Our old friend Zweitze Rooske has finally updated his website (more than I've been able to do!)
ROOSKE: "This year it will the 20th anniversary of Ohlins-Rooske Suspension Service. After some up and downs the last few years we would like to make a fresh start with a few things like our corporate identity and we have made a start with putting our new website on-line." - so, for all your suspension needs, just go the the expert...HERE

It's confirmed - Jason Pridmore is back! Once again riding for the British privateer team Phase One and partnering with Australia's Warwick Nowland, with the third rider still to be sorted and revealed.

Here's the official Phase One Press Release:
Russell Benney: "I absolutely over the moon to secure the services of ex phase one star Jason Pridmore for the whole championship. Pridmore first rode with Phase One at the Bol d Or in 1997 on a 750 Suzuki with Andrew Stroud and Brett Sampson, then stayed with the team on and off for 6 years, culminating with him winning his world championship with the team in 2003. In partnership with Warwick Nowland, this will make a winning team; the equal of any in the pitlane. Both riders possess just the right blend of speed and experience to do the job, both have won world championships, both have ridden the WEC circuits many times and both are hungry, very hungry to win.  For the team, this line-up gives a shot in the arm, the top of the rostrum is on again for real...its our job now to make this happen."

Pridmore : "I really wanted Russ to put a package together that partnered me with Warwick. I know that he can do the job and we both want to do some winning this year. I have history with Phase One, and I know that we can do it. I am fitter than ever and probably better mentally than for a long time. Our first test is in March and I am preparing now. I look forward to getting back."

Benney: "This is the winning line-up that I have been working all winter to achieve. The effort has certainly been worth it. I've got two great guys both with the speed, judgment and experience to do the job. What more could I want!...roll on the first test!"

...and the final word from Jason...

"...taking a year off racing has made me even hungrier - if that is possible! It'll be great seeing everyone again!"

You must know what I'm looking forward to...sibling rivalry...Carlos and brother David Checa going head to head! Then there's Max Neukirchner vs Kenan Sofuoglu...Aussie Russell Holland vs Ayrton Badovini...and the Corser/Haga/Bayliss/Kiyonari/Kagayama/Biaggi war...

The UK’s top female road racer Maria Costello has just been presented with the keys to a Triumph Daytona 675 by Philip Youles Motorcycles of Blackburn. This petite blonde is not your average biker, she holds the lap record as the fastest woman to race the Isle of Man TT course and she has a Guinness World Record for this achievement, she is also an ambassador for the RideSafe BackSafe initiative supporting safe riding on public roads. This new racing venture carries added excitement as this is the first time a woman has competed in real road racing on a British built Triumph 675.

Maria will be competing on her Philip Youles Triumph Daytona 675 in the televised 2008 Triumph Triple Challenge series run at MRO race meetings across the UK. Maria will also compete in the main International Road Races in Ireland and on the Isle of Man TT course, on both her Triumph Daytona 675 and her existing BERING Honda RVF400. She'll be aiming for yet another historic podium finish on her BERING Honda RVF400 this season. She took third place beating over 80 men in the Ultra Lightweight race in 2004, becoming the first female solo racer to ever stand on the podium in Isle of Man TT racing history, and intends on getting on the top step in 2008. She will also be aiming to improve on her existing Guinness World Record and lap even faster around the TT course, only this time on a British bike.

"I feel very honoured to be the first racer Philip Youles has sponsored and I'm very excited about the backing that I am receiving from Triumph, I believe they are as excited as I am about having the TT’s fastest woman onboard a Triumph. It’s great to be on a British bike and along with my new found fitness and renewed determination I'm aiming for a great 2008" added Costello.

"The opportunity to support Maria was one we didn't want to miss, she’s not only a great ambassador for the sport but we believe in her ability and know that she can bring an added dimension to our marketing strategy. We are looking forward to working with such a professional and personable individual, we wish her every success for the forthcoming season" said Philip Youles, Managing Director of Philip Youles Motorcycles.

Other support, without which Maria would not be able to race, comes from another Blackburn company CMS cars and commercials. Not only do they support Maria financially but they provide her with hands on support and a motor home for when she is competing away from home. “The support I have received means a lot to me, racing is my life so it’s no surprise that many of my sponsors are now my friends” added Costello.

To find out more about this female pioneer in motorcycle racing you can check out her website www.costelloracing.com and sign up to receive her regular racing up-dates.

Former Phase One and Maco Moto rider Damian "Demon" Rowley has decided once again to contest the World Endurance Championship for 2008 and has now revealed that he is looking to join a team for the new season. Click HERE to contact Damian.

TROY CORSER:
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 Troy 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 (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've ever 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 or wallabies, so I guess I should be safe enough there!"

YAMAHA RACING OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) completed a tough but successful three day test at Phillip Island in conditions which varied from relatively cool to exceptionally hot, finding real improvements while using Yamaha’s YCC-I variable intake system in full race trim.

Noriyuki Haga (Position: 6th – Best time: 1’32.4)
“It’s gone very well. We spent the days testing new parts, the results are good so now I am just waiting for the race. I’ve tried new suspension, new swing arm linkages and many tyres and the variable inlet trumpets. Before coming to Phillip Island I tested the variable inlet trumpets for two days in Japan and the feeling is very good. We can see from the power curve that it is better and as a rider it gives me a better feeling. It gives us increased adjustment and for sure we will use this from now on.”

Haga’s personal best time of 1’32.4 was only 0.3 seconds from the best over the three days of testing, while Corser set a 1’32.7, both concentrating their efforts on finding good race settings and tyre options in the constantly changing track conditions. Corser in particular found the surface uncharacteristically bumpy in places, and the final day of testing, run in ambient temperatures of 38°C at times, was hard work for all. As well as successful trials of the YCC-I system, the team evaluated swingarm and linkage developments, with Corser also trying out new braking components. The very high temperatures of the final day are not expected to be experienced at the Phillip Island race itself, on 2 March.

XEROX DUCATI OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) fractured his collarbone this afternoon after high-siding while attempting to pass French rider Regis Laconi. Bayliss was taken to hospital in Melbourne for further assessment. New signing Michel Fabrizio continued to show great progress, concluding the final session with the third fastest time of 1m32.3s, just one tenth off the pace of his team-mate.

Troy Bayliss 1m32.2s
"Basically I went to pass Regis Laconi around Lukey Heights but when I realised I couldn't make it, I had to brake hard and high-sided coming in to the MG hairpin. I have fractured the collarbone close to the sternum and have also chipped the end of the sternum. I am not in too much pain and for now it doesn't seem as bad as the last break I had to my collarbone. I plan to come straight back to Italy to get further tests and the treatment that I need in order to be back on the bike as soon as possible. Up until my fall we were making great progress, testing a lot of tyres with Pirelli. We made a long-run and I was feeling good about how everything was going. This isn't an ideal outcome of course but I'm happy with the progress we made this week and now just have to concentrate on getting better as quickly as possible."

Michel Fabrizio 1m32.3s
"Overall, I'm happy with this week's test results. I had a fall on Tuesday but I'm fine now, although I was pretty tired after we finished the long-runs. Basically everything has gone well, my times have not been bad and I was especially happy with the second fastest time that I set this morning. We have really clocked up a lot of miles on the track this week! We are still working towards the right set-up and although there's still work to be done, we're definitely on the right track. There are still two tests to come of course so let's say that we, and me especially, will continue to improve over the next few weeks."

PSG-! KAWASAKI CORSE:
Regis Laconi was slightly faster than team-mate  and former MotoGP rider Makoto Tamada, putting his vast WSB experience to good work in ending the test with a time of 1’33.0 - less than one second from the quickest time of all over the three days. Tamada, with more recent experience of MotoGP racing than Superbike racing, took some time to get up to speed but still posted a highly respectable 1’33.4.

Régis Laconi: “We’ve worked hard all three days, especially today, as I completed over 100 laps. That included two race simulations. Right now I am very tired but I am very happy because the bike is giving me a really good feeling from both the front and the rear. Also, when we change the settings I can really feel the difference. Now the bike is easy to change direction plus the new electronics are working really well and giving me a good feeling. The new bike already has more power than last year, yet with the help of the new electronics it is wheelying less, making it much easier to ride. Overall, I am very happy.”

Makoto Tamada: “It’s been a while since I was on a Superbike so I feel that I am still getting used to it, all of which made me ride carefully for the first couple of days. We’ve had some difficult times during this three day test but it is getting better day-by-day. One of my priorities is to bring the team together because I am new and we have new team members, so we will focus on this at Qatar. From a machine set-up point of view, we had some chatter problems, especially over the bumps. We need to concentrate on this aspect so that I can really start pushing.”

FINALLY...ALSTARE SUZUKI:
Team Alstare Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama ended the three-day tests at Phillip Island with the fastest lap on his new GSX-R1000, a tenth of a second ahead of Troy Bayliss. He posted an unofficial lap time of 1:32.1 in the morning session and, as the temperature rose steadily, it was clear that it would take something special to beat it: Bayliss looked the most likely but crashed just after midday and was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone. Kagayama's team mate Fonsi Nieto ended joint third quickest, happy with the progress made during the three days, but Max Neukirchner was deemed not fit enough to take part and was forced to watch from the sidelines.

Yukio Kagayama - 96 laps. Best lap 1:32.10:
"I am a happy man today, not just because I set the fastest lap here, but because we have done a lot of very good work during these three days. The mechanics have worked very hard - last night they finished after midnight!) - and that allowed me to put in a lot of laps and give them a lot of information and data. It was very hot today so we had to make a lot of adjustments to the settings. All in all this test has been very productive and a good way to start 2008."

Fonsi Nieto - 74 laps. Best lap 1:32.3:
"Today was much better than yesterday and I think I rode very well, especially in the morning. In the afternoon it was very hot and that caused us all some problems. But today I found a good rhythm with my bike and that makes me very happy. I am now much more comfortable on the bike and that is making it easier to ride. The engine feels surprisingly strong and I'm beginning to enjoy riding it. I think I may have to change my riding style from last year, but I know it will reap rewards. Now I'm already looking forward to my next time out on the bike."

TROY CORSER:
Troy started the second day of the tests working mainly on the chassis and suspension before trying a variety of tyres in the afternoon. Conditions were hotter than yesterday, but the wind picked up in the afternoon and provided Troy and the rest of the WSBK Top teams with another challenge. Once again, Troy chose not to go for any quick laps, preferring instead on trying to get a good set-up on his R1 Yamaha. His fellow countryman, Troy Bayliss (Ducati) set the fastest lap of the day, with an unofficial time of 1:32.078.

Troy: 1:32.766 (70 laps)
"Today was not to bad and basically we worked mainly on the shocks, pivots, links and chassis. The bike seems to be moving around a bit, maybe because the track has more rolly bumps, and that makes it hard to find a really good set-up. We're working at trying to get a good set-up for when we come back here for the race in early March. We had a bit of a problem with one bike, so I spent quite a bit more time on the other, which meant that I probably spent more time in the pits today then I would've liked. The team know what to do about the other bike and it'll be fixed ready for tomorrow, so no worries there. I was getting some wheelspin today, with the bike moving around, so we'll look at the telemetry and sort it out for tomorrow. The wind caused a few problems in the afternoon, but it wouldn't be Phillip Island! without some weather problems, would it? This is a great track for testing and I've always said that if you can get a bike to work well round here, it'll work pretty good at almost any other circuit. That's why we're here!"

ALSTARE SUZUKI:
Yukio Kagayama put his Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 into second place overall on the second day of testing at Phillip Island in Australia today. With conditions hotter and breezier than the first day, the Japanese rider posted an unofficial lap time of 1:32.32 in the morning session, a fraction behind the 1:32.078 set by Troy Bayliss (Ducati) in the afternoon session. Fonsi Nieto continued his learning process on the GSX-R1000 Suzuki, getting more and more familiar with the bike with every lap, but Max Neukirchner was a non-starter today due to laryngitis. He hopes to return to the saddle tomorrow.

Yukio Kagayama - 1:32.32 (78 laps):
"This morning was good and my feeling with the bike was very good. Of course we are still testing many things and my other bike did not have such a good feeling - but that's why we are testing. Even though I put in quite a few laps, I felt that it would've been good to do even more! Tomorrow we will continue our work and hopefully we will end the tests with two good bikes working well!"

Fonsi Nieto - 1:33.00 (93 laps):
"For me, today was not so good and we had a few problems, but we're here to experience the problems and then solve them! After all, it's better to have problems at this stage of the season than later on!  I did improve my lap times today, but not enough for my own feeling. But I think tomorrow can be a good day for us and I am determined to finish these tests on a positive note."

SECOND DAY TIMES:
Second day has just ended and tonce again Troy Bayliss set the fastest lap followed by the two Japanese riders Kagayama and Haga. No activity for Neukirchner as he didn't feel too good and took a rest day. Good news also in Supersport in terms of laptimes with Broc Parkes setting a new track record, followed by the rookie Honda rider Rea.
 

TROY CORSER:
The holidays are over and although the new year has hardly started, Troy has begun the season. Today was the first day of the Phillip island tests and Troy and the rest of the top World Superbike teams began the three days work in preparation for the first race of the year. Troy's fellow countryman, Troy Bayliss (Ducati) ended the day with the fastest lap, 1:32.6.

Troy -79 laps, best lap 1:33.4
"I know I say it a lot, but I'm reasonably happy with how the first day went today. It's been over four weeks since I was last on a bike, so it was good to throw my leg over one today and get back into the groove. We have a lot of work to do here and many things to test, so I didn't chase any lap times at all. The bike is the same as it was in Qatar in the last test, but we just have more stuff to try out and find a good direction. There were no problems at all, except for the birds here on the track. They just don't seem to get out of the way! Some of them are pretty big as well and I actually had to take to the dirt to avoid smashing right into one. As it was, I did clip one, but when I looked back it seemed OK and was still on the track! Hopefully, there'll be less birdlife on the track tomorrow and we won't have any problems with them. Today was a good start and I think we can improve quite a bit over the next couple of days."

ALSTARE SUZUKI:
Team Alstare Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama, Fonsi Nieto and Max Neukirchner have completed the first of three days of World Superbike testing at Phillip Island in Australia positive and confident with their new GSX-R1000s. The team worked mainly on suspension and engine settings and settled into a good rhythm with Kagayama just three-tenths-of-a-second off the fastest unofficial time of 1:32.6 set by Troy Bayliss.

Yukio Kagayama - 73 laps. Best lap 1:32.9:
"For the first day, the feeling was not so bad and certainly my body is in much better condition than it was in Qatar in the last tests. I didn't find it hard to get into the 1:32s this morning and then we began the testing work. We tested many different areas - suspension, engine and electronics and by the end of the day the rear suspension was getting much better. All in all, I think today was quite a good day."

Fonsi Nieto - 82 laps. Best lap 1:33.2:
"I am really happy with how today went. After the holiday it was good to get back on the bike and straightaway I felt at home on it. At the last tests, the bike didn't feel as if it was my bike, but today I was happy on it right from the start and this makes me feel very good. We tried many different things today and we have a lot of good information to consider. I had a very small crash, at MG Corner, when I lost the front end. It was probably because I had a new rear tyre and suddenly I went down. But there was no injury to me at all and I don't think the bike was even damaged much."

Max Neukirchner - 70 laps. Best lap 1:35.0:
"Today we had some problems with the electronics and there was a lot of work to do, but at the end of the day I was quite happy because we had got one bike working pretty well. Then we began the work on the other bike and that is going OK also. My main problem today is me! I had a bit of a sore throat and my head ached a bit so maybe I'm getting a bit of flu or something. Because of that I found it hard to concentrate on the bike for long periods, so I hope I will feel better tomorrow - as I know there is a lot to do and I want to do it!"

PSG-1 KAWASAKI CORSE:
Eleven-time SBK race winner and one-time 500cc GP winner Laconi is starting his third straight season with Kawasaki’s lead SBK team, while Tamada is about to face his first full SBK season, after five years competing in MotoGP. Tamada is no stranger to SBK racing itself, however, having competed in SBK races at Sugo as a wild card from 2000 to 2002. He won three WSB races in only six attempts in that period, and also has two race wins in MotoGP to his credit.

Previous tests in Spain have already shown that the latest Ninja ZX-10R is a significant boost for Kawasaki’s SBK ambitions, proving to be powerful and amenable to set-up changes. With riders of such proven pedigree on board, and a rejuvenated backroom squad, the entire PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse team is eager to get their latest testing session underway.

FIRST DAY TIMES:
Both SBK and SSP riders used the first day for fine-tuning the bikes and to find the best setup. As always on the first day, Pirelli technicians don't use the new compounds, testing only the best solution selected from the 2007 season rubber. This means that non-development teams taking part in the test have the same tyres - but starting from tomorrow things will change. In the first day Ducati's new bike turned out to be more than an interesting project, with riders able to exploit the softest solution for many laps with no tyre degradation. Best time of the day went to Troy Bayliss, ripping out a 1’32.5.

THE PROMEDIA BOYS - WORLD SUPERBIKE AND FORMER WORLD ENDURANCE CAMERAMEN

Steve will also be spending some time with a German KTM team...and the eagerly-anticipated KTM RC8.