The fireworks at the end of yesterday`s race, to mark the end of the 2008 season, still seemed to be echoing around the Circuito Ricardo Tormo track when the Repsol Honda Team riders started the 2009 pre-season in Valencia. The Repsol Honda Team used its new line-up, the Italian Andrea Dovizioso has joined the squad, and he and Dani Pedrosa will be fighting alongside each other for the title in the top category of motorbike racing next year.
Dovizioso got his first contact with the official Honda RC212V at 11.30am, just a few minutes before Pedrosa. The two Repsol riders used the 2008 bikes but with adjustments allowing for the technical characteristics that the new Bridgestone compounds need, the only tyre supplier next season – 2009.
Dovizioso spent the morning checking the position of the handlebars, footrests and other parts on his new bike, adjusting them to his height, build and personal preferences. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pits Pedrosa concentrated on evaluating the different solutions, some of them new, on the latest pneumatic valve engine that he has ridden in the last few races of the season. Aove all he worked with his team on easing the engine response and on improving its range of use.
The work of the Repsol Honda Team continues tomorrow with the second and final day of practice. The next time that the Repsol riders get on their motorbikes will be in Jerez on 26th – 27th November.
Dani Pedrosa, 1:32.672 secs, 60 laps >> Audio
“Today we had perfect conditions for testing, it was sunny and the asphalt had good grip after yesterday’s race. We tested some new engine specs in order to improve the character of the engine and then we focused on testing the new tyres. At the beginning the feeling was not so good but working with the mechanics, we made some changes and the feeling improved considerably. It’s clear that next year the rider and the bike will need to adapt to the tyres. Today the track conditions were perfect so we had no problems with the limited number of tyres, we will need to check how this tyre system works with indifferent conditions.”
Andrea Dovizioso, 1:33.676 secs, 57 laps >> Audio
“It’s been a really exciting day. The bike feels good, it feels like an evolution of my 2008 bike, like a step forward, which is what I expected, so I’m happy. Compared to my 08 bike, the factory bike has many positive points, in particular the engine is both smoother and more powerful. Right from the start the stability at the front was very good. With the electronics, I need more time to learn and understand them, especially traction control as there are so many settings. I also tried Bridgestone tyres for the first time today, they seem fine, but I need to slightly adapt my riding style to get the best from them. All in all it was a positive first day but I still have a lot to learn. With my new team we start working step by step and I like this system.“
