SEPANG I
TEST REPORT
P80
up the tire construction. Modifi-
cations began at once to bring
the new bike closer to old spec.
Rossi remained undecided
between "the bike that's more
like 2015 or 2016," but happy
to defer the decision to Phillip
Island tests in a fortnight.
The satellite riders have 2015
bikes and no such choice, but
that worked well enough for
Bradley Smith, 10th
overall – ahead of
Pedrosa and only six
tenths off Rossi. The hard-work-
ing and methodical Smith was
the only rider to perform a full
race simulation, reporting good
results from the new tires.
Monster Yamaha team
tmate Pol Espargaro was an-
other three-quarters of a second
down, and struggling somewhat.
H O N D A
The factory Repsol team admit-
ted that electronics and the new
evo engine had "the most margin
for improvement," a polite way
of reflecting the concerns of the
riders. Marquez drew comfort
from at least having improved
every day, but riders and engi-
neers will need every one of the
remaining tests.
The problem was the familiar
aggressive engine response,
and the software wasn't doing
what was needed under braking
or acceleration. Riders' hopes
that HRC would be able to pro-
vide a more balanced package
WITH EIGHT TO HONDA'S FIVE AND YAMAHA'S FOUR, DESMOSEDICIS
OF VARIOUS AGES ARE NOW THE MOST NUMEROUS BIKES ON THE GRID.
Honda is
struggling with
their vicious
RCV engine and
electronics that
don't play ball
like last year's.
