Grand Prix testing in Jerez
Photos by Gold & Goose
T
he annual IRTA pr esea son tests in Jerez, Spa in were held on March 17-19 wit h Lucky Strike
Su zuki coming in for tests earlier in the week, and several teams stayi ng on for more tests
after the IRTA sessions.
.
When all wa s said and done, it was Spaniard Alberto Puig wh o was the quick est of the 500cc
GP men, clocking a one-minu te, 43.9-second lap to equal the pole position time set a year ago by
Kevin Schwantz. Puig was aboard the 1995 Ho nda NSR500 which run s in the Sito Pons, Fortunabacked team . Puig wa s the on ly Honda-mounted 500cc rider in atte ndance at the test s, wit h
World Cha mpion Michael Doohan and his Repsol HRC team opting not to go to the Jerez tests.
The 250cc GP list was led by Aprilia's Marcello Lucchi with a 1:44.8 while 125cc World Champion Kazuto Saka ta led the tightly bunched 125cc ranks with a 1:49.7.
0
(Above right)
Alberto Puig and
his 1995 Honda
NSR500 were the
quickest of the
500s after a preseason test
sess ion at the
Jerez circuit in
Spain .
.
(Right) loris
Reggian i and the
400cc V-tw in
Aprilia were also
qu ick.
(Above) Australian Daryl Beattie and his
new ride , the lucky Str ike Suzuki RGv500.
(Right) Jimmy Filice made his 500cc debut
on the Padgett's Yamaha in Jerez. Filice
ended up crashing on the final day of the
IRTA portion of the test and suffered a
hairline fracture in his right leg.
(Below) luca Cadalora and the Marlboro
Yamaha VZR500 were also among the
fastest combinations at the test. Cadalora
left early after setting what was the fastest
lap at the time .
(Above) Kevin
Schwanlz had his fi rst
ride on the Suzuk i
since crashing and
injuring a thu mb
during the team 's
Australian test.
(left) Jean- Michel
Bay le was im pressive
in the 250cc test s,
ridin g his Apr ilia with
Chesterfield
sponsorship .
