VROOM VROOM!
Riders neck-and-neck on first day of testing
>> LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow topped the first day of testing at Chang International Circuit in Buri Ram, taking over from reigning world champion Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda later in the session to set a time of 1:30.797 yesterday.
Despite setting the fastest lap so far by a MotoGP rider at the new venue, which will host the country’s first MotoGP race in October, the Briton was nevertheless only 0.012 ahead of a late charge from Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins by the end of yesterday’s action.
Spain’s Marquez was third, just 0.033 ahead of Andrea Dovizioso, on the first of three days of testing.
Weather was hot and edging 40 degrees for some time on day one — with few riders putting in truly “long” runs.
But the workload was far from light, with Crutchlow putting in 70 laps despite a crash and that number is representative for many on the grid.
The Brit was joining third fastest Marquez and his teammate Dani Pedrosa of Repsol Honda — also a crasher yesterday — on HRC test duty, and all three men were in the top five, which was covered by only two-tenths.
Rins’ second place was equally impressive. The Spaniard, going into only his second season and having suffered some problems with injury last year, had good pace throughout most of the day and his late charge looked set to see him take over at the top until his final sector.
But it was only 0.012 off Crutchlow, and teammate Andrea Iannone of Suzuki Ecstar made it a double delight for Suzuki in the top 10, ninth quickest as the Hamamatsu factory tested, amongst other things, a new exhaust and continued their work on engine configurations.
Dovizioso, meanwhile, took the honour of being the top Ducati rider on day one in Thailand, and was only 0.033 off Marquez.
The two men were locked together at the top for some time, before aero began to steal the headlines away from the time-sheets. Ducati are expected to have three new aero fairings at Buri Ram, and Dovizioso tried two of them on the first day.
Danilo Petrucci of Alma Pramac Racing was another Ducati presence in the top 10 just ahead of his new teammate Jack Miller.
Miller was again a force to be reckoned with and looked settled in — only 0.041 off the Italian ahead of him.
There was also an Italian behind him — Valentino Rossi of Movistar Yamaha.
On his 39th birthday, the ‘Doctor’ took eighth and was the quickest Yamaha, putting in an impressive 74 laps and topping the lap counter for the Iwata marque.
Teammate Maverick Vinales was 11th but only a tenth further back — with the time-sheets incredibly close.
Incredibly close was also apt for Johann Zarco of Monster Yamaha Tech 3, who was 0.011 off Vinales to take 12th and also confirmed that he will be using the 2016 chassis this season.
The quickest rookie was Takaaki Nakagami from LCR Honda Idemitsu, who was 17th overall but within nine-tenths of the top, with reigning Moto2 world champion Franco Morbidelli close behind in 16th but only half-a-tenth further back. With 20 riders within a second, half-a-tenth makes its mark.