Estoril IRTA test - day three: February 23.

Loris Capirossi headed the times with a new lap record on the final day of the IRTA test in Estoril, Portugal.

The three days testing in Estoril circuit were used by many riders to study the suitable set-ups and prepare for the Portugeuses GP that will take place in September at the same track.

Capirossi's lap of 1min 40.109secs would prove unbeatable, and the Italian seem s to feel more confident both in his own ability and in the adjustments made to the machine by the Honda Racing Corporation in his second season with the team.

"I am very happy with the reactions of the bike and my knowledge of its possibilities and limits," said Capirossi afterwards. "It is my second season in the team and our work is more effective, because they know me better and I, of course, know more about their way of analysing the bike's results and improving them. I leave Estoril very satisfied. I have made the best time in one of the last laps in which I've pushed a lot, although I've made a mistake in the first turn."

The Marlboro Yamaha pairing of Max Biaggi (second) and Carlos Checa (third) were happy with their progress and lap times, and even both stopped testing early, Biaggi running his final laps on Thursday evening and Checa stopping at Friday lunchtime, with half a day of the three-day session remaining.

From past experience both men know that too much testing can be counter-productive, especially when they've completed all the work they set out to do.

Throughout the week the team has looked in impressive form; Checa fastest on Wednesday, Biaggi quickest on Thursday, Capirossi easing ahead by just 0.040 seconds on the final day, leaving Biaggi and Checa a super-close second and third overall.

Both were an amazing two seconds inside the lap record, having also set the pace at Jerez last week, topping the times on two of the three days and ending up second and third to Valentino Rossi (Honda).

Biaggi clocked his best lap at Estoril on Thursday afternoon, 2.051 seconds below Rossi's record, and forsook today's session to keep himself fresh and strong for Catalunya.

"I had an experience last year that showed me you can do too much during winter tests," said the hard-riding Italian, who started the 2000 season injured after crashing during pre-season tests. "The team and I have done some really good work here, so it made sense to stop and save ourselves for what's to come."

Earlier in the tests Biaggi suffered chatter problems - a high frequency vibration during cornering that prevents riders from pushing any harder - but had found a solution by Thursday evening.

"We spent most of Wednesday working at that, using 16.5in rears and then 17s at the end of the day," he revealed. "Then we concentrated on finding a good set-up with the 16.5, because I think this is the right direction. It was difficult work but we reduced the chatter and found a couple of good tyres, and I did my fastest laps with the 16.5."

Checa was also delighted with what he'd achieved at Estoril, venue for the Portuguese GP on September 9. The Spaniard had a torrid time during last September's inaugural GP at the tight and bumpy circuit, but he's put all that behind him. Looking more confident and comfortable than ever, his fastest lap was 2.034 seconds inside the lap record.

"I had a bad time here last year but things are very different now," he said. "I feel we are ready for the season and I didn't feel like that last spring. We had chatter trouble on Wednesday and Thursday but we cured that today, we're feeling quite clever!"

Checa was running fast despite the chatter and once he'd got through the problem improved his times some more. He did slide off at very slow speed during one of his final runs, when he kissed a white line while pushing hard to cut his times still further.

"We cured the chatter by working on front geometry and rear settings and from then on I was really fast," he added. "Once we'd done that we focused on the 16.5in rear again and I felt really confident at the end of the tests. Now I'm looking forward to Catalunya next week, then our Suzuka tests and then the start of the season."

Marlboro Yamaha Team director Hiroya Atsumi shared his riders' upbeat mood following the Estoril outing. "We are okay!" he grinned. "We are working to give them a perfect machine, and I would say that we are now closer than ever before. We've made good progress with our settings with the 16.5 rear, so Max and Carlos feel confident and have ridden some very good lap times. Carlos did have a little crash, I guess he sometimes tries a bit too hard!"

Meanwhile, fourth fastest overall went to Jurgen Van den Goorbergh, with a time set on the second day of running. Next fastest was new Repsol Honda rider Tohru Ukawa, who improved his time on the final day, whilst both Garry McCoy (sixth) and Kenny Roberts (seventh) did not improve their times on the final day.

In eighth place was Alex Barros, who crashed without serious injury trying to improve his time, but was then forced to miss out the rest of the session because of a sore back. Nevertheless, Barros will be fit for the Valencia tests next week.

"At the beginning of the season, you have to take risks to test the bike's limits and the tyres, that is why we fall so many times," explained the Brazilian. "The important think is not to have any serious injury that would affect the whole season. Alex Criville has been the most affected, but I hope he will recover soon. The rest of us, have had good luck."

Antonio Cobas of the West Honda Pons team was satisfied with the technical work developed in Estoril:

"In the pre-season testing we make the riders do intensive work that might seem inhuman, but they are strong and can stand it. During these three days, we tested over 40 different tyres and it was not an easy job. At the end of the test we chose the best so that Loris could go to the limit and see what time he could make, which was excellent, despite a little mistake in the riding. It's a pity that Alex could not make his last session due to his fall."

The West Honda Pons team confirmed that they have ridden an average of 1,500km -nearly a third of the distance considered ideal to start the championship.

The teams will now move on to Valencia, where, in the Cheste circuit, they will ride for two days, (February 26/27). The last test in Europe will be in Montmelo Circuit, (Barcelona) on March 3rd and 4th. After that, they will head to Japan, and will not return to Europe until May.

Estoril IRTA test - day three: February 23. Leading times.

1.Loris CapirossiITA West Honda Pons 1min 40.109secs
2.Max BiaggiITA Marlboro Yamaha Team 1min 40.149secs
3.Carlos ChecaSPA Marlboro Yamaha Team 1min 40.166secs
4.Jurgen vd GoorberghNED Proton Team KR
1min 40.328secs
5.Tohru UkawaJPN Repsol Honda Team 1min 40.535secs
6.Garry McCoyAUS Red Bull Yamaha WCM 1min 40.623secs
7.Kenny RobertsUSA Telefonica MoviStar Suzuki 1min 40.659secs
8.Alex BarrosBRA West Honda Pons 1min 40.732secs
9.Norrick AbeJPN Antena 3 Yamaha-d'Antin 1min 40.898secs
10.Noriyuki HagaJPN Red Bull Yamaha WCM 1min 40.912secs
11.Shinya NakanoJPN Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3 1min 40.970secs
12.Sete GibernauSPA Telefonica MoviStar Suzuki 1min 41.002secs
13.Valentino RossiITA Nastro Azzurro Honda 1min 41.139secs
15.Chris WalkerGBR Hardwick racing 1min 42.525secs
16.Leon HaslamGBR Hardwick racing 1min 42.915secs