Reigning seven time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi began 2010 MotoGP testing on top of the timesheets by a comfortable 0.491sec at Sepang.
The Fiat Yamaha rider was fastest for much of the day, having recorded his best lap time of 2min 1.411sec on lap 15 of 54.
“Today was very important because this year we have just six days of testing in which to set the bike, so we can not waste any time, said Rossi.
This first day was very positive, we tried the new bike for 2010, with a different chassis and a new engine, which can do more kilometres, and it is quite fast.
Yamaha has worked very well over the winter. Now we need to spend time on setting some electronics and other things. This is only the start but it seems we’re already in good shape.” Yahoo! Eurosport
Casey Stoner’s Ducati Desmosedici GP10 was separated by a gap of 0.491s, as the Australian put in 42 laps. The Ducati Marlboro team are trying out new forks and two fairings – used in the final four races of 2009 – on the machine, which also has a redesigned engine.
Settling straight back in, Colin Edwards enjoyed his session on the M1 of the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team. The American, who took fifth place in last year’s Championship, was the third and final rider to make it under the 2’02 mark, with a best lap of 2’01.932.
The first rider out on track for the day was Loris Capirossi, who emerged at 9.07am local time. The Italian clocked the fourth quickest lap of day one, as his 58 laps turned in a time of 2’02.102. The official Suzuki team has three chassis to test for the veteran rider (one from 2009, two new), whilst the new engine will be available at the next Sepang test at the end of February.
Jorge Lorenzo waited until the penultimate lap of his 57 turns to set his time of 2’02.165 as he also rode the new M1. The 2009 World Championship runner-up finished the day with a 0.754s gap to rival and team-mate Rossi.
Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa, were sixth and eighth respectively on the timesheet. The Italian was 0.465s behind Lorenzo, with Ducati Marlboro’s Nicky Hayden in seventh (2’02.792). MotoGP
| 
|