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800 Ducati breaks cover
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Capirossi's best, 1m59.6s Heh!
As a first test it was very positive even though the bike still has to
be developed. We expect to have to do a lot of work but the first
impression was positive. The bike's handling has improved a lot and
that's important. This bike has to be ridden in a different way to the
GP6, it's actually very enjoyable, a bit like a 250 machine and testing
it now was interesting and useful so we can immediately start to work on
it. The engine is different, obviously less powerful but it makes a
great noise!
Has the Yamaha appeared?
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Who are you quoting? LC? I presume you didn't ride it yourself :-)
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More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:
CAPIROSSI COMPLETES HIS MAIDEN TEST WITH THE DESMOSEDICI GP7
The day after his superb win at Brno, Loris Capirossi makes his track
debut with the new 800cc Ducati Desmosedici. Sete Gibernau, also present
in the pit garage, had to sit out and watch.
In the wake of Loris Capirossi's fifth win in MotoGP - and his second of
the year - at the Brno track on Sunday, the Ducati pit garage was today
the scene for more frenetic activity as the Italian team geared up for
another important day of action at the Czech Republic circuit.
The new Desmosedici GP7 was finally given to Sunday's race winner and
official Ducati Marlboro team rider Loris Capirossi to test for the
first time.
The new 800 cc powered machine, created by Technical Director Filippo
Preziosi together with his team of Ducati Corse engineers just under one
year ago, had its first shakedown tests in the hands of test-rider
Vittoriano Guareschi, who put the bike through its early paces at the
Mugello circuit, where it made its debut on May 2nd.
At 12.20 this morning the bike that will be entered in the 2007 MotoGP
Championship by the Ducati Marlboro Team was given to Loris to test and
the Italian was immediately impressed right from the start.
After carrying out a series of tyre tests with the GP6 in the morning,
the Italian set to work with the GP7 and completed 28 laps with the new
machine, his best being 1m59.6s.
Vittoriano Guareschi and Shinichi Ito (both present with their
respective test teams at Brno) together with Sete Gibernau were also in
the Ducati garage, watching Loris test the GP7. The Spanish rider, who
missed out on last weekend's exciting race after doctors advised him not
to take part, wanted to see the new machine in action. If all goes
according to plan, Sete will be back on the track at the next GP at
Sepang, Malaysia on September 10th.
Filippo Preziosi (Ducati Corse Technical Director)
"Today was another important day for all of us. Of course it is far too
early to give a definitive opinion on the GP7 because it was the first
time Loris had stepped onto the bike and because we still have to face
up to our rivals. I can only say that I am satisfied: the bike seems to
have got off to a good start. We have structured the project in an
attempt to iron out some of the weak points of the GP6 that emerged
chiefly with the chassis: we think we have identified them and have
managed to resolve them. In fact Loris's comments that the bike reacts
well and has a good ‘rideability' are positive. For sure it's a good
start but we've still got a lot of work to do: the bike that won the
race yesterday is the one we've been working on for the last four years
and this one has just been born. A big thanks to all the guys in Ducati
Corse, the guys in the team and all our sponsors who believe in us and
who give us important support all year round".
Loris Capirossi
"This morning I did some tyre testing which went quite well and which
might allow us to have some interesting developments for the next few
races. Then we started with the GP7. As a first test it was very
positive even though the bike still has to be developed. We expect to
have to do a lot of work but the first impression was positive. The
bike's handling has improved a lot and that's important. This bike has
to be ridden in a different way to the GP6, it's actually very
enjoyable, a bit like a 250 machine and testing it now was interesting
and useful so we can immediately start to work on it. The engine is
different, obviously less powerful but it makes a great noise! It has
been a fantastic day, I'm very happy and tomorrow we'll continue to work
hard".
Sete Gibernau
"Yesterday I was over the moon for Loris's win! I feel part of the
family and I am always happy when the guys do well. The GP7 is a very
important project and I also wanted to be here for the test. Loris said
that the bike is going well and I would love to be able to test it as
well but for the moment it's better not to. I should be back on the
track in Malaysia: mentally I'm at 100% and I hope that the tests I'll
be doing next week will confirm that I will be physically as well. The
plate broke at Laguna Seca and now I've got two inside me, held together
with 15 screws. If it breaks again, it'll be much worse because I'll
have to have a bone graft from my hip to repair it. In any case, I'm
sure that this rest period is doing me good and hopefully things will be
OK for September 10th: I've had too much vacation and now I can't wait
to be back in action!"
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