800cc Ducati on 990cc pace!

Loris Capirossi's very first day of testing on the 2007 spec 800cc Ducati Desmosedici ended with the Italian lapping just 1.4secs slower than his fastest lap in Sunday's Czech Republic Grand Prix!

Less than a day after winning at Brno, Capirossi - like almost all his MotoGP rivals - returned on Monday for the start of a two day test session, when the Ducati Marlboro rider was given his first taste of the new Desmosedici GP7.

The 800cc powered machine, created by technical director Filippo Preziosi and his team of Ducati Corse engineers, had its first shakedown in the hands of test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi during a private test at Mugello on May 2nd. But at 12.20 today (Monday) the bike that Ducati will enter in the 2007 MotoGP World Championship was handed over to seven-times 500cc/MotoGP winner Capirossi.

After carrying out a series of tyre tests with the 990cc GP6 in the morning, during which he set a best time of 1min 58.563secs, the Italian completed 28 laps on the GP7 - with a best of 1min 59.6secs. That also compares very favourably with Capirossi's own race lap record of 1min 58.157secs during Sunday's grand prix and is within 2.3secs of the fastest Monday test time, recorded by Camel Yamaha's Valentino Rossi.

Out of the seventeen MotoGP riders present at Brno on Monday - the rest of whom were on 990cc machines - Capirossi's 800cc pace was good enough for sixteenth position, just behind Fortuna Honda's Toni Elias and Tech 3 Yamaha's James Ellison, despite the near 20% engine capacity reduction.

"This morning I did some tyre testing which went quite well and which might allow us to have some interesting developments for the next few races. Then we started with the GP7," explained Capirossi. "As a first test it was very positive even though the bike still has to be developed. We expect to have to do a lot of work but the first impression was positive.

"The bike's handling has improved a lot and that's important. This bike has to be ridden in a different way to the GP6, it's actually very enjoyable, a bit like a 250 machine and testing it now was interesting and useful so we can immediately start to work on it," he added. "The engine is different, obviously less powerful but it makes a great noise! It has been a fantastic day, I'm very happy and tomorrow we'll continue to work hard."

"Today was another important day for all of us," stated a proud Preziosi. "Of course it is far too early to give a definitive opinion on the GP7 because it was the first time Loris had stepped onto the bike and because we still have to face up to our rivals. I can only say that I am satisfied: the bike seems to have got off to a good start.

"We have structured the project in an attempt to iron out some of the weak points of the GP6 that emerged chiefly with the chassis: we think we have identified them and have managed to resolve them. In fact Loris's comments that the bike reacts well and has a good 'rideability' are positive," he continued. "For sure it's a good start but we've still got a lot of work to do: the bike that won the race yesterday is the one we've been working on for the last four years and this one has just been born."

Test riders Guareschi and Shinichi Ito were joined by Sete Gibernau in watching Capirossi test the GP7. The injured Spaniard, who missed the Czech Republic Grand Prix after doctors advised against it, wanting to see the new machine in action.

"Yesterday I was over the moon for Loris's win!" began Sete. "I feel part of the family and I am always happy when the guys do well. The GP7 is a very important project and I also wanted to be here for the test. Loris said that the bike is going well and I would love to be able to test it as well but for the moment it's better not to."

If all goes according to plan, Gibernau will be back on track next time out at the Malaysian Grand Prix on September 10th.

"I should be back on the track in Malaysia: mentally I'm at 100% and I hope that the tests I'll be doing next week will confirm that I will be physically as well. The plate broke at Laguna Seca and now I've got two inside me, held together with 15 screws," he revealed. "If it breaks again, it'll be much worse because I'll have to have a bone graft from my hip to repair it. In any case, I'm sure that this rest period is doing me good and hopefully things will be OK for September 10th: I've had too much vacation and now I can't wait to be back in action!"