Offseason tests – Moto GP riders prepare for the 2020 season in Malaysia –

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Moto GP riders prepare for 2020 season in Malaysia

Offseason tests - Moto GP riders prepare for the 2020 season in Malaysia -

The end of the winter break is looming in MotoGP, with the resumption of official testing from February 7 to 9 in Malaysia. Several pilots, including Alex Marquez at HRC, will be racing at the Sepang circuit a few days earlier, while Aprilia is still waiting to be fixed on the case of Iannone, suspected of doping… Update with MNC.

The Sepang circuit is about to resound to the sound of the four cylinders – in V at Aprilia, Ducati, KTM and Honda, in line at Suzuki and Yamaha – during the year 2020 scheduled from February 7 to 9. Three days of tests which will give an overview of the forces present and the advances – stagnations, setbacks ?! – of each brand…

  • MNC file:
  • MNC file:
  • MNC file :

Just before, from February 2 to 4, the test pilots will debug the prototypes to ensure that everything is in order before the arrival of the holders. This session called "shakedown" is also open to official drivers of the two manufacturers benefiting from regulatory concessions to help them progress: Aprilia and KTM.

Small novelty in 2020: beginners – Alex Marquez at Honda, Brad Binder and Iker Lecuona at KTM – can also participate, in order to compensate for the reduction in the number of tests. Recall that in return for the increase in the number of Grands Prix (20 this season), the organizers have: the traditional tests in Valencia (Spain) are notably deleted.

Binder and Lecuona have already confirmed their presence on their respective RC16s (official for South African, satellite for Spanish), although the Tech3 pilot has barely emerged from an operation aimed at solving compartment syndrome. . Alex Marquez will also take advantage of these two additional days to adapt to the factory RC213V developed by his big brother !

Thanks to the advantages granted to Aprilia and KTM, the other pilots of the Austrian manufacturer – Pol Espargaro and Miguel Oliveira – and those of Noale’s crest – Aleix Espargaro and Andrea Iannone – can also take a step ahead by participating in this "shakedown"…

Iannone as strong as a beef … on steroids !

Problem for Aprila: Andrea Iannone is currently suspended following a positive doping control on a substance of the steroid family. The Italian pilot claims to have a "clear conscience" while his detractors see it as an explanation for the impressive development of his muscles regularly exhibited on his social networks…

  • MNC of December 18, 2019 : Iannone tested positive and suspended, but optimistic and relaxed  

The fantas (ti) that n ° 29 – first to win on Ducati since Stoner in 2016 – asked for a counter-analysis … which would also prove positive according to La Gazzeta dello Sport! This sample "B" would however contain a much smaller quantity of the incriminated substance, which incites its lawyers to plead for food contamination…

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Iannone’s defense – a little capilotracted – would be that he consumed the meat of animals raised on steroids to boost their growth, and thus their market value at slaughter. The Italian would therefore have been doped without knowing it voluntarily by dint of eating steak during the month spent in Asia before his test during the Malaysian GP !

To date, the results of his second sample have not yet been made public, as has the expected official analysis from the laboratory in charge of its examination. The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) is following the case closely, as Aprilia prepares to replace Iannone at Sepang with test rider Bradley Smith… 

Focus on the French connection !

For others, the start of the 2020 school year is therefore set for February 7 in Sepang following the official presentations: the Factory Ducati team will reveal its new colors and objectives on January 23 in Bologna (Italy), followed by Honda-HRC on the 4 February in Jakarta (Indonesia) then Suzuki and Yamaha (Factory and SRT) on February 6 in Sepang (Malaysia).

This first session will be the opportunity to discover Johann Zarco on his Ducati-Avintia supported by the factory, as well as to gauge the reactions of Fabio Quartararo with his M1 now modeled on the official Yamaha. Fingers crossed so that Cannes regains its splendor and that Nice keeps it despite its change of equipment! Because both of them are playing big this season…

  • MNC of January 7, 2020 : 

Johann must perform well to erase his catastrophic association with KTM and hope to bounce back as he wishes in the official Ducati team. As for Fabio, his meteoric season calls for more success: Marquez himself designates him as a candidate for the title! Beware of staying focused on the essentials: first a first victory, before seeing bigger … on the ?!

Marc Marquez (says himself) in small form 

The performances of the reigning champion, Marc Marquez, will also be closely watched as the Spaniard comes out of a new winter disturbed by an injury: the No. 93 had surgery on his right shoulder and his rehabilitation would take longer. time than expected…

  • MNC of November 27, 2019 : Marquez operated on after his fall in Jerez tests

Questioned this week during a ceremony in Catalonia, Marquez evokes a recovery "rather difficult" and still considers himself "a little tight" for the tests of Sepang. The Honda leader admits to being concerned, especially as this operation had been carried out as a preventive measure to protect him from subsequent worries….

"It’s a bit hard: last year I had an operation on my left shoulder and the recovery was different. This time it seemed easier, but it was not the case", laments -he aiming for a return to good form for the first Grand Prix in Qatar scheduled for January 8.

However, it should be remembered that Marquez was in the same situation last winter following his operation on his left shoulder, which dislocated with fear following his frequent falls. This did not prevent him from playing for the win in the first race, then crushing any opposition by winning twelve races to register a new record of points in MotoGP (420) !

And Lorenzo, then ?

Finally, this first test session of 2020 (that of Fabio and his n ° 20 ?!) could also lift the veil on one of the persistent rumors of this winter: the appointment of Jorge Lorenzo as development driver of the M1! Yamaha and Mallorcan have confirmed contacts in this direction, but nothing official emerges for the moment…

 Offseason tests - Moto GP riders prepare for the 2020 season in Malaysia -

Having Lorenzo in his ranks again would certainly be a good thing for Iwata’s crest, as the n ° 99 can be swift on this bike which has led him to the supreme title on three occasions (2010, 2012 and 2015 ). Rossi and Viñales would benefit thanks to him from more informative feedback than those of the Japanese test pilots, too far apart in terms of lap times..

Moreover, Lorenzo has meanwhile moved to Ducati and Honda: his experience on the Desmosedici and the RC213V would be extremely valuable to Yamaha engineers, who mull over how to beat their rivals all year round. Gathering information "from within" can only help them. !

In the meantime, Jorge Lorenzo continues to take advantage of his status as a financially comfortable young retiree, between paradisiacal vacations in Bali (Indonesia), purchasing new sports cars and watering sessions with champagne guns (!) In a club. in Mexico. All in charming company: end of the celebrity sequence, time for action in early February! Stay connected. 

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