MotoGP – Brno Test Day 2 – The new Honda has taken to the track!

The new Honda RC211V has finally taken to the track on the Brno circuit where the 2nd day of testing is being held by many teams in the MotoGP class (Yamaha, Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda). The first to take it onto the track shortly after 14pm was Max Biaggi from Rome, Team Honda Repsol, who had been stopped yesterday due to a reliability problem with the same bike detected in Japan. Honda must therefore have understood and solved the problem and therefore the test was approved. The bike appears very compact and the swingarm stands out, which is longer than the 2005 Factory version.

Both Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau expressed themselves by saying that it is still premature to make judgements, the bike remains to be discovered and a few laps are certainly not enough to understand the real potential. “Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to test the new bike – said Gibernau – and it seems premature to express an opinion. In fact we only did four laps. What is certain is that Honda is making a huge technical effort to develop a new motorcycle.”

Marco Melandri was also on track and set the seventh fastest time. “These two days of testing have helped me a lot,” said Melandri. “We have always worked to improve performance at the end of the race. They were two intense days where we covered many kilometers and I can say I'm satisfied because we tried different solutions and achieved positive sensations. I've always tried to ride regularly, with a constant pace without looking to set a fast time."

The fastest on the track was Loris Capirossi with the Ducati Desmosedici GP5 who continued to try different clutch solutions; the driver from Borgo Rivola who finished the GP in 2nd place on Sunday preceded the American Nicky Hayden and the Spaniard Gibernau. Fifth time for Valentino Rossi while Max Biaggi is tenth.

These are the times

1. Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1:57.568
2. Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda) 1:57.717
3. Sete Gibernau (Sp/Honda) 1:58.441
4. Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 1:58.584
5. Valentino Rossi (Ita / Yamaha) 1: 58.654
6. Carlos Checa (Sp/Ducati) 1:58.730
7. Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda) 1.58.977
8. Alex Barros (BR/Honda) 1:59.221
9. Makoto Tamada (Jap/Honda) 1:59.392
10. Max Biaggi (Ita/Honda) 1:59.399
11. Nobuatsu Aoki (Jap/Kawasaki) 159.766