Motor Cycling: FOGGY HAPPY WITH TESTS

CARL FOGARTY was in upbeat mood yesterday at the conclusion of three days testing in Germany with the men and machines he will take into the Superbikes series next season.

Despite adverse weather and track conditions at the Eurospeedway in Laustiz, team owner Foggy said development of his Petronas machine had benefited from the first tests on a track outside Britain.

"As we are a brand-new team with a brand-new bike, whatever testing we do at this stage in any conditions has to be worthwhile," said the four-times champion from Blackburn. "The chassis is responding well to adjustments and I am confident we will be able to improve engine performance."

His riders, Aussie Troy Corser and James Haydon from Buckinghamshire, were both impressed. "We completed a good number of laps and made positive changes to the front and rear of the bike," said Corser. "I was going faster each day without trying any harder so the bike is clearly getting better."

Circuit first-timer Haydon had clipped four seconds off his initial lap time by the end of the test session. "I certainly feel more comfortable on the bike now. I think we got as much out of the test as we could have expected," he said.

Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams, recorded the fastest ever lap at Phillip Island with a speed of 108.18mph as he secured pole position during the final qualifying session for today's Australian Grand Prix. McWilliams was almost 1mph inside Kenny Roberts' three-year- old lap record and a second faster than seventh qualifying world champion, Valentino Rossi.

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