Yamaha pair quicker despite conditions

Yamaha Motor Italia riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt both managed to improve on their lap times from the Valencia race meeting back in April as th

15:00 16 November 2005

Yamaha Motor Italia riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt both managed to improve on their lap times from the Valencia race meeting back in April as the pair returned to the Spanish track for a two day Pirelli tyre test.

Wet weather conditions left most of the riders kicking their heels on Monday, although Pitt was one of only four riders to take to the circuit although he completed only a handful of laps before returning to the garage.

The second day saw the arrival of sunshine but the track failed to dry out in the morning, leaving just three hours of dry running. Both Haga and Pitt ran their R1s in virtually the same specification they finished the 2005 season with, the main evolutions being updated Ohlins suspension, which was tested for the first time, and new specification Pirelli tyres.

Haga ended the test with the fourth fastest time of the 12 riders present, a 1min 36.6secs, while Pitt was seventh fastest with a 1min 37.2secs - a performance that pleased team co-ordinator Massimo Meregalli.

"The bad weather reduced the time available and we were only able to get through a small amount of the work we'd planned," he said. "However it went well and this test has given us the opportunity to work with three new team members and for them to become familiar with our working practices. Next we have a test in Qatar early next month where we hope to have more track time.

"We ended the 2005 championship growing in confidence and for 2006 our intention is to be one of the main challengers for the championship title."