Valentino Rossi (Team Movistar Yamaha) took advantage of the Yamaha’s new seamless shift gearbox on the first day test at Sepang International Circuit by topping the time sheets at the end of day one, closely followed by Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) 0.129 behind and Pol Espragaro (Tech 3 Yamaha) was 0.462s behind Rossi.DSC_0520 (Medium)

DSC_0507 (Medium)It was a difficult day for the teams as the track temperature approaching boiling heat of  60 degrees heat at times, leading to a lack of grip, impossible for any rider to post a time comparable to the previous test here at the Sepang DSC_0059 (Medium)DSC_0559 (Medium)circuit. Rossi’s best lap of 2’00.414, was 1.5 seconds slower than Marquez’s fastest lap from Sepang 1. With all the fastest times set in the morning, most riders did not venture out on track during the peak of the daytime heat.

A downpour put an end to any meaningful lap times and effectively brought an early end to the days action with 90 minutes to go. It did however allow some of the braver riders to head out and get some “wet” data for their engineers, before a massive thunderstorm caused the red flag to come out halting the session temporarily, before the circuit was reopened with only 20  minutes left.

Both Repsol Honda riders spent Sepang 1 choosing which bike they wanted to develop during this test, but it was Pedrosa who adapted best to the tricky conditions to finish 2nd, over half a second faster than his teammate Marquez.

DSC_0123 (Medium)DSC_0927 (Medium)Suzuki went back to Japan and spent extensive time in the wind tunnel developing a new fairing and also some engine updates to try and coax more power from the GSX-RR, an effort that was clearly paying off. Surprisingly Team Suzuki’s Aleix Espargaro knuckled in ahead of Jorge and behind his brother Pol in 4th with a time of 2:01.055, his team mate, Maverick Vinales completed the top 10 in ninth

Jorge Lorenzo, even with his new gearbox, posted 7 tenths off the leading pace but Lin Jarvis, the Yamaha team manager was happy with the results.

DSC_0643 (Medium)Current World Champion Marc Marquez, managed a best of 2’01.190 for 6th place.

Cal Crutchlow CWM-LCR Honda RC213V, manage to post the  7th fastest lap of the day. DSC_0504 (Medium)Bradley Smith who is still recovering from injury to finish just two hundredths behind Crutchlow on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZF-M1 in 8th.

Ducati‘s much anticipated GP15 is smaller than the GP14.3 that Dovizioso and Iannone rode last month, the engine position was change to try and improve the bikes well known problem with understeer. With Dovizioso and IDSC_0953 (Medium)annone both riding the new bike back to back with the old bike to allow their teams to collect data, they were not focusing on lap times but still managed to take 10th and 15th respectively, and will be encouraged by the start they have made with there new machine which is the first to have its design completely overseen by team boss Luigi Dall’Igna.

Scott Redding finishing 11th on the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Racing Honda, just over a second slower than Rossi.

Aprilia Racing Team Gresini with Alvaro Bautista finishing in a promising 12th just 1.3 seconds off the leaders, but his team mate Marco Melandri just could not get going and ended the day last in 27th place.

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All the teams getting ready to go out in the scorching heat 10am
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Rossi meditating just before start of his session
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Rossi says Yamaha’s new seamless shift gearbox help a bit
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Aleix Espargaro
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Turn One Sepang
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Rossi sliding in to Turn One
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Dani Pedrosa
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Iannone on the new Ducati GP15
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Iannone in action Turn 15
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Team Aprilia Racing Marco Melandri
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Ducati Andrea Dovizioso
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Rossi back to paddock just after one lap
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Lorenzo morning action
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Sepang Circuit host Test 2
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Eugene Laverty Team Drive M7 Aspar
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Rossi scorching the tracks today
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Yonny Hernendez Pramac Racing
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Pol getting the rain to stop
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Team Drive M7 Aspar
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Pedrosa overall second today
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Jorge Lorenzo Movistar Yamaha
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Maverick Vinales Team Suzuki MotoGP

Hector Barbera was the top Open class rider on his Avintia Ducati in 13th, while Jack Miller is still struggling to get used to his CWM LCR  Honda and could not get under the 2’03 mark, leaving him in 22nd place.                          

MotoGP Sepang Test2 2015

Session 1 as of 23/02/2015

 

PosRiderTeamFastest lapLead. GapPrev. GapLapsLast lap
1ROSSI, ValentinoMovistar Yamaha MotoGP2:00.41425 / 54
2PEDROSA, DaniRepsol Honda Team2:00.5430.1290.12920 / 52
3ESPARGARO, PolMonster Yamaha Tech 32:00.8760.4620.33317 / 45
4ESPARGARO, AleixTeam Suzuki MotoGP2:01.0550.6410.17917 / 39
5LORENZO, JorgeMovistar Yamaha MotoGP2:01.1620.7480.10737 / 51
6MARQUEZ, MarcRepsol Honda Team2:01.1900.7760.02824 / 43
7CRUTCHLOW, CalCWM LCR Honda2:01.2220.8080.03213 / 43
8SMITH, BradleyMonster Yamaha Tech 32:01.2410.8270.01922 / 51
9VIÑALES, MaverickTeam Suzuki MotoGP2:01.3170.9030.07622 / 50
10DOVIZIOSO, AndreaDucati Team2:01.3550.9410.0385 / 23
11REDDING, ScottEstrella Galicia 0.0 Marc VDS2:01.5921.1780.23731 / 52
12BAUTISTA, AlvaroAprilia Racing Team Gresini2:01.7401.3260.14829 / 51
13BARBERA, HectorAvintia Racing2:01.9261.5120.1866 / 39
14HAYDEN, NickyDrive M7 Aspar2:02.0621.6480.13626 / 41
15IANNONE, AndreaDucati Team2:02.1421.7280.08016 / 30
16PETRUCCI, DaniloPramac Racing2:02.2251.8110.0839 / 35
17ABRAHAM, KarelAB Motoracing2:02.3941.9800.16926 / 28
18BRADL, StefanForward Racing Team2:02.4101.9960.01619 / 42
19HERNANDEZ, YonnyPramac Racing2:02.6062.1920.19624 / 29
20LAVERTY, EugeneDrive M7 Aspar2:02.7302.3160.12428 / 45
21DI MEGLIO, MikeAvintia Racing2:02.9412.5270.21123 / 33
22MILLER, JackCWM LCR Honda2:03.0062.5920.06523 / 35
23PIRRO, MicheleDucati Test Team2:03.1052.6910.09933 / 35
24BAZ, LorisForward Racing Team2:03.3162.9020.21128 / 37
25NAKASUGA, KatsuyukiYamaha Factory Test Team2:03.3372.9230.02124 / 43
26DE ANGELIS, AlexOcto Ioda Racing Team2:03.9663.5520.6298 / 45
27MELANDRI, MarcoAprilia Racing Team Gresini2:04.0003.5860.03429 / 42
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