MotoGP CRT Test At Sepang Thwarted By Rain, Technical Problems

MotoGP CRT Test At Sepang Thwarted By Rain, Technical Problems

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The two days of extra testing given to MotoGP Claiming Rule Teams (CRT) using the new, spec Magneti Marelli Engine Control Unit (ECU) were thwarted by technical problems on Day One, February 3, and more technical problems and rain Monday at Sepang, in Malaysia, according to the official website of MotoGP. Avintia Blusens’ Hiroshi Aoyama and Hector Barbera, Came IODA Racing Project’s Lukas Pesek and Danilo Petrucci, and NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Claudio Corti and Colin Edwards were hoping for the chance to get a head start at setting up their new machines and electronics prior to the start of official MotoGP testing for all teams on Tuesday, February 5. However, the number of laps the riders did was limited by various technical and logistical problems on Sunday, and their situation was compounded by rain today. Petrucci did the most laps over the two days, 27 on Sunday and four on Monday, and had the quickest lap times 2:06.841 on Sunday and 2:23.456 on Monday. “The rain has conditioned a lot our work,” Petrucci was quoted as saying in a press release issued by his team. “I ride just [four] laps and it’s enough for what we have to do on the bike. I hope that in the next day the weather condition will be better to continue the development of the bike.” Petrucci’s teammate Pesek did not ride Sunday but got 19 laps in on the BMW-powered Suter on Monday with a best time of 2:24.023. “It was a good day also with the wet track,” said Pesek. “I tested for the first time the IODA-SUTER BMW, and my first impression is good. The bike is small and nice to ride. Now we have still a lot of work to do in the next days.” Barbera did four laps on his Kawasaki-powered FTR on Sunday and 20 laps on Monday and was second-quickest Monday with a 2:23.973, according to Dorna. Barbera’s teammate Aoyama rode nine laps on Sunday to assess his still-healing broken left wrist, recording a best time of 2:12.062, but he did not ride in the wet today. American Edwards got an out lap on Sunday (which his team used to finish building the team’s Kawasaki/FTRs) and did just seven laps total on Monday. His fastest time while shaking down his new machine was a 2:29.973. Edwards’ teammate Corti rode no laps on Day One and completed just eight laps Monday, posting a 2:24.027.

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