Camel Yamaha positive despite problems in Jerez

Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards both improved considerably on yesterday’s lap times in Jerez today, but are still hard working hard with Michelin to find a way to rid the M1 of the vibration problems that they are both experiencing here. A new batch of Michelin tyres and some set-up changes brought some improvements to the package today, but the riders are still not able to use the M1 at its full capacity and are still further down the time sheets than in Barcelona last weekend, when they were both consistently fast.

Rossi

Shinya Nakano showed his 2006 potential on the Kawasaki by topping the time sheets with a lap of 1’40.047, nearly half a second faster than second-placed Loris Capirossi (Ducati). Tomorrow’s final day of testing concludes the pre-season MotoGP programme, ahead of the first race here in two weeks time.

Valentino Rossi (6th, 1’40.915, 67 laps)
“We still have quite a few problems with the vibration and this means that we can’t use the bike to its full potential and make fast lap times. We’ve tried lots of changes to the set-up today – balance, suspension, but the problem remains. In some of the fast corners my speed is down by as much as 15 or 20kms. The good thing is that we’re much better than yesterday and we’ve done some really good work within the team to make these improvements, but it’s still not enough and some other riders are looking very strong. Luckily we still have tomorrow to try to find the solution and I am not so worried. If we still have this situation on the Saturday afternoon of the first race, then maybe we can worry but for now I have 100% confidence in Yamaha and Michelin. For tomorrow we will have some new tyres to try and then for sure Michelin will work very hard between now and the first race so that we’re in a better position when we come back here.”

Colin Edwards (9th, 1’41.105, 62 laps)
“Yesterday we thought that the new tyres today would make all the difference. The situation is a bit better and I’m faster today, but the improvements really aren’t as big as we had hoped. Basically the chatter that both Valentino and I are experiencing is acting as a speed limit to our bike – we can push so far but no more. We didn’t want to turn the bike upside-down yesterday before we’d tried the new stuff from Michelin, but after today it’s pretty clear that’s just what we’re going to need to do tomorrow. It’s frustrating after last weekend to have spent two days here without making any real steps forward, so we need to make the most of tomorrow! I am sure that Michelin are going to bring some more new stuff, we’ll fiddle with the settings and hopefully together we can figure it all out.”

Edwards

Davide Brivio – Camel Yamaha Team Director
“We still have tomorrow left to try to find some new solutions for our problem and we’re analysing all the information that we have to find a way forward. Our engineers will make some new plans for tomorrow and we will see how the situation is. Hopefully we can leave here having made some more improvements.”

Lap Times:
1. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team, 1’40.047
2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1’40.544
3. John Hopkins (USA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, 1’40.791
4. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team, 1’40.839
5. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, 1’40.859
6. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1’40.915
7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech 3 Yamaha, 1’40.943
8. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1’40.954
9. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1’41.105
10. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, 1’41.110
11. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda, 1’41.254
12. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda, 1’41.561
13. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, 1’41.745
14. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts, 1’42.127
15. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) D’Antin Pramac, 1’42.593
16. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, 1’42.636
17. Alex Hofmann (GER) D’Antin Pramac, 1’42.647
18. James Ellison (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha, 1’43.797
19. Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati, 1’43.846
20. Tadayuki Okada (JPN) HRC, 1’45.622

Jerez Lap Record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 – 1’40.596
Jerez Best Lap: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 – 1’39.419