A three-day ‘Rookie test’ concluded today for Marco Simoncelli in Malaysia. The Italian youngster has completed an exhausting 160 laps (around 900km) of the Sepang circuit during the test and every single one of them has provided crucial data ahead of his debut in the MotoGP World Championship in 2010 with Team San Carlo Honda Gresini. Despite inclement weather on the opening two days Simoncelli has grabbed every opportunity to build his confidence with his new bike and to learn about the setting changes that can be made to it, as well as learning how to manage the power delivery when out on the track. He has made positive steps forward ahead of the main test, which will take place here at Sepang at the start of February when Simoncelli will line up alongside the rest of the MotoGP grid. Having completed an intense work programme this morning “Super Sic” then completed a race simulation over 21 laps this afternoon, clocking a consistent pace in 2’04. Tomorrow he begins a hard-earned Christmas holiday before preparations for what promises to be an exciting 2010 season continue at Sepang, Malaysia, on the 4th and 5th February. Marco Simoncelli (2’03.20; 60 laps): “I have finished and I am finished! I’ve ridden around 900 kilometres over the past three days, which was a nice early Christmas present! I’m happy. I had hoped to go a little faster but the lap times were not our principal target here and I am extremely satisfied with what we have achieved. We worked hard from this morning on gathering data that is going to be very useful to us when the ‘serious’ testing begins back here at Sepang at the start of February. Fortunately today the rain held off and we were able to do a race simulation. I did 21 laps at a consistent pace in the 2’04s even over the last few laps when the tyres were almost completely spent. Before the race simulation I did a 2’03.20 but I felt like I could have gone a good bit faster if the track was in better shape. Now we head home for a well-deserved Christmas holiday to gather our thoughts after this latest outing on the Honda RC212V. See you in 2010 at Sepang!”