Ellison outpaces Easton in Spain

JAMES ELLISON has outpaced new team-mate Stuart Easton at Cartagena circuit, Spain, during Swan Honda team's first major pre-season BSB test.

Both riders lapped just outside the unofficial lap record during the four-day test, which got underway earlier this week. Both Ellison and Easton initially used the track time as a shakedown for the Swan Honda Fireblade before turning their attention to finding a strong base setting, before the team move on to Guadix on Tuesday.

Ellison (1m:34.5s) said: “It has  been a great few days for me and it has been awesome getting back out on  track on the Swan Honda. We had a long list of settings we wanted to try  before we arrived and I am pleased to say that we have managed to cover  everything. On the final day we have made some changes to the rear links  and some minor tweaks to the electronics, but it is only fine tuning as we  have managed to make some really good progress. I did my fastest lap of the test in the final session so that just shows the improvements are  paying off.”

Easton (1m:34.8s) said: “I am leaving this test happy  with what we have been able to achieve and the progress we have made with  the Swan Honda. We didn’t have ideal conditions on the final day with some  light rain in the morning, but other than that it has been a really  positive few days for us. We now feel that we have the engine braking  control working how we need it to, which was one of our main areas to  focus on, so we are pleased with that development. I am now just eager to get back out on track next week so myself and PJ (Pete Jennings) can  maintain our level of progress.”

Team Manager Shaun Muir concluded: “We have had a mountain of work to get through and we are exactly where we need to be  with respect to the development of the electronics. We've purposely not  chased times and whatever the boys have done has come easily. All in all  we are in good shape going to Guadix.”