The first post-season test with the new-for-2007 800cc machines has ended with
Dani Pedrosa putting Honda's RC212V at the top of the timesheets, after two days of track action at Valencia.
The test, which began just three days after the season-ending grand prix at the Spanish circuit, saw the factory teams from Honda, Yamaha, Ducati and Suzuki all put serious mileage on the new creations - only Kawasaki was not represented - while the independent, recently formed, Ilmor team was present with its 800cc X3, raced in the final two rounds of 2006.
After riding the 990cc M1, in order to 'understand why we lost' Sunday's title showdown, former five-times world champion
Valentino Rossi went on to set the day one 800cc pace on his Camel Yamaha - but with Ducati's
Loris Capirossi just 0.1secs slower, Suzuki's
John Hopkins a mere 0.03secs further behind and the top 800cc Honda, of Pedrosa, within 0.11secs of Rossi!
Pedrosa, unlike team-mate and new world champion
Nicky Hayden, had previously ridden the V4 during testing after the Japanese Grand Prix and the rookie of the year put his prior knowledge to good use on day two - finding a further 0.55secs to leave the test fastest of all.
Underlining the potential of the new 800cc machines, the Spaniard's pace was 0.66secs quicker than he'd been in Sunday's race, on the 990cc RC211V, and beat Capirossi's fastest race lap by 0.264secs.
"Today we were lucky because the weather remained dry so this was perfect and we were able to do many laps," said Dani, who completed 67 circulations. "Basically we did some tyre testing for Michelin and some more specific set-up work for the bike to continue things from yesterday. The progress was good, though it's still early and there's plenty of testing still to do before we begin again in 2007. Now I'm looking forward to getting home!"
