Young Guns Set To Load MotoGP Bullets

The experienced riders spent time confirming various chassis and suspension options while the new RC211V recruits spent their time acquainting them selves with the 990cc 5-cylinder four-stroke machines they will race in the 2006 world championship.

Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden, a three-year MotoGP veteran who finished second in Sunday’s GP, spent the day tested several options on the geometry and different suspension links. The young American and his crew were curious about the potential of other race options available to them but ended the day happy with the choices made for Sundays race.

Marco Melandri, Valencia GP race winner, completed only eight lap of his planned tyre testing session the track temperature of 16 degrees insufficient to deliver any worthwhile information.

Reigning double-250cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa made his RCV debut and covered 62 laps of the tight and demanding 4.005 km Valencia circuit as he began the long hard task of finding the ideal machine set up to suit his riding style.

The diminutive Spaniard was impressed with the RCV but realises he has a long learning curve ahead of him before he fires up the 990cc four-stroke for the first race of the 2006 season at Jerez, Spain on March 24.

Toni Elias has one year of MotoGP experience having raced for the Tech 3 squad in 2005 but was making his Honda RC211V debut today. He has an almost complexly new pit crew for the coming season and establishing a working relationship was the priority. The team worked on adjusting the machine to suit both his size and style eventually putting in 34 laps in the cold blustery conditions. At the end Elias of the day Elias pronounced himself positively motivated by the potential for success with the RCV.

The Honda Pons team were present at the test and fielded two new riders, near veteran Carlos Checa and new to MotoGP Casey Stoner. Checa had the misfortune to crash in the morning session but returned to the track after lunch to set competitive lap times for the conditions.

Stoner took to the RCV in quick time and the initial impression suggest he will be more than competitive in the senior category of two-wheel GP racing. The Australian youngster set lap time of 1m 35.1s, one-tenth of a second faster than his team-mate.

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