APRILIA RIDERS COMPLETE TESTS AT JEREZ
24 November 2006 - Aprilia

They were three intense days for the Aprilia riders who were present at the last tests of the year at Jerez de la Frontera.

Before the obligatory seasonal stop, Gabor Talmacsi and Hector Faubel of Master Aspar Team, Sandro Cortese of Elit Caffe Latte, Lorenzo Zanetti of Matteoni Racing, and Andrea Iannone and Stefano Bianco of Team WTR were on the track for the 125 class. Showing up for 250 were Alex De Angelis and Alvaro Bautista of Aspar Team, Hector Barbera of Toth Team, Thomas Luthi of Elit Caffe Latte, and Alvaro Molina of Andalucia GP.

For the 8-liter riders, they were back on the track after the stop following the end of the 2006 championship. Of interest was Gabor Talmacsi, who will race the 2007 season for Master Aspar, the team that brought Alvaro Bautista to a world championship. The Hungarian rider immediately seemed at ease atop the Aprilia 125, consistently the fastest in his group with an optimal 1’46”900 today. Speaking of comebacks, seeing Stefano Bianco in the saddle was an encouraging sight. The rider from Piedmont was out of racing for a year due to an accident at Jerez at the last race of the 2005 Spanish Championship. Bianco should race the 2007 season next to Andrea Iannone as the latter returns to Team WTR after an injury at Motegi. Another Aprilia debut for Sandro Cortese, the German rider who will race for Elit Caffe Latte. He is adapting well to the new situation and is demonstrating that he can do well in 2007.

The 250 riders showed up on the track after the Valencia tests following the end of the 2006 season. A lot of news in this category as well, including Hector Barbera’s debut for Team Toth with the support of Rossano Brazzi as a technical lead. The rider from Valencia seems to be comfortable and is proving to be one of the category’s fastest riders, making today’s best time of 1’44”310. Once again, the fastest overall was Alex De Angelis from San Marino, who will race for Aspar Team again next season. De Angelis clocked in an optimal 1’43”500 yesterday but didn’t climb into the riders’ seat today due to a shoulder contusion suffered in a fall on Tuesday. In the 4-liter, Alvaro Bautista continues his apprenticeship. The new 125 world champion will be in the box with De Angelis next year. Yesterday, he marked both an optimal 1’44”405 and a fall. Even Luthi of Elit Caffe Latte continues to learn in the 250, improving daily during the tests. Today’s 1’44”501 was great, confirmation that the Swiss champion is in sync with his official RSW. Also present at the Jerez tests was Roberto Locatelli, who will race next season for Scuderia Gilera Metis. The rider from Lombardy marked his first start atop the official motorcycle, again demonstrating speed and consistency with his top chronometer reading 1’44”202, today’s best.

TIMES FOR THE 125 CLASS

Day 1
1) Gabor Talmacsi
Master Aspar
1’48”015
2) Hector Faubel
Master Aspar
1’48”064
3) Sandro Cortese
Elit Caffè Latte
1’49”660
4) Lorenzo Zanetti
Matteoni Racing
1’50”138

Day 2
1) Gabor Talmacsi
Master Aspar
1’47”046
2)Hector Faubel
Master Aspar
1’48”003
3)Lorenzo Zanetti
Matteoni Racing
1’48”739
4)Andrea Iannone
WTR
1’49”904
5)Stefano Bianco
WTR
1’50”398

Day 3
1)Gabor Talmacsi
Master Aspar
1’46”900
2)Hector Faubel
Master Aspar
1’47”200
3)Sandro Cortese
Elit Caffe Latte
1’48”300
4)Lorenzo Zanetti
Matteoni Racing
1’48”400
5)Stefano Bianco
WTR
1’49”900

TIMES FOR THE 250 CLASS

Day 1
1) Hector Barbera
Team Toth
1’43”800
2) Alvaro Bautista
Aspar Team
1’45”268
3)Alex De Angelis
Aspar Team
1’45”361
4)Roberto Locatelli
Gilera Metis
1’46”409
5)Thomas Luthi
Elit Caffe Latte
1’46”409
6)Alvaro Molina
Andalucia Gp Team
1’47”022

Day 2
1) Alex De Angelis
Aspar Team
1’43”500
2)Alvaro Bautista
Aspar Team
1’44”355
3)Hector Barbera
Team Toth
1’44”453
4)Roberto Locatelli
Gilera Metis
1’44”610
5)Tomas Luthi
Elit Caffe latte
1’45”332
6)Alvaro Molina
Andalucia Gp Team
1’46”580

Day 3
1)Robero Locatelli
Gilera Metis
1’44”202
2)Hector Barbera
Team Toth
1’44”310
3)Alvaro Bautista
Aspar Team
1’44”405
4)Thomas Luthi
Elit Caffe Latte
1’44”501

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