Bayliss 'can't wait' for Brno return.
Troy Bayliss produced the best ride of his rookie MotoGP season at Brno last August, leading Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau for more than half race distance (lower pic) before eventually finishing third, just 0.6secs from winner Rossi - and the former World Superbike is confident he can again be in the hunt for victory this weekend.
Troy Bayliss produced the best ride of his rookie MotoGP season at Brno last August, leading Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau for more than half race distance (lower pic) before eventually finishing third, just 0.6secs from winner Rossi - and the former World Superbike is confident he can again be in the hunt for victory this weekend.
Although the Aussie has yet to score a podium finish in 2004, he is back on the pace after recent improvements to his Desmosedici GP4 - most notably a revised firing order motor, christened the Twin Pulse by Ducati Corse. The engine uses revised intervals to produce horsepower that is more rider and tyre friendly.
"The Twin Pulse makes the bike more stable because it's smoother on the gas, so it feels like it's got more traction and it has got more traction," explained Bayliss. "When we first tested it I did good lap times after 18 laps on the same rear Michelin, and the tyre was cooler and looked better than another Michelin we'd used with the old Four Pulse motor.
"The Twin Pulse is easier to ride and that's what it's all about - making the bike comfortable to ride, so you can make the lap times easier without going too much above yourself."
Although the Twin Pulse makes fractionally less horsepower than the old even-firing Four Pulse, Bayliss is confident the motor will give him what he needs at Brno, one of the fastest racetracks in MotoGP.
"I liked the place pretty much straight away when I first tested there last year," said Troy. "We got the bike working good and last year's Brno race was probably my best of 2003 because I finished so close to the front. I left the place really happy, so I can't wait to get back there with the Twin Pulse.
"Brno is pretty fast and very wide, with a few corners you can't really see until you're on them. I guess you could say it's a little like Phillip Island because it's flowing, so it keeps the bikes together and makes for good racing," he added.
First qualifying for the Czech Grand Prix takes place this Friday.
