GP gets going.

With only fifteen days until the start of the 2005 season the official Moto GP test at Catalunia was held this weekend.

My tip for this years crown, Gauloises Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi, placed second in the test with a fastest lap of 1'42.270 and commented afterwards...

"I'm happy because we did a great job here today during the test. Yesterday and Friday we had some problems and we didn't really understand why. We tried to follow a different way but it wasn't right. Today was much better. I made a small mistake in my hot lap in the qualifying session and I was second, but anyway I feel much happier.
The bike was much better to ride and felt good on the race tyres. It's fun to ride again, which is an important thing for me. We've still got a lot of work to do so hopefully we can continue in the same way at Jerez and find a good base setting for the circuit."

First place, and a brand new BMW series 1, went to last years runner up in the championship Sete Gibernau...

"Over the past three days we've found a good set-up for the bike and worked very well with Honda and Michelin. My pace has been fast and consistent and that is a credit to the hard work done by the team all winter.
That is the most important thing about this weekend although it was nice to finish with the fastest time - particularly for the fans, who came out in force to support us today."

Colin Edwards, who I have tipped for second place in the coming year, finished the weekend test in 7th place with a time of 1'43.131 saying later...

"I'm not disappointed with today but I have to say I'm not totally happy either. The main focus of the day was to run through a whole bunch of stuff that we could then either eliminate or proceed with. That's what these tests are for and from that point of view it was positive.
We've also done a lot of work on the tyres and at the moment I would say we've got a top five bike on our hands. Next week we've got to keep working, test a bunch more settings and make sure we've got the number one bike in time for the first race."

My third place tip for the championship, Troy Bayliss, finished the test in a dissapointing fiftenth place on the Camel Honda...

"I think that the times don't necessarily reflect the situation exactly because the day was a little weird. There were those who used a soft tyre in the timed session and those who did afterwards, those who made the most of it and those who didn't, and there were also those who improved their time from yesterday using race tyres. I'm one of the latter, and I'm particularly happy because I did it towards the end of the day, when the track was a lot cooler.
Apart from continuing with the set-up, I have found a front tyre that gives me confidence, so I'm anxious to get to Jerez to confirm these positive feelings."

Final times were as follows...

1. Gibernau (Honda) 1'41.851
2. Rossi (Yamaha) 1'42.270
3. Hayden (Honda) 1'42.507
4. Melandri 1'42.797
5. Tamada (Honda) 1'42.823
6. Biaggi (Honda) 1'42.977
7. Hopkins (Suzuki) 1'43.117
8. Edwards (Yamaha) 1'43.131
9. Barros (Camel Honda) 1'43.274
10. Capirossi (Ducati) 1'43.531