Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Race > Valencia test – day one:

[Rattler]

The times are really just "for indication only" - next year will be the real test!!!

[WeeJohnyB]

Yep, great to see some of the new boys up there, but let's not forget, it's a testing session.

Most, if not all the teams will be testing new parts and new set ups etc which in no way resembles the final outcome, therefore the times don't mean much, unless you're on your race set up or someone is beating lap records, then you can take notice.

In a business where a difference of one tenth a lap will mean you are not on the same bit of track by the end of a race, some of the differences above would result in people being lapped quite easily, so I'm not sure what you can read into these test session times. It's all about what you do on Sunday, witness Sete, how many poles and fastest laps does he do and what does he do in the race. He actually went up in my estimation at the weekend - he said he knows he's fast, faster than most, (nice confidence and belief), but he also said he'd made mistakes and had more than his share of bad luck. Ok he winges a bit, but at least he has a ride this year, unlike Baggers.

I really hope someone can take it to Rossi next year, but I have to say, he's looking like a pretty safe bet for the championship and the rest of them are about who's going to come second.

WeeJohnyB

[Monty]

1. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 1min 34.4 secs
18. Thomas Luthi SWI Honda 1min 44.29 secs

The interesting thing about the above is Thomas is riding a 125! he's 10 seconds a lap slower than Nicky, but with 200bhp less power.................been saying he's one to watch for over 3 years, now he's 125 champion watch him go!

John

[Felix]

John, that's what I thought at first, but everyone on that list was riding RCV's. Honda granted all its top rider some seat time on the RCV, including Luthi, Davizioso, and Neukirchner.

[TP]

Felix is right, Luthi was on the RCV.

WJB/Steve M make soem excellent points as well. The times are below what they were running in the race etc so it just shows that it was a testing session. Having said that I'm quite impressed by Casey Stoner but I've always rated him (of course )

We won't really have a good indication until the proper IRTA tests next year, and even then there will be some sandbagging. I mean just look at fil2 in MotoDD - sandbagging everywhere The dog!

[domski]

I think you'll find that they had showers and damp patches thats why the times are slower.

The track didn't fully dry out.

I'm sure everyone was trying their hardest