MotoGP2017 Sepang Winter Test

From MotoGP.com

Rossi: “Today we found something interesting”

After illness on Day 1 and a much improved Day 2, nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi had a good final day in Sepang at the first test of 2017 – finishing the day locking out the top five. A new fairing on Tuesday with “internal winglets” proved a big talking point of the test, and although the Italian was undecided as to its benefits, Day 3 saw the rider from Tavullia find something of interest ahead of the next test at Phillip Island in two weeks.

Rossi did a 1:59.589 for his P5, and completed 62 laps on the third and final day in Malaysia.

VR46, P5: “I’m quite happy, it was a good test, because my lap times were OK and 1’59.589 is not so bad and we are all very close at the top. In general, the feeling with the bike is positive and today we also found something interesting to further improve the bike. At the end it was a challenging test but we found something positive.”

Marquez: “It was more important to work on the rhythm”

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) spent much of the Sepang Test in the lower echelons of the top ten, but the three-time MotoGP™ World Champion struck back on Day 3 to shoot up into P2. Getting in 85 laps as the weather stayed dry except for a brief shower, Marquez’ best was a 1:59.506 to put him closest to leader Maverick Viñales on the final day in Malaysia.

Both Marquez and teammate Dani Pedrosa saw big improvements on the final day to end the test split by less than a tenth in P2 and P4 respectively – on balance a good test after seeing such a big improvement from Monday.

MM93, P2: “I’m much happier with my position today, although the most important thing is the rhythm. We did a lot of laps, trying to get as much work done as possible, and it’s gone well. We’ve completed a lot of the programmed work, although not quite everything. We still need to improve in some areas in which I’m not 100% comfortable, but overall I’m happy because we’ve improved throughout the three days and this is the most important thing. Today we worked a lot on the electronics and setup. At the end I did a mini race simulation of 11 laps and sacrificed some of the available time in which I could have done a fast lap, but for us it was more important to work on the rhythm. In general I’m really happy with how the three days have gone.”

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3)

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was again the fastest rookie on Day 3, continuing his impressive performance after the second day of testing. The Frenchman did a 1:59.772 as the last man below the two minute barrier, completing the top ten. Teammate Jonas Folger was outside the top ten for the first time in Day 3; in P15 with a 2:00.312.

Red Bull KTM Factory racing pair Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith

Red Bull KTM Factory racing pair Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith continued their long program of work on the third and final day of testing, setting a combined total of 129 laps despite Espargaro’s crash. The Austrian factory line up full time for the first time in 2017 and have been testing something new or different on every exit of the pits.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team)

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was the man closest to Viñales on the timesheets. After spending much of the Sepang test in the latter half of the top ten, the Spaniard shot up the timesheets on Day 3 and closed out the action in P2. Marquez did the most laps of any rider – 85 – with a best of 1:59.506. Teammate Dani Pedrosa similarly catapulted himself up the timesheets late in the test, with the three-time World Champion setting a 1:59.578 to take P4 – only hundredths off Marquez’ best. Splitting the Repsol Hondas was Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso.