Yamaha seems to have found its way
If you believe Valentino Rossi’s comments, it seems that the restructuring process that Yamaha’s MotoGP division went through last winter was the right decision. However, Yamaha’s fastest man during the three days of testing in Malaysia was not Rossi, but Maverick Vinales.
The Spanish rider was unable to keep up with the Ducatis in a single lap (he finished fifth on Friday, four tenths behind pacemaker Danilo Petrucci) but he showed the most consistent pace alongside Alex Rins.
In addition, it must be taken into account that the route has improved over time due to the lack of rain and an above-average degree of grip is created. If we sample the average of the top 20 laps on day three, Vinales was second, just 0.072 seconds behind Alex Rins, the most consistent (with an average of 1: 59.616 seconds).
With the new engine almost ready for approval, the 2019 version of the M1 has improved stability at the entrance of the turns thanks to improvements to the electronics and engine braking. Now Yamaha engineers need to find a way to give the bike the cornering traction riders crave.
“The road to becoming a very competitive industry is still a long one, but the working group and the atmosphere are good. The problem is that the downside that we have to fix is also huge, ”summed up Rossi, who finished the test 10th and a second behind Petrucci’s pace.
Maverick Vinales, Yamaha Factory Racing
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Ducati unbeatable in one lap
The laptime analysis makes it clear that the Ducatis are practically unbeatable for the engine like Sepang in a fast lap and on a difficult and demanding route.
That four of the Italian motorcycles left Malaysia at the top of the timesheets says a lot about the Desmosedici’s versatility, even more when you consider that one of them was Pramac newcomer’s Pecco Bagnaia’s 2018 bike. The Italian rookie finished the test with the second fastest lap ever ridden on a MotoGP motorcycle at Sepang.
Ducati has a conservative policy of using the bike as the foundation for its new machine in 2018, and this means it will be difficult to go wrong. The starting point was already good, but it remains to be seen how much the GP19 will improve, especially on turning, which was still a weakness of the GP18.
“Such a timesheet with four Ducatis at the top shows the competitiveness of our motorcycle,” commented Andrea Dovizioso, who is fourth fastest behind Petrucci, Bagnaia and Jack Miller. “Still, we have to question everything.
“It’s obvious that Yamaha took an important step because it was the manufacturer who needed it most, and we can’t judge what the Honda is like because neither Marc Marquez nor Cal Crutchlow got here 100 percent [due to injuries]and because Jorge Lorenzo wasn’t even there. “
Dovizioso continued to follow his method: he did not show his hand in relation to the lap times as there are no points at stake yet.
Danilo Petrucci, Ducati team
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Marquez sees the glass half full
Judging by his gestures, reigning Champion Marquez came to Malaysia after two months of inactivity with many doubts about his physical condition as he had undergone surgery on his left shoulder.
Despite his arrival, he got off the track and felt much relieved. Marquez seems to have concluded that there is still a long way to go to a 100 percent recovery, but at the same time he believes he will be practically fully fit again in Qatar, where the 2019 season kicks off on March 10th.
Marquez did just over 100 laps in the three days, but when he hit the track he was consistent and strong, setting the fastest time on the opening day. In addition, the Spaniard was able to test all the “big pieces” that Honda had brought along and give his opinion. At the Qatar test in two weeks’ time, Honda will focus on fine-tuning.
“This is not an unknown bike as it starts from a base that has already worked. When something is going well, it’s better not to over-modify it, “said Marquez, whose main focus was the engine and acceleration at corner exit. He will work on braking and corner entry later when his shoulder has healed more.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
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Rins and Suzuki clear the competitors
On the way to that third place with Suzuki and in MotoGP, Rins should be seen as a serious threat. The Spaniard has tremendous natural talent that he is gradually demonstrating and after five podiums in 2018, the first MotoGP win seems closer than ever.
Although Rins was almost a second behind Petrucci’s fastest time, he was the fastest-paced driver. This is shown by the average of the 15 best laps, in which he was less than a tenth faster than second-placed Maverick Vinales.
“I am very happy because I saw that Suzuki worked a lot this winter,” said Rins on Friday. In Qatar we’ll get a little more, a new exhaust and maybe a new fairing, but I’m very happy with the test. “
Alex Rins, Team Suzuki MotoGP
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Bagnaia, the outstanding newcomer
Among the rookies, Bagnaia stood out, setting the second fastest lap of the three days after completing a lap less than a tenth of the new all-time track record set by Petrucci.
“I arrived in Sepang as a Moto2 rider and left as a MotoGP rider,” said the current Moto2 champion. His mentor Rossi added: “When you consider how little experience he has in MotoGP, what he has done these days is impressive. He flew in the time attack, I just wish he was worse in terms of pace! “
From what we saw at Sepang, it wouldn’t be surprising if Bagnaia Pramac teammates Miller had a tough time this year, although the Australian will have a Ducati in 2019 while the Italian has a year-old bike.
Francesco Bagnaia, Pramac Racing
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Aprilia learns about Iannone the hard way
Aprilia is going through the same process as Suzuki two years ago when he hired Andrea Iannone, a driver with a lot of talent but little consistency and not just on the track.
The Noale brand hired Iannone for his speed, but in Sepang, site of arguably the most important test of the season, ‘The Maniac’ was barely able to drive due to an inappropriate mouth infection. The exact cause is not yet known, but it has been speculated that it was due to complications from recent cosmetic surgery.
Fortunately, Aprilia was able to call on test rider Bradley Smith, who rolled up his sleeves and took over Iannone’s bike on day three of the test.
According to Aleix Espargaro – seventh fastest and eight tenths less than Friday – Aprilia fixed the mistakes of the 2018 RS-GP, but the bike still lacks the power.
“The 2019 bike is an evolution of the 2017 bike and is much more stable than last year, especially at the entrance to the corners,” said Espargaro. “However, we lack a lot of performance, especially when the others have improved this area. We have taken one step forward, but we have to take three. “
Andrea Iannone, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
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KTM’s long mission continues
“The bike has improved, but so have the others” – that is the mantra that KTM often repeats, in this case by Pol Espargaro and Johann Zarco. As the Austrian manufacturer still has concessions, the racers took part in both the pre-test shakedown and the main test in Sepang, giving the couple five days on the track.
Espargaro and Zarco received materials to set up at least seven different motorcycles in Malaysia, and KTM also benefits from the fact that there are now four RC16s on the track – including the two satellite Tech 3 machines. Even so, the Mattighofen brand has a long way to go to get where it wants to be.
“After the five days of testing, I think the bike is easier to ride now,” said Zarco, whose best time was 1.4 seconds slower than Petrucci’s. “We are in a constant line of development because we lag far behind the others. That’s why we have so many things to try, and that’s why it’s okay for the official drivers to test them.
“The fact that a KTM rode a KTM here in Sepang in less than two minutes is something remarkable.”
Johann Zarco, Red Bull KTM factory race
Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images
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