Jerez testing

[elephino]

Nastro Azzuro rider Valentino Rossi signed off from the IRTA tests in Jerez by setting the fastest lap late in the afternoon. Spaniard Carlos Checa had held the quickest time for most of the day, and Rossi didn't really threaten the Marlboro Yamaha dominance until blasting his Honda to a 1'42.322 on his 75th lap of 80. Max Biaggi also set a quick lap late in the day to finish second fastest over the three day test, leaving Checa third - just ahead of West Honda Pons duo Loris Capirossi and Alex Barros.


"I'm very happy but it's only February and there's lots of testing still to do." said Rossi afterwards. "The bike is new so there are so many things to test. We've got a couple of more IRTA tests over the next few weeks, then we go to test in Suzuka before the first race there in April. Hopefully we can test everything we want to by then and have the bike absolutely ready because the first few races before the Championships come back to Europe are vitally important. I think if I'd have done better in those races last year I could have had a better chance of winning the title, so I want to make sure I get it right this year".


500cc rookie Shinya Nakano turned in an outstanding performance and set a lap of 1'43.030 to take the Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3 bike to sixth fastest, whilst Jurgen vd Goorbergh was also impressive on the Proton Team KR 3 cylinder machine, ending up seventh fastest behind Nakano. British duo Chris Walker and Leon Haslam both improved their best times on the Shell Advance Honda, but remain a couple of seconds off the pace, whilst Telefonica Movistar Suzuki pair Sete Gibernau and Kenny Roberts Jr. could only manage 9th and 11th quickest respectively. Gibernau fell in the afternoon leaving an oil spillage on the track which stopped the test for about 15 minutes, whilst fellow Spaniard and former World Champion Alex Criville also crashed. Criville injured his left hand and flew home immediately after receiving stitches. He is now doubtful for the next test in Estoril, Portugal which starts for the 250 and 500 riders on Wednesday.


Daijiro Katoh will head for Portugal full of confidence after holding his position as the quickest rider throughout the three days of the Jerez test. Telefonica Movistar Honda rider Katoh was sensational on the first day when he finished with the second quickest time including those of the 500cc riders, and improved his time today to finish clear of Italian Aprilia riders Marcelino Lucchi and Roberto Locatelli.


Official lap times


500cc


Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1'42.322

Max Biaggi (Yamaha) 1'42.447

Carlos Checa (Yamaha) 1'42.471

Loris Capirossi (Honda) 1'42.518

Alex Barros (Honda) 1'42.884

Shinya Nakano (Yamaha) 1'43.030

Jurgen vd Goorbergh (Proton KR) 1'43.120

Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) 1'43.421

Sete Gibernau (Suzuki) 1'43.453

Tohru Ukawa (Honda) 1'43.459


250cc


Daijiro Katoh (Honda) 1'43.036

Marcelino Lucchi (Aprilia) 1'43.765

Roberto Locatelli (Aprilia) 1'44.018

Marco Melandri (Aprilia) 1'44.039

Tetsuya Harada (Aprilia) 1'44.163

Franco Battaini (Aprilia) 1'44.743

Klaus Nohles (Aprilia) 1'44.815

Emilio Alzamora (Honda) 1'45.313

Naoki Matsudo (Yamaha) 1'45.395

Luca Boscoscuro (Aprilia) 1'45.795

INFO 2001/23. 18-02-2001
DORNA COMMUNICATIONS