Satellite Honda rider Marco Simoncelli (a.k.a. Super Sic) topped the final day of the Sepang MotoGP test and continued Honda’s dominance of the first official test of 2011. For the third day running a Honda rider was at the top of the time sheet, with five of the six Hondas on the grid finishing in the top eight.
Today’s result is an impressive achievement for Simoncelli and his satellite San Carlo Honda Gresini team, considering his performance during both days of testing at the same track last year left him in last place and was topped off by a trip to hospital after a heavy crash. After being fourth and fifth fastest on the first two days, the wild-maned Italian took control of day three on only his second lap, posting a 2′ 0.757″ time — the fastest of the entire test and unassailable by the other 19 riders; though Casey Stoner, after recovering from an earlier crash, did come within 0.054″ of Simoncelli in the latter part of the day to place second. Defending champion Jorge Lorenzo was just 0.034″ behind Stoner, while Andrea Dovizioso and Ben Spies rounded out the top five.
Though technically on a satellite Honda team, Simoncelli is now classed as an official HRC rider in his sophmore MotoGP season. And he was clearly happy about his vast improvement over last year’s Sepang test results, saying, “Well, I’m glad to have gone 360 degrees. The team worked perfectly with the new team members. Everything has turned to perfection. We all improved, I, for one, and the guys working on the bike and I am convinced that this year we will be there.” Of course, this is the first test and I don’t want to get too hyped up, so we must continue to work with our feet firmly on the ground.”
The second of the three 2011 pre-season MotoGP tests will be held back at Sepang on February 22-24.
MotoGP Sepang Test times Day 2 Results
1. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 2m 0.757s (42 laps)
2. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda Team 2m 0.811s (42 laps)
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing 2m 0.845s (46 laps)
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 2m 0.945s (51 laps)
5. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing 2m 1.002s (60 laps)
6. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 2m 1.241s (44 laps)
7. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 2m 1.353s (63 laps)
8. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team 2m 1.534s (60 laps)
9. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2m 1.651s (32 laps)
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Team 2m 1.842s (52 laps)
11. Hector Barbera ESP Aspar Team 2m 2.030s (42 laps)
12. Loris Capirossi ITA Pramac Racing Team 2m 2.057s (48 laps)
13. Randy de Puniet FRA Pramac Racing Team 2m 2.159s (57 laps)
14. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing 2m 2.645s (29 laps)
15. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2m 2.717s (44 laps)
16. Toni Elias ESP LCR Honda MotoGP 2m 2.916s (55 laps)
17. Bike #T1 JPN Yamaha Test Rider 2m 2.965s (41 laps)
18. Kosuke Akiyoshi JPN Honda Test Rider 2m 3.452s (3 laps)
19. Bike #T2 JPN Yamaha test Rider 2m 3.621s (32 laps)
20. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Suzuki Test Rider 2m 4.700s (46 laps)
Fastest day two lap:
Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda 2m 0.770s
Fastest day one lap:
Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda 2m 1.574s
2010 Malaysian Grand Prix (10th October):
Pole position:
Jorge Lorenzo ESP Fiat Yamaha 2m 1.537s
Fastest race lap by manufacturer:
Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha 2m 2.117s
Andrea Dovizioso ITA Honda 2m 2.427s
Alvaro Bautista ESP Suzuki 2m 2.895s
Nicky Hayden USA Ducati 2m 3.062s
Fastest 2010 Sepang test lap:
Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha 2m 0.271s (Day 2, Test II)
