MotoGP Sepang J2 test: What to remember

Violent storms hit the Sepang circuit last night, making the track impassable at the start of the second day of the official test in Sepang. We will have to wait until midday to see action on the circuit.

Only a few drivers ventured onto the track, like Johann zarco wanting to understand the behavior of the Yamaha in these conditions. The rest of the set gradually entered the scene around 14 p.m.

Marc Marquez first set the best time on a drying track, ahead of Alvaro Bautista et Valentino Rossi, but with a time slower than the reference time achieved yesterday by Casey Stoner.

The rankings panicked at the end of the day and it's Andrea Iannone which finally prevailed. The Italian placed his Suzuki GSX-RR in the lead with a reference time of 1.59.452, “I'm very happy with today, although we had too little time due to the track conditions. We have done a lot of work and, above all, we have taken a step forward,” declares the Italian. “In the first tests we started with a few setups that didn't make me feel completely comfortable, then when we tried a few changes I found a lot more confidence and the lap times went down significantly. huge. These are not radical changes, rather small improvements, but they have proven to be very effective. »

 

 

Andrea Iannone seems to have found her feet in the Suzuki team, “We work very well, there is a good atmosphere in my team. They work very hard and very professionally and this gives me a positive attitude which allows me to ride with confidence. Today is the result of that; We have made a lot of progress since yesterday and it is important for us to have found improvements. »

The Italian is almost half a second ahead of the Yamaha of Maverick Vinales. Álvaro Bautista completes the Top 3 of the day, but the Spaniard remains above the two-minute mark. Valentino Rossi et Johann zarco complete the Top 5. His compatriot Loris Baz concludes Tuesday with the 18th time in 2'01.227, despite an inconsequential fall at the end of the day, “Today was a little more complicated than yesterday,” explains the Ducati Avintia rider. “We had to wait for the track to dry and when we came out the feeling was very good. We then tried several tuning ideas, but I crashed. »

 

“We are suffering from the lack of track time lost during the morning, but other than that it was a normal day. Tomorrow I will continue to work on my driving style. I'm always aggressive and that doesn't work with this bike. »

Hide these fins that I can't see...

This Monday, Kohta Nozane, Yamaha test rider, released the new fairing which Maio Maregelli mentioned in the morning. This new fairing incorporates fins which are fully authorized by the new 2017 regulations. It was tested by Valentino Rossi et Maverick Vinales during the afternoon.

Unfortunately, our curiosity will not be satisfied since neither the Italian nor the Spanish have the right to say more, “I tested the new fairing, but I am not allowed to do more,” explains Viñales. Rossi nevertheless specifies that it makes the YZR-M1 more agile and better manages rear tire wear.

Valentino Rossi takes the fourth time in the ranking, “My pace was pretty good today. I chased the time at the end, and finished in fourth position, so in the Top 5; it's correct. We have a different chassis that has performed well and I like it. We haven't decided yet, but the first impression has been positive. »

Si Marc Marquez ends the day with the tenth time, more than a second behind Iannone, and 27 laps completed, Valentino Rossi thinks that the reigning Champion is hiding his game, “It wouldn't be surprising if he was half a second faster than everyone else in the end. »
For its part, Marc Marquez explain, “We have to work on the electronics when accelerating, but we are better than last February at Sepang. That said, our pace wasn't too bad and we hope we can improve it tomorrow. We have to concentrate and work hard. I am sure that we will progress step by step! »

MARQUEZ Marc (SPA)
Repsol Honda Team
Honda
MotoGP
Sepang Test 2017 (Sepang Circuit)
30 / 01-1 / 02.2017
photo: MICHELIN

Rossi ahead of the tricolor Johann zarco who completed 50 laps today, despite the difficult track conditions, “I’m happy with what the team and I have achieved together,” confides the double Moto2 World Champion. “It took a long time for the track to dry this morning and to feel comfortable on the bike. I started the day with wet tires. Just like yesterday, it was helpful to gain some valuable additional experience in the wet and have more knowledge about the YZR-M1 in these conditions. I also understood the grip levels. »

“We did a really good job today and when we started using the slicks I felt confident and was able to improve. We then put a new tire on and I was able to improve my times and progress. I always think I need time and there are a lot of things to master. This will come with experience. »

Rain in Sepang, a problem? 

Several reasons push teams to travel to Sepang for the MotoGP pre-season tests. Among these, the weather is one. It is clear that in this winter period, a test in Europe, even in the south like in Jerez, does not always offer optimal conditions.

However, since the modifications made last winter, the new asphalt poses problems drying after a storm, which is a common occurrence in Malaysia. On this subject, Loris Capirossi, a brand new member of the Race Direction, offers two solutions: “Some work has been carried out in recent months with the addition of drainage, but this has not given the expected result,” he specifies on the microphone of Movistar. “Between June and July, the asphalt will undergo specific treatment. If that does not work, a new covering will be installed next December. »

 

Note that this is a question that does not arise in World Superbike since the Sepang circuit is no longer on the 2017 calendar. In more than difficult conditions, Nicky Hayden took his first WorldSBK victory at Sepang.

The new pneumatic sensor 

Among the new features for this 2017 season, there is the new tire sensor allowing you to know which tire was chosen by each driver when leaving their box. This addresses the difficulties for the media and spectators in identifying tire choices. During a test, it is difficult to know since some tires in development are not clearly identifiable.

According to our initial information, the principle is simple: the sensor emits a signal to the motorcycle's electronic box. When the motorcycle passes a timing loop placed on the track (between 10 and 15 loops depending on the track), the box transmits the type of tire in addition to the usual information.

Remember that transponders have been used for timing since 1990 and are an integral part of the motorcycle. The 4th generation of transponders was introduced during the opening event of the 2014 season. The great particularity of this model lies in the fact that it is bidirectional. In other words, capable of transmitting AND receiving information. On this subject, only Race Direction is authorized to send information to the transponder at the moment. The transponder may offer teams the ability to send signage information, a topic at the center of discussions during the 2016 season.