Re: MotoGP 2011 -Season
Repsol Honda rules day 1 at Sepang
22 February 2011, By Sepang International Circuit
Under clear skies and scorching heat, MotoGP riders kicked off their second pre-season test session at Sepang Circuit with Repsol Honda dynamic duo of Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa topping the timesheets.
Stoner – the 2007 champion with Ducati and Repsol Honda new signing of the year – was fastest around the 5.543-km track for the opening day with a time of 2 minutes 0.987 seconds with Pedrosa coming 0.373 seconds behind with a time of 2 minutes 01.360 seconds.
Covering 53 laps, the Australian clocked the fastest time on his 48th lap while his Spanish team-mate, who covered 46 laps today, had his fastest time on Lap 43.
Defending champion and Yamaha Factory Racing lead rider for 2011 – Jorge Lorenzo was third fastest with a time of 2 minutes 1.468 seconds. His new team-mate Ben Spies was sixth fastest with a time of 2 minutes 1.808s.
Marco Simoncelli, who was fastest in the first test earlier this year, could only manage eighth spot this time round with a time of 2 minutes 1.996 seconds. The San Carlo Honda Gresini rider stunned his more celebrated rivals on the final day of the first session with a time of 2 minutes 0.757 seconds.
Still not fully fit from his repaired right shoulder, Valentino Rossi, who holds Sepang’s fastest time, was ninth in the time sheet on his Ducati with a time of 2 minutes 1.999 seconds. In penning his name in the record books, the nine-time world champion clocked 2 minutes 0.271 seconds last year on his Yamaha M1 during last day of the second test session.
Rookie Cal Crutchlow was clearly pushing his Yamaha bike to the limit as he had crashed twice – the first at 1.22pm at Turn 15 and the second time at Turn 9 three hours later at 4.29pm.
Others that had their share of crashes included Hector Barbera, who crashed at Turn 9 during the morning session, Karel Abraham at noon at Turn 4; Nicky Hayden at Turn 1 at 1.38pm and Randy du Puniet at Turn 9 at 4pm sharp.
MotoGP Pre-Season Test 2 – Day 1
Sepang (5.543 km)
Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team (Honda) 2:00.987s
Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team (Honda) 2:01.360s
Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing (Yamaha) 2:01.468s
Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (Yamaha) 2:01.654s
Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team (Honda) 2:01.747s
Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing (Yamaha) 2:01.808s
Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini (Honda) 2:01.909s
Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini (Honda) 2:01.996s
Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team (Ducati) 2:01.999s
Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki (Suzuki) 2:02.224s
Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team (Ducati) 2:02.645s
Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team (Ducati) 2:02.680s
Toni Elias (SPA) LCR Honda MotoGP (Honda) 2:02.779s
Randy De Puniet (FRA) Pramac Racing Team (Ducati) 2:02.920s
Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (Yamaha) 2:02.936s
Loris Capirossi (ITA) Pramac Racing Team (Ducati) 2:03.082s
Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing (Ducati) 2:03.167s
Nobuatsu Aoki (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (Suzuki) 2:04.639s