MotoGP world champion
Casey Stoner completed a perfect sweep of the post-Catalan Grand Prix test by holding the top spot during a rain-interrupted second and final day.
The Ducati Marlboro star, who took an early version of the 2009 Desmosedici to the top of the timesheets with a qualifying tyre on Monday, lapped just 0.647secs slower with race tyres fitted to this year's GP8 on Tuesday - when bad weather limited track time.
In spite of the less-than-perfect track conditions, the Australian was able to try some new electronic solutions and felt cornering performance was noticeably improved.
"I'm happy that despite the conditions not being as good as yesterday we have managed to complete the work we had planned with the GP8," said said Stoner, who qualified on pole for Sunday's race, which he went on to finish in third place behind
Dani Pedrosa and
Valentino Rossi.
"We were able to try a new electronic configuration that noticeably improved my feeling in the corners where we had problems over the weekend. Even though the track wasn't in good shape because of the rain we still set good lap times and I can leave Barcelona feeling satisfied and confident that we're working well for the present and for the future," he added.
Having stuck with the GP8 on Monday, troubled team-mate
Marco Melandri completed his first laps on the '09 Ducati - which features a carbon fibre frame - during day two.
The Italian, eleventh in the grand prix, completed four runs with a best time of 1min 46.163secs - nearly four seconds off Stoner's pace.
Afterwards, Melandri explained that the new bike shares many of the GP8's characteristics - a machine he is yet to look comfortable on.
"Today I completed a few laps on the GP9, which definitely has some positive aspects whilst in other ways it is similar to the GP8. That's why for me it's difficult to get a good feeling for it," he explained.
Ducati test rider Vittoriano Guareschi and Ducati/
Bridgestone test rider Niccolò Canepa also rode the GP9 on Tuesday.
Canepa once again impressed by setting a best lap time of 1min 43.683secs, faster than Alice riders
Toni Elias and
Sylvain Guintoli, as well as Melandri.
