Second Sepang test gets underway in intense heat
The MotoGP riders were back at Sepang today for the second test of the 2015 preseason, greeted by higher temperatures as the track reach 56ºC.
The day was all but brought to a premature end by a torrential storm two hours before the scheduled close, although some riders took the opportunity to complete some laps in the wet. Valentino Rossi clocked the fastest time of the day with a 2’00.414, holding off the challenge of no fewer than five Spanish riders.
It was a productive day for the DRIVE M7 Aspar Team, who picked up where they left off at the end of the last Sepang test. Despite the suffocating heat both Eugene and teammate Nicky Hayden worked hard on the electronics and chassis of their respective machines, both riders clocking their best laps during the hottest part of the day.
The pair closed the gap to the lead riders in dry conditions and also took the opportunity to complete some valuable laps in wet conditions, with plenty more work to do over the next two days of the test.
20th Eugene Laverty 2.02.730 (45 laps):
“The positive thing for me is that we are back testing at the same circuit, so this isn’t like the first day – more like the fourth. To have some prior information means that I can continue my learning process and have some much-needed consistency. We had some wet track time at Valencia but this was totally different, with a completely new bike. This afternoon was a good opportunity to find out how the electronics work in the wet and I was able to get a feel for the wet tyre performance. These tyres are different to anything I have tried in the past. We found a good way forward on the final day of the last test so today was a case of picking up where we left off.”
Source: Aspar Media