The rain left the classification of the second day of the MotoGP collective tests unchanged up to the checkered flag. In fact, the pilots today only had available until just before 14 local time, when a violent downpour hit the track, but judging by the times they made the most of the time available, given that there are 13 pilots in less than half a second and 17 those who have fallen below 1’59 “.
After about an hour, the intensity of the rain decreased until it stopped completely in the last hour, so there are several who continued to run even with the wet track, obviously led by the rookies, who did not give up their first opportunity to ride a MotoGP in these conditions. However, these kilometers of experience did not lead to any change in the ranking.
Sepang MotoGP test: Bastianini leads the Ducati recovery
So it was Enea Bastianini who dictated the pace at the end, who with his 1’58 “131 set the new unofficial record of the Malaysian track at the end of a day in which there were five other riders capable of descending under the best pole in addition to the standard bearer of Gresini Racing, who however confirmed that he had taken a decisive step forward with the jump from GP19 to GP21.
Compared to the first day, however, there was a decisive step forward by the factory drivers of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, with Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia also under the previous track record. The Spaniard of Pramac Racing finished third, 112 thousandths from the top, while the vice-world champion is sixth at 134. So, it didn’t take long to find a key to be fast also with the GP22.
In the top 10 there is also space for Johann Zarco, credited with the ninth time, but compared to yesterday Luca Marini also made a decisive leap forward, who seems particularly at ease with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team GP22 and closed 11th less than three tenths from Bastianini. Jack Miller, on the other hand, was only 14th, although he was about half a second behind.
MotoGP Sepang test: good confirmation for Aprilia
Overall, it was a really good day for Italian brands. Despite losing the top of the standings, Aprilia proved to be extremely competitive: Aleix Espargaro missed the best time by just 26 thousandths, but also Maverick Vinales was not far behind, finishing fifth at 130 thousandths.
A sign that the RS-GPs were able to keep up even when the competition began to have more data available and that yesterday’s performance was not exclusively the result of the extra days of tests carried out between the shakedown and the completed private test day. Thursday.
Sepang MotoGP test: Rins holds Suzuki up, Mir falls
Just as Suzuki seems to have confirmed its potential, probably one of the brands that brought more innovations along with Honda and Ducati in this test. Alex Rins finished with the fourth fastest time, scoring the same time to the thousandth compared to Vinales. Further behind his teammate Joan Mir, who did not go beyond the 12th time, but pays less than four tenths from the top.
Sepang MotoGP test: Quartararo the only competitive Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo also entered the small group of the first, reducing the gap from the top to only 182 thousandths. If you look at the standings as a whole, however, there seems to be very little for Yamaha to enjoy, because that of the world champion is the only M1 in the top positions. All the others are even relegated beyond the 20th position, with test rider Cal Crutchlow 21st ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and Franco Morbidelli (the only one to use the most advanced aerodynamics today) who is even 24th.
Sepang MotoGP test: Honda behind in position, but with small gaps
If you look only at the positions, it would seem that the Hondas are not faring much better, but with today’s gaps it really has all a relative value. On the one hand it is true that Marc Marquez is eighth, but it is equally true that his gap is only 201 thousandths. And his teammate Pol Espargaro is also tenth, 88 thousandths behind. The two LCR riders, Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez, are more distant, with the Spaniard also having a crash.
Sepang MotoGP test: KTM still “work in progress”
Not surprisingly, the KTMs continue to be struggling enough. Yesterday it was Miguel Oliveira and Darryn Binder themselves who admitted that they are still a little behind with the RC16 2022 package, as well as having changed the work routine in the garage slightly. Today the Portuguese finished 15th, but his 1’58 “645 is a respectable time, which places him 570 thousandths from the top.
Sepang MotoGP test: Bezzecchi’s nice paw among the rookies
Marco Bezzecchi deserves a good one, who was the fastest among the rookies, also slipping into the 17 drivers who today were able to break the wall of 1’59 “. Despite a crash at turn 15, the Ducati rider of the VR46 continued its growth path, improving for the fifth consecutive day and breaking the 15th time.
In the end he trimmed over three tenths of a second to the direct rival among the rookies, the Spaniard Raul Fernandez, who finished 19th in 1’59 “180, just 17 thousandths ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio’s other Ducati. Remy Gardner was more detached. and Darryn Binder.
MotoGP Sepang test: the times of the second day
Pos | Pilot | Motorcycle | Weather | Turns |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Enea Bastianini | Ducati | 1’58 “131 | 25 |
2 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | 1’58 “157 | 38 |
3 | Jorge Martin | Ducati | 1’58 “243 | 27 |
4 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | 1’58 “261 | 37 |
5 | Maverick Vinales | Aprilia | 1’58 “261 | 42 |
6 | Pecco Bagnaia | Ducati | 1’58 “265 | 49 |
7 | Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha | 1’58 “313 | 54 |
8 | Marc Marquez | Honda | 1’58 “332 | 49 |
9 | Johann Zarco | Ducati | 1’58 “413 | 47 |
10 | Pol Espargaro | Honda | 1’58 “420 | 50 |
11 | Luca Marini | Ducati | 1’58 “430 | 37 |
12 | Joan Mir | Suzuki | 1’58 “529 | 35 |
13 | Takaaki Nakagami | Honda | 1’58 “607 | 42 |
14 | Jack Miller | Ducati | 1’58 “645 | 38 |
15 | Miguel Oliveira | KTM | 1’58 “701 | 32 |
16 | Marco Bezzecchi | Ducati | 1’58 “710 | 46 |
17 | Alex Marquez | Honda | 1’58 “800 | 57 |
18 | Brad Binder | KTM | 1’59 “016 | 40 |
19 | Raul Fernandez | KTM | 1’59 “180 | 24 |
20 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Ducati | 1’59 “197 | 39 |
21 | Cal Crutchlow | Yamaha | 1’59 “262 | 31 |
22 | Andrea Dovizioso | Yamaha | 1’59 “284 | 55 |
23 | Remy Gardner | KTM | 1’59 “348 | 35 |
24 | Franco Morbidelli | Yamaha | 1’59 “365 | 38 |
25 | Darryn Binder | Yamaha | 1’59 “857 | 55 |
26 | Sylvain Guintoli | Suzuki | 1’59 “996 | 44 |
27 | Takuya Tsuda | Suzuki | 2’05 “678 | 4 |
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