In Valencia circuit

Nieto and Elías say good-bye to this year with the first tests of the 2003 preseason
Both riders start to work on the settings of the bike they are going to ride in the 2003 World Championship
Fonsi Nieto and Toni Elias will finish the year 2002 already looking forward to the new season. After the tests carried out at the Valencian track by Jorge Martínez Aspars pupils both Elias and Nieto will celebrate Christmas and New Year already having an idea about the new features of the bike they are going to use in the 2003 World Championship. The first testing day at the Ricardo Tormo circuit served mainly to get back the rhythm after the break both riders had made following the Comunitat Valenciana Grand Prix. None of them had been riding a Grand Prix bike since then. Unfortunately, although the weather had shown its good side to all riders testing in Cheste on Tuesday, things changed on Wednesday and the rain showed up in the afternoon forcing the riders to finish the second testing day earlier than expected. Even though, both Elias and Fonsi were able to work on the new chassis Aprilia has put at the disposal of the riders for the 2003 World Championship. After these tests, the Telefónica Movistar Repsol Team and its riders will take a deserved break and wont be back into action until February 5 and 6 next year, again at the Ricardo Tormo circuit. Fonsi Nieto: Tuesday was mainly a day to deoxidise myself, take it easy and get back the rhythm, because I hadnt been on a bike since the Comunitat Valenciana Grand Prix. Wednesday was different and we have already started to work on the new 2003 chassis. With this chassis the bike has turned into a new bike, so we had to spend some time putting everything in its place: stirrups, handlebar, seat, etc… In short, we  used the day to try out things and set the bike the way I like it. The rain showed up before the end of the session and that forced us to finish our second testing day before we had planned to. But it has been a positive testing session and Im very happy with my new technician, Giovanni Sandi. We have connected very well from the beginning. Now its time to rest and enjoy some happy times with the family. Hopefully all fans will be able to do the same. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to everyone. Toni Elias: Im very happy. These have been really positive tests. On Tuesday, before starting to work on the new chassis, we decided to focus on solutions for the problems that had been following us along the whole season: lack of confidence and the feeling of the front end. After a lot of changes and tests we finally managed to improve and solve the problem, and from then on everything changed for me. I noticed, that I didnt enjoy riding the bike this season because I wasnt able to ride with the aggressiveness Im used to. But thanks to the improvements everything has changed and I have been able to lap with the 2002 chassis the way I know. But to reach this point it has been necessary to spend a lot of time in the pits, making changes, setting things and checking the telemetry data. Yes, it has been quite a hard job but its been worth it. This new 2003 chassis has a very good basis and allows a lot more settings. Once last years problems have been solved we know exactly whats the right way to follow. I dont care about the times made these days, neither about Fonsis nor the other riders times. Now I only want to work and focus on the preseason. Next days will be days to rest and enjoy with the family. Merry Christmas and see you next year! Toni Elias, 127 laps, 508 kilometres.137.5 sec. Fonsi Nieto, 72 laps, 288 kilometres.138.9 sec.