R6 set-up report: Valencia.

Hosting its fourth World Superbike/Supersport event, Valencia's modern and spectator-friendly facilities provide an ideal venue for the first round of the 2003 season.

Having scheduled one of the earliest ever season openers, organizers will be hoping that its location in one of the dryer corners of Spain will keep the risk of rain to a minimum.

Perhaps unexpected for such a new installation, the track is unusually slippery - a feature which is compounded by drifting dust and sand carried on the ever constant sea breeze. Wet weather, though infrequent, means glass-like conditions to test the skills of even the most rain-hardened riders.

Another feature of Valencia is its awkward downhill corners - notably the left-hander after the short back straight and the long left-handed final turn into the main straight. These challenge riders' braking skills and complicates the job of engineers as they strive to set up a well-balanced chassis. A tendency towards front-end chatter is a common result of efforts to compensate for these track peculiarities.

Another challenge lies in selecting the right gearing. Many corners, particularly the second to third 'kink' and turns five and six, can be taken in second gear, though riders can either carry a 'long' second or take a shorter second gear for a quick shift into third depending on riding style. The final gearing compromise is only be reached after a plenty of track familiarization and a good chassis setting.

Completely revised for this year is Yamaha's three-time Manufacturer World Championship winning Supersport challenger: the YZF-R6. The new model features the next generation Deltabox frame, electronic fuel injection (EFI) and numerous upgrades to both engine and chassis.

As only four 45-minute pre-race practice outings are scheduled at each weekend this year, engineers will be looking to save precious time as they work towards the best race setting. Instead of track testing carburettor settings, the ability to simply download 'out of the box' track-specific engine mapping data to the R6's new EFI will allow more time to focus on all-important chassis settings which improve handling and give overall confidence to the rider.

In the area of chassis settings the benefit lies in the new high-rigidity frame, which offers greatly improved levels of feedback from both the front and rear end. In turn this allows the rider to feel and accurately pass on the smallest changes to chassis dialing. A stiffer, lighter frame also means quicker handling and aggressive cornering which helps provide the competitive edge in this evenly-matched class.

A change of throttle body diameter (from 36.5mm to 38 mm) has improved engine power delivery, resulting in a stronger mid range for pull out of corners and a more 'top heavy' power curve to provide more top-end power earlier in the rev range.

Following last weekend's official test at the track, most teams will already have a good idea of which tyres are working best, especially as they encountered both dry and wet conditions during their visit. Selecting rubber to last full race distance shouldn't pose a serious problem as the slippery surface and low spring temperatures conspire to give minimal tyre wear.