SOUND START FOR MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP AT DAMP SEPANG TRACK
The Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix began today at the Sepang International Circuit with the first free practice sessions of the weekend. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo booked solid improvements in tricky conditions and completed the sessions in fifth and tenth place respectively in the combined time sheets.
Sepang (Malaysia), 28th October 2016
The Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix got underway today at the Sepang International Circuit in mixed conditions. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo spent the morning and afternoon session working through a base set-up to try and get a feel for the drying track and its new tarmac.
During the sunny morning session Rossi positioned himself as a key protagonist from the get-go of the last 2016 overseas Grand Prix weekend. Despite damp patches on the drying track, the Doctor made solid improvements over the first practice and finished in fifth position with a best lap of 2’01.611s, 0.401s from first.
After some heavy rain over lunch, the afternoon session saw more of the same from the Italian. Back out on a wet and drying track, he swiftly took provisional second place on his third lap before focusing his attention on finding a good wet weather set-up in order to be fully prepared for all circumstances come Sunday. Rossi ran out of time to set a lap on slicks when a dry lined formed at the very end of the session. A 2‘13.416s best lap, set before a late flurry of activity, saw the nine-time World Champion wrap up the FP2 in 13th place. However, as no riders were able to improve on their best laps due to the damp conditions, he held on to fifth in the combined time sheets.
Lorenzo also had a good first outing in Sepang. He used the first 45-minute session to find an optimum set-up for the Malaysian circuit. Having found a good rhythm on his first laps, it didn‘t take him long to ride his YZR-M1 to second place. He remained a top five contender, with a best lap of 2‘02.013s until the end of the session, when some last-minute track action pushed him to tenth, 0.803s from the front.
The Mallorcan showed his eagerness to fight at the front in Sunday‘s race as he was one of the first riders to head out on track in FP2. He immediately made his mark with the provisional third fastest time, a position he held for most of the session until the times dropped at the end. Lorenzo returned to the box after ten laps and was one of only a few riders that didn‘t venture out on slicks in the final minutes of the session when a dry line had formed. He found himself in 16th place in the FP2, but finished the day tenth in the combined rankings.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
This first day of practice went quite smoothly. Today was the first time riders got to ride on the new tarmac and try the modifications that were made to the circuit and their first experiences were quite positive on the grip that the new surface is providing. One aspect that we really have to take into consideration, especially due to the weather conditions, is that the new tarmac doesn‘t dry as fast as the Phillip Island circuit, as we saw one week ago. Unfortunately, the conditions we had today, where the track has never been fully dry even in FP1, didn‘t allow us to finalise the settings, but anyway it has been important to ride also in these mixed circumstances, because it looks like we might have similar conditions for the entire weekend. Based on the information we got today, we will try to prepare something for tomorrow‘s free practice, regardless if it will be dry or wet.
VALENTINO ROSSI
This morning we were able to ride in the full dry, but anyway there were some wet patches that were very difficult and you have to stay very concentrated and careful because it‘s quite dangerous. We hope for the next days we have some clear conditions, full dry or full wet. The first feeling is not so bad, but for sure after today‘s rain the track needed too much time to dry out.
JORGE LORENZO
Today was a strange day with mixed conditions. In the morning we rode on the new asphalt for the first time and it seems grippy. We couldn‘t stay with the quickest riders because at the last stint we put in the hardest tyres and I didn‘t have enough time to improve the lap time. In the afternoon with the wet track it was complicated, because the asphalt started to dry up and finally we decided to stay in the garage. It‘s difficult to draw conclusions from today.
More, from a press release issued by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS:
Miller masters mixed conditions in Malaysia
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller’s ability to quickly master rapidly changing track conditions came to the fore again today when the Australian powered his Honda RC213V machine to the top of the timesheets in second practice at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
The 21-year-old set a morale-boosting best lap of 2’08.872 to head FP2 by a commanding 0.399s after a key late change to slick Michelin tyres proved decisive in fast improving conditions.
The second practice session started on a wet track after earlier heavy rain had soaked new asphalt at the 5.5km Sepang International Circuit. Typically hot and humid conditions saw the track dry sufficiently for Miller to gain what could be vital information on changing grip levels on a drying track if similar conditions occur for Sunday’s 20-lap race.
Miller’s excellent ride to top spot in FP2 was the perfect way to bounce back from a small crash at the radically revised turn 15 this morning, which is the most significant alteration in a €3m renovation of the Sepang International Circuit.
Tito Rabat ended the opening day of practice in the Far East in 19th place overall, but he was also able to lap inside the top 10 in the tricky conditions thrown up in FP2.
Rabat used the varying conditions in the second session to experiment with Michelin’s full range of tyre options.
As the track dried out, Rabat opted for a different strategy to Miller and he went out at the end of the second 45-minute session on Michelin’s intermediate tyres to build up his confidence before setting his fastest time of 2’11’297 on his only flying lap on slick rubber. That impressive late attack elevated the Spaniard into an encouraging ninth place.
Today’s mixed conditions did at least give Miller and Rabat the perfect opportunity to assess the Sepang International Circuit’s new surface using Michelin’s slick and rain tyres. They also got chance to tackle the heavily modified final turn, which is now a complex multi-line corner that falls away sharply with negative camber.
Jack Miller: 16th – 2’02’600
“This afternoon was all about timing because I was fortunate to put on the slick tyres just at the right time when the track was in its best condition. You still have to go out there and get the job done, so I’m happy to see my name at the top of the timesheets. It was also tricky in FP2 to pick out where the track was wet and dry because of the new surface, so you had to be pretty careful. This new surface doesn’t seem to dry as quickly as the old one but they’ve done a great job taking a lot of the bumps out because it feels really nice and smooth. I felt pretty comfortable in the dry this morning but I got caught out on my last flying lap at the revised final corner. It is quite a big change compared to the previous turn 15 and the off-camber caught me out. It’s a shame because I’m sure my potential was better than 16th this morning.”
Tito Rabat: 19th – 2’03’108
“I was happy with my consistency in this morning’s FP1 and I think we did a very good job. It was good to have a dry session to understand the performance of the new surface and also to gauge the track modifications. It became a little more difficult this afternoon in the wet and I couldn’t find a great feeling with the bike. The track was improving all of the time and I was able to build up some confidence and right at the end of the session I was able to put in a decent lap time on intermediate tyres and then I put in my best time on slicks. We also got to understand how the new surface dries, so it wasn’t a bad second session. Hopefully we will have a dry track now for the remainder of the weekend because over these last two races I have been working a lot on my riding technique and today I felt we have been moving in the right direction. I could really feel a difference today and I am sure we can improve again if we get good weather.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Once again the weather has played a crucial role today, but we have to be happy to see Jack on top of the timesheets at the end of FP2. We definitely made the right tyre choice at the right time for both Jack and Tito and we could see they were able to take advantage of the track at its driest to set their best pace. Both of them inside the top 10 is a good way to start the weekend off and we must ensure we build on this positive start to have them both fighting for a points finish in the race on Sunday.”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Marquez sits out FP2 due to gastroenteritis after setting the quickest time in the morning
Gastroenteritis caused Marc Marquez to miss the FP2 session of the Malaysian Grand Prix today, as the 2016 World Champion returned to his hotel to rest and try to completely recover ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying day.
After setting the quickest time in the morning dry session and considering that a midday downpour had left the track in mixed conditions, Marc and the team agreed that it was best for him to sit out the FP2 session. As nobody was able to improve upon the morning lap times, Marc ended the day topping the combined free-practice times classification.
After spending the morning session adapting to the bike, Hiroshi Aoyama made the best of the wet/damp track to try out both the Michelin rain tyres and also the intermediate spec that he had never used before. The 2009 250cc world champion was 10th in the afternoon and 20th in the combined standing.
Marc Marquez
1ST (COMBINED PRACTICE TIMES)
“In the morning I didn’t feel very well – I’ve had gastroenteritis for the last two days – but I was able to go out and ride even though I was not at 100%. After the session and the effort I put in, I began feeling worse, because gastroenteritis also dehydrates you. Looking at the track conditions, we decided not to go out. Tomorrow we’ll try to improve and I think it has been good for me not go out there, and to instead save myself for Saturday and especially Sunday.”
Hiroshi Aoyama
10TH (FP2) – 20TH (COMBINED PRACTICE TIMES)
“This morning I was able to work to get some feeling with the bike in the dry. In the end we tried a setting change on the second bike that I liked enough and that I felt more confident with, but I could only do three laps before the flag. I think we have a margin of improvement there. The plan was to continue working in that direction in the afternoon but as it rained, we instead tried out both the wet tyre options, the soft and medium. I had a good feeling with both and I was more competitive than in the morning. I also tried the intermediate spec, as I had never experienced them before. I hope that tomorrow we’ll have a bit more stable conditions and that we can work more on the bike setting.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
A GOOD START FOR APRILIA AT SEPANG
PROMISING FEELING FOR ALVARO BAUTISTA AND STEFAN BRADL
It was a very positive first day of practice for Aprilia at Sepang. On the Malaysian track, the RS-GP machines ridden by Bautista and Bradl proved to be competitive straight away, despite the changing weather conditions and the lack of experience on the new asphalt.
In FP1, held on a perfectly dry track, Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl focused mainly on getting to know the layout without making too many changes in terms of settings and tyres. The initial feedback was good, with Alvaro ninth (2’02.011), just 8 tenths from the leader and Stefan eleventh with 2’02.164.
More positive signs arrived for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini in FP2, which began on a damp track with conditions improving during the session. Bautista showed his stuff straight away, staying solidly in the top positions and then finishing with the eleventh best time at 2’12.179. Bradl started off more cautiously, progressing consistently until finishing with the eighth best time thanks to the 2’10.283 he put on the sheets in the final stage of the session when he went out with intermediate tyres.
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“This morning the track was not in perfect conditions. Some sections stayed damp, so we could not push to the limit. In any case, doing a good time was important since tomorrow we are expecting rain and it could be difficult to improve before Q2. In FP2 the track was drying out. Toward the end we could have used the intermediates, but I preferred continuing with the rain tyres. In view of the race, given the weather forecast, it is important to know how the tyres will perform when the conditions change. The sensations were good. I was able to be consistent and we gathered important information”.
STEFAN BRADL
“Today was definitely conditioned by the weather. In FP1 it was not easy, with a lot of wet spots on the track. In the end, the times were good but I am sure that they can drop farther. In the afternoon, we started with the wet setup and then used the intermediates in the final moments. The two sessions were actually not particularly productive, but I can say that I feel good on the bike. I am hoping for more stable conditions so we can work better preparing for the race”.
More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing:
Impressive 3rd for Scott. Petrux ends up 11th
Friday’s practices at the Sepang International Circuit finish with a fantastic third position for Scott Redding, who runs fast on the dry in FP1, exploiting the power of his Ducati Desmosedici GP. Danilo Petrucci ends up eleventh, but still proves to have a good feeling.
After becoming familiar with the new asphalt and the changes to the circuit’s layout, Scott went on track with the soft-rear tire and in the last run of FP1 set a great lap-time (2’01.507, two tenths of a second behind Marquez’s fastest lap-time) even thanks to a stunning T2 (best chrono).
Also Danilo Petrucci made a strong start finding soon a good feeling with the rear-hard tire. In time attack, however, Petrux dind’t find the ideal conditions to be more incisive, finishing in 11th position, just 23 milliseconds from the Top 10 of Jorge Lorenzo.
The heavy rain that began to fall after FP1, then forced the riders to lap in wet conditions for most of FP2.
Both Scott and Petrux entered the track with rain tires lapping at a good pace. Only five minutes to go to the end of the session, the track conditions allowed the riders to go out with the slicks. Scott has made two laps, Petrux preferred not to risk it.
3rd – Scott Redding
2’01.507
I’m happy for what we did this morning. It was a particolar situation with a new asphalt, but also due to a very dirty track. That’s why I went out a bit “timid” but I felt that the feeling was growing lap by lap. I set a good lap-time with the soft rear tire and this gives me so much confidence. Then in the afternoon the conditions changed and it was impossible to improve. Now we have to wait and see which conditions we’ll find tomorrow.
11th – Danilo Petrucci
2’02.036
It was useless to go back on track at the end of FP2. But most of all I’m sorry to be out of the hypothetical Q2 only for 23 milliseconds. It would be a shame if tomorrow was wet because we were very fast. In Fp1 I started with the harder tire on the rear in order to save the soft. Then when I put the soft tire I preferred not to change the front and this was a mistake. I hope that tomorrow we’ll have dry conditions to try to gain direct access to the Q2.
More, from a press release issued by Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Moto2 Team:
Morbidelli and Márquez star in sultry Sepang
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Franco Morbidelli’s red-hot form in the Moto2 World Championship continued today after he topped the opening day of practice at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
And a phenomenal first day in the Far East for the Belgian-based squad was rounded off by a superb return to action for Álex Márquez, who lapped inside the top three on the newly resurfaced 5.5km track in both practice sessions.
Morbidelli’s quest for a seventh podium finish in the last 10 races and fourth in a row got off to the perfect start today when his best time of 2’08’816 placed him in first position by 0.089s from Takaaki Nakagami.
Morbidelli’s exceptional performance came after Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS were frustrated by more adverse weather this morning when heavy rain drenched the Sepang International Circuit in the early stages of an FP1 that had already been red-flagged after just six minutes.
Race Direction halted the first session to check track conditions after four riders fell in quick succession at turn 14. Heavy rain started to fall shortly after the session was resumed, which was far from ideal for Morbidelli and Márquez after all the weather disruption in Phillip Island last weekend.
But they did at least take advantage of the rain to make a vital first assessment of the Sepang International Circuit’s new surface on Dunlop’s wet tyres.
Damp patches still littered the 5.5km track at the beginning of FP2, but Morbidelli quickly made his mark and as track conditions improved throughout, his best pace was only 1.5s off lap record pace, despite the rain washing away any rubber laid down earlier in the day.
Having been declared fit to participate in this weekend’s action after a nasty qualifying crash in Phillip Island forced Márquez to withdraw from last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the Spaniard made a sensational return today.
He was only able to complete two flying laps on Dunlop’s slick tyres before the rain intervention in FP1, but he was still immediately able to slot into the top three.
The 20-year-old carried on that stunning form this afternoon and he was able to improve his pace by 1.1s to keep himself comfortably inside the top three.
Franco Morbidelli: 1st – 2’08’816
“I am really happy because we have started this weekend in a really good way. And it is better to start good than bad! Today’s practice wasn’t perfect because of the weather conditions and it seems the rain is chasing us around the world at the moment. But we were able to try some things on the bike in the mixed conditions and I was quite fast. Being fastest on the first day is always a good boost and it sets us up for a positive weekend. Hopefully we can get some good weather and I’m looking forward to fighting for the win again like in Phillip Island.”
Álex Márquez: 3rd – 2’08’916
“I’ve got to be really happy to come back from a difficult weekend in Australia and be immediately inside the top three on the timesheets. After last weekend I am really motivated to finish off this triple-header in a positive way. The second practice was tricky because it is really risky when you go on track on slick tyres with a lot of damp patches on the surface. But I took enough risks to make third and I’m really satisfied with that. Now we understand where we can improve and we will need to do so because if it remains dry then I can see the lap times improving a lot.”
More, from a press release issued by Aspar Team:
Hernández in Q2 contention after first day at Sepang
Pull&Bear Aspar Team rider in eighth position in first session as afternoon is hit by rain
The MotoGP riders tackled a new-look Sepang Circuit for the first time today with the track having undergone resurfacing and some changes to a number of corners, including the final one, since the last time they were here. The fastest lap time today was six tenths off the previous record here, set by Jorge Lorenzo in last year’s race, with Marc Márquez (2’01.210) setting the pace this morning before missing the second session with gastroenteritis. Maverick Viñales and Scott Redding complete a virtual front row that was unchanged from the morning session with Jack Miller (2’08.872) fastest in the afternoon ahead of fellow Independent Team riders Cal Crutchlow, Héctor Barberá, Bradley Smith, Loris Baz and Scott Redding. Valentino Rossi could claim the runner-up spot in the championship this weekend and he was fifth fastest today with closest rival Jorge Lorenzo in tenth.
Pull&Bear Aspar rider Yonny Hernández made a strong start to the Malaysian Grand Prix, finishing the opening day in eighth position, just six tenths off the top thanks to his speed in the morning session. As rain hit the second free practice this afternoon Hernández adapted quickly to set the fastest time on wet tyres, giving the Colombian plenty of confidence regardless of the weather conditions during tomorrow’s qualifying and Sunday’s race. Eugene Laverty made a cautious start to the weekend as he built his speed around the remodelled circuit, avoiding unnecessary risks on a track that was not in the best conditions. The Irishman finished the day in eighteenth position but just a second outside the top ten.
8th Yonny Hernández 2.01.815 (23 laps): “In the first session in the dry we were very strong and I was able to set the eighth fastest time. That is very important because if it rains in the morning we will go straight into Q2. If not we will still be fighting for it. Our pace is good in the wet and in the dry. It was nice to be up there in the second session but we came in with ten minutes to go. I was fastest on wet tyres and if we had put some intermediates on we would have finished in the top three.”
18th Eugene Laverty 2.03.013 (25 laps): “The weather wasn’t quite ‘Phillip Island crazy’ but it has been up and down today. Even this morning there were some wet parts on the track so I was being very careful. So far the new surface feels good; it is smooth and I am looking forward to getting some really dry laps tomorrow to test the potential of our package. I don’t like so much the exit on the last turn, it is strange to have negative camber there, when I pick the bike up it’s a strange feeling. I was changing the line more and more each lap. The most important thing is to be smooth on the exit because if you pick the bike up too quickly then it upsets the bike.”
More, from a press release issued by Forward Racing Moto2 Team:
Rain complicates Friday practice for Baldassarri and Marini
The first day of practice at the Sepang track was marked by unstable weather conditions that made it difficult to interpret the track for the riders of the Forward Racing Team.
The circuit, where the sun was shining early in the morning, was hit by torrential rain in the midst of the first Moto2 practice. The session was therefore interrupted by the red flag forcing Lorenzo Baldassarri and Luca Marini to a long stop.
In the morning practice “Balda” still managed to close in the Top10 while his teammate “Maro” immediately entered the Top15 despite having never raced on this track.
The practice session of the afternoon began on slippery asphalt with Baldassarri and Marini trying different solutions without focusing on the lap time to get ready for the next two days which, according to forecasts, will be marked by monsoon storms. Both riders finished with a time of just over 2:11.
Lorenzo Baldassarri – 19 ‘- 2’11.023
“It was not easy today to find the feeling with the bike. This morning I had a good pace before the rain came, in the afternoon session I was not comfortable on the bike and I could not improve my time significantly. I like Sepang and I hope that tomorrow the track is easier to interpret than today in order to have a qualifying in line with our target. “
Luca Marini – 21 ‘- 2’11.169
“All in all it was a positive day of practice. In FP2 I did not push hard because the track was still wet from morning rain but basically I’m not very far away from the top guys.
This is a long and difficult track so the gap between each rider increases. We will start analyzing the data with the team for tomorrow to find ways to improve the bike so that we can gain more confidence with the track. “
Giovanni Cuzari – Team Owner
“Malaysia welcomed our first rounds on track with heavy rain and the guys could not make the most of the two sessions, Luca in particular is on his first experience at Sepang. The second free practice gave us some references to work on with the team in preparation for tomorrow’s qualifying. We hope for more stable weather conditions and in a good progression of “Balda” and Luca in the timesheet because we have a good margin of improvement. “
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
SUZUKI ECSTAR ON THE PACE BEFORE RAIN HITS SEPANG
Maverick Viñales – 2nd (Combined)
Aleix Espargaró – 7th (Combined)
The opening free practice session at the Shell Malaysian MotoGP™ at Sepang today saw both Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaró on a strong pace aboard their Factory GSX-RRs.
Viñales was the quickest of the two, finishing the FP1 session in second place with a lap-time of 2’01.478, while Espargaró slotted into seventh, 300ths-of-a-second behind on 2’01.774.
The day was then affected by poor weather conditions and only in the morning could the riders could make some laps with a dry set-up, while in the afternoon’s FP2, the conditions changed from wet to dry. This slowed down the work for the crews, who couldn’t undertake all the work that was planned, but didn’t prevent the riders having a first taste of the new tarmac surface and the changes that have been done to the layout.
Both Viñales and Espargaró made strong progress in the morning session, finding themselves in the top positions for many laps. The lap-times are expected to drop significantly further tomorrow if the conditions are dry, but according to the weather forecast, the unstable conditions could prevail until Sunday’s race.
Davide Brivio – Team Manager:
“Fortunately this morning we had at least one session in dry conditions, therefore we were able to make some preliminary checks and – most importantly – to be in the provisionally top-10 with both riders. In the afternoon the rain made the track wet, it was about to dry but never turned into perfect conditions, so it was hard to manage the session. We decided to make some checks in the wet, and it was helpful because these conditions may be also be the same for the next two days; so also important to be ready for any sudden changes. For the moment, both riders feel good, although the day has been a little slow, but this morning they proved to be effective. We can only wait until tomorrow to see what the conditions are like and prepare for the race.”
Maverick Viñales:
“The day has been difficult because of the weather conditions. In the morning, we could only do the last three laps while pushing a little, and in the afternoon I didn’t take any risks as it was too easy to make a mistake and incur some damage. The early impressions are positive, I feel we could find a good set-up and my times improved positively. The new tarmac gives some more grip, but I couldn’t quite understand how it behaves under wet conditions; the previous surface dried very quickly, while this one looks like requiring longer. At least today we could test the durability of the tyre, as, with the softer tyre, I felt confident in terms of performance and we have almost covered the race distance so that tomorrow we will be on a good starting point already to complete the preparation for the race in terms of consistency. Also, it’s good that I could make the best lap with a worn tyre.”
Aleix Espargaró:
“Today we couldn’t do so many laps in full dry conditions, so we still miss a lot of information and work. This morning, at the beginning of the session, I didn’t feel totally confident, but later on we managed to find a more comfortable set-up that allowed me to improve my lap-times and close the session in the top-10. Finally, the feeling is ok, we could also try the durability of the tyre and it looks ok to me, while in the afternoon, we spent our time trying to get the feeling in the wet with the new surface, checking our information. It was meaningless to take any risks in the wet conditions, so we only verified the base set-up in order to have some information for tomorrow in case of variable conditions again.”
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Marquez sits out FP2 but remains Friday’s fastest
2016 MotoGP™ World Champion heads the timesheets despite illness as rain falls in the afternoon
The first practice session of the day for Moto3™ saw damp patches of the newly-resurfaced Sepang International Circuit hamper early laptimes, before the moisture dried off and times began to fall. MotoGP™ had a dry FP1 – topped by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – before a downpour during Moto2™ saw track conditions worsen dramatically. With track changes and the new surface designed to deal with the inclement South East Asian weather, and Turn 15 especially changed and now off-camber, the grid could get a full taste of the new asphalt in wet and dry conditions on day 1.
With FP1 times out of reach after the rain, the times from the first session remained the combined timesheets for Friday, with Marquez heading the tables – despite missing FP2. As mentioned in the pre-event Press Conference by the new reigning Champion, Marquez has been suffering with illness ahead of the event and sat out FP2 with his place on the combined timesheets not under threat; focusing instead on recovering more fully for Saturday and qualifying. The 3-time MotoGP™ World Champion was over two tenths clear at the top.
Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was second fastest in FP1 and retains the place on combined times, with Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) impressing in P3 with a late leap up the tables in FP1.
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) put in a bombastic performance to take fourth as he returns from injury following a crash in FP1 in Misano, with compatriot 9-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completing the top five.
Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was P7, just behind compatriot Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing), who returns to Avintia this weekend following his substitutions for Iannone at the factory Ducati Team. Yonny Hernandez (Pull&Bear Aspar) had a stunning session to spend some time in the top three, before ending Friday in P8 overall.
Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was ninth fastest as the Spaniard again impressed for the Noale factory, with 2010, 2012 and 2015 MotoGP™ World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completing the top ten after losing his final hot lap to a problem in sector two in FP1.
In the wet afternoon session, some riders got in some wet weather time as well as trying the Michelin intermediates, but it was Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) who finally topped FP2 from Crutchlow when conditions were just able to take slicks – with Hector Barbera, Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Loris Baz (Avintia Racing) completing the top five.
With weather for FP3 not a certainty in the unsure climate of Sepang, the biggest names who could find themselves out of Q2 if laptimes don’t improve on Saturday morning are Australian GP winner Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) and Motegi podium sitter Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team). The third practice session will be the final decider for direct entry to Q2, with Marquez leading the way and hoping to be back to full power for qualifying day.
Morbidelli rules Malaysia
Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider tops the timesheets as the curtains go up at Sepang
With Moto2™ only getting limited track time at the start of FP1 before the rain came down, it was Championship challenger Tom Luthi (Garage Plus Interwetten) who was quickest in that session, from Marcel Schrotter (AGR Team) and Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS). The afternoon saw MotoGP™ FP2 finally end just dry enough for slicks, and conditions improved further to allow the intermediate class to begin dropping laptimes in their second session of the day.
It was Marquez first down below the 2:09 barrier, then knocked from the top spot by home hero Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) as the Malaysian put in a stunning lap to lead at home. It was then Marquez’ teammate Franco Morbidelli who took over and took times down into the 2:08s, with the Italian holding the advantage to the end of the session to go fastest on Friday.
Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) leapt up the timesheets in FP2 after not setting a representative lap in the morning, finishing the day in second overall – ahead of 2014 Moto3™ World Champion Marquez, who improved his time further. Jonas Folger (AGR Team) was fourth fastest after a more difficult FP1, with reigning Champion and Championship leader Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) closing out the top five, staying clear of any issues after a crash at Turn 14 in the morning. A Red Flag briefly came out for track conditions at the penultimate corner in FP1, with Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) first to fall and then Zarco collecting his re-joining rival.
Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) had a solid second session fresh from his podium finish in Phillip Island in sixth, ahead of FP1’s fastest Tom Luthi (Garage Plus Interwetten), who improved his time but wasn’t quite able to retain the top spot.
Local hero Syahrin was eighth after the Malaysian had a crash with no consequence at Turn 15 towards the end of the session, with FP1 crasher Sam Lowes ending Friday in ninth as the last man within a second of Morbidelli’s best lap.
Xavi Vierge (Tech 3 Racing) completed the top ten in another impressive showing, with the big name missing from the top echelons of the timesheets proving to be Paginas Amarillas HP40 rider and Championship contender Alex Rins – who was down in P17 by the end of Day 1. More news saw Julian Simon (QMMF Racing Team) declared unfit for the remainder of the event with cracked vertebrae, after a crash in FP1.
Moto2™ get back on track for FP3 on Saturday morning, hoping for another dry session to set up for Sunday’s title-crucial race.
Binder home free on Friday
Fastest in FP1 before a rainy FP2 sees laptimes impossible to improve
2016 Moto3™ World Champion Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) topped timesheets on Friday at the Malaysian GP, after going quickest in FP1 and the grid finding FP2 soaked through. With laptimes not dropping, times from the first practice session of the weekend remain the quickest combined and the South African headed day one – ahead of home hero Khairul Idham Pawi (Honda Team Asia). Pawi, who won in Argentina and Germany in the wet, and put in an impressive session in the mostly dry conditions of the morning before finishing third in FP2 – with trademark pace in the rain.
The morning session dawned with overnight showers having left some patches of damp on the track surface, with riders cautious and laptimes taking some time to start becoming representative as the riders checked both the conditions and the newly resurfaced circuit. With Pawi in second in that first session, Francesco Bagnaia (Pull&Bear Aspar Mahindra) was third fastest then and on combined timesheets – as well as topping the wet FP2 session from Estrella Galicia 0,0 rider Jorge Navarro. Navarro suffered a small crash in the afternoon, with no consequences.
Marcos Ramirez (Platinum Bay Real Estate) kept his impressive P4 position from FP1 as he heads into the weekend following a points-scoring finish for the first time, ahead of Livio Loi (RW Racing GP BV), who ended day 1 closing out the top five.
Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) looked immediately at home at Sepang as he proved a consistent early pacesetter in first practice, and comes into the Malaysian GP high on confidence following his first podium. Compatriots Jorge Martin (Pull&Bear Aspar Mahindra) and Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) were seventh and eighth in the morning and on combined timesheets despite struggling more for pace following the afternoon downpour.
Despite his small crash in the wet, Jorge Navarro was P9 by the end of day 1, hoping to get a good qualifying result as he prepares to make gains on injured and absent Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Moto3) in the fight for P2 in the Championship. The Italian is replaced for this weekend by 2015 Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup winner and 2016 Red Bull Rookies champion Ayumu Sasaki.
Fabio Quartararo (Leopard Racing) was another of those on top in the early stages of the first session of the day, and completed the top ten in his first weekend riding at the track after missing the 2015 weekend due to injury – also quick in the afternoon in ninth.
Brad Binder, although quickest in the dry by eight tenths, finished the wet session in P19 on the timesheets.
Moto3™ head the charge once again on Saturday morning at 9:00 local time (GMT +8), with Binder looking for another pole position.
More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:
Tech3 pair power through day one in Malaysia
Monster Yamaha Tech3 team rider Bradley Smith began his round 17 campaign with a resolute display on the first day of action at the world famous Sepang International Circuit. The British star arrived in Malaysia after impressively concluding last Sunday’s Australian GP in 8th, despite an ongoing knee injury and he wasted no time in immediately launching into action in Free Practice One where the riders first sampled the recently resurfaced track. Here, Smith finished less than a second back from third and the encouraging performance left him fired up for the afternoon. However, a typical Malaysian downpour disturbed play and meant that the asphalt was wet when FP2 started. This did not deter Smith, who continued his work as he set his fastest time in the final moments of the session, which left him in 4th. The 25 year old’s personal best from FP1 sees him end the day in 14th, and the 2015 leading satellite rider now looks on to producing a determined ride tomorrow to claim a solid grid placement for Sunday’s race.
Meanwhile, Pol Espargaro endured the tricky Malaysian weather to complete day one three positions behind his teammate in the combined standings. The 2013 Moto2 World Champion got straight to work when the opening session commenced as he took the initial steps in setting up his MotoGP bike for the Grand Prix. He gradually improved as the shakedown continued, before he set his fastest time on his final lap of 16, which resulted in the Spaniard ending the practice three-tenths behind his Monster Yamaha Tech3 team partner. When FP2 kicked off, Espargaro courageously took to the track as he collected valuable data for a wet setup, with rain being a constant possibility in Malaysia. He braved the damp conditions to post his personal best on his 9th lap before he headed back to the pit box and decided sit out the rest of the session. Espargaro now hopes for a dry FP3 practice in order to up his pace and speed into the top 10 to directly qualify for the final Q2 shootout.
Bradley Smith
Position: 14th Time: 2’02.484 Laps: 25
“Overall, the first day was quite positive at Sepang. This morning, I felt pretty good and we used both options of front tyres that are available; a medium compound and a hard. This harder tyre was new for me and I haven’t used it this year so far, but it was good to complete some distance on it and I felt comfortable. I didn’t change the rear tyre because I wanted to put almost a full race distance on it for Sunday, however, maybe this wasn’t the best plan for today with the changeable weather. Yet, I always prefer to focus on my race setting, rather than putting in a fast lap on Friday, so now we have to hope for dry weather for FP3 tomorrow. This afternoon, the conditions were tricky and to be honest, completing too many laps with wet tyres didn’t make sense because there wasn’t a lot of water on the track. We didn’t need to risk anything so we waited and then in the final stages I went out and it was good to assess these conditions because there is a chance that we may have to experience this sort of weather again this weekend. Anyway, tomorrow, we hope that we can push inside of the top ten and then go straight through to Q2.”
Pol Espargaro
Position: 17th Time: 2’02.732 Laps: 26
“To be honest, it almost feels like we didn’t really ride today because the conditions and the weather made it tricky for us to evaluate our situation. This morning, the track was very dirty and there were also still some wet patches so we didn’t have much of an opportunity to work out how the bike runs here, or how we are doing in comparison to the other riders. The new asphalt seems to be grippy in the dry conditions even if there are a few areas that take some time to dry. However, with regards to the dirty surface itself, the issue is that it becomes tricky when setting up the bike because it’s hard to know if it’s the tyres, the setting or the unclean track that is limiting us. With the rain, it’s too much to expect the circuit to be a lot cleaner tomorrow, so it will be challenging. For the afternoon, it was one of those sessions that wasn’t wet or dry, it was somewhere in between and there was not a lot of reason to go out. We hope that tomorrow morning will be dry so that we can cut our time and then go through to QP2. This morning, unfortunately, we selected the wrong compound for the final minutes which prevented us from improving our lap as much as we wanted to and this could be an issue due to the weather, however, we will do our best to fight for a good qualifying position tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:
Andrea Iannone fourth in free practice, Andrea Dovizioso fifteenth on day 1 of Shell Malaysia Grand Prix at Sepang
Andrea Iannone ended the first day of free practice action for the Shell Malaysia Grand Prix, which is being held this weekend at Sepang, in fourth place. The Ducati Team rider, who returned to the track for the first time since FP1 at Aragón, bolted on a new rear tyre towards the end of the morning session to record a lap time of 2’01.521. Iannone then opted not to go out in the afternoon session, which was held in wet conditions following a downpour that fell at the Malaysian circuit shortly before FP2.
Andrea Dovizioso used the same set of tyres all the way through the first session, the Italian setting a good time (2’02.561) on his last lap. Unfortunately the wet track surface in the afternoon session did not allow the Italian rider to improve his morning time and so Dovizioso ended the first day in fifteenth place.
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 2’01.521 (4th)
“It was a positive return: I expected to struggle a lot more, not really physically but in general in getting back up to speed, but already in the first practice session I had an excellent feeling with my bike and was feeling good. So in the end I am pleased with how this first day went after my long period away from the track. This afternoon we opted not to go out in the wet so as to avoid taking any unnecessary risks, but obviously if it continues to rain tomorrow we will start to get ready in case the race on Sunday is a wet one.”
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 2’02.561 (15th)
“It was a bit of a strange day and as expected the new track surface had an effect on today’s two sessions. This morning the track conditions weren’t good, but above all there were some wet patches that prevented us from doing the normal lines, so we didn’t focus on getting into the top 10 and didn’t fit a new tyre like nearly all the other riders. Even though conditions weren’t particularly great in the afternoon, we lapped as much as possible both with wet-weather and intermediate tyres, so as to be ready for tomorrow and Sunday in case it rains, seeing as here in Malaysia it’s always possible. My sensations are quite positive, but let’s wait for tomorrow to see if the track is dry and conditions improve as we put in more and more laps.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda:
TRICKY FIRST DAY IN SEPANG FOR THE LCR HONDA TEAM
Challenging track conditions on the first day of the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang meant that it could be a tough weekend at the office for the premier class riders. Overnight rain had left the track damp in patches as Cal Crutchlow and the rest of the MotoGP field took to the circuit for the morning free practice session.
Crutchlow was regularly amongst the front runners in those early stages, but whereas the other riders fitted new tyres, the team’s plan meant they stayed on the same rubber they started with. The Brit finished the session in 13th place, which didn’t tell the true story of his pace.
Unfortunately, rain arrived at the track just a few minutes later, and when the riders went back out for a wet afternoon practice, there wasn’t enough time for the track to dry completely. Crutchlow did take a gamble by fitting slicks for the final few minutes, and although he set the second-fastest time of the session with his last lap, it was no quicker than in the morning.
The main concern for the LCR Honda Team will the forecast of more rain for much of Saturday. Currently being outside the top ten, this could well mean that for the second race in succession Crutchlow may have to take part in preliminary qualifying, with only two spots available for the final Q2. However, Crutchlow will be well aware of the fact that he won the last race in Australia from a similar position.
#35 Cal Crutchlow – 13th (2’02.334)
“Obviously today we are very disappointed to be outside the top ten, when I’m sure we have the pace to be in the top three. We didn’t change the tyre this morning and I was unable to go faster in my last run, because we were trying something for Honda that we had agreed to try. We made a bit of a tactical error and this afternoon was then wet. I went out with the slick to see if I was able to push, but it didn’t dry up enough.”
“Now it also looks like tomorrow morning will be wet so it’s going to be difficult to go directly into Q2 – where we should be. Let’s see what tomorrow brings. We have to remain positive and go through the motions with the team tonight to improve things on the bike and then we will see how qualifying goes.”
More, from a press release issued by Avintia Racing:
Hector Barbera returns to his team and shines at Sepang
After his two-race-adventure with the official Ducati Team, Hector Barbera’s return to the Avintia Racing team could not have been better. In the morning in dry conditions, he just needed a couple of laps to get the feeling back on his Desmosedici GP14.2 and he was sixth in the timesheets at the end of the 45 minutes session. In the afternoon the track was completely wet after a tropical downpour and it was Loris Baz who took the lead. After topping the standings with Michelin rain tyres, Baz put on the intermediates and kept a fast pace that no other rider was able to match. But with 15 minutes left in the session, the track finally dried up and Barbera set the fastest lap, still on intermediates. It didn’t take long until Jack Miller and Cal Crutchlow improved his lap time again, using slick tyres in the last few minutes of FP2.
One of the positive sides of today’s first day of practice is that the Avintia Racing riders were able to test the new Sepang International Circuit surface in all conditions and with all possible Michelin tyre compounds and combinations. Now they are ready for whatever the weather brings this weekend.
Hector Barbera | 2’01.667 | P6
“To be honest, I did not know how my feeling would be after two races riding a different bike. But I got the feeling back with my bike immediately, exactly the same feeling from when I left it. We had a good start of the weekend and I was sixth in the morning. This afternoon in really tricky conditions we were third, so it definitely was a good comeback. The track has been resurfaced and now it is different. The grip is better and there are no bumps, but it needs to dry out quicker. For me the biggest change is turn 15. I like it, but at the same time it makes things difficult and the lap time is slightly slower. The most important thing is that we had a strong start and we can have a good weekend.”
Loris Baz | 2’04.623 | P21
“This morning I had the usual problems in the dry, I have no confidence. The worst part is that I can’t find the answer, so it is difficult. But this afternoon I immediately felt great in really strange conditions. I did quite a lot of laps on the intermediate Michelin tyres and I had some fun, which is something that did not happen since a long time. It was especially useful since it was the first time we used these tyres and they really worked. We have to wait and see what the weather will be like tomorrow, and the track conditions. It is always good to be in front, it is a boost for your motivation and it was also good for my team. At least I’ve been on TV for a while and this time not because of a crash…”
More, from a press release issued by Tech 3 Racing Moto2 Team:
Vierge back in the groove on the first day in Malaysia
Tech3 Racing Team rider Xavi Vierge kicked off his Malaysian GP campaign in a positive style by finishing the opening day inside the top ten aboard the Mistral 610. The ever-improving Spaniard commenced FP1 as soon as it began, yet, rain fell shortly after the green lights came on. The downpour led to the red flag being issued, but once it resumed, Vierge got straight back to work in the damp conditions as he gathered valuable data for the setup of his Moto2 bike. He posted his personal best on his second lap which left him in 10th and confident of making further steps forward in the afternoon. Here, he once again got into action instantly and after consistently advancing, he sped to his fastest time on his last lap of 17, that saw him end up only 1.123 back from the leader. The solid start leaves the 19-year-old optimistic for the remainder of the weekend and tomorrow he aims to clinch a strong qualifying placement for the round 17 battle on Sunday.
On the other hand, Isaac Viñales produced an encouraging display on the first day at the Sepang International circuit, which he concluded in 18th. The young Spaniard was forced to withdraw from the previous round due to a damaged shoulder, but he got back to the track today and after fighting against the tricky conditions in the morning, he completed 11 laps and finished FP1 in 16th. In the afternoon, he continued to push as he carried on adjusting his Mistral 610 with the Tech3 team and after lapping the 5.5 kilometre circuit 19 times, he set his best time on his 13th, which left him in 18th overall. Having established an initial positive feeling with his Moto2 bike, Viñales confidently sets his sights on making further steps forward tomorrow ahead of the all important qualifying session.
Xavi Vierge
Position: 10th – Time: 2’09.939 – Laps: 27
“Today was good and we have commenced the Malaysian GP in a solid way, even if the track conditions made things tricky. This morning, I only completed one dry lap because it started raining not long into the session. Yet, I spent a lot of time riding whilst it was wet and we eventually found a strong feeling, which is significant because the weather may change quite frequently here just like last weekend in Australia. However, now, we have something prepared for most situations. The FP2 session was not entirely dry but I improved with every lap and the Tech3 guys made progress with the bike and then, in the last ten minutes, I made a step and now we can finish the day with a smile. It is crucial to begin like this and I am sure that we can carry on in this direction.”
Isaac Viñales
Position: 18th – Time: 2’10.943 – Laps: 30
“I am quite satisfied with the first day at Sepang and I am looking forward to getting back on the track and making further advances. It was my debut here on the Moto2 bike but I enjoyed riding the Mistral today at this circuit and I am feeling confident for the rest of the weekend. The conditions were not great and certainly made things more challenging. In addition, we need to make a few slight adjustments to the setting, but overall, I am pleased with how we have started this event. I know that we can improve, so the team and I will see what we can do tonight and then tomorrow I will do my very best.”
More, from a press release issued by QMMF Racing Team:
Simon out of Malaysian Grand Prix – Simeon 13th
QMMF Racing Team rider Julian Simon was forced to retire from the Malaysian Grand Prix. The Spaniard crashed on the first lap of the first free practice session on Friday morning, hitting the ground hard with his back. An immediate examination in the Medical Centre of the Sepang track revealed small cracks and dislocations of two vertebrae in his lower back, so it was better to play it safe, fly home and to plan a comeback fully recovered for the last race of the season in Valencia.
Team-mate Xavier Simon rode to a strong 13th place in mixed conditions. Rain hit the re-surfaced Sepang track only after a few minutes in the morning session and even though the track started to dry up in the afternoon, there were still many wet patches that made riding at the limit a difficult task.
Xavier Simeon – 13th in 2.09,956
“The first day was positive for me, but also strange and difficult, because it started to rain after only five minutes in the first session. This was good mainly because we could try the new surface in wet conditions. I was surprised because there was a lot more grip than I expected, which was good news. We could do a lot of laps in the rain and my feeling was very good, which made me happy. In the afternoon, the rain had stopped and the track dried up, but there were still many wet patches, which made it difficult to ride. It was difficult to figure out where you could push and where you had to be careful. Well, everybody else was pushing, so I pushed too and we finished in 13th position, which is not so bad, only one second from the top of the time sheet. The feeling with the bike was quite okay, I was missing a little bit of rear grip in the end, when I wanted to improve my lap time. Now we wait what the conditions will be like tomorrow!”
Julian Simon – retired
“When I entered turn 14 on the first lap this morning, I hit a small wet patch, had a massive highsider and fell hard on my back. I already had taken a hit to my back last week in an accident with Alex Márquez in Australia, and the x-rays now in the Medical Centre of Sepang revealed slight cracks and dislocations of two vertebrae in my lower back, T4 and T7. With these injuries, the doctors recommended it was better to retire from this race, fly home and recover for the last round of the season in Valencia. When I crashed I also felt another hit from behind and as it turned out, Edgar Pons was crashing at the same spot. But I don’t think that it was him that hit me, I think it was my own bike. I am not in too much pain, only when I strain my back or when I try to bend down. To go home now is a sad feeling and I’m sorry for my team, for QMMF and for myself, because I was in good shape for this race here in Malaysia, on a circuit that I like a lot and where I could have scored a good result!”