First big 800cc MotoGP test - times

[FourWheelDrift]

800 & 990cc bikes together.

Andrew Pitt & Jeremy McWilliams riding the Ilmor (which was some way off the pace of the Ducati they said they were quicker than).......

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Camel Yamaha Team (990cc) 1min 32.70 secs
2. Toni Elias SPA Fortuna Honda (990cc) 1min 32.73 secs
3. Marco Melandri ITA Fortuna Honda (990cc) 1min 32.90 secs
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Camel Yamaha Team (800cc) 1min 33.10 secs
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (800cc) 1min 33.11 secs
6. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (800cc) 1min 33.14 secs
7. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (800cc) 1min 33.18 secs
8. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (800cc) 1min 33.21 secs
9. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (800cc) 1min 33.41 secs
10. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (990cc) 1min 33.64 secs
11. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (800cc) 1min 33.66 secs
12. Jeremy McWilliams GBR Ilmor SRT (800cc) 1min 35.80 secs
13. Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor SRT (800cc) 1min 36.60 secs

[Andy Oh]

Interesting to see that only 0.5 seconds splits the Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki & Honda 800cc bikes, pretty impressive stuff really.

[FourWheelDrift]

and only 0.4s between Rossi's 990 and the new 800. The 990cc had a 5 year shelf life before being replaced with "slower" machinery, looks like the 800's are going to be quicker, sooner, if not as early as next year.

[black5]

Would have liked to see what times Garry McCoy would have done on the Ilmore and Troy Bayliss would have got on the Ducati.

Edited by black5 on Thursday 2nd November 15:29

[Steve_T]

Andy Oh said:

Interesting to see that only 0.5 seconds splits the Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki & Honda 800cc bikes, pretty impressive stuff really.

Yep, hopefully the sign of another season of top racing ahead!

[robbo1]

The fact that Rossi is only 0.4s slower on the new bike makes you question the point of switching to 800s. I hope it doesn't give the midget riders more of an advantage.

[F.M]

Nice new window into the world of moto gp next year...The Suzuki looked to be an improvement....the new rules in the hope of making the racing safer hasn`t really worked with the intial times only being around 0.4 sec and over, slower..their times will just get quicker and perhaps, on a par with the 990`s...

Edited by F.M on Thursday 2nd November 17:22

[Steve_T]

I agree, they'll be no slower by the end of the season, probably quicker than the 990s. I can't remember where I heard it, but 300bhp was mooted as possible from a 1L GP lump, tyre technology being the limiting factor for the bike. Scaling that figure down in-line with capacity would give a peak power of ~240bhp - pretty much what they have now.

[F.M]

No traction control would get my vote..yes ,lap times would suffer...but the essence of the series would be back in it...supreme skill and control...infact ban T.C on everything...(manic laugh....)..

[Rawwr]

Ooh, Stoner completed a whole lap.

[number 7]

Gazboy said:

Why are they dropping the cubes?

I think it was Capirossi hitting 215mph on the Duke in pre-season testing a couple of years back (Jerez?) that got people worried, rather than corner speeds.

7.

[number 7]

So where's Mr. Edwards? Has he signed for next year yet?

Good to see Barros back though.

7.

[Andy Oh]

number 7 said:

So where's Mr. Edwards? Has he signed for next year yet?

Good to see Barros back though.

7.

He signed with Yamaha a while ago but it wasn't made public until recently and will be Rossi's team mate for another year

[FourWheelDrift]

Today's times.

1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (800cc) 1min 32.66 secs
2. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (800cc) 1min 32.69 secs
3. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (800cc) 1min 32.94 secs
4. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (800cc) 1min 32.95 secs
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (800cc) 1min 33.01 secs
6. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (800cc) 1min 33.03 secs
7. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (990cc) 1min 33.20 secs
8. Valentino Rossi ITA Camel Yamaha Team (800cc) 1min 33.78 secs
9. Jeremy McWilliams GBR Ilmor SRT (800cc) 1min 35.90 secs
10. Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor SRT (800cc) 1min 36.40 secs
11. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (800cc) 1min 37.30 secs

[F.M]

interesting...the suzuki`s look fast ..and all the young bloods looks great..

[YamR1V64motion]

as much as i hate to admit it the smaller size will suit Pedrosa, saying that though the way the motor works will be more like the old 2 strokes which really comes down to skill through the corners and i think Rossi will be great here and lets not forget what Barros was like on a 500 either