Imola (Italy), Wednesday 30th June 2010: Temperatures were marginally lower for the start of the second day of testing at Imola (27°C air, 30°C track temperature) and the Ducati Xerox riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio were able to continue with the testing of the various Pirelli tyre compounds, with some extremely positive results. Fabrizio concluded the morning session at the top of the timesheets, having recorded some very impressive lap times (1m47.8), better than those set last year. His best lap this morning was 0.5 seconds faster than his flying lap yesterday.During the same session, Noriyuki and his team were able to increase traction which gave the Japanese rider a better feeling with his 1198, and allowed him to register some interesting lap times. Unfortunately twenty minutes before the lunch break, and while testing the new front tyre that he hadn’t ridden with yesterday, Haga had a low speed crash, on entry in Tosa corner, losing the front though fortunately uninjured. He closed his session there, having recorded the sixth fastest time, made in his penultimate exit with a new rear tyre.
Haga went straight back out after lunch and immediately set a 1’48.5, despite the elevated track temperature. Lap times, for both Nori and Michel, remained constant and they closed the session in second (Noriyuki) and third (Michel) position. The time recorded by Fabrizio this morning (1’47.8) was the overall second fastest time of the two-day test, four tenths from Cal Crutchlow’s fastest lap, registered late this afternoon; Haga set his own fastest time (1’48.0) right before concluding his session today, improving by eight tenths on his best time set yesterday, to finish fifth overall.
Michel Fabrizio
“We continued with the tyre testing today and with one of the new rears I had a particularly good feeling and went half a second faster than yesterday which wasn’t bad. We’ll see how the tyres behave when we return for the race but on hot tarmac they have worked well, providing a good level of grip. Now I’ll start to concentrate on the next event at Brno, a track a like very much.”
Noriyuki Haga
“These two days of testing have gone very well. As usual we’ve tried various settings over the two days and I found a good feeling with the front; it’s only a shame that I had a crash this morning – let’s say that the new front tyre solution is not for me. With the new rears on the other hand I was able to get into a good rhythm, with a good pace. We will continue with the work during the September race weekend to see if we can further improve absorption levels, but I can say that I’m satisfied with what we’ve achieved here.”
TIMES (overall): 1. Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1’47.7; 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1’47.8; 3. Haslam (Suzuki) 1’47.9; 4. Rea (Honda) 1’47.9; 5. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 1’48.0; 6. Checa (Ducati) 1’48.1; 7. Xaus (BMW) 1’48.3; 8. Byrne (Ducati) 1’48.6; 9. Biaggi (aprilia) 1’48.6; 10. Skyes (Kawasaki) 1’48.9
