Times are in from the final day of testing before the winter test ban starts on December 1st. I'll examine these times in more detail later, but here are a few notes:
- Dani Pedrosa cracked the 1:39 bracket using qualifiers, but remains just under a second below the current pole record;
- Rossi also used qualifiers to set his fast lap;
- Melandri was fastest Bridgestone runner, ahead of the two Suzukis;
- Nakano is also settling on to the Honda well, finishing ahead of Colin Edwards, who packed in after lunch;
- Alex Barros finished ahead of the works Ducati riders, proving that the d'Antin Ducati is going to be much more competitive this year. Stoner and Capirossi seem to be struggling with the new electronics;
- Jeremy McWilliams broke his leg in a crash with the Ilmor. He is due to be operated on this evening, to have a pin inserted in his thigh, to hold the bone together. How this will affect his chances of getting he Ilmor ride is unknown.
1 Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda, 1:39.910
2
Valentino Rossi (ITA)
Yamaha, 1:40.123
3 Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda, 1:40.524
4 Chris
Vermeulen (AUS)
Suzuki, 1:40.766
5 John
Hopkins (USA) Suzuki, 1:41.049
6 Shinya Nakano (JPN) Honda, 1:41.142
7 Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha, 1’41.254
8 Alex Barros (BRA) Ducati, 1:41.276
9 Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati, 1:41.492
10 Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati, 1:41.595
11 Tadayuki Okada (JPN) Honda Test Rider, 1:43.392
12 Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati Test Rider, 1:44.071
13 Jeremy McWilliams (GBR) Ilmor, 1:44.661
14 Andrew Pitt (AUS) Ilmor, 1:44.983
Fastest race lap for each of the manufacturers from the 2006 Spanish GP in March:
Ducati: Loris Capirossi 1:41.248
Honda: Dani Pedrosa 1:41.297
Suzuki: John Hopkins 1:41.598
Kawasaki: Shinya Nakano 1:42.017
Yamaha: Carlos
Checa 1:42.161
Lap record:
2005, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, 1.40.596
Pole record:
2006, Loris Capirossi, Ducati, 1:39.064
posted on Thursday, November 30, 2006 8:40 PM