The weather held out in southern Spain, and HRC decided to use another of the eight days of testing on the 2012 machines to send Casey Stoner out again to test Honda's new MotoGP machine for next year. Dani Pedrosa had been scheduled to ride the bike, but the race crash at Le Mans which saw him break his collarbone put an end to the Spaniard's plans. So instead, HRC sent Stoner out for a second day of testing.
Afterwards, the team issued a brief press release, as well as a short clip of Stoner riding the new bike, which also included interviews with Stoner and?Shuhei Nakamoto, Vice President of HRC. Naturally, the clip has a music soundtrack over the top, to mask the sound of the engine. The tiny fragment we do have of the bike exiting the pits sounds an awful lot like the existing bike at the same revs. We shall have to wait until Mugello to hear the bikes in full.
Here's the video:
Below is the text of the press release:
Stoner on track again with Honda 2012 prototype
Air Temperature: 25 degrees
Ground Temperature: 35 degrees
Humidity: 51%
After a positive first day test, HRC decided to continue testing the 2012 prototype today with Casey Stoner
The original plan was to have a one day test with Stoner and one with Pedrosa, however, due to the outcome of events from last weekend in Le Mans with Dani's injury, HRC decided to complete one more day with Casey and test rider Ito Shinichi in order to finish the planned testing program.
With windy conditions and temperatures a little cooler than yesterday, Stoner ran 25 laps in the morning without any issues and Shinichi took over in the afternoon. HRC engineers were happy with the data acquired.
Researchers from the Repsol Technology Centre travelled some days ago to Saitama (Japan), where Honda is developing a new 1000cc motorbike that will compete in the MotoGP World Championship from 2012. Coordinated with their Japanese counterparts, Repsol experts started to develop a specific fuel and lubricant for the new bike, which was driven yesterday and today for the first time by Casey Stoner in this private test held at Jerez Circuit.
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