The sun is out at Valencia and the bikes are circulating, though the times are not yet anywhere near the lap record. The two Hondas lead, Casey Stoner faster than Dani Pedrosa by two tenths of a second, while Yamaha's Ben Spies is in 3rd, half a second off Stoner's pace. Spies is the only factory Yamaha rider at the test, Jorge Lorenzo already having pulled out due to the finger injury he is still carrying.
Valentino Rossi is 4th fastest, now finally out on the Ducati with the aluminium twin spar frame. Ducati are constantly refusing to call this bike the GP12, as this test will form the basis for the bike to be raced next year, but Hector Barbera, speaking at lunchtime, was very positive about the machine. "It feels more like my Aprilia 250," he said, saying that he could now feel the front end on corner entry, something he could not do the 800 bike with the carbon fiber chassis using the engine as a stressed member. The power and gearbox were incredible, he said, but he was most pleased with the feel of the bike.
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