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Jerez Test
Rider performances
(26/02/2007)
The knives were out as the last pre-season test was fought in the bullring of Jerez in readiness of the opening race in the desert. MGPN gives you the three day low-down to each rider’s performance.
Factory Yamaha Team
Valentino Rossi
Having cracked last season at Valencia like the mirrored glass on the fitted wardrobe I was moving yesterday the anti-antipasti brigade were singing the downfall of Rossi. They believed Rossi's time was up. They believed a new breed of rider was emerging. They believed Hayden wasn't one of them.
But Rossi's answered his critics in the only way he knows how - with poor English. On track he's back and at the barbers he's missing - presumed barred.
And when the pressure was really on in the 40 minute 'win a beemer' session it was the mighty odour that took the honours and the brand new car…all of which upset potential sponsors Fiat who were told that a 'win a Punto' shoot-out would sound rubbish.
Colin Edwards
"You're only as good as your last race" is a saying that haunts Edwards with the tooth-leading Texan understandably preferring "you're every bit as good as your Monday test for Michelin."
Thankfully for Colin (and all those cheeky chaps over at www.colinedwards.com) that elusive string of fifth place finishes have never looked more in sight than now. Strong times all weekend and a third place in the shootout means Colin's strong…which means Yamaha are very strong…which means Rossi will be very, very strong.
Repsol Honda Team
Dani Pedrosa
Pedrosa has big ideas - and this time it's not just the dream about being four foot tall. In the final day shootout only Thumbelina was tall enough to take the battle to Rossi. He failed, but tried - unlike his team-mate last season who succeeded but didn't try. Ironic.
Now Pedrosa looks within touching distance of Rossi - which as we all know is very close.
Nicky Hayden
WC Hayden's luck seems to be running out - but after last season he can't complain. 'The Trick Daddy', as Hayden wishes his nickname to be known as to help mask his current nickname of 'that farmer who doesn't deserve it', has been anything but 'trick' in testing so far. Jerez was a step up, but not as a high a step as Pedrosa has been helped onto.
Kawasaki Racing Team
Randy de Puniet
No one's quite sure how the Crazy Frog bagged himself a MotoGP ride - least of all Kawasaki. But after a season of so-so performances Randy has stepped up onto the top step and come out of his shell.
This weekend's test has underlined de Puniet's and Kawasaki's speed…much to Shinya's annoyance.
Olivier Jacque
Since almost winning the Chinese GP a few years ago things have changed. Mainly Olivier as he's turned a bit rubbish.
Some solid bottom half finishes leave Team Green putting all their snail eggs into the de Puniet basket.
Ducati Marlboro Team
Casey Stoner
The super fast pairing of Stoner and Dani Pedrosa both upgraded last year from the 250's. Pedrosa chose the 'stay quiet' approach and was universally hated for being a boring git. Stoner chose the 'spout his mouth off' approach and was universally hated for acting like an Aussie. Sometimes you just can't win can you? Ask Ellison.
The Jerez test, like usual, was full of ups and downs for Casey - the last of which required a hospital check up for his head examining…along with the guy who hired him.
Slow in comparison to the other riders but always faster than Capirossi left a sweet taste to help counter the bitter taste of aspirin.
Loris Capirossi
Has Loris peaked? At 42cm it would be a shame but that'll teach him for smoking so much to earn that Sponsorship. What goes around comes around - and Loris couldn't go around as fast as his team-mate so may have to come around to the idea of retirement.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
Chris Vermeulen
With hardman John Hopkins being forced to miss the event on the medical advice of his dentist convict Vermin was left to fight the good Suzuki fight with only the helper pleb Akiyoshi as assistance. Performed as well as everyone would have predicted before the Suzuki started doing well.
Team Roberts
Kenny Roberts
Like the great vessel that he is Kenny Junior slowly gained more momentum as time went on. Finished overall as the fastest none factory Honda powered Honda powered rider. Get that? Basically only Thumbelina and Haystack beat him.
Honda LCR
Carlos Checa
Threatened to do well early doors but as the weekend progressed faded like the distance memory of his last GP victory. Probably done enough to secure a 2008 seat though.
Gresini Honda
Toni Elias
Last season a good result by Elias was rarer than leftovers at the Team Roberts canteen. Jerez however was one of Fat Toni's strong tracks.
This weekend Elias was okay. Not quite a 'slaughter a bull' performance, but more of a modest 'kick it in groin' accomplishment.
Marco Melandri
Fastest on day one. Fastest on day two. The horse-faced Italian was in full gallop and looked have his head in front of the rest when it came to winning the posh Krautenmobile. But come day three the hoofs fell off Melandri's charge and he could only manage 14th. The Marco Random Number Generator (MRNG) lives on.
Konica Minolta Honda
Shinya Nakano
Is Super Shinners actually a bit rubbish and the Kawasaki an amazing bike? Or does the Konica Minolta team drug their riders? We'll probably never know.
Two twelfths and a tenth place finish just weren't good enough.
Dunlop Tech 3
Makoto Tamada
How Tech 3 Yamaha must be sulking. If even Colin can be up at the top of the timesheets then why can't they? Answer - Dunlop.
Tamada did okay, he won't be seeing the 2008 season from the GP paddock but at least he's duffing up his Frenchie team-mate.
Sylvain Guintoli
After World War 2 the wussy French were more or less hated by all. Even the Germans had a better reputation for their 'have a crack at it' attitude. The likes of Randy de Puniet are proving the French aren't all quitters. The likes of Alain Prost then cancel this out. It's a fine balance that Guintoli looks like having little to no input into. Correctly overlooked.
Pramac d'Antin
Alex Hofmann
Unlike McWilliams' knee joints the Ducati and Bridgestone qualifiers just don't seem to click. Baron von Hoffers finished the 40 minute shoot out way down the order - all of which helped disguise his fine achievements. Not only did the Krautenstar finish fourth and eight on the first two days he then finished a fine third in the session after the shootout. Why would he need a BMW anyway?
Alex Barros
When he's good he's good. When he's rubbish he's rubbish. When it's light he's ugly. Barros again proved why, in more than one way, he's a bookmaker's nightmare by having a completely up and down test.
Ilmor GP
Andrew Pitt
When you fight the MotoGP battle armed only with a fish finger and a shield of cuckoo feathers you can expect a good beating. Pitt's results were terrible - none of which were his fault.
Jeremy McWilliams
The Ulsterman made a lot of progress - mostly in the bone-healing department. His bike failed to follow his lead.
Day 1
1. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda 1min 42.563 secs
2. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 42.634 secs
3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1min 42.796 secs
4. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR 1min 43.206 secs
5. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 43.214 secs
6. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 43.315 secs
7. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 43.475 secs
8. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 43.673 secs
9. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda 1min 43.687 secs
10. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda 1min 43.817 secs
11. Colin Edwards USA Factory Yamaha Team 1min 43.845 secs
12. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 44.052 secs
13. Valentino Rossi ITA Factory Yamaha Team 1min 44.494 secs
14. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 44.659 secs
15. Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 45.081 secs
16. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 45.208 secs
17. Vittoriano Guareschi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 45.603 secs
18. Shinichi Ito JPN Ducati TTT 1min 45.826 secs
19. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 1min 45.901 secs
20. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts 1min 45.937 secs
21. Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 47.191 secs
22. Jeremy McWilliams GBR Ilmor GP 1min 47.696 secs
23. Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor GP 1min 49.365 secs
Day 2
1. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda 1min 40.383 secs
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Factory Yamaha Team 1min 40.308 secs
3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1min 40.581 secs
4. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 40.748 secs
5. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda 1min 40.952 secs
6. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 41.071 secs
7. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR 1min 41.096 secs
8. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 41.151 secs
9. Colin Edwards USA Factory Yamaha Team 1min 41.204 secs
10. Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 41.234 secs
11. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 1min 41.259 secs
12. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda 1min 41.269 secs
13. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 41.363 secs
14. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 41.590 secs
15. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 41.777 secs
16. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts 1min 41.783 secs
17. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 41.845 secs
18. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 42.364 secs
19. Shinichi Ito JPN Ducati TTT 1min 43.209 secs
20. Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 43.610 secs
21. Vittoriano Guareschi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 44.143 secs
Day 3
1. Valentino Rossi ITA Factory Yamaha Team 1min 38.394 secs
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1min 38.527 secs
3. Colin Edwards USA Factory Yamaha Team 1min 39.300 secs
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 1min 39.556 secs
5. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 39.832 secs
6. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 39.873 secs
7. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 39.887 secs
8. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 40.043 secs
9. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts 1min 40.083 secs
10. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR 1min 40.100 secs
11. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda 1min 40.202 secs
12. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda 1min 40.242 secs
13. Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 40.307 secs
14. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda 1min 40.396 secs
15. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 40.551 secs
16. Alex Hofmann GER MotoGP 1min 40.681 secs
17. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 41.038 secs
18. Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 41.805 secs
19. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 42.215 secs
20. Vittoriano Guareschi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 43.008 secs
21. Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor GP 1min 43.026 secs
22. Shinichi Ito JPN Ducati TTT 1min 43.073 secs
23. Jeremy McWilliams GBR Ilmor GP 1min 43.202 secs
