Test Phillip Island: Corser's fast lap roo-ined!

Five minutes from the end of this three-day test, Troy decided to put on a super sticky tyre and try and post the fastest lap of the day. He was on course for his quickest lap, when he was forced to slow down because of a kangaroo on the track! The large marsupial was right in the middle of the track and its presence was enough to destroy any chance Troy had of setting his quickest lap!

Even without the problem 'roo, these tests have given Toy and the team plenty to think about. But, the three days have allowed the team to collect a lot of data and decide in which direction to go next time out. Troy's former team mate Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) set the fastest lap of the tests, with a lap of 1:32.1. Just one tenth of a second behind is Troy Bayliss (Ducati), but the Aussie crashed just after midday and was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone.

Troy Corser (best lap 1:32.7)
Well, it's not been too bad, but I'm a little disappointed that I wasn't able to go any quicker - and not just because of the 'roo! We solved one particular problem today - which was good - but it threw up another problem, and that is to be solved. We've done a lot of work on the rear suspension and linkages, probably more than we'veever done before, trying to get better grip. Also we're trying to get the power curve a bit more usable because the bike feels a bit peaky at the moment - and that's something you don't need at a track like Phillip Island.

Considering I felt I was struggling a bit with the bike, to finish just half a second off is not so bad. The track is definitely more bumpy then last year and that means we have to work a lot harder to get the set-up right. That's hard enough, but then the very high temperatures meant that we also had grip problems, so that was something else to sort out. Just before my 'fast lap' I saw a marshal waving a yellow flag, but I couldn't see any bikes on the track, just a couple of geese. But on the next lap, I saw why he had waved the flag, because there was a wallaby on the track (not a kangaroo!). It was the biggest wallaby I'd ever seen and it was in the middle of the track, so that was it for my 'fast lap'. I don't think our next racetrack - Qatar - has any 'roos r wallabies, so I guess I should be safe enough there!

Photo Zac