Second test at Sepang, Day 1 Results

Following Wednesday’s relatively quiet day for test riders only at Sepang, the official MotoGP riders were on track on Thursday as the second test of 2010 got underway in Malaysia. As was the case three weeks ago at the first test Valentino Rossi topped the timesheet on his factory YZR-M1, as he set a best lap time of 2’01.068.

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) fell at around 1.35pm local time at turn nine having completed 26 laps, but returned two hours later and made a total of 47 for the day on board his factory RC212V with a best time of 2’02.036, whilst the rider to record the joint-highest number of turns on Thursday was Mika Kallio of Pramac Racing. The Finn’s 76 laps produced a time just 0.002s slower than Pedrosa, as he came in eighth fastest whilst trying out different front forks on the GP10.

Álvaro Bautista suffered the first fall of the day just after midday on his Suzuki. He returned to action shortly after on the GSV-R and knocked over a full second off his previous test time, with a 2’02.078 from 34 laps his best effort as he rode the new engine that team-mate Capirossi is also testing.

Rookies Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP), Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing) – who crashed at turn four late in the day – and Héctor Barberá (Paginas Amarillas Ducati) followed, with LCR Honda rider Randy de Puniet putting in a solid 76 laps whilst testing chassis geometry in search of the right direction to take on the RC212V, and all made better times than their last test at Sepang.

Tyre supplier Bridgestone has made available to all riders two new tyre specifications for this test: the medium rear compound for 2010, which is a softer option qualifying tyre, and a new front tyre compound to be used for 2011.

Also on track were Yamaha test riders Norihiko Fujiwara and Wataru Yoshikawa, with a notable absence from this second test being Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo who is still recovering from a hand injury sustained in a training accident two weeks ago.

The riders are due to return to the track for the second and final day of this test on Friday morning at 10am local time.

Fastest Laptimes, Day1

Pos Rider Team Fastest lap Lead. Gap
1 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Team 2:01.068 –
2 Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro Team 2:01.219 +0.151
3 Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda Team 2:01.631 +0.563
4 Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 2:01.687 +0.619
5 Ben Spies Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:01.843 +0.775
6 Colin Edwards Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:01.897 +0.829
7 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 2:02.036 +0.968
8 Mika Kallio Pramac Racing Team 2:02.038 +0.970
9 Alvaro Bautista Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 2:02.078 +1.010
10 Marco Melandri San Carlo Honda Gresini 2:02.086 +1.018
11 Nicky Hayden Ducati Marlboro Team 2:02.221 +1.153
12 Hiroshi Aoyama Interwetten-Honda MotoGP 2:02.419 +1.351
13 Aleix Espargaro Pramac Racing Team 2:02.447 +1.379
14 Hector Barbera Aspar Team 2:02.485 +1.417
15 Randy De Puniet LCR Honda MotoGP 2:02.535 +1.467
16 Marco Simoncelli San Carlo Honda Gresini 2:03.254 +2.186

Source: motogp.com