Team Alstare Suzuki Vallelunga test summary

MAX IN POSITIVE MOOD.

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi ended the three-day tests at Vallelunga in a positive frame of mind and is already looking forward to the next tests in Valencia in early November. Although Vallelunga could be described at his 'home circuit' Max has not been to the 4.085 kilometre track in over fifteen years. As a new section has only been added recently, Max started the tests as if he had never seen the circuit before. During the three days, he only worked with race rubber as he wanted to get the feel of the GSX-R1000 K6 and the Pirellis before even trying to make fast laps. The weather was perfect during the tests, though on occasions it was a little on the hot side, but Max still managed to put in over seventy laps on each of the second and third days. At the end, the team packed up and began the trek home whilst Max took the opportunity to relax in Rome for a short while before returning to Monte Carlo.

MAX
It's a little funny that everybody seems to think that this is my home circuit, because I haven't been here for a long time - maybe fifteen or sixteen years! There is a brand new section also, so I started off learning the track - like anybody else arriving at a new circuit. I can't fully say if Vallelunga is a good track for testing because we had so much to do here and really I'd only be able to tell with more experience of it and also if some other riders were testing at the same time. The main part of these days is to begin the process of learning lots of new and different things. The bike is heavier than what I have been used to for a start and that means you have to do a lot work getting a good balance and making the suspension work the way you want. Then of course, I have to learn what riding on Pirellis is like and when you change one area of the bike how it affects another area. Being away from roadracing for over a year means that my approach at the moment is steady rather than dramatic. I like things to be right and I am determined to work as hard as it takes to get the bike as good as it can be. We had a few minor problems during the tests, but nothing major and I'm sure that we'll see further improvements in the next tests. I have also been getting used to working with a completely new bunch of guys and that is another thing that takes a bit of time. We are all working to a common goal and our aim is to competitive for sure by the time the first race starts next year.

-credit: tas