Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racers Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi both made positive steps forward during today’s post Valencian Grand Prix test in Spain as they clocked the fourth and fifth fastest times respectively.

Today marked the first day of a new era in motorcycle Grands Prix as the whole field took to the track on the new generation Bridgestone tyres due to the new single tyre rule that came into force straight after yesterday’s race. Vermeulen (1’33.142, 67 laps) and Capirossi (1’33.325, 75 laps) immediately put their experience on the Japanese tyres to good use as they consistently improved on their times throughout the day. Vermeulen lapped nearly one-and-a-half seconds quicker than his best lap in yesterday’s race, while team-mate Capirossi shaved three-tenths-of-a-second off his fastest race lap.
The two Rizla Suzuki regulars were joined at Valencia by Team Test Rider Nobuatsu Aoki, who was present to give the latest evolution of the Suzuki GSV-R a thorough shakedown test and assist the team in evaluating all the new parts for the 800cc prototype machine.
Rizla Suzuki will continue with the test at Valencia tomorrow as it works towards 2009 and a fully concerted attack on the MotoGP World Championship, that begins at Qatar in March next year.

Chris Vermeulen:
“It was good to test at the track today, as we were able to compare with yesterday’s times and see how we were progressing against the best times from the race. We had some new parts from Suzuki on the engine, chassis and electronic sides, and we certainly found some positives and some negatives – which is what testing is all about – and we have certainly got a good direction to go in from that. Hopefully Suzuki can work on the things we’ve found here and produce something good for the Phillip Island test next month. We consistently made steps with lap-times today and the new Bridgestone tyres seemed to suit the bike well and the whole package seems to have adapted to the change.”

Loris Capirossi:
“I think that overall it was a good day for the first day of testing. I did a lot of laps and never stopped for a break all day, we think it might rain tomorrow so we needed to do a lot of things today. I think that Suzuki has made a good job to improve the engine, but we still need to work more in the same way to make it even better. The tyres were good and the feeling is that not different to what we have been using. It was good to have a full day’s working because we were able to try a lot of things and compare them in similar conditions. We need to believe 100% in the programme and I know we can still go a lot better than we are doing now!”

Video footage and lap times from the first day of testing in Valencia below.

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 32.464 sec
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 1min 32.672 sec
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 32.921 sec
4. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 33.142 sec
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 33.325 sec
6. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 33.375 sec
7. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 33.550 sec
8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team (B) 1min 33.676 sec
9. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 33.760 sec
10. Marco Melandri ITA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 33.782 sec
11. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (B) 1min 33.832 sec
12. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 33.960 sec
13. Toni Elias SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 34.129 sec
14. Sete Gibernau SPA Onde 2000 Ducati (B) 1min 34.451 sec
15. Mika Kallio FIN Alice Team (B) 1min 34.793 sec
16. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Test Rider (B) 1min 34.925 secs
17. Niccolo Canepa ITA Alice Team (B) 1min 34.995 sec
18. Yuki Takahashi JPN Team Scot (B) 1min 35.203 sec

Nicky Hayden looked to continue his domination, before being pushed into third in the later stages by Stoner and Pedrosa. Rossi starts in 10th after being held up by Guintoli on his final qualifying lap.

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 31.502 sec
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 1min 31.555 sec
3. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 31.703 sec
4. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 32.212 sec
5. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 32.518 sec
6. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 32.572 sec
7. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 32.594 sec
8. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 32.614 sec
9. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 32.734 sec
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 32.962 sec
11. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 32.983 sec
12. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 33.017 sec
13. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 33.352 sec
14. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 33.681 sec
15. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 33.767 sec
16. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 33.848 sec
17. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 33.879 sec
18. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 34.174 sec

250cc qualifying result:

1 Marco Simoncelli (Ita) Gilera 1:35.408
2 Alex Debon (Spn) Aprilia 1:35.418
3 Julian Simon (Spn) KTM 1:35.954
4 Mika Kallio (Fin) KTM 1:36.194
5 Hiroshi Aoyama (Jpn) KTM 1:36.267

125cc qualifying result:

1 Gabor Talmacsi (Hun) Aprilia 1:41.451
2 Sergio Gadea (Spn) Aprilia 1:41.641
3 Simone Corsi (Ita) Aprilia 1:41.951
4 Nicolas Terol (Spn) Aprilia 1:42.049
5 Bradley Smith (GB) Aprilia 1:42.095

1. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 43.940 sec
2. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 44.366 sec
3. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 44.582 sec
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 44.621 sec
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 44.703 sec
6. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 44.772 sec
7. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 44.830 sec
8. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 1min 45.282 sec
9. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 45.509 sec
10. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 46.068 sec
11. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 46.456 sec
12. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 46.721 sec
13. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 46.847 sec
14. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 47.255 sec
15. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 47.309 sec
16. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 47.327 sec
17. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 48.019 sec
18. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 50.997 sec

1. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 45.777 sec
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 1min 45.864 sec
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 45.959 sec
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 46.070 sec
5. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 46.260 sec
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 46.522 sec
7. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 46.807 sec
8. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 47.055 sec
9. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 47.314 sec
10. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 47.483 sec
11. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 47.620 sec
12. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 48.015 sec
13. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 48.437 sec
14. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 48.469 sec
15. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 48.504 sec
16. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 48.771 sec
17. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 49.092 sec
18. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 51.871 sec

1. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 47.694 sec
2. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 48.469 sec
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 49.037 sec
4. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 1min 49.580 sec
5. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 49.887 sec
6. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 50.077 sec
7. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 50.397 sec
8. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 50.760 sec
9. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 50.879 sec
10. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 51.098 sec
11. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 51.210 sec
12. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 51.251 sec
13. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 51.721 sec
14. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 52.798 sec
15. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 52.960 sec
16. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 53.083 sec
17. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 53.119 sec
18. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 54.199 sec

Valentino Rossi has scores to settle at Valencia, and Jorge Lorenzo wants to finish on a high…hopefully that’s a complete word and isn’t meant to read ‘highside’.

From Yamaha

Valentino Rossi – “An account to settle”
“I have had two bad years at Valencia and I have some memories I would like to forget with a good result there this year – I have an account to settle! In 2006 I crashed and lost the championship and then last year I broke my hand and lost second place in the championship! It’s not the best track for us but I won there with Yamaha in my first year with them and I would like to do the same again this weekend. It’s been a fantastic season and the win on Sunday in Malaysia was great, but I am not finished yet and I want to reward my team, Yamaha and Bridgestone for a fantastic season with the best possible result on Sunday. Then we can all celebrate with a big party!”

Jorge Lorenzo – “Aiming to finish on a high”
“Sunday was really disappointing but I am not hurt and now we are looking forward to Valencia. It’s the third ‘home’ race for me and since at the last one, in Barcelona, I couldn’t race, I especially want to get a good result for all my fans. It will be a special race because it’s the 10th anniversary of the Valencia circuit. Of course it is a little sad that I am no longer fighting for third in the Championship, but I can still be Rookie of the Year and this is what I am aiming for. It is really important for me and for all my team. I don’t have the best record at Valencia, I’ve never won the race there, although I was second in 2005, but I do have great memories from winning the 250cc world championship there in 2006. It will be our last race with Michelin, who I won my first premier class race with, and more than anything I want to get a good result for them, for my tyre technician Pierre, for Jean-Phillipe Weber and of course for my team.”

Davide Brivio – “We want to win and party”
“Valencia is the last race of the season so we go there with a twin objective – to win the race and to party! It is nice to go to another race without any pressure and I think all the Spanish fans will enjoy watching Valentino in the incredible form he has shown recently. Of course it has been a tough few weeks on the road for the team, with a lot of travelling involved but honestly when you are winning you don’t feel the stress! Even so, it will be nice to be back in Europe and we will be focusing on ending the season on a high. Whatever the result, we’ll be partying on Sunday night!”

Daniele Romagnoli – “Motivation is high”
“We still have one race to go and it’s another Spanish one so it’s really important for Jorge. Despite the bad result in Sepang we have high motivation and we really want to finish the season well. We will all do our very best to be back on the podium there and to finish the season in the way that Jorge and the whole team deserves. Despite not getting the best results we’ve been in good shape for the last three race weekends and qualified on the front row for five races in a row now, so we know we can do it. This will be the last race with Michelin and so this is another reason to push. We want to give them a good final result to thank them for the hard work they have done all season.”

Pedrosa takes his first pole position on Bridgestones

1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 2min 1.548 sec
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 2min 1.957 sec
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 2min 2.171 sec
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 2min 2.192 sec
5. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 2min 2.245 sec
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 2min 2.836 sec
7. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 2min 2.953 sec
8. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2min 3.078 sec
9. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 2min 3.110 sec
10. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 2min 3.184 sec
11. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2min 3.271 sec
12. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 2min 3.282 sec
13. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 2min 3.392 sec
14. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 2min 3.835 sec
15. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 2min 4.001 sec
16. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 2min 4.378 sec
17. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 2min 4.679 sec
18. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2min 4.835 sec
19. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 2min 5.120 sec

Casey has stated that he will postpone the operation until after the final round in Valencia so the Ducati team can get some testing done on the GP9.

When speaking to the official MotoGP website about the Valencia test, Stoner said it’s “…the only reason that we are continuing with the season. We need to test that bike again, because there is going to be a three-month period in which I can’t test, and the technicians will need as much information as they can get. If I’m going to ride after the race at Valencia then I may as well take part in these last two races. If it gets impossible to ride then we’ll stop and get the operation, but right now it looks like we can finish the season.

And on the fight for second place, Stoner said:

“We’ve got two races to go, and things need to go right for us to confirm second place in the world championship, I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and to have second place by your name in this championship is something to look back and be proud of when you’ve retired. We’re making the best of my career, and I think that we can be back fighting for the title next year.”

Stoner has a 36 point lead on third placed Dani Pedrosa, with only two races left until the conclusion of the season