Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Race > Ducati Press Release - 800 Testing at Valensia; Days 1 & 2

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Wednesday Nov 1 2006
Valencia test day 1

CAPIROSSI BEGINS PREPARATION FOR 2007 SEASON. POSITIVE DEBUT FOR STONER ON THE DUCATI DESMOSEDICI GP7

Just a couple of days after the final round of the 2006 season, which ended with a first historic 1-2 win for Ducati in MotoGP, all eyes are now focussing on the future.
Today saw the first of two days scheduled testing for the Ducati Marlboro Team at Valencia.
Conditions were sunny in the morning and cloudy in the afternoon, with temperatures considerably lower than last Sunday, and this meant that the test session could continue as scheduled from 10am in the morning to 5pm in the afternoon.
After achieving his best result this year for Ducati in the top category (3rd overall), Loris Capirossi is now looking forward to 2007 with optimism.
The Italian rider, who had already tested the Ducati GP7 immediately after the Brno, Motegi and Estoril rounds, continued engine and suspension development work on the new machine from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.
Loris completed a total of 53 laps, setting a best time of 1m33.11s.

Thanks to special dispensation from Lucio Cecchinello, the owner of the team for whom the Ducati Marlboro Team's new signing, Casey Stoner, raced this year, the Australian was able to get to grips for the first time with the Ducati he will race in next year's MotoGP World Championship.
Stoner immediately established a good feeling with the Desmosedici GP7 and the Bridgestone tyres and set some encouraging times right from the start of the morning.
Casey completed 77 laps of the Valencia track, recording a quickest time of 1m33.41s
Temperatures: air 25 °C / track 32 °C

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Thursday Nov 2 2006
Valencia Test - Day 2

FINAL DAY OF TESTING FOR DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM AT VALENCIA.

The two Ducati Marlboro Team riders set quick times again today to positively conclude the final day of testing for the Italian manufacturer's new MotoGP line-up.

The final day of testing went according to schedule despite lower temperatures than Sunday's race weekend and the presence of threatening rain clouds.
Capirossi and Stoner were able to lap all day to continue the development of the Desmosedici GP7 for next year's MotoGP World Championship and positively concluded the first test for the Ducati Marlboro Team's new 2007 line-up.
Loris Capirossi, who focussed on engine and chassis work with the 800cc powered Desmosedici GP7, completed a total of 75 laps of the Valencia track, setting a quickest time of 1m33.011s.
Casey Stoner also got through a considerable amount of work, the Australian youngster constantly setting quick laps on the second day. The new Ducati Marlboro Team signing got to grips with his Ducati machine and Bridgestone tyres, confirming yesterday's first positive outing. In his 68 laps of the track, Stoner's best time was 1m32.940s.

Casey Stoner - 68 laps (best time 1m32.940s)
"I am really satisfied with the way these first two days on the Ducati GP7 have gone. Everything went well and I made good progress. I'm getting used to the new 'package' of bike and tyres and first impressions are positive. The more I spend on the bike the more I get used to it and things become easier and more natural. The 800 seems similar to the 250s in riding style: it allows quicker cornering and even under braking you can push harder than on the 990. This Ducati has got so much power and I can't wait to get back on the track at Jerez for the last tests of the year!".

Loris Capirossi - 75 laps (best time 1m33.011s)
"These have been two important days of testing because we made a lot of radical changes to the set-up, which you can't do during a race weekend. In this development phase it is vitally important to experiment with several different solutions so that you don't arrive at race weekends unprepared. I am quite satisfied and happy that we can now only concentrate on the 800 that we will use next year without having to ride the 990, which we had to do before this test".
The Ducati Marlboro Team now returns to base for a period of rest following a superb end to the season. The next test session this year is scheduled for November 28-30 at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain.
Temperatures: air 21 °C / track 20 °C

text and photos - copyright - Ducati Corse Press

Cheers - Frank