The leading MotoGP teams are in action again

No 1 in Australia
By Dan Moakes
April 7 2004

Honda may have led the way in Malaysia, but the latest test, at Phillip Island in Australia, has seen Ducati stepping up their challenge - despite a crash for d’Antín’s Rubén Xaus - with the lead Yamaha of Valentino Rossi also going well.

Best times from Sepang:
Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2:02.041
Max Biaggi (Honda) 2:02.10
Sete Gibernau (Honda) 2:02.49
Colin Edwards (Honda) 2:02.59
Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2:02.74
Makoto Tamada (Honda) 2:02.962
Carlos Checa (Yamaha) 2:03.10
Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2:03.350
Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 2:03.554
Alex Barros (Honda) 2:03.558
Shin’ya Nakano (Kawasaki) 2:04.318
Alex Hofmann (Kawasaki) 2:04.568
Norick Abe (Yamaha) 2:04.57
Neil Hodgson (Ducati) 2:04.674
Marco Melandri (Yamaha) 2:04.75
Rubén Xaus (Ducati) 2:04.929
Shane Byrne (Aprilia) 2:05.18
Jeremy McWilliams (Aprilia) 2:05.921

Best times from Phillip Island:
Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 1:30.71
Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1:30.76
Sete Gibernau (Honda) 1:30.81
Colin Edwards (Honda) 1:30.97
Max Biaggi (Honda) 1:31.07
Nicky Hayden (Honda) 1:31.18
Makoto Tamada (Honda) 1:31.25
Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 1:31.56
Alex Barros (Honda) 1:31.59
Rubén Xaus (Ducati) 1:31.66
Marco Melandri (Yamaha) 1:31.70
Carlos Checa (Yamaha) 1:31.80
Shane Byrne (Aprilia) 1:32.51
Neil Hodgson (Ducati) 1:32.69
Jeremy McWilliams (Aprilia) 1:33.38
Norick Abe (Yamaha) 1:33.74