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PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team (SRT) Takes Over Pre-Season Testing

  • The PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team for Moto2 and Moto3 are currently conducting private pre-season testing.

  • The tests are taking place at the team’s home track, Sepang International Circuit.

  • The tests are ahead of the first official Moto2 and Moto3 pre-season tests at Jerez.

PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Teams for Moto2 and Moto3 took to the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in private pre-season tests starting 11thFebruary. SIC is the team’s home track.

Team riders are Khairul Idham Pawi for the Moto2 class, and Ayumu Sasaki and John McPhee for the Moto3 category.

Their tests sessions followed in the footsteps of the third official MotoGP test which took place from 6thto 8thFebruary. The PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team riders Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo put their Yamaha YZR-M1s through their paces for the upcoming season. The Yamaha factory later announced on 7thFebruary that Quartararo will also ride the 2019 Yamaha YZR-M1 like his teammate Morbidelli’s and those of the factory Yamaha team.

Franco Morbidelli at Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com

Khairul Idham Pawi #89 – Moto2

Khairul Idham Pawi and his crew continues their work on the new Kalex machine which is powered by the new Triumph three-cylinder engine. The tests will allow Pawi to familiarize himself further to the machine. He improved his pace as the day progressed.

Pawi testing new Moto2 bike – Photo credit PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team

The tests focused on the new engine initially, before moving to chassis, geometry and suspension set-ups.

Ayumu Sasaki #71 and John McPhee #17 – Moto3

The Sasaki/McPhee pairing concentrated on obtaining the optimum motorcycle base settings on the new 2019 Honda. Work focused on learning the new engine, chassis, and chassis geometry.

McPhee testing new Moto3 bike – Photo credit PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team

Both riders put in many laps to obtain the sizeable data required. Sasaki logged 51 laps while McPhee logged another 38.

Next Tests

Testing continues today and tomorrow. The two Moto2 and Moto3 teams will head to their official tests at Jerez, Spain beginning 20thFebruary and Losail, Qatar from 1stMarch. As for the MotoGP team, the final official pre-season test will begin from 23rdFebruary. The 2019 MotoGP season kicks off in Qatar from 10thMarch.

Wahid's lust for motorcycles was spurred on by his late-Dad's love for his Lambretta on which he courted, married his mother, and took baby Wahid riding on it. He has since worked in the motorcycle and automotive industry for many years, before taking up riding courses and testing many, many motorcycles since becoming a motojournalist. Wahid likes to see things differently. What can you say about a guy who sees a road safety message in AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

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