Checa back to his best at Misano test

Carlos Checa shrugged of what was a difficult weekend at Monza where  by finishing the two day test at Misano fastest to reassert his previous dominance back on the championship.

The Althea Ducati rider optimised the cooler track temperatures on Wednesday morning to post an impressive 1.35.0s lap time using a qualifying tyre to head the test comfortably. But his pace on race tyres was even more significant with a best lap of 1.35.6 which was backed up by an impressive long run in the low 1.36’s.

Speaking exclusively to MCN after the test he said: “The test was positive, we worked well as a team and we were able to find a good set-up for this track. We worked a lot with some new tyres and overall set-up and at the end of the day we made some improvements compared with the bike from last year.”

In terms of outright lap time, BMW Motorrad rider Troy Corser set the second fastest time of the second day of the test. The 38 year old Australian used a qualifying tyre on Wednesday afternoon when the track conditions were hotter and less favorable, but still managed to post a 1.35.7s best.

Reigning world champion Max Biaggi was fastest on day one of the test but slipped to third on day two with a best time of 1.36.0 – slower than his day one best of 1.35.6. Biaggi’s times were set on the new generation Pirelli race tyres.

Unofficial test times from Misano on Wednesday

Carlos Checa (Ducati) – 1.35.0 (Qualifier)
Troy Corser (BMW) – 1.35.7 (Qualifier)
Max Biaggi (Aprilia) – 1.36.0
Leon Haslam (BMW) – 1.36.1
Leon Camier (Aprilia) – 1.36.4
Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia) – 1.37.0

Unofficial Combined lap times

Carlos Checa (Ducati) – 1.35.0
Max Biaggi (Aprilia) – 1.35.6
Troy Corser (BMW) – 1.35.7
Leon Haslam (BMW) – 1.36.1
Leon Camier (Aprilia) – 1.36.3
Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia) – 1.37.0