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Sepang MotoGP Test Quote Machine
Thursday, February 04, 2010

These missives just in:

FIAT YAMAHA OFF TO FLYING START IN MALAYSIA

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi got his pre-season off to the best possible start today, finishing fastest on the first day of testing in Sepang. His Fiat Yamaha team-mate and last season's runner-up Jorge Lorenzo also made a strong start, ending the day in fifth.

Both riders concentrated on completing as many laps as possible on the latest evolution of the 2010 YZR-M1 and, with the weather staying dry until just a few minutes before the end of the session, it was a productive day all round. Rossi led the way and was one of four riders to dip under the existing lap record. His time of 2'01.411, set this morning on his 15th of 54 laps, was half a second quicker than second-placed Casey Stoner.

Lorenzo found it a little harder to get back into the swing of things and took it gently this morning, but he felt much more comfortable on the new M1 this afternoon and gradually began to improve his time, setting his best time of 2'02.165 on the penultimate lap of the day, leaving him in fifth.

Valentino Rossi

Position: 1st Time: 2'01.411 Laps: 54
"Today was very important because this year we have just six days of testing in which to set the bike, so we can not waste any time. This first day was very positive, we tried the new bike for 2010, with a different chassis and a new engine, which can do more kilometres, and it is quite fast. Yamaha has worked very well over the winter. Now we need to spend time on setting some electronics and other things. This is only the start but it seems we're already in good shape."

Jorge Lorenzo

Position: 5th Time: 2'02.165 Laps: 57
"After such a long break I found it quite hard to find my rhythm on the bike today - motocross bikes are not the same as the new M1! It was quite a difficult start to the day but little by little i started to feel more comfortable and to improve my pace. This afternoon, when it was a bit warmer, i began to improve my times even more and get closer to the first rider, so in the end I was quite happy with our work. Yamaha have brought some good things for us; the bike is not completely different to the old one but the small details make it easier to ride and this is important. Today was my first day of riding with my new team manager, Wilco Zeelenberg, and I feel good with him. He is an ex rider and so we were able to share a lot of information and he was able to give me some good advice."

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Winter Test
Thursday Feb 04 2010Winter Test

Sepang 1 - Day 1

POSITIVE FIRST DAY OF 2010 TESTING FOR DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM AT SEPANG

Today the full complement of MotoGP riders roared back into action for the first time in 2010 at Sepang, after a first day exclusively available to test riders, who performed ?shakedown' sessions on their machines yesterday. It was a positive start for the two Ducati Marlboro Team riders, who were 2nd and 7th fastest respectively.

Stoner, who expressed his satisfaction with the new engine, was quickly on the pace and then focused on the set-up of his bike trying to solve a problem of chatter. Hayden, who was also testing a new fairing today, set a good pace but struggled with the same problem as his team-mate. The pair are now looking forward to working more on the base settings of the GP10 and are confident of improving it tomorrow.

Weather-wise it was a demanding day for all of the riders, with ambient temperatures reaching (104 degrees) and the thermometer hitting (140 degrees) on the track. Around fifteen minutes before the scheduled end of the test, a light rain shower brought it to an early conclusion. The track will be open again tomorrow from 9am to 5pm for the second and final day of the test.

Casey Stoner 2nd fastest 2'01.902 (42 laps)

"This first day was a bit difficult to understand: we started off with a setting that was quite good and that allowed us to make reasonably good lap times. We thought we would improve as the day went on but we had a few problems with chatter. We tried a lot of different combinations trying to make the bike feel a little bit better but we couldn't really get an improvement. To be honest it was difficult to work out why because the track conditions were particularly difficult — it was so hot that it was actually hard to understand if you were make an improvement on the bike or not. In any case I'm really happy with the new engine, I think that with the other one we would have struggled more. Now the bike in general feel very good, very balanced and I'm happy with it. Hopefully the weather will be a little cooler tomorrow so that we can understand better if the changes we try are the right ones".

Nicky Hayden 7th fastest 2'02.792 (59 laps)

"Overall the day was positive, sure it went quite fast actually and at the end of the day when we were ready to do some more laps the rain came and cut it a little bit short. It would be nice to have the chance to do some more laps. But overall the bike was feeling quite good. We made a couple of little tweaks that helped us but we struggle a lot for edge chatter. There's not much testing before the start of the season so we've got to move fast: day one is in the bag, we have established a good starting point and we go from here".

Sepang Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati - 2007) 2'02.108

Sepang Best Pole: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha - 2009), 2'00.518

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FIRST TEST OF 2010 FOR TEAM SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI IN MALAYSIA

A new season of MotoGP began in Malaysia today. All the bikes and riders set to take part in the 2010 MotoGP World Championship went out on track at the Sepang circuit for the first day of testing before the season opener in Qatar on April 11th. Team San Carlo Honda Gresini riders Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli made the first laps with their new Honda RC212V machines. For the duo it was a first and crucial contact with a completely new bike, which is strikingly different to the RC212V of 2009. Both riders were positive after a relatively difficult start to the day. Most of their work focused on finding the right settings as regards the rideability of the bikes, and also how to get the best power and traction combination. With track temperatures well over 50 and the air at a stifling 32 both riders were fairly worn out after Melandri put in 50 laps and Simoncelli 54 laps, however they both remained confident about tomorrow's day on track.

Marco Simoncelli ( 54 laps, best of 2' 03" 563 )

"It hasn't gone at all bad today, nor has it been brilliant, but as first days go I'm quite satisfied. We tested several things trying to work out in which direction to go in and now we need to look at what we found. You could say that we've got a few ideas but they're all a bit muddled up, but joking aside, I'm sure that by analysing the data we'll be able to put the pieces together and tomorrow we'll be able to work in the right direction. I also need to understand this bike a bit more to give the right kind of feedback. With the 250 it was easier to get results after just a few modifications but with the MotoGP bike it's harder to find the right settings. One positive thing is that compared to the bike I tested previously the rear traction has improved, but it's a bit harder for me on the front because I'm finding it tough to work out its limits. In any case, I'm confident about tomorrow and I'm sure that we will do much better."

Marco Melandri (50 laps, 2' 03" 609) "Today was difficult for us and I think the only reason is that we lost a lot of time by starting off with a completely wrong setting. We worked all day in one direction and things were just getting worse, however as we worked our way backwards we realised that we were completely going the wrong way. Unfortunately when we finally started to work in another direction it began to rain so I was only able to do a single lap, but the feeling was instantly better. On a positive note we haven't used too many tyres up today so we'll have more to use tomorrow, as well as a much clearer idea of which way we need to work. At the end of the day I'm satisfied. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the bike is quite different from the one we tested at Valencia last year, and I continued in the way we had with the bike at that test, but it's clear we need to go another way. It's a shame to have lost time, but we'll make it up tomorrow."

Fausto Gresini "Everything is new and so we need to look at today as a shakedown really. It is the first time that we have been out on track with a completely new bike with a few new technical aspects that we have never used, so both the rider and the team have to understand these new components. It was hard at first, but with a lot of hard work we believe we have worked out which way to go tomorrow which is decidedly important. We're convinced that we will go much better on the second day of testing and we can get closer to our objectives for this year of being main protagonists. I am calm, I know that I have two top riders in the team who will give their all, but everything is new, so just like all things that are new, you need a little time to get used to them."

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REPSOL HONDA TEAM RETURN TO ACTION AT SEPANG

The Repsol Honda Team began the first official test of 2010 today as the MotoGP winter break came to an end at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. With an unchanged rider line-up of Spaniard Dani Pedrosa and Italian Andrea Dovizioso, the factory Honda squad once again rolled up the garage shutters and got back out on track in preparation for the coming season.

Although HRC's engineers and test riders have continued development of the new 2010 RC212V during the winter testing ban, today was the first time that Pedrosa and Dovizioso had turned a wheel on the 800cc V4 Honda since 11 November last year. The 2010 machine features the new chassis and swingarm which debuted at the post-race test in Valencia, combined with an engine designed to comply with the new rules limiting engine numbers this year, and the latest evolution electronics. Both riders spent the time today reacclimatising to riding MotoGP machinery after a two-month layoff, and performed shakedown tests of the latest enhancements and machine updates completed by HRC over the winter period.

Dovizioso completed 51 laps today and declared himself satisfied with the shakedown performance of his RC212V and encouraged by the potential shown by his machine. On a day when outright lap times were not the priority, the 23-year-old finished in 6th place with a best time of 2m 02.630s. Pedrosa, who won the final race of the 2009 season, began the test steadily, completing 51 laps on board the 2010 RC212V. Once more displaying his favoured number 26 on the front of his bike, 24-year-old Pedrosa felt no ill effects following a minor operation he underwent in December to remove a screw from his left wrist, and finished the day with a lap time of 2m 02.866s, which was good enough for eighth on the timesheets.

The Repsol Honda riders will return to the track tomorrow to wrap up this two-day test, before returning to Sepang at the end of February for further pre-season testing.

Andrea Dovizioso - Best lap 2m 02.630s 52 laps

"This is a very important test and it's good to be back on the bike after such a long winter break. This was a positive first day and I'm happy with the updated machine that Honda has brought here. We have a lot of work to do before we're ready and many things that need to be tested, so today's lap times are not indicative of our potential. The work that Honda has done on the electronics has made a big improvement, and also the feeling from the chassis is better. We're concentrating on improving a pace that we can maintain throughout the race, and that's what we'll continue with tomorrow. There's plenty still to test but this first session has been important to confirm we're heading in the right direction."

Dani Pedrosa - Best lap 2m 02.866s 51 laps

"This was a normal first day of testing for us. It's been a long time since we last rode the bike and so it took some time to get used to the speed once again and work back into the rhythm - this is natural. We weren't looking for lap times or high performance and we spent a lot of the day working on the Ohlins suspension because this is a major change for us this season compared to last. The feeling from my left wrist where I had a screw removed in December was good, so this is positive. Generally, I took it carefully today and we have plenty of places where we can make further improvements - starting tomorrow."

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HONDA RACING INFORMATION

MotoGP test Sepang, Malaysia 4.2.2010. Day one of two day test.

Dovizioso fastest Honda RC212V rider on opening day of Sepang test

Following a two month winter layoff the MotoGP World Championship riders returned to action with the first test of 2010 at the 5.548km Sepang circuit, Malaysia, all anticipating a step up in machine performance. HRC has spent the winter months developing every area of RC212V performance, with new technical regulations that limit the number of engines per rider per season durability has been improved without loss of performance, the chassis, first tested at Valencia last November, has a new swinging arm which combined with upgraded Ohlins suspension has greatly improved front end stability. However, it is the new electronics with smoother characteristics that have most impressed the riders.

The track opened for testing at 09.00. and continued through a warm humid day until rain showers fell at 16.30. ending the session 30 minutes early. Establishing a base line machine set up dominated the best part of the day and it was not until lunchtime that the consistently fast lap times were set.

Repsol Honda factory team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa spent the day adjusting to the new machine but both ended the day in positive mood. Dovizioso was particularly impressed with the electronics and the improved chassis. The young Italian was the fastest of the RC212V riders with sixth fastest time overall at 2m 2.630s. Pedrosa worked hard on setting his Ohlins suspension system and ended the day two-tenths of a second and two places behind his team mate.

Frenchman Randy De Puniet, LCR Honda, found the new RCV a little unsettling on his first run but as the LCR technicians slowly improved the chassis and suspension settings De Puniet felt more comfortable and his lap times began to improve. He was on a long run when the rain came but was satisfied the team were working in the right direction.

Marco Melandri, San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V, lost the best part of his opening day working in the wrong direction with machine set up. Melandri and his technicians had prepared his RCV based upon the results of the Valencia test of last November. The team technicians eventually reverted to the base set up of the new chassis and suspension and saw Melandri steadily lower his lap times during the remaining track time before the rain shower commenced.

Melandri's team mate and fellow Italian, MotoGP rookie Marco Simoncelli, had tested at Sepang in December and ended the opening day satisfied with his improvement in performance at the track aboard the new RC212V. The former 250cc World Champion was impressed with the RCV's rear end traction but is still experiencing difficulties understanding the limit of front end adhesion.

The second Honda mounted MotoGP rookie, reigning 250cc World Champion, Japanese Hiro Aoyama, struggled to find a good feeling while testing the all new machine today. Aoyama put in 66 grueling laps around the 5.548km circuit chasing a comfortable set up that will give him more feedback from the RCV.

Honda rider quotes and lap times.

Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda: 6th - 2m 02.630s. 51 laps.

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 8th - 2m 02.866s. 52 laps.

Randy de Puniet, LCR Honda: 13th - 2m 03.456s. 62 laps.

"It was a hard day for us. The first impression was not so positive because the feeling of the bike was quite nervous. Then with the team we have worked a lot on the set up of the machine so that I could be more comfortable on the bike. Around 4.00 pm we made a long run, and the feeling of the bike improved so I'm confident for tomorrow".

Marco Simoncelli, San Carlo Gresini Honda: 14th - 2m 03.563s. 56 laps.

"To be the first day of testing I can say I'm quite satisfied but I will need time to understand and know this bike. It was a useful day to understand the direction we need to follow and we also need to analyse the data. With the 250cc bike it was easier to feel the difference when you made some changes. With the MotoGP this is more difficult. Compare to the last December test here in Sepang I can say that the traction on the rear is improved but I struggle a little bit more with the front because it's more difficult to understand the limit."

Marco Melandri, San Carlo Gresini Honda: 15th - 2m 03.609s. 28 laps.

"Today I lost a lot of time because I followed the feelings that I got at the last Valencia test, so we worked in the wrong direction for almost the whole day, then went back to the base set up and the feeling improved. At the end of the test session is started raining so I couldn't improve so much but we have clearer idea for tomorrow so I'm confident for tomorrow."

Hiro Aoyama, Interwetten Honda: 17th - 2m 03.651s. 66 laps.

"It was a difficult day for me. I didn't find the feeling with the bike and I struggled a lot especially in braking. Compared to the bike we tested here in December, this is a different machine so I need to know the bike, get used to it and work at the set up to improve my feeling with the bike."

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ENDS

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