Stoner fastest at Sepang test

Stoner leads at the end of day one

Posted: 28 February 2012
by Visordown News

AT the second pre-season test at Sepang Casey Stoner has once again proven to be the fastest after ending the first day at the top of the timesheets.

The opening day was hampered by mixed weather conditions, with rain hitting the Malaysian circuit at lunch time.

Reigning champion Stoner lead his Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa by two tenths and was six tenths ahead of factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, who along with team-mate Ben Spies, is testing modifications to the YZR-M1’s existing gearbox in search of more stability when shifting.

Alvaro Bautista was the top satellite rider ahead of the leading factory Ducati of Nicky Hayden, who in turn lead the Tech 3 Yamaha of Cal Crutchlow.

Valentino Rossi completed the first day in eighth with a best time of 2:03.245, but 1.4 seconds behind Stoner's best lap. The Italian spent the day concentrating on the electronics of the Ducati Desmosedici GP12.

Of the CRT entries in attendance, Colin Edwards was the fastest, finishing in 12th and 3.7 seconds off the fastest time. The other production based prototypes were both over six seconds off Stoner's best lap.

Times at the end of Day One

1 Casey Stoner Repsol Honda Team 2:01.761 - - 16
2 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 2:02.005 +0.244 +0.244 36
3 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Factory Racing 2:02.436 +0.431 +0.675 22
4 Ben Spies Yamaha Factory Racing 2:02.819 +0.383 +1.058 31
5 Alvaro Bautista San Carlo Honda Gresini 2:02.959 +0.140 +1.198 24
6 Nicky Hayden Ducati Team 2:03.132 +0.173 +1.371 55
7 Cal Crutchlow Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:03.213 +0.081 +1.452 27
8 Valentino Rossi Ducati Team 2:03.245 +0.032 +1.484 39
9 Hector Barbera Pramac Racing Team 2:03.612 +0.367 +1.851 24
10 Stefan Bradl LCR Honda 2:03.820 +0.208 +2.059 31
11 Andrea Dovizioso Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:03.830 +0.010 +2.069 23
12 Colin Edwards NGM Mobile Forward Racing 2:05.510 +1.680 +3.749 25
13 Franco Battaini Cardion AB Motoracing 2:05.563 +0.053 +3.802 11
14 Ivan Silva Avintia Racing 2:08.109 +2.546 +6.348 32
15 Yonny Hernandez Avintia Racing 2:08.767 +0.658 +7.006 16


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motogp, sepang test, day one, second, stoner, times, 2012, crt, valentino rossi
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Discuss this story


Pagik
S'not entirely surprising is it. Still, lots of testing to go yet, look forwards to having a butchers at this tonight when I get in. :)

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 11:42


mxs mxs 3
No, it is not surprising.

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 12:17


pyndman
oh well, the ducati is no slower than last year, thats one thing I guess, with more room for improvement than last year id suppose.

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 12:39


Rob M 9
Vale said on Twitter (after translation) 'Today draws a strange day, we used the eraser at the wrong time then it started to rain ... we could do much better.'

I think it's early days, apparantly a car race had happened over the last week so the track grip wasn't excellent, so everyone has gone slower, then it chucked it down.

Will be interesting to see how the test proceeds for all. Crutchlow looks ok and Alvaro seems to be up a bit further.

Casey has wasted no time going fast, he reckons he could have easily took another second or so off that lap, so the other riders will be happy to hear that!

Still, it's hard to work much out on day one, especially when the conditions were quite variable. Would be nice to see them all get two clean days.

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 12:39


Pagik
Fair points Rob mate, looks like everyone apart from Dani and Jorge are getting left behind a bit so far. Doubtless this will be conclusive proof that everyone might as well pack up, and go home now. Oh yeah, lets not forget that the CRT bikes are dangerous as well..........................

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 15:33


mikeprytherch
Bad news for Ducati, I am gutted by this, they are not getting any closer to Honda, looked this way right from the first test and its not got better.... come Ducati sort it out (easier said than done I know)

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 16:44


Pagik
Give it the rest of the test, VR's said that they didn't use the time too wisely today, and let's not forget that this bike was nothing but a drawing 5 months ago...

I reckon tomorrow will give a truer picture (at least it fucking wants too) LOL..

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 20:48


Fred Santos
Excuses... excuses, and excuses.... we talk later, after the end of season, Mr. Excuses.

Err, the track aren't that worse for the rest of the riders, no?

Posted: 28/02/2012 at 22:02


pyndman
Casey's just the best rider going at the moment, simple really. He knows it too, he's confident and calm, and thus he'll win it this year again.

But VR will be able to race this year better than last. His early comments that he can corner like he wants to now will allow him to race more, so dont read too much into the times. We all know that VR come race time is a different story from qualification, that's because he's a born nutter and just likes overtaking.

Posted: 29/02/2012 at 00:42


Pagik
Looks like everyone's times are going in the right direction this morning, anyone got any ideas on whats happened with all the RC213V's at all. Nothing on motogp.com and all the riders are decidedly tight lipped on twitter....

Posted: 29/02/2012 at 08:52


Rob M 9
Couldn't agree more pyndman. I still think the tests so far have sucked. It's rain again today, and Honda didn't even get out today be
cause Dani had an engine failure yesterday (I believe it was still running but something had ate itself!).

The times are well off for everyone, but it's FAR too early to write Ducati off. Yesterday they only stuck the new electronics pack on in the wet and they only got their first go on it this morning. Elecs take a fair bit to get upto speed so their might be potential with it.

As much fun as it is to watch testing, we wont really know everyones hand until Qatar. I think Ducati will be showing a more respectable time by end of play tomorrow if they actually get a decent dry day to hit this with. I can imagine they might be lining up a private test before the Jerez test to shakedown any final bits and bobs.

Alex Briggs (one of Rossis techs) said he thinks while Honda, Yamaha will make small steps, Ducati will still take bigger chunks of time off as they learn the bike and adjust to it.

Posted: 29/02/2012 at 08:57


Pagik
Looks like VR's happy with the traction control, so that's a step in the right direction. As Alex Briggs has said there Rob, this is gonna still be big chunks of time for them, where as HRC and Yamaha are nearer.

VR's also just said that they'll be no new bits now until Estoril...at the earliest..

Posted: 29/02/2012 at 09:23


Pagik
As has been pointed out on another (very good) website I frequent. This is a test. Every time these bikes go out, they are trying something brand spanking new. The lap times will come. For everyone.

Frankly, I'm ashamed of myself for getting caught up in the hubbub.

(must do better)

Posted: 29/02/2012 at 22:15

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