The DFXtreme Sterilgarda rider was consistently the top Yamaha, beating the likes of Andrew Pitt,
Noriyuki Haga, Sebastien Gimbert and Norick Abe. Having a great deal of experience on the R1 will give him an early advantage that may last to the races next weekend as the other Yamaha teams try to find speed as they play catch-up.
The Xerox factory Ducati team had their work cut out at the test with only fourth place being managed by either
Regis Laconi or defending champion
James Toseland during the test.
They may have a great deal to do before the racing begins to find the extra speed which will be hampered by Toseland's bruising he picked up from a high-side during the final day of the test. The 2004 champ set the overall tenth fastest time.
"I was going into the second of the three successive fast right-handers and the rear let go," explained the young British rider. "I just looped over and landed on my side. I've never been up that high before!”
Yamaha France rider Gimbert is likely to be a high performer after finishing the test a final fifth fastest. He entered the final round of WSBK 2004 on the Yamaha where he surprised the field by securing two strong fourth place finishes. This recent test has served to underline his and Yamaha's capability of challenging for race wins.
A joyful Chris Walker attained the highest placed finish for Kawasaki on the PSG-1 machine, taking seventh overall in the test. With his old Foggy Petronas team not fairing too well at all only managing to take the 24th and 27th fastest times by the end of the test.
Haga, on his much anticipated return to Yamaha, made great in-roads on the set-up of his R1 machine, going from the back of the time sheets to securing the ninth fastest time overall by the close. His legion of fans hope to see him battling for the title before too long, but still has some way to go following his out-side top ten performance for much of the test.
However Haga did not resort to testing a qualifying tyre like most of the field, believing that the race set-up is far more important.
