MotoGP: Vinales Quickest As Shakedown Test Ends At Sepang

FIM MotoGP World Championship

Shakedown Test

February 2, 2022

Unofficial Day Three Lap Times (all on Michelin tires):

1. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Aprilia), 1:58.942
2. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1:59.086
3. Raul Fernandez, Spain (KTM), 1:59.468
4. Marco Bezzecchi, Italy (Ducati), 1:59.711
5. Michele Pirro, Italy (Ducati), 1:59.805*
6. Remy Gardner, Australia (KTM), 2:00.046
7. Stefan Bradl, Germany (Honda), 2:00.449*
8. Sylvain Guintoli, France (Suzuki), 2:00.491*
9. Darryn Binder, South Africa (Yamaha), 2:00.928
10. Mika Kallio, Finland (KTM), 2:01.074*
11. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Yamaha), 2:01.819*
12. Kohta Nozane, Japan (Yamaha), 2:02.257*
13. Takuya Tsuda, Japan (Suzuki), 2:02.661*
14. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (KTM), no time recorded*

*=test rider

 

Aleix Espargaro. Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Rookie Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Test rider Michele Pirro (43) made sure Jack Miller’s Ducati was ready to go for the official test later this week. Recovered from COVID-19, Miller was at the track Wednesday but did not ride during the shakedown test. Photo courtesy of Dorna.

 

Remy Gardner (87). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Test rider Stefan Bradl on Honda’s new RC213V. Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Suzuki test rider Sylvain Guintoli (50). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Darryn Binder (40). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

KTM test rider Mika Kallio (82). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow (T1) got into the action on Wednesday. Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Suzuki test rider Takuya Tsuda (85). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Once again, KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa (26) rode on Day Three, and once again, his name did not appear on the timing monitors. Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing Team:

POSITIVE THREE DAYS OF TESTING FOR MARCO BEZZECCHI AT SEPANG

The rider of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team under the wall of the 2-minutes on the final day of the Shakedown

Sepang (Malaysia),February 2nd 2022 – End in Sepang of the Shakedown reserved to the MotoGP testers and rookies, the first act of the 2022 season and the debut for Marco Bezzecchi on the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team.

Three days of hard work, very high temperatures (60 degrees the tarmac today), and a total of 125 laps completed for the young rookie. A great progression: first under the wall of the 2-minutes this morning fully exploiting the more favorable track conditions and then a best lap time of 1: 59.711 in the afternoon that means the P4 in the combined standings.

As scheduled, next appointment on the track during the upcoming weekend (5th and 6th February) with the official MotoGP test, with Luca Marini on track too, again at Sepang International Circuit.

Marco Bezzecchi 

I’m happy: a good day today, even better than yesterday and overall a good job over the three days with all the technicians, Ducati and the Team. We have always improved, I am happy with my physical condition and I cannot complain. Saturday we will be back on track, there will be more references with the other riders, even more opportunities to ride together and I will continue to get familiar with the bike. Let’s go forward step by step.

Pablo Nieto

Team Manager

I am satisfied: these have been three important days of work for a new Team at the first real testing session. Marco did very well, together with the whole Team, he began to understand how the bike and the category works. The lap time is not bad at all, he was fast also considering that he made some small mistakes in that flying lap. We are here for learning, this is a kind of warm up for us and I’m happy. We will continue in this direction also in the next test, Luca will join us and will ride the 2022 Ducati Factory bike for the first time. Let’s go forward step by step, with the arrival of all the riders of the grid here, for Marco there will be more references and we will understand exactly where he is at the moment. It is an opportunity to be fully exploited to be able to stay in the slipstream of the strongest guys, make a step and have fun.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Gresini Racing:

FALSE START FOR DI GIANNANTONIO IN SEPANG SHAKEDOWN

Only 38 laps (best lap-time of 2’02.596s) for Fabio Di Giannantonio in the three-day test at Sepang for rookies and test riders. The Italian, whose progression was halted at the end of day one due to a gastroenteritis, was unable to return to the track and he is currently recovering ahead of the upcoming two-day test – again at the Sepang International Circuit – which will take place this Saturday and Sunday (February 5th and 6th).

HIS CURRENT FITNESS CONDITION. Provided that the rider underwent through all protocols/medical checks needed (both rapid and PCR tests were negative), here is the diagnosis by Dr Michele Zasa, Clinica Mobile’s manager. “Fabio has a simple gastroenteritis, with the symptoms appearing at the end of the opening day of testing. This is something quite common when we travel to the Southeast of Asia, but still led to high dehydration that doesn’t allow him to ride safely. As a precautionary measure, he rested for two days and hopefully he will back to 100% of his physical condition for the upcoming two days of testing. He is recovering already, but it will be important to monitor the situation in the next hours.”

THE TIME LOST. No need to highlight the importance of the test, especially for a rookie. Diggia’s track engineer Donatello Giovanotti had to basically redo the testing schedule for the rider #49. “The idea for these three days was to understand the bike, but especially the tyres. After a quite positive day – despite the small number of laps – in which we only used the medium-tyre option, the schedule also included a test with the other tyre option and a mini race simulation to understand the bike behaviour and all the electronic strategies. It will be difficult to recover the time lost in the next couple of test days at Sepang: we will try to make up for the time lost after day one, try the other tyre option and try a race situation, but obviously we won’t be able to concentrate on the electronics and setup.”

“Few track action from Day1 at Sepang”

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49

“I’m obviously very sorry. I got ready as good as I could to start these three days on the right foot, and the whole off-season in general. Due to a “silly” thing unfortunately I had to stay in bed. Yesterday I was totally knocked out, while today I’m a little better. I want to hope that with a couple more days off I will be ready to get back on track from Saturday already.”