MotoGP – Sepang Test Day 1 – At 16pm Stoner in the lead, Rossi 5th

The second winter testing session in Sepang began today and at 16pm the fastest Malaysian on track is Casey Stoner. The new Team Honda Repsol rider stopped the clock at a time of 2:01.294 after 33 laps. The Australian precedes his teammates Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso and the other Honda, that of Marco Simoncelli, the fastest in the early February session (he set a time of 2.00.757).

Valentino Rossi did well, fifth with the Ducati GP11. The Pesaro rider, who lapped in 2:01.999, seems to have a better feeling with the Borgo Panigale team and, above all, the shoulder operated on after the post-GP tests in Valencia seems to create fewer problems for the nine-time world champion. The feeling is that when there are important points in play he will be there; meanwhile he put former team-mate Jorge Lorenzo behind him, sixth with Yamaha with a time of 2:02.042.

The reigning champion precedes the Yamahas of Americans Colin Edwards and Ben Spies and the Ducati of Nicky Hayden. Closing out the temporary Top Ten is Alvaro Bautista's Suzuki, the only one on the track in the 2011 world championship. The Spaniard precedes Hiroshi Aoyama, Randy De Puniet, Cal Crutchlow and Hector Barbera. Sixteenth time instead for Loris Capirossi.

Sepang Test Day 1 – Times at 16pm

01. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda Team 2:01.294 (33 laps)
02. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 2:01.732 (36 laps)
03. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 2:01.889 (43 laps)
04. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 2:01.996 (33 laps)
05. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Team 2:01.999 (34 laps)
06. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing 2:02.042 (31 laps)
07. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:02.059 (21 laps)
08. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing 2:02.147 (28 laps)
09. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team 2:02.680 (35 laps)
10. Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 2:02.685 (31 laps)
11. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 2:02.692 (42 laps)
12. Randy de Puniet FRA Pramac Racing Team 2:03.192 (32 laps)
13. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:03.314 (30 laps)
14. Hector Barbera ESP Aspar Team 2:03.605 (27 laps)
15. Bike #T1 JPN Yamaha Test Rider 2:03.676 (36 laps)
16. Loris Capirossi ITA Pramac Racing Team 2:03.890 (34 laps)
17. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing 2:04.101 (22 laps)
18. Toni Elias ESP LCR Honda MotoGP 2:04.331 (46 laps)
19. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Suzuki Test Rider 2:04.639 (37 laps)
20. Bike #T2 JPN Yamaha test Rider 2:05.006 (24 laps)