Valentino Rossi “It was another positive day, both because we achieved our goal of lapping at 2:01 and because we managed to make further progress with the bike’s setup. On the other hand, as is normal with a brand-new bike like the GP12, as we progress with our tests we also find other details that can’t be addressed with setup alone and that will therefore have to be perfected in the coming weeks. We had already identified those areas yesterday, acceleration and electronics, and we confirmed the progress made with the front end. Honda and Yamaha have been working on their bikes for a year, while we’ve just had two days, which makes our job particularly challenging, but we already knew that as well. Tomorrow will be important as well because we’ll be able to make an overall assessment of the three days, and we’ll have a clearer idea of where we stand compared to the others. If we manage to stay under one second from the top, I’ll be happy.”

Nicky Hayden  “I was okay when I first went out this morning, and on my second lap I managed to make a pretty decent step from yesterday. After that I lost strength in the shoulder and wasn’t really able to ride fast or consistently enough to test much. I’m okay under braking because I can lock my shoulder out, but when the bike shakes I don’t have enough strength to hold on. I didn’t want to crash and cause bigger problems, so I just decided to chill out. It’s a bit of a bummer, but that’s how it goes sometimes. They’ve done a great job with the new bike, and you can see just from looking at it that it’s really slick. I just wish I could ride it closer to the edge and really see what it does and how it reacts to changes. Maybe I’ll do a few more exits tomorrow, but that’s about it.”

Ben Spies  “We got going pretty well in the morning, then even when the track started to slow down the pace was still really good. We started to mess with the balance of the bike a little today and played with the electronics to find a good foundation with the bike. At Valencia we compared some stuff and got in the right direction. Now we’re here and taking the next step, trying some things to see how it affects the set up. There’s definitely some room for improvement and some areas we’re not struggling with at all.”

Jorge Lorenzo  “Today I was much more tired than yesterday so it was tough to finish with a good pace but we managed it. We didn’t find any big improvements but some small details. Tomorrow we hope to make one big step. We improved our lap times a lot in the morning but in the afternoon when it was even hotter we managed to go faster which is very positive.”

Alvaro Bautista   “The second day of the test has seen us improve our lap times slightly but above all put together a consistent pace over a series of outings. Today I had more confidence with the bike and I was able to push with more conviction, which I am particularly pleased about. We have tried some things with the electronics and some setting solutions that will give us an idea of what we need to do tomorrow. I am sure that we can improve the bike and my riding significantly. Obviously I need to get used to riding a ‘thousand’ because it has different characteristics to an 800, mainly in that it has more power and you have to use that in a different way. I have been able to see how professional this team is. They are doing a great job so that gives me confidence for tomorrow, when we will try to take another step forward.”

We’ll continue to add rider statements as they trickle in…

Comments:

1. 

   BizJetGuy

   Not reported was Spies' flying lap of 1:58. The board was "corrected" with no explanation why (at least that I heard).
   
   Edwards dealing with chatter but still the only CRT to show any promise at this point is the Aprilia.

   February 1, 2012 - 8:48 am
2. 

   08silvercbr

   Wow impressive for Ben. Hopefully this will be a little better year for him.
   
   New bikes or not, I still see Casey smoking everyone this year. He really seems to jive with Honda.
   
   Cal has made some pretty good progress over the last year as well. I wouldn't be surprised to see him doing well this year either.
   
   Poor Ducati.. May be a rough road for them still. For Nicky's sake I hope they can get it together.

   February 1, 2012 - 9:02 am
3. 

   ND4SPD

   Rossi and Hayden both seem impressed with the bike so far. They said the front feels much better and the bike is responding to changes so while they definitely have a lot of work to do, they're making progress. Alex Briggs seems positive in his tweets, also.

   February 1, 2012 - 9:12 am
4. 

   ND4SPD

   Added statement from Bautista.

   February 1, 2012 - 9:14 am
5. 

   ND4SPD

   BizJetGuy

   Not reported was Spies' flying lap of 1:58. The board was "corrected" with no explanation why (at least that I heard).
   
   Edwards dealing with chatter but still the only CRT to show any promise at this point is the Aprilia.

   Couldn't make sense of what the deal with that flying lap was. Maybe he went out right when they dropped the checkered flag? That's the only thing I could think of.
   
   Agreed on the second part. We may see a resurgence of RDP aboard that bike. It seems to be working very very well so far.

   February 1, 2012 - 9:22 am
6. 

   MACI4LIFE

   While i'm excited about the Duc's performance, and the enthusiasm from the riders, i still can't see how they can overcome the japanese juggernaut and their bottomless pocket, in terms of technological improvements. only god knows how much money has been poured into the electronics and programming of the ECU and other modules. Can ducati even compete with a bike that pretty much rides itself?
   
   ASIMO himself helped build the rc213!!!! ;)

   February 1, 2012 - 12:17 pm
7. 

   ND4SPD

   February 1, 2012 - 12:18 pm
8. 

   luvtolean

   MACI4LIFE

   While i'm excited about the Duc's performance, and the enthusiasm from the riders, i still can't see how they can overcome the japanese juggernaut and their bottomless pocket, in terms of technological improvements. only god knows how much money has been poured into the electronics and programming of the ECU and other modules. Can ducati even compete with a bike that pretty much rides itself?
   
   ASIMO himself helped build the rc213!!!! ;)

   So, you really think Dani Pedrosa is that bad of a rider? He's never been able to win a championship with that bike. He's tried like hell with all those resources for a long time now.

   February 1, 2012 - 12:21 pm
9. 

   BizJetGuy

   Pedrosa = ASIMO

   February 1, 2012 - 12:30 pm
10. 

    ND4SPD

    Ducati did it in 07 with Stoner, there's no reason they can't with Rossi. Up until this year and especially since the switch to the spec tire, they've been using evolutions of the tire Stoner developed with Bridgestone. Now that they're going with a softer carcass that the other riders can actually feel, the playing field should be somewhat level.
    
    
    

    Dani Pedrosa // 4th at 0.613 secs. 35 laps, 194 km.
    "Today we worked from the very first moment of the session this morning, the track was in better conditions than yesterday and it was quite a bit hotter. We worked on the setup, basically on the braking and getting rid of the bounce so as to improve the stability when taking a corner; this is now our main objective. We made some comparisons between the two chassis and we have to carry on working to see what more we can do before deciding on one or the other. We have another day`s work so we will try some changes on the rear shock-absorber which may help us and also on the tyre pressure, to see what we can achieve. I did not string a lot of laps together today, but now is the time to do all the tests we can and sometimes you have to spend more time stopped in the pits, that is normal. The new Bridgestone tyres are working well; I only tried a hard compound on the rear wheel but it did not have too much grip and the soft ones are working better, it seems that they will last even over a race distance".
    Casey Stoner // 1º- 2:00.895, 29 laps, 161 km.
    "It was great to finally ride the bike today and things went quite well, in spite of wanting to do a couple of more laps. We spent most of the day testing the new chassis, comparing it with the one we used in Valencia; we found a good direction to work in and we are now clearer about where we want to go. As always, it would be perfect to be able to combine the qualities of both the two chassis, but although that is not possible, we are pleased to have found the way we want to go. We used a hard tyre compound on the front wheel in the afternoon, but some vibration appeared, so we will have to work on that; there is room for improvement. Today we did not get a chance to try the new tyres that Bridgestone brought here, we can ride on them tomorrow".

    Note the last sentence of Casey's statement. He's still setting the pace on "his" tire, not the new one. That blistering 1:58 from Spies that got tossed out? Yeah...
    
    I disliked Dani for a long time mainly because of the infamous Estoril incident in '06. Last year he earned a lot of my respect(not that it matters to him or anyone). He has plenty of talent/skill but he hasn't been able to stay healthy for a full season. Repsol ought to hire Mika Kallio as a crashing coach for him.

    February 1, 2012 - 12:32 pm
11. 

    luvtolean

    He's crashed and broken himself because it's so damn hard to ride these things to the limit. Somehow, in ways I don't profess to understand, Dani is just that tiny step behind Lorenzo, Casey and Rossi. (my guess is he's just too small physically)
    
    Sorry, just one of those things I react to. The electronics/tech are not taking the rider out of the equation.

    February 1, 2012 - 12:36 pm
12. 

    08silvercbr

    luvtolean

    He's crashed and broken himself because it's so damn hard to ride these things to the limit. Somehow, in ways I don't profess to understand, Dani is just that tiny step behind Lorenzo, Casey and Rossi. (my guess is he's just too small physically)
    
    Sorry, just one of those things I react to. The electronics/tech are not taking the rider out of the equation.

    I've thought that too.
    
    Ducati went to crap when they introduced the spec tire. They need to throw that rule out and go back. There is no reason every bike, every frame, and every rider needs to be on the same rubber. It's stupid, and it hurt the competitiveness from Ducati.

    February 1, 2012 - 10:18 pm
13. 

    MACI4LIFE

    luvtolean

    So, you really think Dani Pedrosa is that bad of a rider? He's never been able to win a championship with that bike. He's tried like hell with all those resources for a long time now.

    He has certainly proven himself to be very competitve, and consistantly at the top, but my personal opinion is that although he is small and light, he most likely lacks the physical strength needed to muscle that bike to his will.

    February 2, 2012 - 12:32 pm
14. 

    CBR929RE

    MACI4LIFE

    He has certainly proven himself to be very competitve, and consistantly at the top, but my personal opinion is that although he is small and light, he most likely lacks the physical strength needed to muscle that bike to his will.

    I disagree with that and not because I'm only slightly bigger than him. I don't think those bikes on the tracks they ride need a whole lot of muscle. Big long corners like they have don't need as much muscle as slow tight chicanes which aren't as common. Come to most American tracks that are a lot smaller and tighter and yeah I think he'd struggle a lot more. I think he lacks a certain mental toughness that's needed to win consistently at that level.

    February 2, 2012 - 1:02 pm
15. 

    ND4SPD

    CBR929RE

    I disagree with that and not because I'm only slightly bigger than him. I don't think those bikes on the tracks they ride need a whole lot of muscle. Big long corners like they have don't need as much muscle as slow tight chicanes which aren't as common. Come to most American tracks that are a lot smaller and tighter and yeah I think he'd struggle a lot more. I think he lacks a certain mental toughness that's needed to win consistently at that level.

    The 1000s are still heavier than the 800s. They're also accelerating faster and with the higher speeds they're hitting they also have to slow down further. Read Pedrosa's statement from Day 3...
    
    

    Dani Pedrosa "Three days testing here in Malaysia is very tiring. This morning when I woke up I was pretty sore and stiff, but once I got running I was a little bit better. Anyway, it’s been worth it to do a general test of the engine, chassis and tyres and overall it is the biggest test we have done on this bike and we have good data to analyse and can start to build up points we need for the second test.
    
    As I said yesterday, the biggest point to improve is on braking, and we are also working on the electronics to improve the management of the power and the grip level. The chatter is still there, I know it's something very difficult to fix, but I’m sure Honda is working hard on it. In general, it’s been a positive test for us and we will come back here in three weeks with new ideas.
    
    This bike is physically more demanding, you feel the power in the acceleration, the speed under hard braking and also the extra weight, but it’s alright. I will keep working hard physically to prepare for the second test".

    February 3, 2012 - 2:29 pm
16. 

    MACI4LIFE

    Pedrossa could gain 5lbs of muscle and it will make a HUGE difference to his strength. Although maintaining muscular cardiovascular endurance would then be his biggest challenge.

    February 3, 2012 - 6:43 pm
17. 

    CBR929RE

    ND4SPD

    The 1000s are still heavier than the 800s. They're also accelerating faster and with the higher speeds they're hitting they also have to slow down further. Read Pedrosa's statement from Day 3...

    I wasn't arguing that it takes some muscle to ride them just that the tracks they ride are physically less demanding than small tight tracks. I think his size isn't the biggest factor keeping him from winning a championship

    February 4, 2012 - 1:48 am
18. 

    MACI4LIFE

    CBR929RE

    I wasn't arguing that it takes some muscle to ride them just that the tracks they ride are physically less demanding than small tight tracks. I think his size isn't the biggest factor keeping him from winning a championship

    Probably not the biggest factor, but everything helps. You have to put the whole package together to get a winning season.

    February 4, 2012 - 5:10 pm
19. 

    08silvercbr

    Night and day difference between muscling around my 1000 and a 600, granted their bikes are lighter, but I can't imagine being 100 lbs and trying to move around all that power for 50 minutes.

    February 4, 2012 - 6:27 pm

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