Hayden tops Jerez test

Nicky Hayden topped the timesheets as almost every MotoGP rider stayed on at Jerez for a day of testing following the opening MotoGp round of the season.

Only the Pramac Ducati team and Kawasaki’s Randy de Puniet decided to skip the test, with de Puniet not fit to ride due to injury. Hayden posted a time of 1:39.910 on the 2006-spec Repsol Honda, faster than the official circuit record of 1:40.596, and the race pace of the race winner, Loris Capirossi.

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Sete Gibernau was second fastest, despite a small crash, showing how he could have fared without a mechanical failure forcing him out of the Jerez GP. Team-mate Capirossi was third quickest, followed by the two impressive rookies, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa. Makoto Tamada also crashed during the test.

The Camel Yamaha team worked hard to find a solution for chatter problems affecting the 2006 Yamaha M1, with Rossi completing 72 laps, and Edwards 76 laps. In a surprise move, a 2005 M1 was sourced from an Italian museum to help find a solution, as reported in MCN, Wednesday March 29,2006.

“We decided to have Valentino ride the 2005 M1 for a few laps so we could compare its performance at this track with that of the new bike,” said Yamaha race boss, Davide Brivio. “A few things about the ’05 bike are better at the moment, but overall the ’06 bike is a more improved package and Valentino’s fastest times yesterday were on the 2006-spec M1. The data from this comparison should help us to develop the new bike. Valentino was able to make some good improvements to the ’06 bike, so this is encouraging for Qatar.

Jerez test times:

1. Hayden 1:39.910

2. Gibernau 1:40.504.

3. Capirossi 1:40.798.

4. Stoner 1:40.821.

5. Pedrosa 1:40.845.

6. Checa 1:40.932.

7. Rossi 1:40.966.

8. Hopkins 1:41.096.

9. Nakano 1:41.178.

10. Elias 1:41.193.