FIM MotoGP World Championship
Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
January 30, 2018
Day Three Test Results (all on Michelin tires):
1. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Ducati), 1:58.830
2. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (Honda), 1:59.009
3. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Honda), 1:59.052
4. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Ducati), 1:59.169
5. Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), 1:59.346
6. Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), 1:59.348
7. Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1:59.382
8. Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha), 1:59.449
9. Johann Zarco, France (Yamaha), 1:59.511
10. Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Ducati), 1:59.528
11. Tito Rabat, Spain (Ducati), 1:59.547
12. Andrea Iannone, Italy (Suzuki), 1:59.615
13. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1:59.962
14. Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), 2:00.071
15. Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Ducati), 2:00.205
16. Mika Kallio, Finland (KTM), 2:00.464*
17. Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Honda), 2:00.526
18. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yamaha), 2:00.547
19. Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Ducati), 2:00.574
20. Xavier Simeon, Belgium (Ducati), 2:00.784
21. Scott Redding, UK (Aprilia), 2:00.812
22. Bradley Smith, UK (KTM), 2:00.969
23. Sylvain Guintoli, France (Suzuki), 2:01.120*
24. Tom Luthi, Switzerland (Honda), 2:01.126
25. Yonny Hernandez, Colombia (Yamaha), 2:01.223
26. Yamaha Test Rider Three, Japan (Yamaha), 2:01.385*
27. Yamaha Test Rider Two, Japan (Yamaha), 2:01.679*
28. Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM), no lap time recorded
*test rider
Combined Overall Test Results (all on Michelin tires):
1. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Ducati), 1:58.830
2. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (Honda), 1:59.009
3. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Honda), 1:59.052
4. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Ducati), 1:59.169
5. Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), 1:59.346
6. Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), 1:59.348
7. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yamaha), 1:59.355
8. Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1:59.382
9. Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha), 1:59.390
10. Johann Zarco, France (Yamaha), 1:59.511
11. Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Ducati), 1:59.528
12. Tito Rabat, Spain (Ducati), 1:59.547
13. Andrea Iannone, Italy (Suzuki), 1:59.615
14. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1:59.925
15. Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), 2:00.071
16. Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Ducati), 2:00.205
17. Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM), 2:00.262
18. Mika Kallio, Finland (KTM), 2:00.464*
19. Bradley Smith, UK (KTM), 2:00.520
20. Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Honda), 2:00.526
21. Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Ducati), 2:00.574
22. Xavier Simeon, Belgium (Ducati), 2:00.784
23. Scott Redding, UK (Aprilia), 2:00.812
24. Sylvain Guintoli, France (Suzuki), 2:01.120*
25. Tom Luthi, Switzerland (Honda), 2:01.126
26. Yonny Hernandez, Colombia (Yamaha), 2:01.223
27. Yamaha Test Rider Three, Japan (Yamaha), 2:01.385*
28. Yamaha Test Rider Two, Japan (Yamaha), 2:01.679*
29. Yamaha Test Rider One, Japan (Yamaha), 2:03.786
30. Michele Pirro, Italy (Ducati), 2:04.767
*test rider
More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:
Zarco and Hernandez conclude Sepang test with positive sensations
Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider Johann Zarco leaves Malaysia with some great feedback after three productive first days of testing in 2018. Last year’s MotoGP Rookie of the Year continued his hard work on Tuesday, concluding the test with further significant improvements, shaving off additional two tenths from his best lap time from the previous day.
Yonny Hernandez displayed his great potential while riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 for the first time during this official MotoGP test. The Columbian rider, who was called to replace Jonas Folger in Sepang, increased his feeling on the Monster Yamaha Tech3 machine repeatedly on the final day of testing and was able to improve on his day one pace by nearly one second.
The next MotoGP outing is set to take place at the newly introduced Buriram Circuit, Thailand, where the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team aims to contest with a second permanent rider alongside French star Johann Zarco.
Johann Zarco
Position: 9th – Time: 1’59.511 – Laps: 55
“I’m really happy, because in three days of testing we didn’t report any crash, which is important to be back with the best confidence possible. Today, I did some good laps. The conditions in the morning were ideal and we tried to use this opportunity to lower the lap time. 59.5 is not bad, although I wanted to be a little bit faster. Yet, I know that I also have to further improve myself. Later on, I did 13 laps in a row and physically I was feeling a lot better than one year ago, plus the pace was some tenths faster on every lap. I should be even quicker, but at least I was truly consistent and saved my energy well. The new aerodynamics package from Yamaha was great, it gives us more stability and therefore, it is less physically demanding. I will work with it during the year, depending on the track, but with it I think we can have a good front contact and stability almost everywhere.”
Yonny Hernandez
Position: 25th – Time: 2’01.223 – Laps: 31
“Overall, it was a very positive test and a fantastic experience for me. In the course of the last day I was able to improve again, but I think I’m capable to go even faster. After midday, I didn’t ride too much, nevertheless, I lowered my lap time and I learned a lot. The two exits today were quite hard, especially as the track conditions were incredibly hot. We tried two bikes and I realized that my feeling with the Yamaha in general was increasing. It goes without saying, that P25 is not the position I want to be in, but I can happily say, that I’m delighted I was able to step forward during these three days of testing.”
More, from a press release issued by Angel Nieto Team MotoGP:
ÁNGEL NIETO TEAM COMPLETE SEPANG TEST IN POSITIVE MOOD
MotoGP riders complete first preseason session feeling optimistic about the year ahead
The Ducati GP18 has made a sensational start to the MotoGP preseason with Jorge Lorenzo guiding it to the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of Sepang today in a time of 1’58.830. The Spaniard moved ahead of early pacesetter Dani Pedrosa, who was fastest on the opening day but second fastest today, with Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Dovizioso and Jack Miller completing the top five as four manufacturers featured within the top ten. Testing for the premier class continues from 16-18 February at the Buriram circuit in Thailand, which will host a round of the MotoGP World Championship for the first time in October this year.
Álvaro Bautista concluded the Sepang test with a best time of 2’00.205 after a total of 155 laps over the three days. The Spaniard admitted his first impressions of the bike were not the best but underlined that this is his first outing on the Ducati GP17 after being unable to ride it at Valencia. Bautista and his technical staff have been working hard to solve rear grip issues, which they will continue at the next preseason session in Thailand. His team-mate Karel Abraham is also reflecting positively on the outing in Malaysia, where he has evaluated his Ducati GP16 as “quite different” to the machine he rode last season, picking out the gearbox and improved cornering capabilities as the biggest changes.
15th Álvaro Bautista 2:00.205 (57 laps): “My first impression at this test perhaps wasn’t the best but we have to take into account this is my first time on this bike, because I didn’t get to ride it at Valencia. Also, we still only have one bike so hopefully we can get the second one soon because with just one if you have a crash or a problem you end up spending a lot of time stuck in the pit box. It’s also a fact that on the first day we lost a lot of time to the rain and then I crashed. In total we have managed two days of tests and now I feel good with the front end but we are lacking rear grip, which means I can’t get into or out of the corners quickly. We have worked hard, tested a lot of things and found some that could help us. It is not perfect but we are getting to know it and together with the team we are working out what it needs. It has been a positive test and even though we have work to do we leave Sepang feeling pretty happy.”
19th Karel Abraham 2:00.574 (48 laps): “We had a very difficult day and a half to start off with here but overall our reflections at the end of the test are positive. The bike is quite different to what we had last year: the gearbox is better and the bike behaves differently in turning, it holds the line better. There are many more differences but these are the two main ones and now we have a lot more work to do to adapt to it and make sure we are competitive for the first race of the season.”
More, from a press release issued by Alma Pramac Racing:
SepangTest Day-3. “High Five” Jack: 5th in the combined standings. Petrux in Top 10 with great confidence
The first official tests of the 2018 MotoGP season ended with extremely positive results for Alma Pramac Racing.
Jack Miller is the protagonist of the biggest exploit at the Sepang International Circuit and conquers for the third consecutive day an extraordinary 5th place. Petrux works hard on development and in the latest time-attack manages to conquer the Top 10.
It’s a sensational debut for Jack Miller on the Ducati Desmosedici GP 2017. The Australian riders soon shows to have a great feeling and in the morning’s time attack he manages to notch up a super lap-time (1:59.346) which earned him fifth place in the combined standings of #SepangTest. Jack (36 laps completed today) did also a remarkable long run (16 laps) managing to take a fantastic race pace.
Danilo Petrucci (49 laps) worked hard today on the comparison between the 2017 and 2018 versions of the Ducati Desmosedici GP. Then, in the time attack at the end of the session (with particular circuit conditions that saw only Valentino Rossi make a leap forward in the standings) the Top 10 was secured thanks to an impressive T4. Petrux finished 11th in the combined standings, just 182 thousandths of a second from his team-mate.
10th Danilo Petrucci – 1:59.528
“We have worked hard on both bikes. I could have done something more in the morning’s time attack with the best track conditions but we had a technical problem that slowed us down. I am however very satisfied with the sensations that the Ducati Desmosedici 2018 gave me. In Thailand we will have more time to work with the new bike “.
5th Jack Miller – 1:59.346
“I’m really very satisfied with these first tests. The feeling with the bike is really good and I think we still have some margin to explore here and there. In Thailand we will start working on the details as well, but in the meantime the pace of the long run made today is really encouraging. I look forward to being back on the track in two weeks time”.
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
IANNONE AND RINS REACT AS THE BAR IS RAISED
Alex Rins: 6th – 1:59.348 (+ 0.518)
Andrea Iannone: 12th – 1:59.615 (+ 0.785)
Sylvain Guintoli: 22nd – 2:01.120 (+ 2.290)
The third and final day of testing saw extreme heat and humidity once again, forcing the riders to use their time carefully. Taking to the track as soon as it opened allowed them to put in many laps in the morning before the heat became too intense. They then had to take a longer break in the afternoon, only rejoining the track once the temperature had dropped off.
Despite these difficulties the team were able to glean more useful information in regard to both the engine specification and chassis configuration, as well as testing other new parts in areas such as suspension.
As more and more riders pushed during the morning, the pace began to heat up, this saw some very fast lap times being set and the Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders responded with a strong pace of their own, setting their fastest laps of the 3-day test.
Alex Rins used the morning session to focus on long runs, where he found a good and consistent pace. He reported a boost in confidence as his experience of the bike increased, and as he tried new parts and a different engine configuration which suited him well, and also improved acceleration and performance. Overall the Spaniard enjoyed a positive final day, closing the session in an impressive 6th place, just half a second from the fastest lap time, and +0.002 behind 5th place.
Andrea Iannone instead focused on the important process of trying to find his final preferences, and he completed a total of 62 laps despite the weather conditions. He found the final day to be useful as he tried several different settings and configurations.
Test riders Sylvain Guintoli and Takuya Tsuda continued to try different parts in order to offer their valuable feedback on various options and packages.
Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager
“In these three days we did so much testing, we had many items to test and we could make back-to-back comparisons with all the riders. My thanks to the crew and all the riders for their intense work. Today Alex improved his lap time and did well in the classification, but also did a sort of race simulation which marked a fast pace. This makes us happy because it means the direction is the correct one. Andrea worked hard but he is still looking for the final opinion on which of the options he prefers, but this doesn’t worry us as it is a normal development process and it is important for us that he makes the choice when he is 100% confident. We will continue this process in Thailand and Qatar, in order to finalise the final package for the debut in the Qatar race.”
Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“We finish this first test of the season – these three days, and we are quite happy because we were able to test a few things and try to get a clear picture of everything. We didn’t finish the job, in fact the next tests in Buriram and Qatar will also be very important. We are working on engine specs and chassis configuration with both riders and the target is to decide on the best package to start the season with. Alex put in good and consistent laps, and Andrea also was not far off, so they did a good job. And we can say that it has been three positive days.”
Alex Rins
“I’m really happy because we finish these three days after a lot of work and it was very productive, today has been great. We tried many things during the three days and one of them was the engine and I think we improved in acceleration and top speed. There were also more things that we tried which were positive. We tried a race simulation and it went well, good race pace, and this is important not only for confidence but for giving good feedback to Japan about their work. We tried new forks and they were also good and we worked in the electronics area as well.”
Andrea Iannone
“Today as well has been a constructive day where we worked step by step with further comparisons and analysis. We’re still missing some information before being able to define a final package, this is a very important moment as we are setting up the development for the future so we need to make sure we take the right choices. The items we had to test were various and we could compare with the feeling we had also in the test last year, to have a comparison with tracks that are very different is useful to put together a package that can help us to be competitive for the whole championship.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
CRUTCHLOW IMPRESSES AGAIN ON FINAL DAY IN SEPANG
Tuesday saw the third and final day of pre-season testing at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. For the first time this week, the MotoGP riders were able to get straight out on the track at 10am as the rain stayed away throughout and temperatures then climbed during the afternoon, reaching a sweltering 50°C at one point.
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow enjoyed another productive day on board his 2018 RC213V as he completed a total of 65 laps, gathering more important data ahead of the new season. The Briton opted to push for a lap time in the early part of the day and – despite not being totally satisfied with his efforts – still managed to post the third quickest time of the session.
Indeed, it was only just over two tenths behind Jorge Lorenzo who produced the fastest-ever lap on two wheels at Sepang just before midday on Tuesday – eclipsing the previous unofficial lap record by Marc Marquez, set in 2015 pre-season testing.
Cal Crutchlow – 3rd
(1’59.052 – lap 18 of 65)
“It was a positive day today, we were really pleased with the way we worked over the three days and we had another good one today. We pushed for the lap time early in the day, maybe not at the right moment because the track condition was not great and I made a few mistakes on my lap, so overall we’re quite pleased with the outcome to be so fast in Malaysia which is not normally a great track for me.
“We also did a long run today. I started the long run with six laps already on the rear tyre and then I completed another 15 laps. The rear tyre dropped a bit after ten laps of the long run and I also wasn’t on my favoured front tyre. So we didn’t push for a lap time at the end of the day as we’d already completed our programme.”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Productive three-day test for the Repsol Honda Team concludes in Malaysia
The Repsol Honda Team concluded a positive first test of 2018 in Malaysia, with Dani Pedrosa second-fastest with a best lap time of 1’59.009” and reigning World Champion Marc Marquez just over 3 tenths of a second behind him in seventh place, with a best lap of 1’59.382”.
The Repsol Honda men made the best of a day blessed by bright sunshine, each completing (among their other work) one 15-lap long run. Dani’s was in the late morning, and Marc’s was after lunch, around the usual race time.
Over the three days, Marc completed a total of 194 laps, Dani 170, collecting useful information for the HRC engineers and the team who will now prepare for the next test, scheduled at the new-entry track in Buriram, Thailand, 16-18 February.
Dani Pedrosa 26
2ND 1’59.009 (ON LAP 9 OF 58)
“I think we had a positive final day, and a positive test in general here in Sepang. The team did a very good job, as we correctly planned the work schedule for each day. Today we put together all the best aspects from the previous two days and worked on our speed, improving our fast lap and our pace, and completing a long run of almost race distance on a good rhythm. We worked on the engine, aerodynamics, suspension, and tyres—both soft and hard specs. You could say we addressed more or less every area of the setup, and we got a good general feeling and collected a lot of data. We have to analyse everything more thoroughly, but the feeling was there. Now we look forward to confirming everything on other tracks.”
Marc Marquez 93
7TH 1’59.382 (ON LAP 9 OF 75)
“Today I feel very happy because we worked hard and quite well. We even did a long run of 15 laps around three o’clock, when the temperature on track was very high, and our pace was good. In the afternoon we kept trying different things and ultimately didn’t really make a time attack, but I felt very good on the bike. We need to check the new aerodynamics better, and on another circuit, as we want to make the right choice. On the other hand, I think we did a great job on the engine, even if we’re still not at 100 per cent with the setting. Generally speaking, I think Dani, Cal [Crutchlow], and I were working in slightly different ways, and we gathered a lot of information that will be useful for Honda to prepare a good base.”
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM:
RED BULL KTM MOTOGP FACTORY RACING TEAM BACK IN ACTION AT SEPANG TEST
MotoGP IRTA Test 2018 – Sepang International Circuit (MAL)
Sepang hosted the opening MotoGP test of the year and saw the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team back on track for the first time in 2018. A crash ruled Pol Espargaro out of action for the final of total tree days but the test saw plenty of positives for the team with Bradley Smith and Mika Kallio able to work through an extensive testing programme.
Mike Leitner (Team Manager MotoGP): “This was a good test and there are a lot of positives. It was a shame that Pol crashed because it was a small mistake that had a big impact on our week. Anyway we have been able to do some basic work and it looks as though it is easy to set a fast laptime and to be able to keep a constant rhythm. The potential of the bike leaves us positive because we have been able to set some fast times but we know that there is still work to be done to be competitive at the start of the season. Our target is to be ready for Round 1.”
Pol Espargaro: “I feel lucky because I had a big crash on Day 2 and I hit the wall at more than 250 kmp/h. I’m happy not feeling too bad physically but I’m in pain from rolling through the gravel. I had some x-rays and nothing is broken but I have pain when I move so if I am still in pain when I get home I will have some further checks. Even though I couldn’t ride on the final day it was still good to be with the team and able to work with them in the background. It’s a shame to miss Day 3 and not to be able to test what we planned but Mika was able to ride my bike. It’s good because I trust his feedback 100% and it means we were still be able to get a lot of work done here in Sepang.”
Bradley Smith: “Obviously it’s a busy test schedule here in Sepang and after Pol’s crash it has meant that myself and Mika have had to work through a lot. It’s been a chance for us to evaluate a lot of different things and to give us a direction on what to do. On Day 3 the grip was a little less and that means that it’s good conditions for us to test in. Usually when the track gets grippy and hot we struggle a little bit so it’s been good to have these conditions. I’m generally quite pleased with what we’ve tested because I think that we’ve got a good base to work with at the Thailand tests in a few days time.”
Mika Kallio: “The biggest job for me was to compare the 2017 and 2018 bikes. We have both here so I was able to back to back both bikes. I was working mostly on the electronics and new WP front forks this week. Conditions were quite good this week and even at the two day private test just before I was able to get a lot of work completed. In the official test I crashed twice so it was more difficult for me. I crashed in the heavy braking zone twice and that’s unusual for me so we need to analyse the data and see why I have a slightly different feeling on the new bike compared to the previous model. We will go through the data to understand carefully what is the next step for the development of this bike because Pol and Bradley had similar comments about the feeling from the front.”
Sebastian Risse (Technical Director MotoGP): “Our target for this test was to compare the baseline specification 2018 bike to what we finished last season using. The new bike has some areas that work quite well and we were able to get more comfortable with the bike. The conditions in Sepang are always a little difficult because you have to adapt to the weather and change your test programme each day accordingly. It was a good test and we found some positive direction that we can work further on. This test is almost seen as a double header for us with the Thailand test and it will be very useful to be able to compare the feedback from Sepang and Thailand. To have two different tracks to compare the data on is always good.”
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team will be back at track with both factory riders middle of February for another three-day IRTA test on Chang International Circuit in Thailand, which is new in this years MotoGP calender.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Lorenzo below lap record pace to dominate Day 3
Five-time World Champion puts in the fastest ever lap of Sepang, with Pedrosa and Crutchlow on the chase
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) decimated the competition on the third and final day of the #SepangTest, setting the fastest ever lap around the Malaysian venue with a 1:58.830. His closest challenger was Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa – the fastest man on Day 1 of the test – who was just over a tenth and a half behind his compatriot. The number 26 is also the holder of the pole lap record. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) took P3, only half a tenth behind the RC213V of Pedrosa ahead of him.
It was a day without the rain that had affected Sunday and Monday’s action, and Lorenzo put in 48 laps overall, topping the timesheets on Lap 21. The Spaniard had also crashed earlier, but then went out and set his best effort. The 1:58.830 lap will not count as the official record due it having been set outside a race weekend, but it is the quickest recorded lap on two wheels. The previous best belonged to Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and was set during testing in 2015. Lorenzo said there were marked improvements in the GP18 when compared to last year’s machine.
Pedrosa did 58 laps and similarly set his quickest lap early, on Lap 9. Only 0.009 away from breaking into the 1:58 bracket, the ‘Little Samurai’ was the quickest Honda of the test. He was working with one bike in the garage sporting Honda’s new aero fairing and one without, whereas teammate Marc Marquez opted to go aero-fairing free on Day 3, saying the innovation needs bigger setup changes to be evaluated. The reigning Champion ended the third day in seventh and got through a long workload of 75 laps; his best a 1:59.382 after opting to forego a timeattack lap.
Behind Crutchlow in third – the Brit another who did a lot of laps, completing 65 – was the second Ducati Team rider of Andrea Dovizioso. ‘DesmoDovi’, like teammate Lorenzo, took a tumble but escaped unscathed. The Italian ended the day just over a tenth off the top three, and completed 51 laps. Just behind him was another impressive performance for another Borgo Panigale machine; that of Alma Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller. Switching from Honda, the Australian proved his adaptation once again with a 1:59.346 as his best after 36 laps – completing the top five despite proving the first crasher of the day.
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was the rider who broke the Ducati and Honda stranglehold on the timesheets first, going sixth quickest but only 0.002 off Miller and the top five. Rins, who struggled with injury in 2017, has had a rapid start to his sophomore season and put in another half century of laps at Sepang. Teammate Andrea Iannone, after suffering a number of technical issues in testing so far, was twelfth fastest but managed an increased 62 laps for the Hamamatsu factory as they aim to reset after a more difficult 2017.
The top Yamaha was nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, with the ‘Doctor’ slotting into eighth and one of the late improvers. A 1:59.449 on Lap 52 of 54 saw him just pip Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco in the last few minutes of track action, after the number 46 had been second fastest on Day 2. Teammate Maverick Viñales – fastest on Monday – was P18 on the third and final day, but is within the top six overall with his previous best. Both Yamaha riders had their new aero-packages on track, and Independent Team rider Zarco also tried the fairing on Tuesday.
Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) made it both Pramac machines in the top ten on Day 3 as he ended Tuesday 0.017 seconds off Zarco. ‘Petrux’ was also the fourth Independent Team rider within that quickest ten, and just pipped fellow Independent Ducati rider Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) to the honour. Rabat was a crasher on Day 3, but was unhurt. He did 35 laps and was just 0.019 off Petrucci in an incredibly tight midfield on the timesheets. The next quickest Independent Team Ducati was Angel Nieto Team’s Alvaro Bautista, who was P15.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) led the charge for the Noale factory in P13, and put in his quickest lap on his final exit – the last rider in the 1:59s on Day 3. One of Aprilia’s key focuses has been increasing their horsepower and reconfirming their work over the winter with Espargaro and Scott Redding. Redding continued his adaptation with another 56 laps in the bank.
Meanwhile, at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, it was test rider Mika Kallio leading the way on the timesheets for the Austrian factory. They debuted a new aero package, and Kallio did a best of 2:00.464. Bradley Smith did a 2:00.969, with Pol Espargaro sitting Tuesday out following his big crash on Monday. The Spaniard has no fractures but the crash, at Turn 4, was a fast one.
Of the four rookies, it was Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) who was the quickest once again on Day 3. The Japanese rider was fourteenth quickest overall with a 2:00.71, tantalisingly close to the 1:59 bracket. Reigning Moto2™ Champion Franco Morbidelli was around half a second off that and second fastest of the new riders in the field – but the number 21 was 0.021 ahead of Viñales for an impressive scalp. Xavier Simeon (Reale Avintia Racing) was a further three tenths back, with Tom Lüthi (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) the final rookie on the timesheets. It is, however, the Swiss rider’s first test on his new machine, having been sidelined for Valencia due to injury. He crashed at Turn 4 in a slow incident, but picked the bike up and continued.
That’s a wrap on the first action of the year, but MotoGP™ will be back before you know it – getting a first taste of Buriram in Thailand ahead of the 2018 debut of the Thailand GP. The test there begins on the 16th February.
More, from a press release issued by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS:
Positive Sepang test for Morbidelli and Lüthi
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS riders Franco Morbidelli and Tom Lüthi declared themselves satisfied with the progress made during the first test of the new season at Sepang, after again improving their lap times on the third and final day.
Morbidelli lost time this morning after experiencing pain in his left hand as a result of his crash yesterday. The reigning Moto2 World Champion had the injury assessed at the medical centre, but an x-ray of the fingers revealed no fractures and he was able to return to testing having been prescribed painkillers.
Morbidelli spent the afternoon getting a better feel for Michelin’s medium compound tyre, before heading out late in the session for a time attack. The Italian was unable to improve on his time from the morning however, as the expected increase in grip failed to materialise in the cooler conditions.
While Morbidelli got his first MotoGP crash out of the way yesterday, Tom Lüthi waited until the third and final day before experiencing the same; going down in a low speed crash this morning after losing the front into turn four.
Uninjured, and with the bike suffering little damage in the low side tumble, Lüthi quickly resumed his testing program. The Swiss rider spent most of the day on used tyres, to get a feel for how the bike demands to be ridden towards the end of a race when tyre performance has dropped off.
Both riders will return to testing action on 16th February at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand, a new addition to the MotoGP calendar for the 2018 season.
Franco Morbidelli: 2’00.526 – 55 Laps
“When I rode the bike for the first this morning I had some pain in the fingers on my left hand as a result of the crash yesterday, but I was able to continue with some painkillers. This afternoon we made some work with the medium tyre and I was happy with the results. I was able to make a lot of laps and the time was around 2’01 low, which is not so bad with this tyre. Finally we wanted to try a time attack, but the conditions weren’t as good late in the session as they were this morning and I wasn’t able to improve my time. It was the first test of the year, we managed to get a lot of things done and I felt good working with my crew, so I leave here satisfied and looking forward to Thailand.”
Tom Lüthi: 2’01.126 – 52 Laps
“A good day again today, with another step made with the bike and tyres. The conditions were different today; normally it’s fast in the morning and then again in the afternoon when the temperature starts to drop, But today the grip level wasn’t there this afternoon, with no real fast times at the end. Today we worked mostly with old tyres, to understand better how to ride the bike towards the end of the race when the tyres start to slide. This was quite interesting and I think I learnt a lot today. I also got my first MotoGP crash out of the way, after losing the front at turn four. I almost saved it but then the rear went away and down I went. So now I know what that feels like too.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“For me this was a positive test. With Franky we saw constant improvement each day, so he’s working in a good way. On Tom’s side, he seems a little disappointed with the lap times, but from our perspective he’s doing a good job also. Already we can see many things that he’s doing quite well with the MotoGP bike and if he can make the same progress during the next two tests then I think he’ll make up for the testing time missed at the end of last year ahead of the first race in Qatar. And of course both riders had their first crash in MotoGP, so that’s also done. Now I’m looking forward to going to Thailand.”
More, from a press release issued by Reale Avintia Racing:
Tito Rabat and Xavier Simeon leave Sepang with positive feelings
30/01/18 Sepang MotoGP Test – Sepang International Circuit
The Reale Avintia Racing Team leaves Malaysia with good feelings after three days of testing at the Sepang International Circuit, with Tito Rabat and Xavi Simeon constantly progressing.
The Spanish rider completed several laps under two minutes and was inside the ‘top 6’ for a while to remain in ninth place with two hours to go. On the last afternoon, the plan was to complete a full race simulation, but his run was interrupted when he crashed on the ninth of 20 laps. Despite his incident, Rabat left the circuit very satisfied after finishing the test with the twelfth fastest lap, only 0.717s behind Jorge Lorenzo, who was flying aboard his factory Ducati in Sepang today. Rabat is now looking forward to getting back on his bike in two weeks in Thailand, where the second official three-day test of the MotoGP caregory will be held at the new Buriram International Circuit.
Rabat’s teammate in Reale Avintia Racing, Xavier Simeon, continued with his work plan, which once again was focused on progressing on the bike and adapting his riding style to the demands of the MotoGP class. The Belgian did 30 laps today and lapped in 2’00, which was one of the goals that the team had set before arriving in Malaysia. In addition, his times were similar to the other riders who moved up from Moto2, including the current champion and runner-up. Therefore also for Simeon the Sepang test has been very positive.
Tito Rabat | 1’59.547 | P12
“It has been a very positive test because I’ve managed to go fast with a very good pace while riding alone. Every time I’m more comfortable with the bike and the team has been doing a great job during the three days. In the afternoon we did a race simulation, but I crashed and so we couldn’t finish it. The positive thing is that we know why it happened, it was the same as the first day and in the same turn, running the medium front tyre. This tyre does not warn you before the limit as we already know, but now we have things clear for the next test. I’m very happy with the result of these tests, with the team, with the bike and with my physical condition. Now it’s time to train hard at home to get ready for Thailand”.
Xavier Simeon | 2’00.784 | P22
“To be honest I’m very happy because we’ve been working step by step and every day I’ve improved the lap times and, what is more important, I’ve improved my feeling with the bike. For the first time I was able to make changes on the set-up, understand the bike better and how it needs to be ridden. That also allowed me to concentrate on my riding and on such a difficult track like this, we managed to lap in 2’00 which is not bad for my first time at Sepang with a MotoGP bike. I am working very well with the team and they have given me very good indications. Also Rubén (Xaus) has helped me a lot and with his experience I have been able to advance faster and in the end we were with the other ‘rookies’. Now we need to continue working at home to start over in Thailand form where we have left off here”.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
NAKAGAMI MAKES GREAT STRIDES ON DAY THREE IN MALAYSIA
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami signed off the pre-season tests at the Sepang International Circuit in promising fashion on Tuesday. With no rain on the final day in Malaysia and temperatures soaring to 50°C at one point in the afternoon, MotoGP rookie Nakagami made great strides as he continued to learn the ropes on board his RC213V.
The Japanese rider again completed a total of 54 laps during the course of the day and managed to shave nearly nine tenths off his best time from Monday. His lap of 2’00.071 saw him finish 14th on the timesheets on Tuesday and 15th overall at the three-day session. While disappointed not to dip under the 2-minute mark, Nakagami expressed his delight at the progress he had made.
Taka Nakagami – 14th
(2’00.071 – lap 19 of 54)
“It was the last day today and we made quite good progress, I’m really happy to finish like this. My condition is quite good and I’m really happy with the lap time, I just missed out on a 59 lap by one tenth, but it was still a good day.
“Our race stimulation was also quite good and this is the main priority for us, to try and understand race conditions. I had a good feeling on the bike and we made a good step from yesterday, so I’m pleased and looking forward to the next test in Thailand.”
More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:
MOVISTAR YAMAHA COMPLETE SEPANG TEST SCHEDULE
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales headed out on the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia today to wrap up the last items on their testing list. They finished 8th and 18th in today’s rankings and ended the first 2018 pre-season Official IRTA test in 7th and 9th position in the combined timesheets.
Sepang (Malaysia), 30th January 2018
Today the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team completed the first official IRTA test of the 2018 season, held at the Sepang International Circuit. Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales had another go at trying the new aerodynamic fairing, this time in blistering hot conditions. They finished the final day of testing in 8th and 18th place respectively.
Rossi headed out a little after 10 o‘clock local track time, eager to pick up where he left off yesterday. He quickly got into the groove again, dropping a low 2‘00s lap on his eighth try, before he turned his attention to crossing the last items off his testing list.
After lunch the Italian continued proceedings and didn‘t stop riding until the very end of the session. He was pleased to complete most of his schedule, giving him a good understanding of the direction to work in. However, a lack of grip held him back from climbing up the timesheets. His fastest lap, a 1‘59.449s set on lap 52/54, earned him eighth position, 0.619s from first.
Viñales again showed his great determination and motivation today. He stuck with his plan to ride as many laps as possible in order to prepare for longer runs. The 23-year-old had already completed 140 laps on the first two days, but still worked tirelessly for more than three hours straight, collecting valuable data, before taking a break.
The Spaniard got back into his leathers a little after 3 o‘clock in the afternoon, to try out some last fine-tuning of the settings. He improved his time, clocking a day‘s best of 2‘00.547s, posted on lap 70/71, that saw him finish in 18th place, 1.717s from the front.
Though the teammates were unable to improve on their times set yesterday, Viñales‘ and Rossi‘s 1‘59.355s and 1‘59.390s laps, clocked at the end of Day 2, earned them seventh and ninth place respectively in the combined timesheets.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
It was a demanding day today for the team, here in Sepang. The conditions were very hot and that made it more difficult. Vale and Maverick continued to put in hard work, riding many laps, but they didn’t have the same feeling they had the two days before. Nevertheless, we almost managed to finish the testing schedule. Overall, this test has been positive, with some good results. We confirmed that we made an improvement in terms of electronics, top speed and tyre life. We will check the data we collected these last few days and work hard over the next two weeks, so we’ll arrive prepared at the next test in Buriram.
VALENTINO ROSSI
It was hard work today, but also good work. First of all, we tried everything and we have pretty clear ideas, but today was the most difficult day. We suffered a little bit more because of a lack of grip and that made us lose a bit in positions, but compared to last year we’ve improved the pace, also on used tyres. We know it’s hard work, we have to improve, but the test at the end was quite positive.
MAVERICK VIÑALES
Honestly, we worked quite well. Today it’s been difficult. I don’t know why we lost time, especially in the afternoon – in the morning it went quite well. Anyway, we worked hard, trying to improve, so now we have to check the data and see what we can improve on in Buriram, there we’ll know more. I think the new fairing is really positive, because I felt an improvement in acceleration, so let’s see. I think the circuit in Buriram has many points of acceleration, so we can test it even better there.