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Buriram MotoGP test: Marquez takes charge on day two

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez has taken charge of the Buriram test times today, going under the 1’30s mark in his final run to nudge Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa back to second place and Aussie youngster Jack Miller into third.

Marquez put in a 1’29.929 with his 91st lap of the Thai circuit to take back control after an early lead was bettered by Pedrosa, who set a 1’30.127 on his 39th lap. Miller jumped into second late on, putting in a 1’30.185 on the Pramac Ducati in the last half an hour but he was pushed back by the Spaniard.

One of the big headlines on Saturday was once again aero. Part of Marquez’ 94 laps in the incredible heat of Thailand was spent on an aero package, with the number 93, Pedrosa and HRC test rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) all having tried updates across the Sepang and Thai tests. Behind the lockout for the Repsol squad at the top, Crutchlow was the third quickest Honda and was eighth, but quicker than his Friday lap. The Brit concentrated on test duty rather than a time attack.

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Miller, meanwhile, continued to show how he’s settled into life on the Ducati GP17. By the end of action, a late run from the Australian saw him shoot ahead of teammate Danilo Petrucci – on a GP18 and also on Ducati test duty – who ended the day in sixth after hovering further up earlier in the day.

Fourth and fifth were locked out by Yamaha – on Saturday, Maverick Vinales leading Johann Zarco after Valentino Rossi had been quicker on Friday. Viñales’ best was a 1'30.274, with Zarco just 0.086 behind.

Ecstar Suzuki's Alex Rins, after going second quickest on the first day of the test, was seventh on day two and again top Hamamatsu machine. Starting 2018 healthy after injury problems last year, the Spanish sophomore did around half a century of laps and tried new aero from Suzuki, with the factory fielding the fairing they’d previously had as well as longer and shorter version of a new package. Both Rins and teammate Andrea Iannone, who ended the day in 11th but only three tenths back on Rins, tried everything – and both crashed, but both with no consequences.

Ducati , meanwhile, moved on with their program. They have three aero fairings at Buriram as well as a chassis update, and on day two Andrea Dovizioso was ninth and team-mate Jorge Lorenzo tenth. The 2017 runner-up was just 0.004 off Crutchlow and two tenths ahead of Lorenzo, with the Italian putting in over 70 laps and the Spaniard more than 50.

Two more Independent Team riders on Ducatis took P12 and P13, with Reale Avinta Racing’s Tito Rabat ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) by only 0.028. Both were ahead of Valentino Rossi, who ended the second day in 14th.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) completed the top fifteen on Saturday, fastest rookie once again and the last man in the 1'30 bracket. He had a three tenth advantage on key rival Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), with the reigning Moto2™ World Champion doing a best of 1:31.185. His teammate Tom Lüthi did a 1'31.994, with the Sepang test having been his first time on the bike – and he ended the day just ahead of Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Xavier Simeon (Reale Avintia Racing).

Syahrin, on a MotoGP machine for only the second day ever, was impressive once again on Saturday. The Malaysian rider was only 0.004 seconds off fellow rookie Lüthi, and was ahead of Simeon by the end of action.

Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the fastest KTM on Day 2, in P16 and only 1.144 off the front in order good showing of progress for the Austrian factory. With teammate Pol Espargaro absent due to injury, test rider Mika Kallio was the second representative for the Red Bull-backed team – and the Finn did the most laps of anyone, only a handful off a full 100.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) had a positive first day and ended day two a tiny margin off Smith ahead of him, just 0.017 off the Brit. Noale factory teammate Scott Redding, who ended Friday just behind Espargaro after some technical issues affecting his running, was a little further back as he continues to adapt to the RS-GP.

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