The 2022 Official MotoGP pre-season test has concluded at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) on Sunday.
The event also marked the nation’s first international motorsport event after a two-year absence.
The two-day event , was dubbed to be successful by SIC and Dorna.
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro clocked the fastest time in Day 1 before Gresini’s Enea Bastianini improved his lap to take Day 2.
The 24-year-old Italian did 1m 58.131s which is also a new track record.
“Overall feedback, everyone was pleased,” said SIC CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif.
“The protocol that we put in place was very straightforward.
“Tests are being conducted every day, and in terms of participants, they are regularly checked.
“On the other side (spectators), we set up very well for us to get the fans in.
“After two years not having any events, the support is still very high; they are still passionate about the sport,” he said.
Anyhow, Azhan hoped that the success of the Sepang Test could set a benchmark for the Malaysian GP, in October.
“I hope this could be a benchmark for every other event, including the Malaysian GP. I hope this (Sepang Test) could be the spark that we need,” he added.
Asking whether the current rise of Covid-19 cases could impact the Malaysian GP in October, here is what Azhan had to say.
“We plan to run the Malaysian GP at 100 per cent capacity; however, it will depend on the ongoing scenario at that point of time.
“For example, if cases are still on the rise, then we have to shift and adapt our proposal to the government.
“Hopefully, by October, the country will go into the endemic stage so that the Standard Operation Procedure is loosened,” said Azhan.
Enea Bastianini made surprise improvement towards the end of last season as the young Italian managed to collect 71 points during the final six rounds of the 2021 MotoGP season.
After making a switch to Gresini Racing onboard the Ducati GP21, the 24-year-old is among the fastest rider in Day 1 and 2 at the Official MotoGP Sepang Test.
Bastianini clocked second fastest in Day 1 with 1 minute 58.638 seconds, one of only two riders who managed to do under 1m58s alongside Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro who came out on top.
However, Bastianini further improve his lap time at Day 2 and emerged as the fastest rider of the day with 1m 58.131s ahead of Espargaro’s 1m 58.157s.
According to Bastianini, the Ducati GP21 offers a lot of improvements compared to Avintia’s Ducati GP19, the bike he rode throughout of his rookie season last year.
“I’ts better in every part of the track. You can brake later and also I like a lot the rear because it’s more stable.
“Especially when I have the new tyre on the rear I can open throttle aggressively compared to the GP19,” he said.
After making a great impression towards the end of the last season, the rider is expected to make a significant leap for 2022.
Ujian pra-musim Winter Test di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang berakhir hari ini dengan Fabio Quartararo meneruskan kecemerlangan untuk tiga hari berturut-turut.
Pelumba pasukan Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT) itu merekodkan masa terpantas hari ini dengan 1 minit 58.349 saat.
Catatan itu juga yang terpantas direkodkan Quartararo berbanding hari pertama dan kedua.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) merekodkan catatan masa kedua terbaik dengan 1’58.431s diikuti Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) dengan 1’58.450s.
Hari terakhir ujian pra-musim turut menyaksikan pelumba uji Monster Energy Yamaha, Jorge Lorenzo memuat penampilan dan muncul ke-20 terpantas hari ini dengan 1’59.697s.
Sementara itu, pertahan juara, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), yang belum pulih sepenuhnya daripada kecederaan bahu, muncul ke-12 terpantas dengan 1’58.772s.
Para pelumba akan menjalani ujian pra-musim terakhir di Litar Losail, Qatar sebelum musim 2020 membuka tirai di litar sama 8 Mac ini.
Pelumba Avintia Ducati, Johann Zarco mengakui jangkaannya meleset apabila menyangka mampu merekodkan catatan masa lebih pantas ketika ujian pra-musim di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang (SIC), semalam.
SIC merupakan platform sulung Zarco dalam menguji jentera Avintia selepas tidak terlibat dalam aksi ujian di Valencia dan Jerez, November lalu.
Zarco mendakwa senario dilepaskan KTM lebih awal di samping masa pendek ketika bersama LCR Honda menjejaskan aksi sulungnya.
“Saya mengharapkan keputusan yang lebih baik, pada awalnya saya menyangka akan merekodkan masa yang lebih pantas.
“Tetapi banyak perkara yang saya pelajari selepas 54 lap. Saya perlu bertenang dan cuba memahami jentera Ducati dengan lebih baik,” jelasnya.
Zarco bergelut ketika bersama KTM sehingga bekas pasukannya itu menyifatkan moral pelumba itu memberi kesan negatif terhadap seluruh pasukan.
Bagaimanapun, dia kini menegaskan Ducati memberi sokongan penuh terhadap dirinya.
“Saya banyak mendapat sokongan dari Ducati, mereka benar-benar mengambil info penting dari saya. Pada masa sama, mereka juga memberitahu saya untuk mengambil masa dalam menyesuaikan diri,” tambahnya.
Hari kedua ujian pra-musim Winter Test bersambung hari ini.
Hari pertama ujian pra-musim ‘Winter Test’ MotoGP berakhir dengan Fabio Quartararo mengungguli catatan masa terpantas di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang, hari ini.
Pelumba Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT) itu merekodkan masa terpantas bagi hari pertama dengan catatan masa 1 minit 58.985 saat.
Sementara rakan sepasukan, Franco Morbidelli kedua, 0.051 saat dibelakang.
Menariknya, Quartararo melakukan catatan itu menggunaka jentera YZR-M1 2019 dan bukannya jentera Factory Spec M1 2020 yang dilancarkan semalam.
Pelumba Aprilia, Aleix Espargaro membuat kejutan di peringkat awal ujian apabila merekodkan masa terpantas sebelum menamatkan hari pertama di tempat ke ketujuh.
Sementara itu, pertahan juara, Marc Marquez menamatkan sesi ujian di kedudukan ke-12 sementara rakan sepasukan – dan adiknya – Alex Marquez di kedudukan ke-13.
Marquez masih lagi belum 100 peratus cergas susulan masih lagi dalam proses pemulihan daripada kecederaan bahu yang dialaminya musim lalu.
Bagaimanapun, pelumba Suzuki dan LCR Honda, Alex Rins dan Cal Crutchlow merekodkan catatan masa ketiga dan keempat terpantas.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Johan Zarco, yang kali pertama menunggang jentera Ducati bersama pasukan satelit, Avintia, menduduki tempat ke-19.
Hari kedua ujian pra-musim di SIC kembali bersambung esok.
Pelumba KTM, Pol Espargaro, terkejut dengan chasis baharu diguna pakai apabila berjaya menyaingi juara dunia 2019, Marc Marquez.
Espargaro berjaya menyaingi catatan masa terpantas Marquez kurang tiga lap selepas menggunakan chasis baharu tersebut.
Pada hari pertama sesi ujian di Valencia, dia berjaya menamatkan sesi dengan catatan masa kelapan terpantas.
Bagaimanapun, sebaik menggunakan kerangk baharu, Espargaro berjaya menduduki tempat kedua dibelakang Marc Marquez.
Dia kemudiannya akui terkejut dengan keputusan itu.
“Ketika ujian sesi pagi, saya menunggang dengan chasis sama sebelum mengalami kemalangan.
“Kemudian, Brad (Binder) turut kemalangan jadi kami kehabisan jentera untuk diuji. Ketika itu lah saya diberikan jentera dengan kerangka baharu dan saya terus terpegun!
“Saya mencatat masa kedua terpantas di belakang Marquez. Jentera ini jauh lebih baik di bahagian selekoh dan memiliki cengkaman yang mantap,” jelasnya.
The MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 classes hold pre-season tests each year.
But there is an extra immediacy in MotoGP pre-season tests.
It’s especially crucial lately due to the limit on testing and development throughout the season.
There’s so much coverage not just for the regular MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 season these days. But why is pre-season testing so important?
Why do teams pay so much attention to just four sessions over three months, although the race calendar covers 19 venues worldwide over eight months?
The main objective of the pre-season tests is to discover more about the new machinery and gain the all-important data. This term is oversimplified as there are countless number of regimes that the riders, teams, the component engineers, tyre engineers, so forth need to test for and gain the required feedback.
Rossi and Vinalez during the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
The riders would put in a large number of laps on track while trying to figure out how the tyres and bike work and finding the optimal way of extracting the best performance (i.e. lap times) out of them. The team’s engineers meanwhile, need to figure out what suspension and electronic settings could unlock the bike and its components’ full potential. That data will be useful in the races to come as the teams have a basic idea of what the bike does.
Other suppliers such as helmet and racesuit makers for the riders, exhaust makers, motorcycle component makers, etc. are also keen for feedback to improve their products. This is when they can tailor a certain fit for the rider. That goes for footpeg suppliers, for instance, as well.
However, that still doesn’t explain the immediacy we see these days. That is due to the limits on testing mandated by the GP Commission.
Along with standardized technological specifications, the GP Commission limit the number of official testing events to curb the cost spent by the factory teams, besides giving less time for the bikes to “evolve” over the season.
Marc Marquez at SIC test – Photo credit MotoGP.com
At the conclusion of the fourth and final pre-season test at Qatar, teams without concessions must declare the engine they will use for the entire season. When the engines are produced, they will be crated and sealed by the Grand Prix Commission. Thus, the team will need to use that engine throughout the year.
Therefore, the team is screwed for the entire year if they picked the wrong engine.
The GP Commission made this decision to keep development in check and ensures that teams with more resources (read: money) could not keep upgrading their bikes as the season progresses.
The progress we see these days come from elsewhere such as suspension tuning, electronic strategy, tyres, bike’s suitability to certain tracks and of course, rider skill.
By the way, what does it mean by “teams without concessions”? Under the rule book, teams or manufacturers who have not attained the number of podiums in dry races are given more leeway i.e. concessions to develop their motorcycles throughout the season.
Aleix Espargaro on the Aprilia RS-GP at the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
This arrangement encourages new teams to join the MotoGP class. Indeed, manufacturers such as Ducati and Suzuki benefitted from this to challenge the Big Two of Honda and Yamaha. They are not without concessions.
On the other hand, Aprilia and KTM are allowed more concessions in terms of fuel limits during the race, more engines per season, more testing and development, and wildcard riders. This will help to fast-track their MotoGP programs to join the upper ranks.
Miguel Oliveira on the KTM RC16 at the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
Without this rule, the bigger manufacturers will keep staying in front, while the smaller teams or newcomers find themselves languishing at the back of the field.
Andrea Dovizioso sharing a light moment with his crew chief during the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
Ujian pra musim Moto2 dan Moto3 2018 telah berlangsung baru-baru ini di Valencia.
Ketiga-tiga hari ujian berkenaan telah dibantutkan oleh hujan yang telah menyebabkan litar menjadi sejuk.
Penunggang dari Malaysia, Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Moto2) dan Adam Norrodin (Moto3) meluangkan masa tersebut menyesuaikan diri dengan jentera masing-masing.
The 2018 Moto2 and Moto3 pre-season tests got underway at Valencia recently.
All three days were hampered by rain and subsequently cold track.
Malaysian riders Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Moto2) and Adam Norrodin (Moto3) spent time adapting to their machines.
Malaysian Moto3 and Moto2 riders found the going tough during their respective class’ pre-season tests.
The three-day test session held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain saw rain and subsequent cold weather, hampering the quest for racking up more track time and faster laps.
Moto2
Returning rider, Zulfahmi Khairuddin, now riding for the SIC Racing Team saw his track time cut down just three 70-minute sessions and completing only 72 laps in total over three days.
There were nine sessions (three per day) for each class. In Moto2, the first day was a total washout. No riders went on track in Session 1. Sessions 2 and 3 saw only Dominique Aegerter riding for 12 and 14 laps, respectively.
The weather stayed more or less the same on the second day. Session 4 saw only five riders posting very few laps, with Isaac Vinalez completing the most number of laps at 20. The next closest riders Stefano Manzi and Jorge Navarro completed only 7 laps apiece.
All riders saw action in Session 5 and 6 but posted times slower than the normal pace.
Session 7 on Day Three was another washout and only Mattia Pasini went out riding, completing a token 4 laps. All riders rode in Sessions 8 and 9, however, just the days before, no one put in a large number of laps to be of true meaning.
Test sessions in good weather usually see riders completing many more laps as they work on setting up their bikes.
It was a learning experience for Zulfahmi as he adapts to the Kalex, having been roped in to replace Hafizh Syahrin at almost the 11th hour.
“The first day was rain and the second day we did only a few laps to check the bike and get a feel for the bike,” said Zulfahmi.
Zulfahmi continued, “The hardest part for me is getting used to the tyres; we are now working on the engine braking to make me more comfortable to brake harder.”
Zulfahmi Khairuddin – Picture from MotoGP.com
Riders need time to adapt to the characteristics and limits of new tyres, especially when they make the switch from road-legal race compound tyres to full-on race tyres. Race tyres may provide more grip, but it remains as potential grip if the rider could not find the way to make them work i.e. keeping them in the optimal working range.
He remains optimistic and cheerful, however, “It’s fantastic to be going to Sepang next week because the weather is so much better than in Europe right now.”
Team Manager, Johan Stigefelt said, “This test was the first time riding the Moto2 bike for Fahmi; a week ago he didn’t know he would be here, so of course it’s quite nerve-wracking for him to have a complete new bike and new crew around him.”
Moto3
As with Moto2, the Petronas Sprinta Racing team’s riders Adam Norrodin and Ayumu Sasaki (from Japan) saw rain disrupting their plans. Only four riders completed a few laps throughout the day.
Day Two’s Session 4 in the morning saw only four riders completing 4 laps each; while 17 out of 24 riders went on track in Session 5.
All riders finally went on track in Session 6, which saw Sasaki posting the 11th fastest time, while Adam was way back in 24th.
Day Three was almost the same, having full participation in Session 8, only. The most lap completed was a measly 30.
Both riders crashed due to cold tyres and Adam injured a finger. “It’s been quite a frustrating first test with the weather being so cold! We couldn’t ride at all on the first day because of the rain and then even when it stopped it was too cold to get any real heat in the tyres,” he lamented.
About the last day, “Today it has been sunnier but still so cold, so when we went out I just concentrated on getting used to the bike again.”
Adam Norrodin in the 2017 Argentina GP
“Today has been a better day,” said Sasaki, “it’s been a lot sunnier but still very cold.”
Ayumu Sasaki – Picture from MotoGP.com
Both teams will head home to the Sepang International Circuit for private testing from
As we all know, the first official winter test session this year was conducted over at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) for three days from 30 January 2017 until 1 February 2017. Like every other winter test, the fans were keen and excited to have a look at what will be the special design of their beloved rider and 9 times MotoGP World Champion, Valentino Rossi. (more…)
Newly-appointed SUZUKI ECSTAR rider, Andrea Iannone, clocked in the fastest time on day 2 of the MotoGP Winter Test 2017
It was a slow start to the day as the morning session was only filled with four bikes total; three Ducatis and a Yamaha Tech 3 machinery. Due to heavy rain on Monday evening, the track was still a bit damp and most of the riders and team waited for the track to dry before heading out sometime around 2pm local time. (more…)
Pelumba KTM, Pol Espargaro, terkejut dengan chasis baharu diguna pakai apabila berjaya menyaingi juara dunia 2019, Marc Marquez.
