Stoner sets the pace

From Ducati Corse

PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA -- The second day of MotoGP tests at Phillip Island started out in wet conditions today, with intermittent light showers continuing until 1:00.

Both Ducati Marlboro Team riders took the opportunity to try different things, Stoner completing 11 laps on the damp track to confirm the performance of his latest engine spec in these conditions while Marco Melandri enjoyed positive feedback from the GP8 as he rode it for the first time in the wet, completing 35 laps.

The sunshine dried the track in the afternoon and the test continued with Stoner in great form, the World Champion breaking the 1:30 mark on race tires - some four tenths inside the circuit record set in 2005 by a 990cc machine - despite the cold and imperfect track conditions.

Weather forecasts are better for tomorrow, the final day of the session.

"Today I set my fastest lap on tires that had 22 laps on them and that is really positive because it means that the modifications we tried on the set-up have had the desired effect, which was to increase tire durability," Stoner said. "This also allows us to consider using softer tires, at least in the odd race."

Day Two Testing Times
1. Casey STONER (Ducati) 1:29.938
2. Alex DE ANGELIS (Honda) 1:30.449
3. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Honda) 1:31.074
4. Shinya NAKANO (Honda) 1:31.316
5. Nicky HAYDEN (Honda) 1:31.373
6. James TOSELAND (Yamaha) 1:31.451
7. Marco MELANDRI (Ducati) 1:31.478
8. Loris CAPIROSSI (Suzuki) 1:31.545
9. Randy DE PUNIET (Honda) 1:31.575
10. Colin EDWARDS (Yamaha) 1:31.593
11. Chris VERMEULEN (Suzuki) 1:31.774
12. Anthony WEST (Kawasaki) 1:32.242
13. Toni ELIAS (Ducati) 1:32.246
14. Sylvain GUINTOLI (Ducati) 1:32.431
15. John HOPKINS (Kawasaki) 1:42.130