Sepang (Malaysia) (AFP) – Ducati test rider Casey Stoner came up tops as Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo finished 17th on the timesheets on day one of the 2017 test season on Malaysia’s Sepang circuit Monday.
Stoner, a former Australian double world champion, clocked 1min 59.680 seconds — 0.117 seconds faster than Italian Andrea Divizioso, also on a Ducati.
Three-time world champion Lorenzo who after nine years at Yamaha moved to Ducati recently, clocked his best time at 2mins 01.349 seconds.
“On this track there’s a lot of difference between this bike and the one I was riding for nine years,” Lorenzo said.
“The important thing is that the other Ducati bikes were very quick, and this means that the bike has a lot of potential.”
Spaniard Maverick Vinales on a Yamaha logged 2mins 00.129 seconds to be the third quickest.
Motorcycling superstar Valentino Rossi, who is looking for an elusive 10th world title, was eighth fastest with a timing of 2mins 00.694 seconds.
“This morning I woke up with a very bad headache and until 12 o’clock I wasn’t in good shape. After that we were able to do some laps and the feeling was good,” the Yamaha rider said.
Sepang circuit’s midday heat was replaced by signature tropical downpours which doused the track in the late afternoon, effectively ending the pursuit of faster timings.
Honda’s Marc Marquez was ninth quickest at 2min 00.738 seconds.
Alvaro Bautista from the Pull and Bear Aspar Team was fourth fastest at 2mins 00.134 seconds while Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone was fifth on the timesheets, logging 2mins 00.489 seconds.
The test session in Sepang will continue until Wednesday.
The second round of testing will be held on Phillip Island in Australia from February 15-17 and a third round in Qatar from March 10-12.
The 18-race MotoGP season gets under way in Qatar on March 26.
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