Australian 2005 pre-season testing session - MotoGP
Phillip Island - Saturday 19th February 2005

Testing concludes in Australia: next on the agenda for Camel Honda is the Qatar
test from 1st to 3rd March and the team presentation in Milan on 16th March.

Three days of tests in Malaysia followed by another three in Australia - a
journey of ten days in total - came to an end in the final session today, with
one last big effort from the team and riders. The Camel Honda team have worked
hard every day and made the most of all the available track time as they look to
find a base set-up for the RC211V 2005. Alex Barros was consistently amongst the
top riders at the Malaysian test, working on the set-up of the electronics and
tyres tests with optimum results. In Australia he has continued to work closely
with the Michelin technicians with excellent feedback whilst a front fork test,
which was the main focus of his work today, has left certain room for
improvement. Troy Bayliss, who has to adapt not only to new technical staff in
2005 but also to a completely different bike to anything he has ridden up to
now, has worked relentlessly to try and find a better feeling with the bike.
Next on the agenda for Camel Honda is the Qatar test from 1st to 3rd March and
the team presentation in Milan on 16th March.

Ramon Forcada - Camel Honda - (Alex Barros' Chief Engineer)

"We were expecting a little bit more today from the tests we carried out on the
front forks, which are specially designed for this circuit. However, there is
still work to do. We've found a few good things related to the electronic
settings and other things that we can discard. But that is exactly what tests
are for and we're still not even close to the start of the season. At the next
tests in Qatar, where the track is dirty and slippery, it will be an ideal
chance to work on the electronics of the bike."

Alex Barros - Camel Honda - 1'30.55 (82 laps) 7th fastest

"We worked a lot on the new forks today but we honestly haven't had the results
we were hoping for. I'm losing half a second because of it because the rest of
the bike is fine. There are two positive things to take out of it though -
firstly that the race here in Australia is not until October, so we have plenty
of time to make progress with the forks, and secondly I am really happy with the
work we have done here and in Malaysia with Michelin. They are preparing very
well for the new season and when we put all the data they have gathered from
tests on the compound and construction into practice, I think the results will
be excellent. We'll be able to verify that in Qatar, although it is not the best
circuit because we don't have many references there, and definitely at the Irta
tests in Spain".

Santiago Mulero - Camel Honda (Troy Bayliss' Chief Engineer)

"We're still working hard. Today was more or less the same as yesterday in terms
of lap times but the important thing is that Troy is lapping consistently with a
good pace. In Malaysia we didn't make much progress but here we have, so I think
we should continue like this, making gradual progress with every lap without
confusing matters.

Troy Bayliss - Camel Honda - 1'30.98 (85 laps) 10th fastest

"I did the same time on race tyres today as I did yesterday, which is more or
less the same as I did at the GP here last October on qualifiers (1'30.87).
We're still not up there with the fast guys but we're not far off. We've worked
a lot over these few days and we will continue to do so at the next tests in
Qatar. I can't wait to get there actually - not because I like the track
particularly but I just want to improve. In any case I'm leaving here lot
happier than Malaysia."

Unofficial lap times

 1. Rossi (Yamaha)         1'29.68
 2. Hayden (Honda)         1'29.69
 3  Checa (Ducati)         1'29.86
 4. Biaggi (Honda)         1'29.88
 5. Capirossi (Ducati)     1'30.18
 6. Edwards (Yamaha)       1'30.23
 7. Barros (Camel Honda)   1'30.55
 8. Hopkins (Suzuki)       1'30.85
 9. Melandri (Honda)       1'30.90
10. Bayliss (Camel Honda)  1'30.98
    Roberts (Suzuki)       1'31.21
    Xaus (Yamaha)          1'31.98
    Elias (Yamaha)         1'32.96