Sepang Test: Quartararo tops time sheets

Bengaluru, February 10: Fabio Quartararo made it a full house at the MotoGP pre-season Sepang Test as the Petronas Yamaha SRT rider topped the time sheets, with the Frenchman putting in a 1:58.349 to end the session close to the fastest ever lap of the Malaysian venue.

The French rider had some close company, however, with LCR Honda Castrol's Cal Crutchlow taking second place, 0.082 off, and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) finishing third within 0.101 of the top.

All manufacturers ended the test within 0.345.

It is time now to head for Qatar for the second - and final - pre-season test. That starts on February 22, with the grid now facing just three days of track time before the season begins in earnest on March 8 under lights at the Losail International Circuit.

Rossi impresses

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was the second fastest Yamaha rider. His best was a 1:58.541 and that puts him in fifth after just over a half century of laps.

Rossi's team-mate Maverick Vinales, meanwhile, was way down the time sheets yet positive about the test; his best a 1:59.169 in P18 - but after a whopping 83 laps and some impressive long run pace.

Crutchlow in the hunt

Honda's test programme workhorse Cal Crutchlow kept all the riders in the hunt.

The Brit's best was a 1:58.431 and, predictably, he was one of the most prolific on track, completing 69 laps. Reigning champion Marc Marquez did 47 laps and was P12, his day ending in a mishap at Turn 15.

Rins leads Suzuki charge

Rins led the Suzuki battle for supremacy with the No.42 almost making it three bikes in a tenth but for a single thousandth, and he did an apt 42 laps, downing tools a little early.

Team-mate Joan Mir was P10 after 32 laps, his best a 1:58.736 despite a crash at Turn 9.

Red Bull power

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Brad Binder had a pretty solid day as he remained close to fellow rookie Alex Marquez on the time sheets, with the South African shaving nearly a second and a half off his Day 1 best.

His KTM team-mate Pol Espargaro finished the Sepang test in a similar position to where he started it, in seventh, but the number 44 was nearly a second quicker on Day 2.

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)