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Catalunya IRTA Motorcycle Test Preview
The roar of the world's most advanced 990cc four-stroke prototype
motorcycles will once again be heard this weekend as MotoGP officially
returns to action after the long winter break. Almost five months
since the final round of Valentino Rossi's title-winning first
season with Yamaha at Valencia, the full complement of teams
and riders will be back in Spain as they launch the first stage
of their quest to end the Italian's reign as World Champion at
the MotoGP Official Test at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona.
Whilst the majority of teams and factories have continued with
their intense testing programmes all around the world during
the winter, this is the first official date on the 2005 calendar
and has become a traditionally competitive prologue to recent
seasons. The introduction of the BMW Award - MotoGP Best Qualifier
two years ago has added an extra edge to the test, with a televised
40-minute session offering a brand new 1 series model to the
fastest rider.
The BMW Award - MotoGP Test has produced shock winners in both
of its previous two editions, with Loris Capirossi driving away
with the inaugural prize on an early version of the Ducati Desmosedici
in 2003 and Rossi stunning his rivals in his first official appearance
with Yamaha YZR-M1 last year. Rossi also won the overall BMW
Award - MotoGP Best Qualifier of the Year, which is presented
at the end of the season to the rider with the lowest accumulated
qualifying times over the course of the World Championship, including
their effort from the MotoGP Official Test.
Rossi's rivals will be keen to ensure that both his garage and
trophy cabinet are not extended any further in 2005, starting
with this weekend's test, which gets underway at 10.00h on Friday
18th March. The timed session is scheduled to start at 14.05h
on Sunday afternoon.
Leading the quest to stop Rossi are his two greatest rivals from
recent seasons, Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau. Both riders have
finished runner-up to Rossi in the MotoGP World Championship
and have full factory support from Honda in 2005 as they look
to finally lift the title. HRC have brought out new versions
of their RC211V machines during the winter tests and have enjoyed
encouraging results, with Nicky Hayden also showing good form
and Makoto Tamada adapting quickly to Michelin tyres after switching
from Bridgestone.
Honda is not the only factory to have updated its machinery during
preseason, with Yamaha, Ducati, Kawasaki and Suzuki all rolling
out futuristic new prototypes in tests at circuits including
Sepang, Phillip Island and Qatar. Meanwhile, Team Roberts took
to the track at Valencia last week for a shakedown test with
their new Proton motorcycle, powered by a KTM engine, whilst
WCM expect their new Blata V6 machine to be ready for the first
round of the season at Jerez on 10th April.
As well as witnessing all of the new machines on track together
for the first time this year, fans at Catalunya will also get
their first glimpse of several exciting new rider line-ups. Whilst
Colin Edwards has replaced Carlos Checa as team-mate to Valentino
Rossi at Yamaha, Checa has taken the place of Troy Bayliss at
Ducati and Bayliss himself has switched to Honda. Marco Melandri
will also be making his first official MotoGP appearance for
Honda after switching from Yamaha's satellite team, which will
this season be represented by Rubén Xaus and Toni Elías,
contesting his rookie season in the premier-class alongside the
former Ducati rider after moving up from 250cc.
Elías' former quarter-litre rivals will also be at Catalunya
this week, starting a day and a half of tests on Wednesday afternoon.
Dani Pedrosa will defend the number 1 plate this season but has
several new rivals including Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo,
Hector Barberá, Simone Corsi and Casey Stoner, who have
all moved up from the 125cc class, as well as Japanese Champion
Yuki Takahashi and regular frontrunners from last season such
as Sebastian Porto, Randy de Puniet and Alex de Angelis.
The exodus of riders from the 125cc class promises another open
and exciting season, with the experienced Pablo Nieto the highest
ranked rider in the class from last year. Nieto promises to be
a strong contender in 2005 having returned to the Derbi factory
but will no doubt have to contend with former World Champion
Manuel Poggiali, who is back with Gilera after a disastrous defence
of the 250cc crown, as well as promising youngsters such as Mika
Kallio, Álvaro Bautista, Sergio Gadea and Marco Simoncelli.
The 125cc category opens the action at the Circuit de Catalunya
this week with a day and a half of tests beginning on Tuesday
15th March at 10.00h.
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