MOTOGP TESTING: VINALES SCORCHES
TO THE TOP AT SEPANG
T
he Sepang MotoGP test
promised plenty. The first
of the new season, with some
reshuffled riders and new en-
gineering, suggested that the
championship will be at least as
close and varied as in 2016, and
perhaps even more so.
Lap times over three days put
the top 10 inside four-tenths of
a second at the relatively long
3.44-mile Sepang circuit, while
the top four places went to four
different makes.
But the most consistent threat
was ominous for all his rivals—
new Movistar Yamaha rider
Maverick Vinales moved to the
top of the sheets on day three
(the first not spoiled by rain or
lingering wet patches). His time
of 1:59.368 was three-tenths
slower than Dani Pedrosa's 2015
best lap, set before the track
was resurfaced and the camber
of the final hairpin was radically
altered, but better than half-a-
second quicker than his own
best time at last year's GP, set
on the Suzuki.
There was more to come, the
22-year-old Spaniard promised,
as he continued to gain familiar-
ity with the M1. Its biggest advan-
tage, said the ex-Suzuki rider,
was its traction, giving him the
chance to work on faster corner
entry and speed.
His new teammate Valentino
Rossi was left trailing in sixth,
behind both Hondas and one
Ducati, although only 0.221 sec-
onds slower than Vinales.
But it was new Suzuki rider
Andrea Iannone in second,
IN
THE
WIND
P30
Vinales' speed underlines
how comfortable he is
with his new mount.
