MOTOGP » Phillip Island MotoGP test times - Friday

All the Suzuki wind tunnel time, new performance bits, new engine management systems, exhaust etc etc, have amounted to .... nothing. Capo exactly the same time as during 08 race, CV a little slower. Not money well spent!!!

Kawasaki .. well lets say that it''s great to see Marco Malingerer finally managed to shave a tenth off poor hopless old westys 08 race best lap. The only positive for Malingerer is that he was (slightly) faster than when he rode the ducati around in second gear because he was scared of it.

That's true. All teams have gained performance unless Suzuki..... shame on their big budget


see u in no where

Suzuki and kawasaki are still a second a lap off haydens fastest lap at the GP.Lots of new parts and 1000 KM in laps and still cant get to a competitive time. Are the teams getting what they are asking for from the Suzuki/Kawasaki or are they getting what Suzuki/Kawasaki says they need

Me thinks they testes at PI so they cannot prop the bottom of the field up at the Jerez test as it would be phycologically damaging to the riders head going into the Off season!!! Suzi and Kwaky really need to find something b4 09 or i would guess it will be both teams rider's last year in MotoGP!!!

Belly wrote "shave a tenth off poor hopless old westys 08 race best lap."

the typo holds the truth.. Kawasaki would be better off "hopless" Should have kept West & given Hopkins the boot, along with the engineering & management staff

You just wonder what the point of all this testing is if they never get anywhere? both firms need a serious look at whether they can be bothered anymore...

Did anybody mention the track conditions??? Can't see them being slower than before for no reason, they would have gone back to the old spec to back to back test them if they were that far off, so i think the times say very little.

Thought so, just read capirossi's comments, less grip, more wind. The times and most of these comments mean nothing.

DFH - nice one!! And I agree with your sentiment re Westy

I am pretty neutral on the Hopper vs West topic. Hopper outscored West over the season despite his injuries etc. He had a stronger case to stay than West. Plus he probably had a stronger contract in place which would have made getting rid of him more difficult. I think they probably made the right choice. Hopper does need to sort himself out, a training plan would be a good start so he no longer needs maternity leathers

I think West will put in some good finishes in 2009 and maybe he will return to MotoGP in the future.