2017 Phillip Island MotoGP Test, Day 1 Results
The second official test of 2017 MotoGP got underway down under Wednesday at Phillip Island circuit in Australia. Topping the time sheets on day one of three was the reigning MotoGP Champion, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez.
Under clear skies, the 23-year-old Spaniard, who struggled with the RC213V during the first tests of the season Sepang, posted a best lap of 1:29.497, just 0.3 of a second off the circuit record he set in 2013. Marquez, who completed 68 laps on 2017 Phillip Island MotoGP test, day 1, finished 0.186 of a second ahead of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi, and 0.429 ahead of Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone.
“We had quite a busy day because we worked a lot on the engine, which of course is different from the one we used here at Phillip Island last year,” Marquez says. “That meant we had to readjust everything during the morning and spend a lot of time in the box.
“In the afternoon we found a base for the electronics, but we still need to work harder in this area. I’m fast, but like in Malaysia we want to double-check how it’s working in some areas. We also worked on the setup, and overall it has been a positive day. The weather was good, which is always important, so hopefully it will stay the same for the next two days.”
The nine-time World Champion Rossi spent the day fine tuning his YZR-M1, and completed 77 laps: “It was a good day, I‘m quite satisfied. We started in a difficult way this morning. Before the break I wasn’t strong enough and because I couldn’t push at the maximum I didn’t have a lot of feeling.
“We worked well during the break and in the afternoon the situation changed, I was a bit better. At the end, with the new tire, I was able to do a good lap and second position is positive for the first day. For sure, we still have a lot to do, especially on the long distance and we hope to have good weather also in the next few days.”
Suzuki GSX-RR pilot Iannone was followed closely by the overall Sepang MotoGP test leader, Rossi’s new teammate Maverick Vinales, and LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow.
The top Ducati was Octo Pramac Racing Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci, who finished the day sixth. Petrucci was followed by Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, Ducati Team’s Andra Dovizioso, Marc VDS Racing Honda’s Jack Miller and Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Jonas Folger.
As for Ducati Team’s newest member, three-time MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo finished the day in 11th, 1.134 of a second off the pace.
“The tests here at Phillip Island have begun a lot better than in Sepang, and today we used the same base set-up that we had established at the end of the test in Malaysia,” Lorenzo says.
“It was a shame that during the last one and a half hours we were unable to improve our lap times while other riders did. We struggled to lower our times because of the strong wind and in addition the last rear tire we fitted didn’t have the same sort of performance that we had expected. In any case it’s positive the fact that every day we are accumulating new information and that we are always making small steps forward.”
The top Aprilia rider was Aleix Espargaro, who finished 14th, adn the top Red Bull KTM FRacotry Racing time went to Pol Espargaro, who finished 17th.
Phillip Island MotoGP testing continues Thursday.
2017 Phillip Island MotoGP Test, Day 1 Results:
1. MARQUEZ, Marc – Repsol Honda Team – 1:29.497 – Lap 53 / 68
2. ROSSI, Valentino – Movistar Yamaha MotoGP – 1:29.683 +0.186 – Lap 76 / 77
3. IANNONE, Andrea – Team SUZUKI ECSTAR – 1:29.926 +0.429 – Lap 68 / 70
4. VIÑALES, Maverick – Movistar Yamaha MotoGP – 1:29.989 +0.492 – Lap 26 / 64
5. CRUTCHLOW, Cal – LCR Honda – 1:30.065 +0.568 – Lap 61 / 61
6. PETRUCCI, Danilo – Octo Pramac Racing – 1:30.262 +0.765 – Lap 87 / 87
7. PEDROSA, Dani – Repsol Honda Team – 1:30.281 +0.784 – Lap 13 / 55
8. DOVIZIOSO, Andrea – Ducati Team – 1:30.410 +0.913 – Lap 16 / 64
9. MILLER, Jack – Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS – 1:30.426 +0.929 – Lap 80 / 82
10. FOLGER, Jonas – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – 1:30.578 +1.081 – Lap 30 / 62
11. LORENZO, Jorge – Ducati Team – 1:30.631 +1.134 – Lap 33 / 61
12. BAUTISTA, Alvaro – Pull&Bear Aspar Team – 1:30.770 +1.273 – Lap 24 / 68
13. BARBERA, Hector – Reale Esponsorama Racing – 1:30.771 +1.274 – Lap 7/51
14. ESPARGARO, Aleix – Aprilia Racing Team Gresini – 1:30.802 +1.305 – Lap 26 / 28
15. ZARCO, Johann – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – 1:30.867 +1.370 – Lap 77 / 80
16. ABRAHAM, Karel – Pull&Bear Aspar Team – 1:31.179 +1.682 – Lap 17 / 61
17. ESPARGARO, Pol – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – 1:31.200 +1.703 – Lap 54 / 59
18. BAZ, Loris – Reale Esponsorama Racing – 1:31.249 +1.752 – Lap 56 / 60
19. RINS, Alex – Team SUZUKI ECSTAR – 1:31.432 +1.935 – Lap 66 / 66
20. REDDING, Scott – Octo Pramac Racing – 1:31.755 +2.258 – Lap 33 / 59
21. LOWES, Sam – Aprilia Racing Team Gresini – 1:32.307 +2.810 – Lap 15 / 35
22. SMITH, Bradley – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – 1:32.690 +3.193 – Lap 43 / 57
