WORLD Superbike champion Carl Fogarty has spent the last two days testing new components for the 2000 season at Imola.

Heavy rain on the first day and a damp, slippery track today led to times that were 10 seconds slower than in normal track conditions. Conditions meant that the Ducatis were never in a position to fit 'slicks', so they always lapped on rain or intermediate tyres.

But the new engine immediately proved to have considerable power, as Carl Fogarty himself declared: "I haven't ridden a 996 since Sugo, but the new engine appears to be more powerful than the one used in the last round. Track conditions did not allow me to push hard and the cold made it more difficult to get the best impression. Even in the cold however I felt that the bike was a lot faster, and first impressions are positive".

Carl Fogarty did numerous laps testing the reliability of the first 2000 engine, lighter and more powerful than the '99 version. The engine is fitted with a single fuel injector and new cylinder head casting, the same as the one used on the 'development' bike raced in the Italian Superbike Championship by Paolo Casoli, and which may be used in 2000.

The new engine immediately proved to have considerable power, as Carl Fogarty himself declared: "I haven't ridden a 996 since Sugo, but the new engine appears to be more powerful than the one used in the last round. Track conditions did not allow me to push hard and the cold made it more difficult to get the best impression. Even in the cold however I felt that the bike was a lot faster, and first impressions are positive".

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.