Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro took to the track for the first time in 2022 when the Sepang Test started, the Repsol Honda Team sporting a striking black and white test livery.
The Repsol Honda Team wasted no time in starting their preparations for 2022 as Pol Espargaro was one of the first riders to leave his pits when the track opened at 10:00 local time, with Marc Marquez just minutes behind. Ahead of the Repsol Honda Team’s start on 8 February at 12:00 CET in a special black and white test livery, the pair completed a comprehensive first day under the sweltering Sepang sun.
Marquez suffered a small crash at Turn 9 in the early hours of the race, was able to return to the Repsol Honda Team garage and avoid injury. He soon returned to the circuit and was sitting comfortably in sixth place when he and his team paused for lunch around 1pm local time. A second harmless crash occurred in the last half hour of the day at Turn 15 as Marquez continued to push the limits of his new RC213V. Eighth place and a best time of 1:59.287 was Marquez’s reward after 62 laps of the 5.5-kilometer circuit. The time took Marquez 0.916 seconds off the best lap of the day.
Pol Espargaro made steady progress on opening day as he got going on the 2022 Honda RC213V. Within the top 5 and under the 2-minute mark just before the lunch break, the number 44 completed a total of 64 laps on his first day back on track. They ultimately finished the day in ninth place with a best time of 1:59.353, 0.066 seconds behind teammate Marc Marquez when they started the season. Everyone involved is satisfied with the work done and preparations for the second and final day in Sepang are underway. Espargaro has no illusions about the amount of work that needs to be done in just five days of pre-season testing, but is focused and motivated for what is to come.
The action continues tomorrow, Sunday 6th February, at the Malaysian circuit for the final day of the Sepang Test. Both Repsol Honda Team riders will continue to work through the rest of their testing schedules as they evaluate Honda’s latest MotoGP machine.