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ROSSI SMASHES POLE RECORD ON FINAL DAY OF SEPANG TEST

Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi signed off the second pre-season test of the year on top once again in Malaysia today, meaning he has been fastest at all four days of testing so far this year. The Italian smashed his own pole record by almost three tenths of a second, proving that he and the new YZR-M1 are on track for the season's start in a month's time.

Rossi spent the final day of the test trying electronic packages, a new tyre for Bridgestone and just double-checking all the work done so far. He also had time to do a few laps on the Japanese test team's bike, providing them with important feedback for the future development of the M1. The 31-year-old set his best lap of 2'00.271 on his 12th of 39 laps, with Casey Stoner second once again in a time of 2'00.512. It was a good day for Yamaha, with Tech 3 riders Colin Edwards and Ben Spies fourth and fifth respectively.

The next and final pre-season test comes at Qatar on 18th and 19th March, by which time Rossi's injured team-mate Jorge Lorenzo hopes to have made a full recovery and to be back in action.
 
 Valentino Rossi
 

Position: 1st   Time: 2'00.271   Laps: 39

"I'm really happy to have beaten my pole record, it's a good feeling to be this fast in testing. I did this with an old tyre but we also got the chance to try a very good new tyre from Bridgestone today, which I hope we will use from the first race. Our bike is in great shape; we need to do a bit more work on the electronics but in general everything is better, especially the rear grip and the engine. Yamaha have been very clever to develop this new bike whilst keeping the best parts of the old one, I'm very happy about it. It was good to get the chance to try the Japanese test bike, hopefully the feedback I gave them will help us in the future. Now we go to Qatar and then we will see our level because it is not one of mine or Yamaha's best tracks! But we're in great shape and this is very important at this stage of the season. I'm really looking forward to it."

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SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI UNVEIL 2010 LIVERY ON DAY ONE OF LATEST TEST

Two more days of testing for Team San Carlo Honda Gresini began today with Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli picking up where they had left off in the last session at Sepang three weeks ago. Intense heat put the riders through a gruelling workout although thankfully the thick black clouds hanging over the circuit did not turn into the traditional heavy downpour. Both riders took to the track at 10am riding their RC212V machines decked in the new 2010 Team San Carlo Honda Gresini livery and they were able to work without interruption until 6pm. Work focused around setting up the new Honda RC212V, in particular the suspension and electronic settings, and both riders reported positive results at the end of the session. Melandri made gradual improvements to his pace and as a result drew gradually closer to the top riders in comparison to the last test. Whilst Simoncelli remains somewhat off that pace the rookie is still satisfied to have further improved his feeling with the bike and by the fact that his best lap time came on a used tyre. Work continues tomorrow, when the riders will look to build on the suspension and electronics data gathered today.

Marco Melandri (58 laps 2'02.086 ) "It has been a very tough day but also very enjoyable. With the data from the last test we knew we were going to able to work much better from the start today and begin to reap some of the fruit of our hard work. Now I am closer to the front guys and this is an important step forward. There is obviously still a lot of work to do but the results today give us a real confidence boost. Unfortunately I still don't have a feeling that allows me to get the best out of the soft tyre feeling otherwise we could have gone even faster. All in all I'm happy and looking forward to tomorrow. " 

Marco Simoncelli (62 laps 2'03.254) "I am continuing the learning process in MotoGP and I am happy to work like this, without overdoing it. My objective is to continue to improve my lap times but at the same time find a better feeling for the RC212V. Today wasn't easy, that's for sure, because of the heat, which everybody knows I don't like, but I think I can be happy. I'm starting to ride the bike how I want to and how my mechanics, who like me are new to this category, want me to and we're making progress. We learn something new every day - I know we don't have many days left until Qatar but I am sure that by then we'll be holding our own."   

Fausto Gresini "I wanted to be in Malaysia for this test to be with the team and to help out in any way I can. Today we sent the bikes out with the new livery and that filled me with joy. Then I saw how strong and determined Melandri is looking - he made some important steps forward today, closing the gap on the front guys, and his optimism after the last test was well placed. Simoncelli also looked to be making progress, not so much in the lap times but I have watched him out on the track and I can say that he is starting to look as one with the bike. He wasn't out there looking for a lap time and nobody was asking him to - he needs to grow day by day and find the best possible feeling with the RC212V, which is what he is doing and I am satisfied with that. Naturally there is a lot still to do with the suspension and electronics so we're expecting another day of hard work tomorrow."

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HONDA RACING INFORMATION

MotoGP test Sepang, Malaysia 26.2.2010. Final day of two day test.

Weather: Morning partly cloudy, afternoon sunshine.
Temperature: Air: 35°C, ground 52°. Humidity 84%.

Dovizioso the fastest RC212V Honda rider on final day at Sepang MotoGP test

The second day of the planned two day MotoGP test
at the Sepang circuit, Malaysia, was run in near
perfect conditions and gave the Honda mounted
grand prix riders an ideal opportunity to test
the latest version of the RC212V machine to its
limits. Five of the six RCV riders set their fastest time today.

Italian Andrea Dovizioso was again the fastest
RCV rider today shaving two tenths of a second
off his best time of yesterday. Dovizioso had
made consistent progress over the two days
running a fast pace on race tyres but
experiencing problems while running the softer
compound tyres. That left the Italian less than
pleased as it left him down in seventh place on
the time sheet, but the overall performance at
the test boosted his confidence and assuring him
that the team is working in the right direction.

Dovizioso's team mate, Spaniard Dani Pedrosa,
enjoyed a better day today to record eighth
fastest time, just behind Dovizioso.. Pedrosa
worked hard all day in the high temperatures and
made good progress with improved feeling from the
engine of his RCV but struggled with chassis set
up and leaves Sepang with several issues
unsolved. The MotoGP test at Qatar on March 18
will be of vital importance to Pedrosa in preparation for his season.

The most surprising performance of the day was
put in by Interwetten Honda rider Hiro Aoyama,
the reigning 250cc World Champion, who slashed
eight-tenths of a second off his previous best
lap time at the 5.548km Sepang circuit. The
Japanese star had found a very good base set up
for his RCV yesterday a solid base to work from
that saw Aoyama improve with each session. Had he
not taken a sickness enforced rest in the early
afternoon he is sure to have improved still further.

The San Carlo Honda Gresini teamsters, Marco
Melandri and Marco Simoncelli both crashed at
Sepang today. Melandri escaped unscathed from his
fall but the Italian could not get good feed-back
from the softer compound tyres ad his lap times
suffered. Melandri goes into the next test with a lot of catch-up work to do.

Team mate Marco Simoncelli completed only two
complete laps today before his test ended. He
crashed at turn seven, when he lost the rear end
and high-sided landing heavily on his head. He
was taken to the medical centre at the circuit
but released when no after effects were discovered.

Randy de Puniet, LCR Honda, enjoyed better
fortunes on day two of the test. His LCR
mechanics revised the geometry of the RC212V and
he immediately felt more comfortable. However,
the Frenchman could not get the best out of the
new, softer compound, front tyres. Despite the
slight set-back De Puniet will go into the next
test, at Qatar, on March 18, in more confident mood.

Honda rider quotes and lap times.

Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda: 7th. 2m 01.439s.
"If we consider the two days in total this second
test session has represented a big step forward
compared to the last time we came here at the
beginning of February. I'm satisfied that we
could lap consistently and for the race this is
very important. We did a race simulation and the
pace with race tyres was good. Today I can't be
totally satisfied with seventh on the timesheets
and this was because I wasn't able to use the
soft tyre at its best to improve the lap time.
It's something we'll have to analyse because
getting a good grid position for the race is
important. Of course there is still work to do to
get closer to Valentino and Casey, but anyway, all-in-all I'm very confident."

Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 8th. 2m 01.478s.
"We put in a lot of work today and tried many
things on the machine to improve our pace. We
made some progress with the feeling from the
engine which is positive, though we didn't really
get the results we were looking for elsewhere,
and some of the issues we had yesterday are still
there. So, there's plenty for us still to do
before Qatar. The team is working really hard and
we're positive that there's a lot more to come.
Of course I can't say that eighth is where I want
to be on the timesheets at the end of this test,
so we'll definitely look to move things forward in Qatar."

Hiro Aoyama, Interwetten Honda: 9th. 2m 01.692s
"This morning we started with a base set up that
I liked and I could improve lap time. My feeling
improved and I'm quite satisfied. In the
afternoon I had to stop for a while because I was
not feeling well. I think I drank something
wrong. Anyway, later I could do some more laps
and my race pace was more consistent. Of course
we have to work hard but I'm confident and there
is a lot of room for improvement."

Randy de Puniet, LCR Honda: 11th.
"Today we worked on the geometry of the bike and
I started to feel a bit more comfortable. We need
to improve the weight distribution together with
chassis and suspension set up. we couldn't
improve the lap times with the soft tyre and this
is an issue we need to focus on. Anyway we tested
many items here and excluded many questions mark
so I'm confident and I look forward to Qatar test."

Marco Melandri, San Carlo Gresini Honda: 12th. 2m 02.078s
"Today we struggled more than I expected. I
didn't have a good feeling with the bike and in
particular I cannot use the soft tyre at its best
so I couldn't improve my lap times. We need to
work hard as we are behind. Qatar test will be
very important in preparation of the race."

Marco Simoncelli, San Carlo Gresini Honda: 16th. 2m 03.689s
"Considering how I crashed I'm lucky to have no
injuries. It was during my first exit this
morning that at turn seven, I lost the front, I
tried to keep the bike but I lost the rear and
then I had a high side. Now I'm feeling much
better. Looking forward we need to work a lot to
improve the feeling with the bike, we need to
work of the weight balance, testing different
chassis and suspension set up. I need to
understand this bike to master it and to make it
turn how I want. Now I look forward to Qatar
test. Today we can say that we didn't test as I completed only 2 laps."

Practice times:
1 Valentino. Rossi, Fiat Yamaha: 2m 00.271s
2 Casey Stoner, Marlboro Ducati: 2m 00.512s
3 Nicky Hayden, Marlboro Ducati: 2m 00.703s
4 Colin Edwards, Yamaha Tech3: 2m 00.988s.
5. Ben Spies, Yamaha Tech3: 2m 01.014s
6 Loris Capirossi, Rizla Suzuki: 2m 01.320s.
7 Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda: 2m 01.439s
8 Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 2m 01.478s.
9 Hiro Aoyama, Interwetten Honda: 2m 01.692s.
10 Alvaro Bautista, Rizla Suzuki: 2m 01.732s.
11 Randy de Puniet, LRC Honda: 2m 01.980s.
12. Marco Melandri, San Carlo Honda Gresini: 2m 02.078s
13 Hector Barbera, Aspar MotoGP Team: 2m 02.080s
14. Mikka Kallio, Pramac Ducati: 2m 02.082s.
15 Aleix Espargaro, Pramac Ducati: 2m 02.367s.
16. Marco Simoncelli, San Carlo Honda Gresini: 2m 03.689s (2 laps).

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Edwards and Spies shine in Sepang sauna

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team concluded the second of three 2010 pre-season tests in Sepang today in confident mood after Colin Edwards and Ben Spies both finished in the top five on the timesheets.

In searing hot temperatures that peaked at an exhausting 37 degrees, Edwards rode his 2010 YZR-M1 machine to the fourth fastest time, the experienced American finishing with a best lap of 2.00.988.

After completing 35-laps, Edwards declared himself delighted with his performance after he made significant progress in improving electronics and handling with his YZR-M1 machine. He was also happy with the performance of a new Bridgestone rear tyre he evaluated this afternoon to finish just under 0.3s away from a top three finish.

Spies once again proved what a phenomenally fast learner he is after posting a series of consistently competitive lap times on only his second visit to the long and technical Sepang circuit.

A best lap of 2.01.014 was just 0.026s slower than Edwards and the reigning World Superbike champion was able to significantly reduce the gap between himself and the best time clocked by Valentino Rossi to just over 0.7s.

Spies was also able to showcase his prowess on worn race tyres when he completed a long distance run today, the 25-year-old reeling off consistent and fast laps in the 2.01 bracket.

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team concludes its pre-season preparations in Qatar next month ahead of the first race under the floodlights at the Losail International Circuit on April 11.

Colin Edwards 4th 2.00.988 - 35 laps

"It felt really hot out there today and I don't think anybody was going to do a lot of laps in those conditions. I did 35 laps and all of them were productive and I'm leaving this test really happy. I worked on the electronics and a bit of suspension work today and I was happy with the new Bridgestone rear tyre. We did full race distance on it in the middle of the day when it was really hot and I was still doing 2.02s on the last lap. So it really keeps a good level of grip for a long time. I feel ready to race right now. We've got the bike sorted out and the last test in Qatar should be another positive test to set us up nicely for the first race. We're ready to go because Yamaha has done a fantastic job. Everything they have done has improved the bike and that's a great achievement. I want to thank my guys at Monster Yamaha Tech 3 again for all their hard work and congratulate Ben too. This is a tough track to learn but he's doing a great job and he is impressing a lot of people. We're working really closely together and that is going to be great to help the team have another great year."

Ben Spies 5th 2.01.014 - 44 laps

"It has been a positive test for me again because I have been able to improve my lap time by quite a bit. I'm 0.8s quicker than yesterday so that is a good step in the right direction. I did a race simulation and all my laps were in the 2.01s. I've always felt good at the end of races and I think that is what my strong point has been in the past. In Valencia when I raced the Yamaha for the first time I came on strong at the end. When the tyres go off I feel a little bit better. I didn't quite get to improve on my overall position but I'm convinced I had the speed to get into the high 2s, but I was only able to use one of the softer Bridgestone tyres. But all in all it has been a positive day and the gap to the front has become smaller again."

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STRONG FINISH TO SEPANG TEST BY DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM

The Ducati Marlboro Team completed the second and final day of testing at Sepang, Malaysia, today with both riders extremely satisfied with the performance of their Desmosedici GP10 machines. Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden were both in highly competitive form today, clocking the second and third fastest times of the session respectively.
 
Like the rest of the riders the pair used the first three hours of the session, from 10am to 1pm, followed by a further two hours from 4pm to 6pm to do the majority of their set-up work. Slightly cooler temperatures at that time of the day compared to the intense early afternoon heat provided the most suitable conditions.
 
Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team)  2nd fastest,  2'00.512  (33 laps)
"When we first went out this morning the track conditions were a huge improvement on yesterday thanks to the slightly cooler temperatures, which meant the track was less slippery. That allowed us to get the best out of the bike and we were able to set some fast times. We started out with the same setting we finished with yesterday, which I already liked, and we changed just a couple of things and were able to immediately set a strong pace. It is just a shame that the red flag came out right after we put the new medium tyre on. I missed out on a few laps because of that but it wasn't a big deal. We are really satisfied with the package we have now and the progress we have made so far. If you ask me I'd say we are starting off from a stronger base than last year so now we'll just have to wait and see if we can get straight on the pace in Qatar."
 
Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro Team)  3rd fastest,   2'00.703 (42 laps)
"I am obviously really happy because the changes we made yesterday afternoon that enabled me to go a couple of tenths faster despite the heat have proved to work even better today with the track in improved condition. After making small steps for the last few test sessions today we have finally taken a big leap forward and I was able to ride fast. The arm wasn't too bad but it still isn't as strong as before, which I can feel more than anything in the hard braking, and it was hard work today. Anyway, I am recovering well and now we move on from Sepang feeling really happy."
 
Sepang Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati - 2007) 2'02.108
Best Pole: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha - 2009), 2'00.518
 
Unofficial lap times - Friday 26th February
 
1.        Rossi (Yamaha) 2:00.271
2.        Stoner(Ducati) 2:00.512
3.        Hayden (Ducati) 2:00.703
4.        Edwards(Yamaha) 2:00.988
5.        Spies (Yamaha) 2:01.014
6.        Capirossi (Suzuki) 2:01.320
7.        Dovizioso (Honda) 2:01.439
8.        Pedrosa (Honda) 2:01.478
9.        Aoyama (Honda) 2:01.692
10.     Bautista (Suzuki) 2:01.732
11.     De Puniet (Honda) 2:01.980
12.     Melandri (Honda) 2:02.078
13.     Barbera (Ducati) 2:02.080
14.     Kallio (Ducati) 2:02.082
15.     Espargaro (Ducati) 2:02.367
16.     Simoncelli  (Honda) 2:03.689

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