FIM MotoGP World Championship
Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
February 4, 2015
Day One Best Test Times (all on Bridgestone tires):
1. Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda RC213V), 2:00.262
2. Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha YZR-M1), 2:00.380
3. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Yamaha YZR-M1), 2:00.521
4. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Ducati GP14.3), 2:00.617
5. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (Honda RC213V), 2:00.745
6. Pol Espargaro, Spain (Yamaha YZR-M1), 2:00.930
7. Andrea Iannone, Italy (Ducati GP14.3), 2:01.424
8. Stefan Bradl, Germany (Forward Yamaha), 2:01.556
9. Bradley Smith, UK (Yamaha YZR-M1), 2:01.707
10. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Honda RC213V), 2:01.713
11. Scott Redding, UK (Honda RC213V), 2:01.917
12. Michele Pirro, Italy (Ducati), 2:01.951*
13. Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Ducati), 2:02.136
14. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Suzuki GSX-RR), 2:02.225
15. Alvaro Bautisa, Spain (Aprilia), 2:02.285
16. Hiroshi Aoyama, Japan (Honda), 2:02.560*
17. Nicky Hayden, USA (Honda RC213V-RS), 2:02.699
18. Hector Barbera, Spain (Ducati), 2:02.700
19. Jack Miller, Australia (Honda RC213V-RS), 2:02.807
20. Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Japan (Yamaha YZR-M1), 2:03.092*
21. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Suzuki GSX-RR), 2:03.164
22. Eugene Laverty, Ireland (Honda RC213V-RS), 2:03.295
23. Mike Di Meglio, France (Ducati), 2:03.878
24. Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Honda), 2:03.879
25. Loris Baz, France (Forward Yamaha), 2:04.163
26. Marco Melandri, Italy (Aprilia), 2:04.502
27. Alex De Angelis, San Marino (Aprilia-ART), 2:04.673
28. Takumi Takahashi, Japan (Honda), 2:04.719*
29. Takuya Tsuda, Japan (Suzuki), 2:05.478*
30. Michael Laverty, Ireland (Aprilia), 2:06.190*
*=Test Rider
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Marquez fastest on day one in Sepang with Pedrosa fifth
2014 World Champion Marc Marquez has begun 2015 as he ended 2014, on the top of the time sheets. Teammate Dani Pedrosa finished less than half a second behind Marc after suffering a small crash when he lost the front in turn nine on his last exit but fortunately remained uninjured and the bike had very little damage.
It was a frantic start to the day as the riders were evidently eager to get out on track after the long winter break. The Repsol Honda riders were fast from the beginning of the session as they set to work comparing the various bikes HRC have brought for this test. Both spent the day evaluating the different versions of the RC213V and it was Marc who finished this first day on top with his time of 2’00.262 on lap 62 of 63. Dani was just 0.483 behind Marc with his fastest time of 2’00.745 (lap 25 of 45).
The test resumes tomorrow at 10am local time.
Marc Marquez
1ST – 2’00.262 (63 LAPS)
“I’m glad to finally get back on the bike. It’s been a hard day and at the same time very positive, because on the first day after the winter break you have to regain confidence with the bike and adapt to the feeling of the MotoGP machine again. We tried three different bikes today, and this has been very important. I focused on testing them thoroughly and deciding which bike was the ideal one to continue working with at this test, and then this afternoon we focused more on one of the machines. I was able to start riding better and feel more comfortable on the bike. There are still many things to try at this test, so we have to remain calm like we did today and keep working.”
Dani Pedrosa
5TH – 2’00.745 (45 LAPS)
“I’m happy with the work we have done today on the first day of testing, because we were able to get back on the bike and we had a good pace. It went pretty well and I think we have improved the bike compared to the one we tested it at Valencia. We had a lot of work to do and it has been positive to have a good first day: it was important and we are happy with what we have achieved. There is still more to do, but we have taken a good first step. Tomorrow we’ll see if we can continue moving things forward.”
More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:
Strong Start for Yamaha at First Day of Pre-Season Testing
Sepang International Circuit (Sepang, Malaysia), 4th February 2015
After more than two months of waiting, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo make a strong start at the first of a three-day pre-season Official IRTA test at Sepang, finishing second and third in today’s session times.
What started as a slightly cool morning for Malaysian standards turned into a scorching hot and sunny afternoon with plenty of action. Clearly eager to get going back aboard his YZR-M1, Rossi came prepared with a special Sepang Test helmet and showed that this year he’ll once again be one of the top protagonists. As the pace of the field started to pick up, he battled teammate Jorge Lorenzo, and rivals Andrea Dovizioso, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa for the top billing until, with almost three hours into the session, he cruised to the top the leader board. Clocking an impressive 2’00.380s lap, he is already less than 0.9 of second off last year’s fastest pre-season test time of 1’59.533s.
Like his teammate, Lorenzo was riding similar YZR-M1 machines to the prototypes they tested at Valencia at the end of the 2014 season and was also right on the pace. After familiarising himself with the bike again, the Spaniard steadily booked progress and made it a provisional Yamaha 1-2 when he posted a 2’00.521s, just +0.141s off Rossi.
Both riders took a break in the afternoon before returning to the track for a second stint. Rossi and Lorenzo spent the remaining two hours of testing usefully as they focused on further improving their set-up. Their times remained unchanged and they finished in second and third place respectively.
Valentino Rossi
2nd / 2.00.380 / 57 laps
“It’s a positive first day and I’m very excited to be back on the bike. Today has been really good because I was consistently fast in both the morning and afternoon. We worked a lot on trying to improve our pace with a used tyre, but it’s already quite good. The bike is good and with the new tyre we were able to attack and ride a good lap time. At the end I was in second place just behind Marquez, but not by far. It looks like the bike has improved in different areas. We still have a lot of work to do but the first day was ok.”
Jorge Lorenzo
3rd / 2.00.521 / 55 laps
“It’s a completely different story from last year, when we had a lot of problems, to now arrive here and feel comfortable on the bike and also with our position in the classification lap time-wise. This year we’ve been at the front from the beginning, in first three positions, and that means that the bike is working. My physical condition is very good. I feel strong, but the first day is always difficult. You have to use different muscles that you don’t usually use at the gym or during your preparations, so you always get tired. However, compared to the normal pre-season I’m feeling well. Sepang is not our best track, but to have two Yamaha’s in the top three is a good signal.”
Massimo Meregalli
“It’s great to be back on track and working towards the start of the season in the best possible way. Both Valentino and Jorge are in great physical shape and fully motivated, it is as if they never stopped riding! The main target for this test is to leave at the end confident in the development direction we want to take. Our starting point today has been the bike from the last test in Valencia, it is important to know that what the riders felt there also works here in Sepang. From today it seems that this is correct. It’s only day one and we are shaking off the cobwebs but it’s a good way to start. We are testing some small things also as the details are very important and we will continue to work through our programme for the next few days.”
More, from a press release issued by NGM Mobile Forward Racing:
Stefan Bradl is the fastest Open bike in Sepang
The first day of testing has ended positively for Team Forward Racing as Stefan Bradl sits on top of the standings for Open bikes.
The German rider has continued his work to adapt to the Forward Yamaha bike completing 58 laps with a best time of 2.01.556, which earned him the eighth place overall, just a second short of leader Marquez.
It was a productive day also for his team-mate Loris Baz, who completed 66 laps, stopping the clock at 2.04.163.
Stefan Bradl
“It has been a very positive first day. The lap time is good and finding yourself at the end of the session in the top 10 is definitely a good start. The feeling is also pretty good although I have yet to learn to take the right confidence with the Magneti Marelli software. I have in front of me two more days of work and I’m sure I can find a good setting to be immediately fast in the first race”.
Loris Baz
“The feeling at the end of this first day is positive. I completed 66 laps and my work continues in a positive direction. I still need to find the right confidence and position on the bike but we are growing up quickly. We still have two days of work to find the right feeling”.
More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing:
First testing day at Sepang. Pirro and Petrucci respectively 12th and 13th
After a two-month winter break, the 2014 season of Pramac Racing Team got underway with the first day of testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.
Danilo Petrucci is the new face of Pramac Racing. The italian rider took the place of Andrea Iannone, landed in Ducati Official.
Due to a crash while practicing in dirt track, Yonny Hernandez got injured and was forced to miss the first testing activity at Sepang. Hernandez suffered of left shoulder dislocation. The exams showed microfractures without any lesion to ligaments and tendons. The rehab process has already started to let him ride his 14.2 in the second test of Sepang scheduled 23rd-26th February. Ducati test-rider Michele Pirro has replaced Yonny Hernandez..
Danilo Petrucci spent the morning session of the first testing day working not only on the set up but even trying to grew up his feeling with the 14.1, noching up a lot of mileage (32 laps completed in the morning, 51 at the end of the day) on a difficoult track as the Sepang one and always placing around the 10th position. In the afternoon, a technical problem has delayed the work of the team, forcing him to change bike. Petrucci tried to set a quicker time with the soft tires but he had just one lap recording a time of 2’02’136 which earnerd him the 13th position.
Michele Pirro and the team worked on the development of new softwares. He managed to complete 51 setting a quick time of 2’01’951 for the 12th position in the timesheet.
Danilo Petrucci – Pramac Racing Team #9 – 13rd (2.02’136)
“After the Valencia test I could not wait to get back on track. I enjoyed it, especially during the morning session. The bike had the right pace, and the team did a good job. In the afternoon I struggled a lot in the heat, then we had to face some problems. But i’m quite satisfied: it’s only the first day. My fast time? Probably it could be a little better, but i had only run with the soft tyre to lap quicker. Anyway i like the way the team works and feel good with my crew chief Daniele Romagnoli. It ‘important to be there among the others because the battle between the seventh and the fifteenth place will be very tough. I would still like to thank the team who did a wonderful job despite the drawbacks. Tomorrow? I do not expect anything and i don’t want to put more pressure. I know I can do well if i’m calm and focused”.
Michele Pirro – Ducati test-rider – Pramac Racing #51 – 12th (2.01’136)
“I’m happy to be riding again after two months. I haven’t been running on this track for over a year and this was the first real test with the 14.2. Morover it’s the first time I work with Giacomo Guidotti and the technicians of Pramac Racing. Throughout the day the feeling with both the bike and the team went growing up. We worked a lot on the electronics and we hope to gain as much information as possible for the future”.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:
Positive start for Ducati Team in first 2015 tests at Sepang
After a winter break of more than two months, the Ducati Team’s 2015 season got underway today with the first IRTA test session at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. The Borgo Panigale-based team, which this year lines up in the MotoGP World Championship with the all-Italian rider pairing of Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone, are tackling these first tests in Malaysia with an updated version of the Desmosedici, the GP14.3, in view of the arrival of the new GP15 which is scheduled to make its debut, again at Sepang, in the second IRTA test session from 23 to 25 February.
Today Dovizioso and Iannone worked methodically through their testing schedule, concentrating above all on the chassis and the electronics set-up of their GP14.3 bikes, as well as gathering useful information that will be transferred to the new bike.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 2’00.617 (4th), 41 laps
“I’m really happy about today because the track was luckily in a good condition and we were able to start in the right way to test what we wanted. We tried some set-ups for the chassis and the electronics, and from the beginning my feeling was very good today. I like Sepang a lot: I always manage to go well here and our speed is really good compared to that of our rivals. I am still using last year’s bike, with several important updates, but I’m really curious to try the new bike at the end of the month. The GP15 will be quite different from this one, but all the work we are doing is useful feedback for the new bike, and so the work in these three days is very important
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 2’01.424 (7th), 59 laps
“These tests are for sure very important for our future, and here we have brought the Desmosedici GP14.3 evolution, which has been updated with several new parts and this allows us to adjust the chassis more. I am happy because finally I’m back on the bike again after last year’s test, I can shake the rust off, and it’s always a big emotion every time I get back on my Ducati. Today was a positive day because we managed to try some things that will also be useful in the future. Everyone lapped really fast on the first day: we only used our hard tyre and I am quite happy with my time. For sure there is room for improvement, but it wasn’t bad for the first day.”
More, from a press release issued by Drive M7 Aspar Team:
DRIVE M7 Aspar Team riders get 2015 preseason underway
Nicky Hayden and Eugene Laverty enjoy first day on track at Sepang
After a long winter break the MotoGP riders were finally back in action as the 2015 preseason got underway today at Sepang. Two months on from their last track action the riders will be put through a gruelling physical test over three days in the Malaysian heat, as they tone their bodies and tune their new bikes for the season ahead. Looking at the lap times however this first day was anything but a customary ‘shakedown,’ as Valentino Rossi dominated with a string of scorching lap times before Marc Márquez posted a late effort (2’00.262) that leaves him in top spot overnight, with the two-minute barrier already in sight.
There was optimism and enthusiasm in the DRIVE M7 Aspar Team garage, with both Nicky Hayden and Eugene Laverty desperate to get stuck into their high preseason workload. With a completely new Honda to work with in 2015, Hayden spent much of the day working on the electronics package, which along with the new engine will be his main point of focus throughout the three days. The American, who was also able to check the fitness of his wrist after an intense winter of recovery and training, clocked his best lap (2.02.699) around midday. His new team-mate Laverty spent the day getting used to a new engine and electronics package compared to what he rode at Valencia, although the challenge for the Irishman at the moment is simply to adapt to the machine and the category. With a best lap of 2.03.295, the new DRIVE M7 Aspar Team rider finished the day in 22nd position.
17th Nicky Hayden 2.02.699 (46 laps): “We have made a pretty good start, I was able to get back on the pace quite easily. We had a lot of work to do today with the new electronics package, so we spent some time on that this morning, and then in the afternoon we also did some work finding edge grip when the tyres start to slide. We have made some decent progress and it was a positive day overall, even though we didn’t get the lap time down in the afternoon. I haven’t checked it alongside any of the other bikes but the new engine feels more powerful. The electronics are completely different so we will have to spend the majority of our time on that aspect during this test but we just have to sit down, make a plan and work hard. The wrist has healed up well over the winter so that’s another positive.”
22nd Eugene Laverty 2.03.295 (47 laps): “This bike is completely different to the one I rode at Valencia, it’s another step up. We worked hard today to improve my feeling with the front. We need to understand how best to brake and get the bike turned. We did some good work on my body position – I am coming from a completely different kind of bike and tyres so it is important to get the basics right before we start work. There are so many options with this bike and we need to explore them all. We are trying to make the transition from Superbikes to MotoGP as simple as possible. This bike is much smaller and the tyres allow for a lot more lean angle so I need to adapt. The new Honda is everything I thought it would be and more, it’s a great bike. Now we just need to work on getting maximum performance out of it. Today was a good shakedown and I am happy with the first impressions.”
More, from a press release issued by Avintia Racing:
Positive start for Avintia Racing in Malaysia
Avintia Racing MotoGP – Winter Test 2015 – Sepang 1
The MotoGP 2015 preseason has started today in Sepang International Circuit and Avintia Racing team riders went back to work after two months without riding their bikes. Hector Barbera and Mike Di Meglio got on their brand new Ducati Desmosedici GP14 Open and both used this first day to get the feeling back and try to adapt the bikes to their riding styles. Barbera was fast from the start as he had been riding this bike in the last part of the season, but he didn’t attack to get a lap time. Di Meglio needs more time to adapt him self to the bike, as he still have the reference and feeling from the bike he used last year in Sepang
HECTOR BARBERA #8 18º 2’02.700 / @HectorBarbera
It was a very positive day, I had good feeling with the bike and the electronics improved a lot, although we had to work on it to get the best set up. Maybe we should try to get a lap time at the end, but I’m happy with the team and how everything worked after two months. The first day is always like this, in the beginning the bike seemed really fast, but then I wanted more power. Overall was a good day. The worst part was the chatter, so we have to work on that area during the next days.
MIKE DI MEGLIO #63 22º 2’03.878 / @Mikejpp63
Today was an important day to get back the pace and the feeling with the bike. I felt quite good, but I still not comfortable when I try to push as I’ll like. We go the maximum information and tomorrow I hope to make another step. The bike is much better compared with the one I rode last season, but is difficult because I still have the feeling from the old one in my head. We have to work hard, I need be more aggressive with this bike. Tomorrow we’ll work to improve the stability and also in mi riding position to try to get more comfortable.
More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:
The wait is over for Tech3 pair as Sepang test begins brightly
Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider Pol Espargaro kicked off his 2015 campaign with a strong opening run to finish in 6th position on the first day of testing at the Sepang International circuit in Malaysia. Today’s action saw the MotoGP riders back on track for the first time in over two months as the pre season got into full swing in dry conditions. The 2014 rookie of the year wasted no time in getting up to speed straight away and after tirelessly undertaking 55 laps, he set his quickest time of 2’00.930 on the 29th lap to leave him in 6th and fastest of the satellite MotoGP bikes. His bright start highlighted his firm intent for the 2015 season as his time was a mere four tenths of a second from the top three.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Bradley Smith concluded the first day of the 2015 pre season campaign with a ride to 9th place and a best lap of 2’01.707 whilst experimenting with setup options as he looks to continue building up his speed in the following test sessions. The young British rider completed 52 laps of the famous Sepang circuit as he set his quickest time half way through the day on lap 27, aboard the 2015 specification Yamaha YZR-M1. With two more testing days to follow, the Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider optimistically looks to lower his lap time whilst he sets about establishing a strong base setup to contest the forthcoming season opener in Qatar at the end of March.
Pol Espargaro : 6th – 2’00.930
“It was really nice to be back on track today. Just to be on my Yamaha again and to feel the speed of the M1 has already made me happy. Aside from this, we had a constructive day and I set a good time. I tried to lower my time towards the end of the session, but the track was quite slippery which prevented me from progressing further. However, my rhythm is promising and I remain positive for the next two days. We were able to improve in the key areas that we wanted to, when compared to last season, so I’m already excited to continue testing tomorrow morning. Furthermore, I am able to say that my physical condition has improved a lot from last season when I first rode the bike. This is because my preparation for 2015 with training has been different, yet additionally, I’m also riding smoother, which does not require as much strength. Therefore I could take advantage of the full test time, which had not been the case last year on the opening day”
Bradley Smith : 9th – 2’01.707
“I am happy to have jumped back on the Yamaha today and having completed 52 laps we were able to get a good feeling with the M1 after such a long time off the bike, which is positive start. This week is just going to be a case of providing general feedback because my leg has not quite recovered from the injury, which means that I don’t think I will be able to push for really fast lap times. Nevertheless, I am sure that we can still find a good pace plus firm our direction to head towards and in the future we will try new solutions with electronics and geometry settings. I was able to evaluate bike 1 and bike 2 which both had slightly different setups, but the overall feedback was encouraging for both. The track conditions are a bit better than when we visited here for the GP last year and although it’s hotter and there is less grip than in Valencia, the improvements that I felt in Spain with the 2015 bike have certainly continued here. Overall, I am pleased with today’s performance, plus the new bike for this year is a good step forward which I am very satisfied about. I want to thank Yamaha for giving Pol and I this opportunity and I look forward to tomorrow”
More, from a press release issued by CWM-LCR Honda:
CRUTCHLOW CONTENT AFTER OPENING DAY OF SEPANG PRE-SEASON TEST
CWM-LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow declared himself satisfied after the opening day of the February tests at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.
The South East Asian country has become the destination of choice for pre-season testing sessions in recent years and, once again, there was a full turn-out from the MotoGP paddock on Tuesday.
Crutchlow continued his familiarisation with his factory spec Honda RC213V after having had the winter off and put in a solid shift of 61 laps, his best being his 34th of the day which was recorded at 2’01.713.
That put in him tenth place on the timesheets and, although he conceded there was still work to be done to improve his feel on the bike and when using new tyres, the Briton insisted he was pleased with how things had gone and delighted to be back out on the track on his Honda.
Cal Crutchlow #35 (10th, 2’01.713, 61 laps)
“Today was obviously a good familiarisation day from my point of view with CWM-LCR Honda Team. We got back to working ways quite well.
“I was happy but really rusty from the winter off. We did a good job, we made a lot of laps on used tyres and the lap time was the same as what I did with the new tyres, so we need to keep improving with the new tyre and be able to feel a little bit more comfortable on the bike.
“In the last run we seemed to have some sort of problem to not be able to take advantage of the lap time, but I was happy overall and it was nice to get back on the bike in Malaysia today.”
More, from another press release issued by CWM-LCR Honda:
MILLER DELIGHTED AFTER FIRST DAY OF PRE-SEASON TEST IN MALAYSIA
CWM-LCR Honda rider Jack Miller expressed his happiness after a very encouraging opening day of the February tests at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. The South East Asian country has become the destination of choice for pre-season testing sessions in recent years and, once again, there was a full turn-out from the MotoGP paddock on Tuesday.
Miller, who has moved up to the premier class after finishing second in last year’s Moto3 championship, continued his impressive adaptation to his new Open category RC213V-RS as he put in a stint of 59 laps.
He improved throughout the day, his best lap being his 53rd which was clocked at 2’02.807. The Queenslander insisted there was still plenty of room for improvement over the next couple of days, but was left excited by his progress on 2015 package.
Jack Miller #43 (19th, 2’02.807, 59 laps)
“I’m very happy with the result today, we started off where we left things at the end of last year and I’m really happy with how the bike is working.
“The team is working great as always and today we tested many things. Without electronics, I’m still trying to adjust my riding style to fit the MotoGP bike and tomorrow we might be able to start working with some electronics and start making some more steps forward.
“For today we are really happy. We are learning to conserve the tyres better and making a good job and looking forward to the rest of the test.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
SUZUKI MotoGP has completed a positive first day of testing at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia as the team prepares for a full factory comeback to the 2015 MotoGP World Championship.
Team riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales both made steps forward with new chassis and engine refinements on the 2015 GSX-R MotoGP machine in dry conditions at the 5.543km circuit as track temperatures reached 50 degrees during the first of three-days of testing alongside all the 2015 MotoGP teams.
Espargaro completed a total of 46 laps today, improving his times during each session and setting a best-lap of 2:02.225 on his 42nd circuit, while Vinales used his time to post 69 laps with a best time of 2:03.164 on his 58th-lap.
Aleix Espargaro:
“I am very happy to get back on the bike again after a long winter period and this is what I like a lot. Although I’m not too much happy with my fitness right now, as I could only train really hard during last 10 days because of my injury, I’m not 100% yet. But this should not be a big problem as we have plenty of time before the first race in Qatar. Regarding the bike, I like it a lot and it is working really well; plus we also have good grip. Of course we need a lot more testing to obtain the best set-up, but for the moment we also know that our main target is to improve the power. We need to be patient because it will not be so easy, but regarding the current situation, I think that the gap in lap-times between us and our main rivals is not a great issue.”
Maverick Vinales:
“It was a good day and I’m quite happy. We still have many things to work-through on the bike and also myself as it was my first ride after three months, but as it was only the first day, it was important for me to get back my feeling on the bike first. The bike was quite similar compared to the one I tested in Valencia, although I felt a great improvement with anti-wheelie system; which was much smoother than before. The important target here is to get a good pace going and that I’ll keep trying to give my best.
Davide Brivio – Team Manager:
“Today was a positive day because we had some good confirmation and had no technical troubles. This is something that our engineers have been working-though during the winter in Japan for improving the reliability, and we are glad that we had a good response today on this side. We also had the riders very excited to go back on the bike with huge motivation – and we just started with both of them to work for the settings including electronic issue targeting to the start of the season ahead. Today was a kick-off for this season’s testing, but it was also like a running-in day for us and we are quite happy with today.
SUZUKI MotoGP continues testing tomorrow (Thursday) at Sepang.
Sepang MotoGP Test Times (Day 1): 1 Marc Marquez (Honda) 2:00.262, 2 Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2:00.380, 3 Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 2:00.521, 4 Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 2:00.521, 5 Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 2:00.745, 6 Pol Espargaro (Yamaha) 2:00.930. 14 Aleix Espargaro (SUZUKI MotoGP) 2:02.225. 21 Maverick Vinales (SUZUKI MotoGP) 2:03.164.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Marquez tops timesheet on opening day of 2015 testing
As the MotoGP™ action for 2015 got underway on Wednesday at the Sepang International Circuit it was Marc Marquez who led the way with a lap best lap time of 2’00.262 on day one.
With 30 riders featuring on track, the full 2015 MotoGP grid were all in attendance other than Pramac Racing rider Yonny Hernandez who should return from injury at Sepang 2. Five test riders from the various factories also gathered data for their respective manufacturers.
Repsol Honda’s double MotoGP™ World Champion Marquez recorded his best time on the 62nd of 63 laps, whilst his teammate Dani Pedrosa was 0.483s behind in fifth place. Pedrosa had a crash late on at turn nine without consequences.
HRC have arrived at Sepang with numerous bikes for the factory riders and their test riders to use – 2014 machines for comparison and 2015 prototypes for development. Marquez’s timesheet-topping best effort was 0.024s quicker than his fastest lap on the first day of testing last year.
In second place on Wednesday was Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi (2’00.380), with the Italian and his teammate Jorge Lorenzo on similar YZR-M1 prototypes to those they tested in November at Valencia. Yamaha continue testing a shorter exhaust pipe, this time featuring a grill covering the air exit, with a view to avoid flame escapes and prevent the entry of gravel and debris.
There was also a special new ‘winter’ helmet for Rossi featuring snowflakes and reindeer, neither of which are likely to otherwise feature at Sepang this week. Lorenzo was third fastest, 0.141s behind Rossi.
Meanwhile Rossi and Lorenzo’s Monster Yamaha Tech 3 colleague Pol Espargaro showed good pace in sixth despite an early light crash as he begins his second year in the premier class. Espargaro’s teammate Bradley Smith lapped further down the timesheet in ninth. Yamaha test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga also crashed unhurt in the morning.
The new CWM LCR Honda team duo of Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller got down to work with their RC213V and Open spec RC213V-RS packages, finishing the day 10th and 19th respectively. Miller focused on adapting to the Magneti Marelli MotoGP electronics package – the Australian aiming to achieve better performance with traction control, whilst for Crutchlow the test is simply about reacquainting himself with his new factory machine.
Estrella Galicia Marc VDS Team’s Scott Redding also got plenty of laps in on the RC213V factory prototype, finishing the day 11th.
Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso and his new teammate Andrea Iannone used a GP14.3 – an update on the GP14.2 which features some visually different aspects and electronics upgrades. The new Ducati GP15 is due for delivery for Sepang 2, later in February.
Dovizioso was fourth overall with a 2’00.617 best lap time, nearly two seconds quicker than on the same day of action at the same test last year. Iannone tried a new front fairing and finished the day seventh.
The Factory Aprilia Gresini pair of Alvaro Bautista and Marco Melandri (15th and 26th respectively) worked hard on their new machines – with pneumatic valve engines – after test rider Michael Laverty carried out an early morning shakedown on the Italian brand’s evolving prototype.
There was an early mechanical fault for Bautista on new Aprilia and he needed a push from Suzuki test rider Nobu Aoki – who was watching trackside at turn 4 – to get restarted.
Aleix Espargaro appeared not to be held back too much by a knee ligament injury sustained over the winter as he and MotoGP Rookie Maverick Viñales got back to work on the Suzuki GSX-RR. Espargaro ran off without major consequence at one point and ended up 14th – just under two seconds down on Marquez. Viñales lapped just under a second behind his new colleague in 21st place on the timesheet.
Suzuki also have a shorter exhaust pipe for testing and their factory riders only got started once test rider Takuya Tsuda had given the bike a shakedown early on.
In the absence of Pramac Racing’s Hernandez, Michele Pirro (12th) worked on electronics for Ducati using the GP14.2, whilst Danilo Petrucci (13th) worked with the GP14.1 using Open software.
Avintia Racing’s Hector Barbera (18th) and Mike Di Meglio (23rd) got used to the new Open Magneti Marelli software, as will all the riders using the new electronics package this season. Improvements to traction control and anti wheelie settings should assist the riders with their performances and set-ups.
NGM Forward Racing pair of Stefan Bradl and Loris Baz (25th) made progress on the Open Yamaha, with German Bradl impressing in eighth overall as the fastest Open rider – 1.294s off Marquez’s pace. Bradl had some electronics issues earlier in the day and was only able to produce a fast time after 5pm.
Drive M7 Aspar’s new signing Eugene Laverty was 22nd will aspire to get as close to teammate Nicky Hayden’s lap times on the Open RC213V-RS over the three days, with Hayden completing day one in 17th. AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham on the same spec bike concluded the day in 24th position.
Octo IodaRacing Team’s Alex De Angelis will reportedly move onto Aprilia’s factory spec electronics for Sepang 2, therefore still running Open Marelli software on the 2014 ART this week. He was 27th as the first day of 2015 tests came to a close.