2018 Thailand MotoGP Test Results

Following MotoGP’s debut at Thailand’s Chang International Circuit, Honda RC213V machinery dominated.

LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow led the opening day, and Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez bettered the Brit’s time on Saturday to take the top spot, and become the first rider to post under the 1:30 mark. On Sunday yet another Honda rider was quickest, this time Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.

The Spaniard set the baseline lap time of 1:29.871 at the 2.83-mile flat circuit just outside of Buriram. During Sunday’s final day of Thailand MotoGP testing, a Yamaha and two Honda pilots followed Pedrosa:

• Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3, (-0.086)
• Cal Crutchlow (-0.283)
• Marc Marquez (-0.362)

In total, Pedrosa completed 271 laps during the test, he and his teammate, the reigning MotoGP Champion Marquez, working with the latest engine configuration, new aerodynamics, new chassis settings, and some Michelin tires. Both riders also practices race simulation to prep for round 15, which gets underway in October at the Thailand circuit.

“We leave Thailand with positive feelings. The test was quite tough as the temperatures were high, and we worked really hard over the three days,” Dani Pedrosa says.

“In the end we didn’t have many tires left, so we had to carefully manage the planning of our work. We worked on many aspects of the bike’s setup, and step-by-step we improved our speed and pace. Among other things, today we tested a carbon swing arm that’s a new area for us to work on, so we’re still in the process of learning and of finding the feeling. I

“I’m very happy with the job my team is doing at the track, and with what the engineers are doing back in Japan. They’re really helping us to improve, and this is good and gives us confidence. Hopefully we’ll be able to continue this trend at the final test in Qatar, which will be very interesting as conditions will be different.”

As for Marquez, he suffered a small crash on the third and final day of Thailand MotoGP testing, but was able to finish the day fourth, just ahead of the top Suzuki pilot – Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins.

The top Ducati time Sunday went to Alma Pramac Racing Ducati’s Jack Miller, the Australian finishing 0.409 of a second behind Pedrosa.

Rounding out the top 10 were Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso; LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami; Reale Avintia Racing Ducati’s Tito Rabat; and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi.

As for the other Ducati Team rider, five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, the Spaniard who led the Sepang MotoGP test finished 16th fastest while comparing the GP17 and GP18 prototypes.

The riders now have a two-week break before the final test of the 2018 MotoGP season at Losail International Circuit in Qatar; testing gets underway March 1.

2018 Thailand MotoGP Test Results, Day 3: