Times tumbled again at the latest Pirelli test in Losail, with a drop on the winds which had hampered the first two days being matched by an increase in ambient temperature. The 5.380km Losail circuit still proved to be a tough challenge even on day three but nonetheless the times came down as the riders improved set-up and worked through more tyre options. Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) was once more on peerless form, setting a best of 1'58.1, the best ever Superbike lap at the Losail circuit. He also did a long run of 16 laps at a high pace, only cut short when he ran out of petrol.

TIE FOR SECOND PLACE TIME AFTER LATE CHARGE FROM BIAGGI The last lap of the day put in by Max Biaggi (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) proved to be on a par with the impressive 1'58.9 set by Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia). Biaggi had to work hard on his machine set-up to get the most out of the 2007 Suzuki, and his team-mate, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) also toiled to get his times down, finally setting a best of 2.00.1, ninth fastest in the test.

TOSELAND FOURTH QUICKEST James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) relied on his second day best of 1'59.1 to set the overall fourth best time, but a big jump from Regis Laconi (PSP-1 Kawasaki Corse) scored him a 1'59.2, putting both rider and Kawasaki as a manufacturer into the top five, making it five different manufacturers in the top five places.

LANZI IMPROVES TO BEAT NIETO ON THE TIMESHEETS Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) set his best of test time of 1'59.3 seconds today, keeping the margins close in the top few positions, and in the process outpacing PSG-1 Kawasaki rider Fonsi Nieto's Wednesday best time of 1'59.5, to go sixth fastest. Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) did not enjoy the early part of the test but finally found a set-up and tyre combination to record a best 1'59.7, going eighth overall. Robby Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) rounded out the ten Superbike entries with a time of 2'01.7.

YAMAHA RIDERS DOMINATE SUPERSPORT TESTS Both Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) and Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany) used all the testing time available to them to score impressive lap times of 2'02.5 and 2'02.6 respectively. Despite crashing out early from the final day of testing, Gianluca Nannelli (SC Caracchi Ducati) posted the third best time, a 2'03.3. Fabien Foret (GIL Motorsports Kawasaki) was the fastest of the two Kawasaki riders on display, with a 2'04.5. On the final day Pere Riba (Gil Motorsports Kawasaki) found pace compared to his previous laps and secured a 2'05.2 on his development machine.


AUSTRALIA BECKONS FOR ALL The final pre-season Pirelli Development Test, in readiness for the 2007 season, takes place at Phillip Island, in Australia, between 13 and 15 January.


SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: 1. Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1’58”1; 2. Biaggi (Ita-Suzuki) 1’58”9; 3. Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1’58”9; 4. Laconi (Fra-Kawasaki) 1’59”2; 5. Lanzi (Ita-Ducati) 1’59”3; 6. Toseland (GB-Honda) 1’59”4; 7. Haga (Gia-Yamaha) 1’59”7; 8. Kagayama (id-Suzuki) 2’00”1; 9. Nieto (Spa-Kawasaki) 2’00”5; 10. Rolfo (Ita-Honda) 2’01”7.

SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: 1.Curtain (Aus-Yamaha) 2’02”5; 2. Parkes (id) 2’02”6; 3. Nannelli (Ita-Ducati) 2’03”3; 4. Foret (Fra-Kawasaki) 2’04”5; 5. Riba (Spa-id) 2’05”2.