IRTA Test
JEREZ, SPAIN, FEB. 18-20
ew Honda NSR500 rider
Loris Capirossi set the
fastest time at the record-breaking
IRTA tests in Jerez, moving to the top
of the lists at the end of the third and
final day with a blistering 1:42.296,
almost two seconds inside the official
lap record (set way back in 1994 by
Kevin Schwantz) and also faster than
last year's pole position time of
1:43.657, set by Alex Criville.
Capirossi was riding an unpainted,
white Honda for the satellite Pons
team, with the official factory HRC
bikes absent.
But while the time was good, he had
to wait until after the departure of
Kenny Roberts Jr., whose Telefonica
bad. We managed to set consistent
times, and set the pace for the other
guys to shoot at."
Biaggi was also looking confident,
and praising the evolution of the
Yamaha.
"Towards the end of last season the
power delivery was improved to suit
my riding style," he said. "Now the
bike is better again."
Biaggi's teammate, Carlos Checa
was next fastest, but another half-second down, and the victim of a tumble
on the final day when fog in the morning kept temperatures
MoviStar Suzuki had dominated the
tests until then. When Capirossi ran his
late flier, the American had already left
the track, saying: "' had a restaurant
reservation in Barcelona that I didn't
want to miss."
Roberts had been on top from the
start of the three-day sessions, setting
the pace and matching the best efforts
on Capirossi and Marlboro Yamahamounted Max Biaggi. Roberts' best
time, set the day before, was 1:42.734,
with Biaggi another two-tenths slower.
"Testing times are not that important," said Roberts. "But we're looking
good, and that's better than looking
22
MARCH 1, 2000'
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