Fabrizio fastest on Day One of Imola Test
Added on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Fabrizio fastest on Day One of Imola Test
Michel Fabrizio was the fastest in day one of World Superbikes testing at the renovated Imola circuit to remind Yamaha’s Ben Spies that he is hot on his tail in the championship.
After 265 minutes of testing under the sun in Italy, Fabrizio posted a fastest time of 1:49.164 in the afternoon session as he and Spies dominated proceedings in the afternoon session.
As the rider’s took lunch, it was Honda’s Carlos Checa who was sitting at the top of the time charts but in the afternoon session, with championship leader Noriyuki Haga missing the test through injury, it was Fabrizio and Spies who leapt to the front, with second fastest Spies some four tenths of a second faster that third place Jonathan Rea.
New Pirelli tyres were on offer to riders in the afternoon, designed to cope with the hotter conditions and were generally welcomed by riders, including Fabrizio.
“On the last lap I put on a new tyre to set my time, one of the development tyres that Pirelli brought along for this extreme heat” declared the Italian. “We worked a lot on the set-up, something we’ve never managed to do really well during the championship, and we worked on the traction control to try and get the best out of the engine in view of Brno. I really wanted to prove to Ben that I’m right there with him. There are still five rounds left and I think he realizes that by now!”
Fabrizio did however have some criticism over the Imola circuit, highlighting problems with the surface and safety concerns over the new chicane.
The circuit, which will host the San Marino round later in the year, has been renovated in recent years to bring it up to standard but Fabrizio was unhappy with the new layout.
“I am happy but also pretty tired! Imola’s a track I really like, even though it still needs to be resurfaced,” he claimed. “It’s in the same state as it was in 2006, but now has this new chicane which is causing some controversy. If they move the wall back as they say they will in time for the race it will at least lessen the danger.
Unofficial Times (Day 1):
1. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1m49.1s;
2. Spies (Yamaha) 1m49.2s;
3. Rea (Honda) 1m49.6s;
4. Xaus (BMW) 1m49.8s;
5. Checa (Honda) 1m49.8s;
6. Byrne (Ducati) 1m50.3s;
7. Sykes (Yamaha) 1m50.4s;
8. Haslam (Honda) 1m50.5s
