MotoGP – Moto GP prepares to take to the track at Sepang –

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Moto GP prepares to hit the track at Sepang

MotoGP - Moto GP prepares to take to the track at Sepang -

After two months of winter break, MotoGP riders are recovering – finally! – to work on their usual testing ground in Sepang (Malaysia) for the first of three official tests scheduled before the start of the 2015 season, at the end of March in Qatar . 

After two months of winter break, MotoGP riders are recovering – finally! – to work on their usual testing ground in Sepang (Malaysia) for the first of three official tests scheduled before the start of the 2015 season, . 

Honda favorite for the title

From Wednesday until Friday, the majestic Sepang track will serve as a test laboratory for all 2015 MotoGP teams. The opportunity to continue the development of new motorcycles, but also to discover the future Michelin tires in situation during of the last day for the test pilots (Edwards for Yamaha, Pirro for Ducati and Aoyama for Honda).

At Honda, the worksheet will mainly focus on the power distribution of the V4, deemed too brutal by Marquez and Pedrosa during the first tests of the 2015 vintage carried out after the race in Valencia (Spain).

"I asked the engineers to have less power. Well, maybe not less power, but to change the character of the engine because it was too aggressive," admits two-time world champion Marc Marquez.

"I ride aggressively (oh well ?! Editor’s note) but the bike was too aggressive and became more difficult to control. With the Honda, you always have to be 100%, in every corner, in every braking. is capable, we go faster than the others. Otherwise, we immediately lose a second, not just three or four tenths ", develops the favorite to his own succession.

Present in Bali (Indonesia) this week with Dani Pedrosa for the official presentation of the new colors of the 2015 prototype (recognizable among other things by its Red Bull front fender), Marquez took the opportunity to relax … and refuel thrills at sea (photos opposite).

The reigning champion and his teammate will test electronic and cycle part evolutions at Sepang, some of which were released last week on this same circuit by the – not so – retired Casey Stoner.

"A different experience" for Stoner

The former Australian world champion has notably worked on new Brembo aluminum brakes, a new fork and different engine brake settings, alternating runs between RCV 2014 and RCV 2015. 

Stoner then took the handlebars of the CBR1000RR aligned by Honda at the famous 8 Hours of Suzuka (Japan), in order to help the engineers of the HRC to develop it..

The Aussie is unlikely to be back on the handlebars of an RCV for some time, with its next scheduled testing session with the HRC being announced "quite late in the season".

"Riding the CBR was a different experience. I had never ridden with this kind of bike. It was complicated to adapt to the differences in terms of changes in speed, position, power and weight," reports Stoner.

"However, I managed to understand this bike after several rides and I was able to give my impressions to the engineers. It was overall very fun and I really enjoyed myself sliding the rear wheel!", S ‘ amuses the young Australian, watched from the low wall of the paddocks by his lovely little girl of just three years old, Alessandra (photo above).

Lorenzo cautious, Rossi ambitious

In the Yamaha clan, the ambitions of the two official riders, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, are as clear as they are logical: to erase the disappointment suffered last season with the domination of the Marquez-RCV duo.

Unveiled with great fanfare last Wednesday in the Madrid premises of their sponsor Telefonica, the new 2015 YZR-M1s have received a significant number of upgrades for this purpose, starting with an increase in power on their in-line 4-cylinder engine..

Still mechanically, Yamaha is currently refining its second generation of Seamless gearbox, a transmission that allows lightning-fast gear changes by pre-engaging the next gear at each gear shift.. 

For 2015, the system developed by Yamaha will work on upshifts but also on downshifts. In other words, not only Rossi and Lorenzo will no longer disengage before downshifting as in 2014, but the gears will lower more quickly. The system should normally be tested during the second practice session..

MotoGP electronics seen by Wayne Rainey

"I believe these motorcycles must have electronics because they are very powerful but I prefer when there is less," said the former three-time 500cc American world champion about the "electronization" of Current MotoGP.

"I know what electronics do to optimize driver performance is amazing, but I think the driver should come first. The best drivers will always be the winners anyway and that’s something that won’t change. never".

"The most important thing with electronics is that there are now a lot less falls in the highside, which always hurt a lot," recalls Rainey … precisely paralyzed in his lower limbs following a high side in 1993.

Already used on Honda last season, this feature would save between 2 and 2.5 seconds over the duration of a race of about 45 minutes.

On paper, it may not seem really decisive but it could quickly become so in the race…

Last year, Rossi and Lorenzo have indeed finished several times within two seconds of Marquez, as in Jerez (Spain), Le Mans (France) or Catalonia (Spain) when the n ° 46 finished second at 1.431 sec, 1.486 sec and 0.512 sec of n ° 93! Admittedly, the winner probably managed his lead … but who knows what could happen if the Yamaha Boys put more pressure on him. ?

Another important aspect for Iwata‘s coat of arms: Jorge Lorenzo admits to being better prepared than last year, especially at the physical level.

"Until proven otherwise, Dani and I are behind Marc and Valentino"

"I think I’m in much better shape, I’m stronger physically because we really focused on my training sessions (with his new Argentine coach, Editor’s note)," said "Jorgeuil".

"In addition, I did not have to be operated this winter, unlike last year. However, I prefer to remain cautious while waiting to get on the bike and then we will see how it will go", tempers the Mallorcan, who thinks that we can have a good start to the season "if we continue to improve and the other manufacturers do not advance further".

Logically, the n ° 99 designates Marc Marquez as the favorite for the 2015 title and considers sporting enough that his teammate Valentino Rossi is on paper the most qualified to block his path..

"I think the end result last year reflected the way the season went. So Marquez should be the favorite, and then it should be Valentino. Until proven otherwise, Dani (Pedrosa, Editor’s note ) and I are behind ".

Rossi "want more"

Much more ambitious than his team-mate, Valentino Rossi unabashedly admits to running for a 10th world title, rightly recalling that he has "every reason to be satisfied with my performances last year" (2nd in the championship behind Marquez)

"However, that’s the past and now I want more," announces No. 46. "I’m focused on making a good start to the season and being competitive right away. Jorge and I both ended the season with a positive performance and I’m sure we both start with a terrible desire to win." Here are the opponents of Yamaha warned !

What room for improvement for Ducati and Suzuki ?

In the Ducati clan, on the other hand, the time is not yet? – to the estimation of objectives, since the Bologna Reds will start these first tests with the bike … of the previous year (read in particular).

The HRC pleasantly surprised by Alex Marquez

In an interview with our colleagues from MCN, Shuhei Nakamoto, vice president of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), admits to being surprised by the excellent performance in 2014 of Alex Marquez, the little brother of "you-know-who" , crowned Moto3 world champion ahead of Jack Miller.

"Alex has grown a lot over the past two years, he has progressed with each race and I am very happy with him", explains Nakamoto, who considers however that the most talented of the siblings remains Marc Marquez.

"Marc has a natural talent but Alex is a hard worker. Work can make you win a championship. Marc also trains a lot but he has a lot more talent. Honestly, I’m surprised Alex has reached this level. I did not expect it and I am very happy for him ".

Certainly, the GP14 of Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso will benefit from improvements, but the two Italians will have to wait until February 23 and the next tests in Sepang to start working on the expected GP15.

And during this time, of course, Ducati’s opponents will continue to improve..

Also note the absence of Colombian Yonny Hernandez during these tests, the Ducati Pramac rider having to give up following a fall on a dirt track which resulted in micro-fractures of his left shoulder. Forced to rest for three weeks, he will be replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.

At Suzuki, the engine manufacturers took advantage of the break to work on the power of the in-line 4-cylinder of the GSX-RR, which lacked a large handful of horsepower to allow Aleix Espargaro and newbie Maverick Vinales to hold the asp. in a straight line. 

Let us also hope that Suzuki has at the same time improved the reliability of its new prototype, whose last tests and the wild card with Randy de Puniet in Valencia were interrupted due to technical problems..

Crutchlow operated on the shoulder and sharpened by bike

Ducati defector, Cal Crutchlow is eager to get back on the handlebars of his new bike, a Honda RC213V Factory supported by the HRC. Operated on the collarbone in November to have a plaque removed and treat arthritis problems, the Briton is currently working on his condition "in order to prepare well for the season".

"My wife and I spent the winter in America as always," says Cal..

“I mostly cycle in the winter and I like having a break with the bike. Maybe that’s why I’m never the fastest when I get to Sepang, but I have when even did a little motocross, but not too much. On the other hand, I did nearly 4,500 km by bike ", indicates this enthusiast of the" little queen " !

"It’s the best way of training for me, it helps me lose a bit of weight and there is no impact on my knees like running. I had knee tendonitis but I’m now back on the Isle of Man and recovering. It won’t bother me at all on the bike, I only feel it on the bike ".

Alvaro Bautista is also very eager to get back in the saddle, the Spaniard having his work cut out for developing the new Aprilia prototype with his teammate Marco Melandri. So much "bread" besides that the Gresini rider is already wondering about the potential of his new bike…

"I think Aprilia made a very daring choice coming back in 2015, when Suzuki, for example, spent two years developing his bike before coming back to Grand Prix. I think it will be a development season for us, so that we can have a competitive motorcycle in 2016 ", estimates the n ° 19.

According to Bautista, the Aprilia proto will receive "for the second or third race of the season" the Seamless gearbox developed in Noale and already tested by the two riders during private tests in Jerez.. 

French pilots impatient !

As for the two French riders lined up in MotoGP in 2015 (Loriz Baz at Forwards and Mike di Meglio at Avintia), their impatience to resume the track is almost identical and just as palpable. !

"The test we had done in Valence at the end of last season had only served us to discover the bike and we are still working on the riding position", recalls the Savoyard Loris Baz, starting in the premier class on an M1 Open at the alongside Stefan Bradl.

"Our first real test will be this and we will start to push towards the limits. I have to learn by going step by step and avoid making mistakes. Then we will see where we are for the first race and I hope that we will be able to progress in order to be as close as possible to the first Open ", ambitions" Baz-ooka "who celebrated his 22 years on Sunday February 1st.

Aged 27, his compatriot Mike di Meglio is starting his second season in MotoGP but it is nevertheless a great first for the Toulouse driver: the n ° 63 goes from a sluggish Kawasaki-powered CRT to a real "proto" , in this case a Ducati GP14 identical to the one released by his teammate Hector Barbera at the end of last season.

"From a personal point of view, the goal of the next tests is to be as close as possible to my teammate and to be up to him," confesses "Di Meg". "During these tests we will be riding a lot, so we have to close the gap and make it feel in the general classification".

The results and reports of these tests in Sepang will naturally be to follow until Friday on MNC: stay tuned !

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