MotoGP winter testing: Valentino Rossi tops times on day one of second Sepang test

NINE-times world champion Valentino Rossi topped the times at Sepang on the first day of the second round of MotoGP pre-season testing.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - FEBRUARY 23: Valentino Rossi of Italy and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rounds the bend during the MotoGP Tests in Sepang - Day One at Sepang Circuit on February 23, 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)

NINE-times world champion Valentino Rossi ruled the track at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit Monday, the first day of the second round of pre-season MotoGP winter testing.

The Italian, riding a Yamaha with changes made to the shift gearbox, clocked the fastest timing of the day during his 25th lap at 2 minutes and 0.414 seconds, with Honda’s Dani Pedrosa trailing by 0.129 seconds.

Rossi, who suffered injuries in 2010 and struggled to make a comeback, enjoyed a return to form last year. He is determined to collect more silverware this season.

Pol Espargaro riding the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha bike was third fastest on the time sheets, 0.462 seconds behind Rossi. The Spaniard’s elder brother Aleix Espargaro, on a Suzuki, was fourth fastest at 2m01.055s.

World champion Marc Marquez, who set a new unofficial track record in early February during round one of testing in Sepang, could only manage to come in sixth fastest on Monday, his best time a 2m01.190s.

Dovizioso had his first ride of Ducati’s new GP15.

Ducati’s new Desmosedici GP15 had a quiet first day on track, Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone logging few dry-weather laps, with the former setting his fastest lap aboard the old GP14.3 bike.

Australia’s Jack Miller ended the day down in 22nd position, 2.5 seconds off Rossi’s pace and 0.944 of a second off the quickest Open-class Honda of Nicky Hayden.

Riders got to test their machines in both sweltering tropical heat as well as in the wet, following an afternoon downpour.

Miller ended the day in 22nd place.

The rain cost Miller the chance to improve on his morning best, but gave him his first taste of riding a MotoGP bike in wet weather.

Testing will continue for another two days.

The new season kicks off in Qatar on March 29 and Malaysia will host the penultimate leg of the championship on October 25.

RESULTS — Day 1 of Sepang MotoGP Test 2, Malaysia
1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2m00.414s
2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) +0.129s
3. Pol Espargaro (Yamaha) +0.462s
4. Aleix Espargaro (Suzuki) +0.641s
5. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +0.748s
6. Marc Marquez (Honda) +0.776s
7. Cal Crutchlow (Honda) +0.808s
8. Bradley Smith (Yamaha) +0.827s
9. Maverick Vinales (Suzuki) +0.903s
10. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) +0.941s
11. Scott Redding (Honda) +1.178s
12. Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) +1.326s
13. Hector Barbera (Ducati) +1.512s
14. Nicky Hayden (Honda) +1.648s
15. Andrea Iannone (Ducati) +1.728s
16. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) +1.811s
17. Karel Abraham (Honda) +1.980s
18. Stefan Bradl (Forward Yamaha) +1.996s
19. Yonny Hernandez (Ducati) +2.192s
20. Eugene Laverty (Honda) +2.316s
21. Mike di Meglio (Ducati) +2.527s
22. Jack Miller (Honda) +2.592s
23. Michele Pirro (Ducati) +2.691s
24. Loriz Baz (Forward Yamaha) +2.902s
25. Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Yamaha) +2.923s
26. Alex de Angelis (Aprilia ART) +3.552s
27. Marco Melandri (Aprilia) +3.586s

Originally published as MotoGP winter testing: Valentino Rossi tops times on day one of second Sepang test