Offseason testing – MotoGP Sepang testing – Day 2: Viñales and Rossi accelerate –

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MotoGP Sepang testing – Day 2: Viñales and Rossi accelerate

Offseason testing - MotoGP Sepang testing - Day 2: Viñales and Rossi accelerate -

The two official Yamaha riders are at the forefront of the second day of official testing at Sepang, with a gap of just 0.035 seconds between Viñales and Rossi. Cal Crutchlow is behind the M1 at 0.088 sec on his Honda-LCR ahead of the Ducatis of Lorenzo and Miller.

Maverick Viñales, only 13th at the end of the, returns to the top of the ranking on an M1 equipped with a new fairing: the Spaniard wins the best time of the second day in 1’59.355, a big tenth of the during the. Next step: drop the which dates from 2015 to 1’59.053 !

  • MotoGP Sepang Testing – Day 1 : Pedrosa shoots first !

"Mack", third in the 2017 championship, precedes by a short head his teammate Valentino Rossi who attacks the bit to his teeth in his 23rd season (!): The Italian only registers a delay of 0.035 sec on his box neighbor . Even more encouraging for n ° 46: the M1 2018 seems to have come back on a better footing, thanks to a chassis closely derived from that of 2016…

Offseason testing - MotoGP Sepang testing - Day 2: Viñales and Rossi accelerate -

"We have moved in the right direction", rejoices the Doctor who will also wait until the end of the 2018 season to have the pins removed following his tibia-fibula fracture. "I really like the new chassis, which is an evolution of the 2016 one, because it seems to suit me better. It allows me to drive with more ease (…). When I attack, I manage to do good lap times and I feel good! "

Lorenzo in the game

Cal Crutchlow signs for his part the third fastest time behind the Yamaha boys with only 0.088 seconds behind: really tight gaps while the rain again disrupted the first part of the day. The Briton is the first Honda rider, far ahead of the official HRC riders (Marquez is 7th and Pedrosa … 12th!) Who were in a better position the day before: time to take stock of the new fairing and the very aerodynamic appendages. inspired by Ducati ?

Offseason testing - MotoGP Sepang testing - Day 2: Viñales and Rossi accelerate -

Fourth, Jorge Lorenzo confirms his good adaptation to the road that Casey Stoner – development pilot – came to "debug" at Sepang just before the start of official tests. The Mallorcan is only 0.143 sec from the best time and continues to sing the praises of a motorcycle unanimously judged more obvious. 

“I can open the throttle earlier and I can enter the corner with more confidence. Also, all the riders who have ridden the new bike have been going faster than in 2017, so that’s a very good sign. I’m happy about that, because that’s not always the case with a new bike ", explains Dovizioso’s teammate, who goes down from 2nd place on day one to 8th on day two. 

Offseason testing - MotoGP Sepang testing - Day 2: Viñales and Rossi accelerate -

Lorenzo is followed by Jack Miller, who doesn’t seem to have much difficulty switching from his old Honda from Marc VDS to his new 2017 Ducati from Pramac. The Australian remains in the Top 5 for the second day in a row, on a circuit which however traditionally smiles on Bologna motorcycles.

Sixth at 0.347 sec, Johann Zarco continues his work of discovery on the Yamaha equipped with the 2017 chassis, the very one that caused so much concern for the official riders last year. The Cannes driver said he was very satisfied, even noting an increase in stability which made his bike less tiring. Yonny Hernandez, his last minute teammate in, records the 25th time at 2.199 sec.

Beginners continue to adapt

Finally, let us note the interesting lap times signed by the newcomers in the premier class: on his Honda Marc VDS, Franco Morbidelli – in title – is the first "rookie" in the standings in 17th place, 1.3 seconds behind the leader. The Italian precedes the experienced Mika Kallio, KTM test pilot who knows the RC16 by heart !

Takaaki Nakagami, 21st in fastest time, placed his Honda-LCR 1.6 sec from the reference time, just ahead of the Suzuki GSX-RR driven by. However, these tests are more complicated for Xavier Simon (Ducati Avintia) and Tom Luthi (Honda Marc VDS), who follow each other in 26th and 27th positions. Disappointment also for Scott Redding, only 23rd on the Aprilia which replaces his previous Ducati.

All these drivers will have the opportunity to improve their performance tomorrow Tuesday for the third and final day of official testing at the Sepang circuit. Suzuki will take the opportunity to change the in-line 4-cylinder of Andrea Iannone’s GSX-RR (10th), literally gone up in smoke (above) … Stay tuned !

Results of the second day of MotoGP testing in Sepang

  1. VIÑALES, Maverick Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1: 59.355
  2. ROSSI, Valentino Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1: 59.390 0.035 
  3. CRUTCHLOW, Cal LCR Honda CASTROL 1: 59.443 0.088
  4. LORENZO, Jorge Ducati Team 1: 59.498 0.14
  5. MILLER, Jack Alma Pramac Racing 1: 59.509 0.154  
  6. ZARCO, Johann Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1: 59.702 0.34   
  7. MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 1: 59.730 0.37   
  8. DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Ducati Team 1: 59.732 0.377
  9. PETRUCCI, Danilo Alma Pramac Racing 1: 59.747 0.392
  10. IANNONE, Andrea Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1: 59.917 0.56   
  11. ESPARGARO, Aleix Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1: 59.925 0.57   
  12. PEDROSA, Dani Repsol Honda Team 1: 59.999 0.644  
  13. RINS, Alex Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 2: 00.042 0.68   
  14. ESPARGARO, Pol Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2: 00.262 0.90   
  15. RABAT, Tito Reale Avintia Racing 2: 00.506 1.151 
  16. SMITH, Bradley Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2: 00.520 1.16   
  17. MORBIDELLI, Franco EG 0,0 Marc VDS 2: 00.662 1.307 
  18. KALLIO, Mika KTM Test Team 2: 00.701 1.34   
  19. BAUTISTA, Alvaro Ángel Nieto Team 2: 00.728 1.373
  20. ABRAHAM, Karel Ángel Nieto Team 2: 00.914 1.559  
  21. NAKAGAMI, Takaaki LCR Honda IDEMITSU 2: 00.952 1.597
  22. GUINTOLI, Sylvain Suzuki Test Team 2: 01.392 2.037
  23. REDDING, Scott Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 2: 01.456 2.10   
  24. TEST3, Yamaha Yamaha Test Team 2: 01.480 2.12   
  25. HERNANDEZ, Yonny Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2: 01.554 2.199  
  26. SIMEON, Xavier Reale Avintia Racing 2: 01.689 2.334
  27. LUTHI, Thomas EG 0,0 Marc VDS 2: 01.810 2.455

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