[Racer Duck]

YUKIO IMPROVES TIMES DESPITE HOT TEMPERATURES Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki) scored the fastest time of all three days of testing today, despite temperatures that climbed to 38°C, as Phillip Island felt the full weight of an Aussie summer. His 1'32.1 just beat the previous best, set by Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) but that was the least of the 2001 and 2006 champion's worries, after he fell at the bottom of MG and broke his right collarbone. Bayliss was in the process of overtaking another rider, but when he realised he could not make the pass, he got on the rear brake and was highsided off. Initial X-Rays at Melbourne Hospital are not 100% conclusive, as the bones are not displaced, but circuit medics say his injury should be healed in around 21 days - enough time for Bayliss to be fit for the start of the season.

CLOSE TIMES PROMISE EXCITING ACTION FOR 2008 SEASON Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), Fonsi Nieto (Alstare Suzuki) and Ruben Xaus (Ducati Sterilgarda Go-Eleven) all shared the lap time of 1'32.3, ensuring that there should be close and intense competition when the season kicks off in Qatar on 23 February. Only one tenth of a second behind this trio of talent came Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia), the 2007 season runner up. Yamaha were testing their variable intake system at PI and should race with it in 2008.

CORSER CLOSE BUT CONCENTRATING ON RACE TIMES Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) was the early pace maker in the previous Qatar tests, but this time around he was not quite in with the fastest, but still only 0.0.6 seconds from Kagayama's best time over three days. The second Ducati Sterilgarda Go Eleven rider Max Biaggi had a good test, despite Ducati twin-cylinder power being a new experience for him, and the multiple 250GP champion set a 1'32.8, only 0.7 seconds from the very fastest.

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