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motogp winter test

  • Jorge Lorenzo smashes lap record in the morning session.

  • Dani Pedrosa also broke his old record.

  • Cal Crutchlow continues to do well.

The previous outright lap record of 1:59.053 set by Dani Pedrosa in 2015 has finally been broken, during this third day of the 2018 Sepang Official MotoGP Test.

While as many as eleven riders broke into the 1:59 minute time bracket just before midday, it was Jorge Lorenzo who holds the distinction as the first rider to record a time below 1:59 minutes, with an ultra-fast 1:58.830, after a superb display of riding smoothness and speed.

Picture form MotoGP.com

Former record Dani Pedrosa also broke his own record by posting a time of 1:59.009 which earned him the second fastest spot.

Picture form MotoGP.com

Cal Crutchlow continues his impressive run with a 1:59.052 lap.

Picture form MotoGP.com

Lorenzo’s Ducati Team teammate, Andrea Doviziso posted the fourth fastest time of 1:59.169.

Picture form MotoGP.com

Jack Miller is also continuing his impressive form in fifth with 1:59.346.

Picture form MotoGP.com

One rider who had been going about his business quietly is Alex Rins of Team Suzuki Ecstar. He had been posting impressive times consistently for the past two days, before posting his fastest lap yet at 1:59.348.

Picture form MotoGP.com

Marc Marquez completed the morning session in seventh after clocking 1:59.382.

Picture form MotoGP.com

Both Marquez and Crutchlow are testing the 2018 bike with the new aerodynamic package. The former remarked yesterday that the team needed to make other adjustments to bike for a better balance.

Although the second through to the thirteenth position seem far apart, the riders were separated by just 0.8 second. Those positions consisted of a good mix of bikes too. If all teams are as competitive throughout the year as what we witness now, we’re in for another exciting season ahead.

Hold on tight as we bring you the conclusion of 2018 Sepang Test later today.

 

  • Day Two closed with both factory Yamahas leading the pack.

  • The factory Ducatis and Hondas finished lower down the field.

  • The times from first to fifth are faster than last year’s race qualifying time.

Yamaha MotoGP fans’ concerns about the team’s performance is allayed at the end of Day Two of the 2018 Sepang Official MotoGP Test, when both riders Maverick Vinalez and Valentino Rossi clocked the fasted times of the weekend so far.

It was another mad dash with about an hour to go for the day, when almost all the riders went on track for one final session. Andrea Davizioso had held on to his fastest time from just after midday with Rossi in second and Marquez in third. The trio were the only riders who cracked the 2:00 minute mark of the day and were separated by less than 0.2 second.

Picture from MotoGP.com

It was Marquez who first went faster by just 0.002 second ahead of Dovizioso, followed by Johann Zarco (1:59.702), then Cal Crutchlow (1:59.443). But just as everyone was looking to see if they could better their times, Rossi went ahead and posted the (then) fastest lap of 1:59.390.

Picture from MotoGP.com

But the Italian’s teammate Maverick Vinalez had other plans, as he overhauled Rossi with a superfast 1:59.355 time.

Looking at the sector times of both Yamahas, they were close to each other’s, which could either mean that we could see their characteristics, or that they were both running similar settings. They seemed to have picked up some power too, as both bikes’ top speeds were close to Doviziso’s. Besides that, word in the paddock has it that the Yamahas were running on the medium compound tyres, which means that they could go even faster on the softs in qualifying trim.

Jack Miller is having a superb time of the Alma Pramac Racing Ducati as he claimed fifth fastest with a time of 1:59.509. That time is already faster than the 2017 pole position time for the 2017 Malaysian MotoGP.

Although there are still many variables in play during any test session, the times recorded so far from first to fifth have beaten last year’s pole position time.

There’s a much better mix of bikes and teams within today’s Top Five, compared to yesterday’s: There are the two factory Yamahas on top, a satellite Honda team (Crutchlow) in third, a factory Ducati in fourth (Lorenzo 1;59.498), and a satellite Ducati in fifth (Miller).

Defending champ, Marquez ended the day in seventh (1:59.730). As he had revealed yesterday, he had been testing the 2017 bike with different engine’s yesterday and the 2018 bike today.

Dovizioso went out again during the last session but couldn’t improve on his earlier time of 1:59.732 and was relegated to eighth.

Danilo Petrucci, who’s riding the Ducati GP18 and Jack Miller’s teammate, finished in ninth after clocking his best time of 1:59.747.

In tenth is Andrea Ianone from Team Suzuki Ecstar. He clocked a best time of 1:59.917.

Rain had stayed away throughout the day. Track temperatures climbed into the lower 40 oC, before hovering in the high thirties due to the strong breeze.

We can’t wait for tomorrow’s testing, and they’ll definitely go faster!

Sumber imej: MotoGP
  • Hari Kedua Ujian MotoGP Rasmi Sepang 2018 bermula di bawah terik cahaya matahari.
  • Hanya tiga orang penunggang sahaja telah mencatat masa di bawah 2:00 minit buat masa ini.
  • Pertarungan tiga penjuru di antara Ducati, Honda, dan Yamaha diteruskan pada masa ini.

(more…)

  • Day Two of the 2018 Sepang Official MotoGP Test started under bright sunlight.

  • Only three riders have gone under the 2:00 minute mark thus far.

  • It’s a three-way fight among Ducati, Honda and Yamaha at the moment.

Day Two if the 2018 Sepang Official MotoGP Test opens to bright sunshine and hot weather, providing the teams with a great opportunity to record some useful data.

As at 1500 hrs. (3pm), riders Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), Andrea Dovizioso and Marc Marquez (Honda) trade fastest times.

Rossi had held the fastest time of 1:59.766 going into the hour, but Dovizioso fought back to better it with a time of 1:59.732, just 0.034 second faster. Marquez, who starts testing the 2018 bike today, clocked his fastest time of 1:59.988.

Picture from MotoGP.com

More interestingly, however, was on which part of the track was Rossi faster compared to Dovizioso. The former was fastest in Sectors 1, 3 and 4. Dovi was faster than Rossi only in Sector 2.

Please refer to the layout of the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) below.

Sector 1 (in yellow) is from the Start/Finish line to the exit of Turn 3, Sector 2 (in red) is from the exit of Turn 3 to before the entrance into Turn 7, Sector 3 (in green) is from Turn 7 to the entrance of Turn 13, and Sector 4 (in grey) is from Turn 13 back to the Start/Finish line.

Provisionally, it shows that the new Yamaha is faster in the tighter twisty sections of Sectors 1 and 3, allowing the rider to carry the speed into Sector 4.

Section 2 consists of the chute into Turn 4, then the sweeping Turns 5 and 6, before a short run into Turn 7. Dovi’s time in this Sector was 27.339 seconds, compared to Rossi’s 27.577 seconds.

Picture from MotoGP.com

A we mentioned that is really preliminary at this time of the day and the riders will definitely go faster later in the day.

Also, do remember that the riders and teams may be testing motorcycles as whole, but if we break it down, these tests are also for important for the suppliers of other components such as electronics, suspension, brakes, tyres, exhaust systems, oil and fluids in the bike; riding gear including the helmet, gloves, suit, boots and almost anything else you could think of.

Picture from MotoGP.com

  • Hari pertama Ujian MotoGP Rasmi Sepang 2018 menyaksikan Dani Pedrosa mendahului keseluruhan lapangan penunggang, mengatasi desakan lewat dari penunggang pasukan pengilang Ducati.
  • Dani sentiasa menunjukkan prestasi hebat dan pernah memenangi perlumbaan di Sepang.
  • Pendahulu awal dari pasukan pengilang Yamaha telah ditinggalkan di belakang.

(more…)

  • Dani Pedrosa blitzed the field, beating out a late charge by the Ducati factory riders.

  • Dani had always been strong and won at Sepang.

  • Early chargers Yamaha Factory Team were pushed down the order.

Dani Pedrosa staved off the Ducati charge to end the first day of the 2018 Sepang Official MotoGP Test as the fastest rider.

The late afternoon session saw a thrilling tussle between Honda, Ducati and Yamaha factory teams, with their riders swapping fastest times.

It was Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) who went fastest after lunchtime, only to see Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati MotoGP) go on top. Desmo Dovi then held on to the top spot for some time before the former fought back to record a 2:00.322 time.

Picture from MotoGP.com

But as the clock counted down to the end of the first day, most riders hit the track en masse. However, it was the Ducati-mounted riders who proved to be faster. Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller of Alma Pramac Racing recorded the fourth and fifth fastest times of the day with 2:00.123 and 2:00.178, respectively.

Picture from MotoGP.com

As for the Ducati factory team, Andrea Dovizioso reclaimed the top spot with a time of 1:59.770, while his teammate Jorge Lorenzo clocked 1:59.802.

It was not to be an all-out celebration for Dovi, as Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) charged into first place with a blistering 1:59.427 lap time. Dani’s time is just 0.235 seconds slower than his record-setting pole time in 2017.

Rossi found himself relegated to sixth, with Marc Marquez in seventh with his best lap of 2:00.290. The morning’s fastest man, Johann Zarco bested his earlier time (recorded on a damp track) with 2:00.421, ending the day in  eighth.

Picture from MotoGP.com

Rossi’s teammate, Maverick Vinalez had put in 72 laps on this first day, more than any other rider. He had posted an initially strong time at 2:00.714 but the advancing horde saw him pushed down to 13th.

Picture from MotoGP.com

With such a fast early pace exhibited by Pedrosa, how will it be tomorrow? The Klang Valley saw a heavy shower late in the evening, so how will that play out tomorrow?

Stay tuned as we continue to bring you more excitement from this test.

Picture from MotoGP.com

  • MotoGP musim 2018 telah pun bermula dengan Ujian Musim Sejuk.
  • Diadakan di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang, para pasukan yang bertanding telah kembali semula untuk menguji jentera terbaru mereka.
  • Dorna telah mengurangkan lagi jumlah ujian untuk tahun ini, menjadikan sesi ini bertambah pentingnya.

(more…)

  • The 2018 MotoGP season has begun with the Winter Tests.

  • Held at the Sepang International Circuit, the teams are back to test their new machinery.

  • Dorna has put more restrictions on the number of tests this year, making this session all the more important.

While the first race of the 2018 MotoGP is a few months away, the riders are back for the MotoGP Winter Tests at the Sepang International Circuit, in which 2017 MotoGP Rookie of the Year, Johann Zarco sounded his intentions early by posting the fastest time.

The tests are customarily held in mid-February previously, but has been brought forward this year due the extra round at Buriram, Thailand in the 2018 calendar.

It goes without saying that the Winter Tests or also officially known as the Sepang Official MotoGP Test is one of the most important events of every MotoGP season. Sepang is the chosen track due to the weather which features high humidity, high temperatures and occasional torrential rain, besides the high speeds attainable. That makes SIC as one of – if not the only – track where they will look for “baseline settings” for this similar sort of variable weather and track layout, besides testing their new bikes, equipment and for the riders to get their mojo back after the holiday season.

In the first test session of the first day (28th January), Johann Zarco topped the timesheets with a time of 2:11.863 on his 21st and penultimate lap. Dani Pedrosa posted the second fastest time so far at 2:12.527 (0.664s behind) and Jorge Lorenzo in third with 2:12.897 (1.034s back).

Defending Champion, Marc Marquez is way back in ninth, having posted the time of 2:13.406, which is incidentally the exact time posted by Valentino Rossi in eighth. Rossi’s teammate Maverick Vinalez is seventh, with a time of 2:13.395.

The Yamaha pair is no doubt itching to test their 2018 machines which is utilizes the 2016 chassis, after they encountered the lack of rear grip in the rain in the 2017 season. The new bikes were officially launched just three days ago.

MotoGP: Movistar Yamaha launches 2018 Yamaha M1; Vinales stays until 2020

The times are still far behind the fastest Qualifying 2 time of 1:59.212 posted by Dani Pedrosa in the 2017 Shell Malaysia MotoGP round. Zarco recorded the second fastest Q2 time at 1:59.229 and Jorge Lorenzo was in sixth with 1:59.622.

The weather at SIC is overcast with the occasional light rain and the track is damp in certain spots. Its temperature has dropped from 30 oC to a low of 29.3 oC at the time this report went online.

Stay tuned as we continue to post results and findings throughout the day.

Valentino Rossi’s AGV Pista GP R with special Mexican graphics was introduced for the upcoming Sepang winter test.

Inspired by the Huichol bead art, Rossi took his inspirations to Drudi Performance to come up with the unique design.

The final result is a hand-painted work of art where Rossi will wear during the 2018 MotoGP winter test on 28 January 2018 at the Sepang International Circuit.

The 2017 MotoGP season might be over but it also means that the 2018 MotoGP winter test is upon us and that’ll excite any motorcycle enthusiast out there. With the reshuffle of the MotoGP grid plus some new rookies stepping up into the premier class, we simply can’t wait to see them all together with their latest generation race machines. (more…)

  • Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) set the overall fastest time (again!) at 1:59.368

  • Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) just 0.138 seconds behind Vinales

  • Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) third fastest on board the Desmo GP17

  • ALL top 10 riders separated within 0.404 seconds!

It was a hard-fought battle yesterday but the newly-appointed Movistar Yamaha rider, Maverick Vinales, set the fastest time again out of all the riders in the past three days. With a blistering time of 1:59.368, Vinales took the top spot in his 40th lap out of 72 around the Sepang International Circuit (SIC). (more…)

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