MotoGP 2004 - Paddock gets ready for major MotoGP test starting today

Thousands of motorcycling fans young and old filled the streets of one of Europe’s most spectacular cities today as Barcelona began the countdown to one of the most eagerly anticipated seasons in the history of the sport on the eve of the MotoGP Official Test. Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi and local favourite Carlos Checa entertained the crowds assembled for Yamaha’s factory team presentation in the heart of the city today, completing several laps of a miniature circuit assembled beneath shadow of the ancient Montjuic mountain, home to the city’s Olympic Stadium. Rossi and Checa were joined by their factory colleagues Marco Melandri and Norick Abe in what became an impromptu freestyle display on board their 990cc YZR-M1 machines, complete with spectacular wheelies and burnouts.

Across town, a somewhat less raucous ceremony was taking place at the historic Drassanes Reials building near the Plaza de Colon, where Repsol and Honda celebrated their tenth anniversary of Grand Prix racing together and officially unveiled their MotoGP line-up for 2004. Alex Barros and Nicky Hayden are the men who will try and continue the line of success for the Spanish petroleum giants and Japanese motorcycle manufacturer, following in the footsteps of past World Champions to have ridden in Repsol Honda colours including Mick Doohan, Alex Criville and Valentino Rossi.

A few kilometres to the north of the city, at the Circuit de Catalunya, the finishing touches were being put to the MotoGP paddock which has been constructed in its entirety for three days of intense tests which begin on Friday. The trucks, tents and hospitality units which make up the impressive mobile MotoGP village were thankfully all assembled by the afternoon, just in time for a cold front of wind, rain and snowfall which prematurely ended the second and final day of 250cc official tests.

Despite warm and sunny conditions throughout most of today, the havoc caused by the freak black clouds which virtually flooded the racetrack within minutes gave the quarter-litre riders no option but to pack up two hours early and head for Jerez, where they begin the final official test of their preseason on Monday. All of the 250cc teams are heading to the south of Spain apart from the factory Aprilia riders, who will return to Italy for secret tests at Mugello.

One key member of the northern-bound convoy is Randy De Puniet, who marginally improved his time from yesterday to set a best overall lap of 1’47.096 and finish the test on top of the time sheets. De Puniet was closely followed by Toni Elias, who was lapping behind the Frenchman when he suffered his second crash in as many days, emerging uninjured as he had done from a similar tumble yesterday. Elias meanwhile, with the second best lap of the day at 1’47.311, showed early signs of promise on the brand new version of the Honda RSW brought out at this test, as did 250 newcomer Dani Pedrosa, who improved his time from yesterday but dropped one place to fifth behind Aprilia riders Sebastian Porto and Manuel Poggiali.

The new USB Power Commander is already available for the ZX-10R, as is a powershifter