SEPANG I
TEST REPORT
P78
cheerful "only a test rider" mode.
Three years away had hardly
dented his speed at all. Stoner
rode only the second and third
days, and a position of a close
ninth overall is only part of the
story. On day three, all confined
to hard tires and higher tire pres-
sures, he was the fastest Ducati
rider, fifth overall, with only the
two Yamahas, Marquez's fac-
tory and Cal Crutchlow's private
Hondas ahead of him. Wow.
Y A M A H A
With Lorenzo and Rossi tak-
ing the top times on day three,
and the former setting the pace
throughout ("The lap times
speak for themselves," was his
comment), Yamaha appear to
have adapted fastest to the new
electronics and Michelins. But
changes to the tires following
last year's problematic early
tests left engineers aiming for a
moving target. On bikes set up
with a rearward weight bias to
suit the rock-steady Bridgestone
front, the Michelin fronts were
worse than queasy. Yamaha's
2016 chassis shifted the weight
forward to compensate, but at
the same time Michelin beefed
(Above) Rossi and
crew chief Silvano
Galbusera (left)
have a bit of work
on their hands to
catch Lorenzo.
(Left) Rossi was
second-fastest
but struggled to
match Lorenzo's
consistency.
