Jorge Lorenzo would like to forget the way the first half of 2014 went for him … it was a disaster filled with stupid mistakes and crashes. On day 2 at the Sepang test he looks ready for 2015, smooth and confident. Fast, too. He is the only rider thus far to dip under 2 minutes – just one-tenth of a second off the outright lap record.
Ducati continues to look strong, and Aleix Espargaro put Suzuki into the top ten. Even rookie Maverick Vinales got his Suzuki to nip at the heels of Scott Redding’s factory-class Honda.
Here are the times from day 2:
| Pos | Rider | Team | Fastest lap | Lead. Gap | Prev. Gap | Laps | Last lap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LORENZO, Jorge | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | 1:59.963 | 19 / 56 | ||||
| 2 | DOVIZIOSO, Andrea | Ducati Team | 2:00.015 | 0.052 | 0.052 | 6 / 54 | ||
| 3 | MARQUEZ, Marc | Repsol Honda Team | 2:00.146 | 0.183 | 0.131 | 35 / 67 | ||
| 4 | PEDROSA, Dani | Repsol Honda Team | 2:00.260 | 0.297 | 0.114 | 50 / 52 | ||
| 5 | IANNONE, Andrea | Ducati Team | 2:00.391 | 0.428 | 0.131 | 29 / 54 | ||
| 6 | ROSSI, Valentino | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | 2:00.676 | 0.713 | 0.285 | 20 / 63 | ||
| 7 | ESPARGARO, Pol | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 2:00.959 | 0.996 | 0.283 | 7 / 57 | ||
| 8 | CRUTCHLOW, Cal | CWM LCR Honda | 2:01.058 | 1.095 | 0.099 | 19 / 62 | ||
| 9 | SMITH, Bradley | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 2:01.098 | 1.135 | 0.040 | 32 / 51 | ||
| 10 | ESPARGARO, Aleix | Team Suzuki MotoGP | 2:01.344 | 1.381 | 0.246 | 10 / 55 | ||
| 11 | BRADL, Stefan | Forward Racing Team | 2:01.484 | 1.521 | 0.140 | 13 / 49 | ||
| 12 | BARBERA, Hector | Avintia Racing | 2:01.615 | 1.652 | 0.131 | 2 / 42 | ||
| 13 | AOYAMA, Hiroshi | HRC | 2:01.772 | 1.809 | 0.157 | 15 / 61 | ||
| 14 | REDDING, Scott | Estrella Galicia 0.0 Marc VDS | 2:01.844 | 1.881 | 0.072 | 22 / 52 | ||
| 15 | VIÑALES, Maverick | Team Suzuki MotoGP | 2:01.916 | 1.953 | 0.072 | 47 / 56 | ||
| 16 | PETRUCCI, Danilo | Pramac Racing | 2:01.932 | 1.969 | 0.016 | 53 / 55 | ||
| 17 | BAUTISTA, Alvaro | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | 2:02.155 | 2.192 | 0.223 | 31 / 44 | ||
| 18 | PIRRO, Michele | Pramac Racing | 2:02.199 | 2.236 | 0.044 | 39 / 40 | ||
| 19 | HAYDEN, Nicky | Drive M7 Aspar | 2:02.228 | 2.265 | 0.029 | 14 / 46 | ||
| 20 | ABRAHAM, Karel | AB Motoracing | 2:02.574 | 2.611 | 0.346 | 45 / 51 | ||
| 21 | BAZ, Loris | Forward Racing Team | 2:02.842 | 2.879 | 0.268 | 36 / 44 | ||
| 22 | NAKASUGA, Katsuyuki | Yamaha Factory Test Team | 2:02.914 | 2.951 | 0.072 | 28 / 40 | ||
| 23 | MILLER, Jack | CWM LCR Honda | 2:03.083 | 3.120 | 0.169 | 56 / 57 | ||
| 24 | LAVERTY, Eugene | Drive M7 Aspar | 2:03.129 | 3.166 | 0.046 | 14 / 45 | ||
| 25 | DE ANGELIS, Alex | Octo Ioda Racing Team | 2:03.399 | 3.436 | 0.270 | 8 / 47 | ||
| 26 | DI MEGLIO, Mike | Avintia Racing | 2:03.609 | 3.646 | 0.210 | 8 / 42 | ||
| 27 | TAKAHASHI, Takumi | HRC | 2:03.781 | 3.818 | 0.172 | 10 / 60 | ||
| 28 | MELANDRI, Marco | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | 2:04.487 | 4.524 | 0.706 | 3 / 53 |
Norm, please tell us how the new Korean Steel Alloy is going to revolutionize the motorcycle industry!
Triumph bonnevilles could become much lighter and still have traditional frames!
re: “Norm, please tell us how the new Korean Steel Alloy is going to revolutionize the motorcycle industry!”
i’ll tell you no such thing.
but what I CAN tell you is how big companies turning to foreign labor/materials is a precursor for exploitation and human rights abuses all so someone in the 1st world can save $100 bucks on a vehicle.
a vehicle they never sat down and determined whether they could even afford it to begin with…?
you are off on a tangent / political rant?
Q: political rant?
A: not so much, morals and individual responsibility. the 2 things we consumers think we’re exempt from.
How do MotoGP lap records compare to F1 cars, at the exact same tracks?
I believe I’ve seen such things superimposed on one another and the F1 cars make their way around much faster. Perhaps the largest difference being cornering speed?
Perhaps not definitive but….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRFj9jlBZuI Although Stoner is on factory CBR
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/motogp/17486184
Wow! All brand new team Suzuki #10 and #15… Good for Suzuki.
I think Lorenzo is going to be trying extra hard this year. Last year he got complacent and had is butt handed to him. Pedrosa is in the same boat. Either Pedrosa is happy with the money he has already been paid, or is happy in his position of taking points away from Yamaha riders, but he has a desire to be MotoGP world Championship, he is going to have to twist the wick more this year. Doubt it’s going to happen though. I expect Rossi is going to be a bit hungrier this year as well as time waits for no man and I’m sure he’d like another championship before he is put out to pasture.
I’m expecting some very close races this year, but I’m thinking Pedrosa will finish behind Marquez, Vale and Lorenzo, and then be replaced next year by Mark’s brother, Alex.
Very possible scenario
re: “he has a desire to be MotoGP world Championship”
since when has individual desire ever meant anything in the context of corporate goals…?
re: “he is going to have to twist the wick more this year”
he is going to keep taking direction same as what every other employee on the planet does for their pay check.
Boy I sure hope that isn’t the case. Can’t imagine how demoralizing for a racer (no matter how much you are getting paid) to be ordered to let someone else win.
re: “Can’t imagine how demoralizing for a racer (no matter how much you are getting paid) to be ordered to let someone else win.”
less demoralizing when one understands he’s ultimately a RIDER and not a wrench spinner.
he who manufactures the goods (ie. producers) ultimately controls the “horizontal”, ultimately controls the “vertical”.
with Puig having long been sent off to the Russian front, Dan’s role has been reduced to that of “beggar consumer”. this means, not only does he control F@#KALL…? but has the good sense to know it.
so, demoralizing hat was it this morning eh?
(but you may be right)
on a personal wish I would like Vale to make it with the championship (yes, just like the last championship), it would be nice to see the old dog and not the raising star win
2 Ducati’s in the top 5!! That’s refreshing. It would be really nice to have a competitive season with perhaps 1/2 a dozen people capable of taking the win, but Marquez is the obstacle to that. Suzuki is looking good too for a new team.
Don’t give Ducati too much credit. They’re still racing with special softer tires and not under the same tech rules as Honda and Yamaha. Ducati gets more engines,and if I recall, more gas. As close as Ducati is now, they should be forced to race with the same specs as Honda and Yamaha.
Once they get three third-placed podiums, two second places or a single race win in dry conditions, their fuel tank capacity will decrease to 22 litres. If they get three wins in a season they will lose the soft tyre option.