugh: No, Rossi and Hor-gay are giving Australia a miss.

My reading order
- MotoGpMatters.com
- This forum
- MCN
- Crash.net
- MotoGP.com

[NinjaMaster]

On the news tonight, they said that Stoner is the first ever to dip into the 1:28's with a 1:28.7! The guy just gets better and better. He is going to be seriously hard to beat this year. If someone can wrest the title away from him, it will be well earned.

[jim mcglinchey]

...meanwhile Marco is beaten by both the satellite Dook riders, is it time to panic yet?

[osg]

Test times, final day......... Stoner on another planet.....

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 28.777 secs
2. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 29.734 secs
3. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 29.754 secs
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot (M) 1min 29.780 secs
5. Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 29.795 secs
6. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 30.216 secs
7. Alex de Angelis RSM Honda Gresini (B) 1min 30.438 secs
8. Shinya Nakano JPN Honda Gresini (B) 1min 30.728 secs
9. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 30.966 secs
10. Randy de Puniet FRA Honda LCR (M) 1min 30.978 secs
11. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 30.983 secs
12. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 31.377 secs
13. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 31.508 secs
14. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 31.957 secs


Fastest day two time:
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro (B) 1min 29.938secs (Race tyres)

Fastest day one times:
Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 29.566secs (Qualifying tyres)
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro (B) 1min 30.178secs (Race tyres)

[osg]

To add to the thoughts on the above times...... Anthony West, where are you?

[NinjaMaster]

Behind Stoner, the rest of the field seem to be almost impossible to judge, they are all over the place. Melandri and the Suzuki boys are up and down like a Brides nightie and West has yet to even crack the top 10 in any of the testing and is way off the pace of the pointy end. Dovizioso is very impressive and is odds on in my mind for rookie of the year this year and fellow rookie Toseland slowly but surely improving and impressing.

[The Phantom]

And you have to wonder where Rossi and Lorenzo may have slotted in there... very impressive from Toseland and Dovizioso!

But Stoner is the man. What odds a Ducati double in MotoGP and WSB? Holy crap, Honda would be having coniptions...

[maxu05]

I agree, you can't help but be impressed with Stoners form at the moment. I think the official test in Spain will be very interesting. West is not looking the goods thus far, but, we don't really know if he is concentrating on testing tyres, chassis, engine or suspension etc, so, he may not be giving it full stick just yet. I think the Jerez test will give us more info as to how they are all stacking up for the season opener. The first race will be one to watch though.

[osg]

I agree, you can't help but be impressed with Stoners form at the moment. I think the official test in Spain will be very interesting. West is not looking the goods thus far, but, we don't really know if he is concentrating on testing tyres, chassis, engine or suspension etc, so, he may not be giving it full stick just yet. I think the Jerez test will give us more info as to how they are all stacking up for the season opener. The first race will be one to watch though.

i think this article below will show whats been going on............ he actually seems out of his depth as much as it pains me to say :(

Link: http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/159270-0/wake_up_call_for_west.html


http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/403646.jpg (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:Motoring_Picture%28%27/picture.asp?tid=&id=159270&pid=1%27%29;)

'Wake up call' for West.

Saturday, 2nd February 2008

Anthony West has vowed to do whatever it takes to improve his fitness following what Kawasaki competition manager Michael Bartholemy describes as a 'wake up call' during the opening tests of 2008.

Having undergone surgery on an old wrist injury in December, the former 250cc and Supersport pilot has been limited in the training he's been able to complete ahead of pre-season testing - where he is expected to ride at 100 percent for six hours a day, for three consecutive days.

West has also had to adapt to the mental pressure of testing, with literally hundreds of different component, tyre and setting combinations to evaluate and then communicate to Kawasaki's technical staff.

"I think Anthony's had a bit of a wake up call over the past two weeks," said Bartholemy. "He did a good job coming into the team midway through last season and scoring points on a bike he'd never ridden before, but now he's learning just how much work goes into developing a factory MotoGP
bike like the Ninja ZX-RR ahead of the first race.

"He's been hampered by the wrist operation he had in December, but I think even he'd admit that he underestimated just how hard testing was going to be physically. Now we need to look at his training program over the coming weeks, to ensure he's at least approaching full fitness for the Jerez and Qatar tests," declared Bartholemy.

West finished January's Sepang test just 15th fastest and was 14th and last during the final day of testing at his home Phillip Island circuit on Friday, when he was the sole Kawasaki rider out on track following a groin injury for John Hopkins. West completed more than 100 laps on Friday, including a race simulation, and looked visibly tired when he returned to the pit box for the final time.

"These last two weeks have been a tough introduction to pre-season testing for me," admitted the Australian. "After the wrist operation in December, I knew I wasn't going to have the training time that I probably needed, but I was surprised at just how physically demanding I've found these two tests. And when you start to tire on the bike, it makes concentrating on the evaluation process with whatever component, setting or tyre you're testing all the more difficult.

"So yes, it's been hard, but it's also been really productive," he insisted. "We've spent a lot of time working on identifying a good base set-up on the bike, and we've definitely made some progress there, but there's still more work to do before the start of the season.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed that my lap times weren't what I was aiming for here in Phillip Island, but I'm sure they would have been better if I'd come here closer to full fitness," added Ant, whose best lap was over three seconds behind countryman Casey Stoner's stunning qualifying tyre time. "I just need to make sure I'm better prepared for the Jerez test, where I'll be aiming to get a lot closer to the top of the timesheet. If achieving this means moving into the local gym for the next two weeks then that's exactly what I'll do!"

Hopkins also made a brief appearance at Phillip Island on Friday, before heading back to America for treatment on the abductor muscle he damaged on day two.

The 24-year-old Anglo-American will have an MRI scan in San Francisco on Monday, after which Doctor Arthur Ting will decide on the best method of treatment to get Hopkins back on the bike in the shortest time possible.

"Hopefully we'll also have John back for Jerez, but we'll know more when he's had the chance to consult with his doctor in San Francisco on Monday," said Bartholemy. "The injury is not serious, but it's one that could cause ongoing problems if it isn't treated properly now."

With his team-mate on his way home, West will fly from Australia directly to Japan, where he will take part in a wind tunnel test with Kawasaki's race engineers.

[osg]

Now.... i know westy is still recovering from the wrist surgery, but at the same time Stoner's shoulder is still not 100%.........

I'll re-evaluate how Ant is coping after the Jerez tests.... i hope it's an improvement because i'm somewhat concerned right now.

[maxu05]

I am starting to worry also. I have faith in the dude, but, when HE is not confident, it's a little bit worrying. Come on Ant, you can do it mate. It's a tough job to go out there testing, but, you must go out there and enjoy yourself, then then the times will tumble. Go Ant, give it some stick.

[osg]

Geez....... reading that article again, it almost is as if Bartholemy is giving him the "shape up or you're gone" ultimatum.......

Concerning times, as Ant doesn't cope well when not mentally 100%, or having something denting his confidence.

[NinjaMaster]

Geez....... reading that article again, it almost is as if Bartholemy is giving him the "shape up or you're gone" ultimatum.......

Concerning times, as Ant doesn't cope well when not mentally 100%, or having something denting his confidence.
I don't think he was quite going that far osg, but I think he was giving the complete picture that there are a number of factors involved. It's one thing to be fit enough for a race weekend with a couple of hours riding per day but riding 6 hours per day in testing is a whole different kettle of fish. Ant has never had a pre-season like this and without Hopkins for most of the Island test put even more pressure on him. Said that, he really needs to start finding more speed heading into the season if he wants to be as competitive as he expects.

[tha_jackal]

Westy isn't fully fit because of his recent wrist surgery, I think Batholemy didn't really make that as clear as he could have.. IMO its probably better to gague his performance once he's 100%, not now..

Over at motogp.com he declared himself satisfied with everything from the test, except the time sheets :lol: .. He also said his wrist isn't at full strength yet and something about always going quicker in races.. Time will tell, the jury is still very much out though, as much as it pains me to say...

[NinjaMaster]

IMO its probably better to gague his performance once he's 100%, not now..

Given that Stoner isn't fully fit either, he's got no chance of catching Casey! But then again, who will?
The next 2 tests will give a clearer picture but we obviously won't ultimately know until the season starts proper.

[ChrisS]

more than 300 hd pictures of the test, not the best way to see them at 2 pics per page but there are some nice pics in there if you have the patience to browse through all of them.

http://mototribu.com/competition/motogp/2008/test-sepang/index.html

[leopard]

On the news tonight, they said that Stoner is the first ever to dip into the 1:28's with a 1:28.7! The guy just gets better and better. He is going to be seriously hard to beat this year. If someone can wrest the title away from him, it will be well earned.

Btw, did you hear it from Australian news?

[NinjaMaster]

Btw, did you hear it from Australian news?
Yep, which is a very rare event to see any MotoGP news on AustraliaTV.

[Roby44]

Yep, which is a very rare event to see any MotoGP news on AustraliaTV.


How very true!! Anyone would think it was some taboo subject!!