There was no rest for PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team, as they took part in a productive one-day test at Jerez on Monday, just one day after the SpanishGP ended. The day concluded with Franco Morbidelli ninth and Valentino Rossi 12th on the final timesheets.
Team-mate Rossi also began his Jerez test once the red flag period was over and, like Morbidelli, he could also test the new front fender and new swingarm on his Yamaha YZR-M1 throughout the day. In addition to this Valentino was able to evaluate settings on the electronic side of the bike. Ahead of the mid-session lunch break the Italian had completed 36 laps, before taking to the track again with under three hours on the clock. At the end of the test Rossi had improved upon his personal best of the last 4 days, setting a 1min 37.700secs, and made a big step forward with his race pace. He completed a total of 73 laps, 37 in the afternoon, and was the 12th fastest rider.
The next time that Morbidelli and Rossi will be on track again will be at Le Mans in ten day’s time, for the Grand Prix de France (14-16 May).
“We had the opportunity today to work with some new parts and provide my feedback on them, which is nice, but we mostly focused on trying to improve the braking. It was an area that I didn’t have a perfect feeling with, so it was something we could look to better and I think we have found something today that has improved my feeling under braking, so this is good,” Franco Morbidelli commented on the test.
“I hope that the things that we have found here also work in Le Mans. It will be important to do a good job there and I hope that we continue to be strong going forwards, I will be trying my best to be,”
Valentino Rossi too was impressed by the test, “Today was a good test for me because we improved the feeling with the bike, the pace with the race tyre and in the time attack.”
“It was a long day because the conditions were good, so we did a lot of laps. The team and I worked on the balance of the bike, the settings and we can see the improvements, as I was better under braking and in corner entry.”
“We also have some other new bits for the bike, which is good and helps. I’m happy because we were able to improve today, after a difficult weekend, and I have a much better feeling with the bike. It is just a one-day test, we need to see what happens at Le Mans but I am leaving here with a good feeling,” he concluded.
