Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez topped the timesheets on day one of testing at Sepang, going well underneath the existing lap record despite riding with a shoulder that is not yet fully healed.
Marquez put in a 1’59.621 to top the sheets but kept his lap-count down to 29 so as not to aggravate the severe dislocation which was operated on early in December, undergoing 200 hours of physiotherapy since.
Ecstar Suzuki’s Alex Rins ended only a quarter of a second behind the Repsol Honda man, setting a best of 1’59.880 on his 25th lap of 54. Maverick Vinales was third on the Monster Yamaha and 0.057s behind his younger compatriot.
Marquez’ team-mate Jorge Lorenzo sits out the test due to injury, but there were three Hondas in the top ten as Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), fastest in Jerez, took seventh and Stefan Bradl (Honda Test Team) ended Day 1 in P9, just under six tenths off Marquez.
LCR Honda Castrol rider Cal Crutchlow, meanwhile, returned from his ankle injury sustained at Phillip Island with a solid 51 laps on Wednesday, ending his first time back on a bike in P14 with a 2'00.681.
Alex Rins was one of the big headlines of the day, able to put in a substantial 61 laps on board his 2019 GSX-RR and was fastest for some time until deposed by Marquez. He remained second after his earlier fast lap, however, and was the lead Hamamatsu machine by quite a stretch. Rookie teammate Joan Mir ended the day in P23, just behind veteran French test rider Sylvain Guintoli.
There were positive signs from Yamaha on the timesheets. Maverick Viñales ended the day in P3 after 63 laps with a best of 1:59.937, with teammate Valentino Rossi in P6 after 56 laps and just over a tenth off Viñales. The Iwata marque are focusing on final decisions for their 2019 engine, the electronics and some chassis elements – and say comparing their times to competitors’ is a key point of interest after an intense winter of work.
New team on the block Petronas Yamaha SRT, meanwhile, had Franco Morbidelli just outside the top ten in P12 after 60 laps – only eight tenths off the top – with rookie teammate Fabio Quartararo a further half a second in arrears in P18 on tight timesheets.
Just behind Viñales, meanwhile, was the first of the Borgo Panigale machines – but it was Reale Avintia Racing’s Tito Rabat who took that honour. Less than half a tenth off Viñales and the last man under the two-minute barrier, the Spaniard impressed on his first day back on a MotoGP™ machine at fuller strength, having missed much of the latter part of last season following his crash at Silverstone. Just behind him came the first of the Mission Winnow Ducati machines in the form of new arrival Danilo Petrucci, with the Italian just 0.003 ahead of Rossi after 54 laps. 2017 and 2018 runner up Andrea Dovizioso, meanwhile, ended Day 1 of 2019 in P8 with a 2:00.197.
Jack Miller wasn’t far off the second factory machine despite a small crash either, with the Aussie taking P11 – three tenths off ‘DesmoDovi’ and lead Alma Pramac Racing machine. Rookie teammate Francesco Bagnaia – reigning Moto2™ Champion – made for close company too, impressing in P15 as the fastest debutant.
Completing the top ten was an impressive day’s work for Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who put in a fitting 44 laps with a best of 2:00.313 despite a crash at the end. The Spaniard took the honours of lead Austrian machine by sixth tenths, although the second KTM on the timesheets was an equally stunning performance: rookie Miguel Oliveira of Red Bull KTM Tech 3, despite a brief technical issue.
The Portuguese rider finished the day in P16 and only just off fastest newcomer Bagnaia, making a big impression on Day 1 after more difficult tests at Valencia and Jerez. Experienced test rider Mika Kallio was in P19, just ahead of Espargaro’s new teammate Johann Zarco as the Frenchman continued his adaptation in P20.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was the fastest Noale machine in P13 and said the 2019 bike is a definite improvement, with the Spaniard putting in 55 laps to end the first day of the season just ahead of Crutchlow. New team-mate Andrea Iannone was down in P21 and suffered a crash on his first lap, ending the day 1.6 seconds off Marquez as he continues to get used to his new machinery.
