SEPANG WELCOMES FIRST MOTOGP ACTION OF 2007
22 January 2007 - Moto GP

After the customary testing ban of just over one and a half months, MotoGP returned to the track today for the resumption of 800cc development.

It was at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia where fans had their first chance to see who leads the way on the new generation of MotoGP bike, with the majority of premier class teams testing from today until Wednesday.

The 800cc bikes seem to have thrown the already unpredictable world of MotoGP favourites wide open, with no team holding a clear advantage in the initial tests. Of those that have been going strong, perhaps the most impressive frontrunner has been Suzuki. John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen rode the GSV-R800 for the first time the day after the race at Valencia, and have taken to the bike like ducks to water by placing the bike at the top of the unofficial timesheets. The duo seemed to have lost none of their edge over the winter break, as they led the way on day one in Sepang. Hopkins was the fastest rider of the day, and the only one to break the 2’03 barrier at the hot and humid Malaysian circuit. His time of 2’02.277 put him ahead of team-mate Vermeulen by just over seven tenths of a second, as the British-based team continue to look sharp on the 800cc machines.

The factory Yamaha team followed close behind, with Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards side by side on the timesheets. Ever the entertainer, Rossi put fashion over comfort as he emerged for the start of the day in a fetching pair of furry boots amidst the intense heat. The Yamaha riders were just faster than World Champion Nicky Hayden, who made his first appearance since undergoing shoulder surgery before the winter break.

Ducati are renowned for blitzing the competition in early tests, although today the gameplan seemed to be more calculated for the Italian factory. Loris Capirossi was sixth fastest, whilst newest team addition Casey Stoner rounded off the top ten. The Desmosedici GP7 is also being put through its paces this week in Jerez, as stand-in test rider Jose Luis Cardoso continues development work with the bike. Last week Ducati became the first team to present their new livery, with a chrome finish shown off to the media at their annual event in Madonna di Campiglio.

Kawasaki were undertaking their first test since taking business in-house at the end of 2006, and Randy de Puniet was hot on the heels of Capirossi on the Ninja ZX-RR. Preparing for his second season in the premier class, the Frenchman went round faster than former 250cc rival Dani Pedrosa, Rookie of the Year and leader at the final test of 2006 at Jerez. Makoto Tamada, joined for the first time on track by new team-mate Sylvain Guintoli, was ninth quickest at a track where he went well at the tail end of last year.

The KR212V, Team KR’s newest prototype, makes its debut at the Asian track this week, the last bike to have an 800cc test. All teams were quick to emphasise that these initial days of testing mainly serve the purpose of putting more miles on their prototypes and, in some cases, new tyres.

Only the Ilmor Team will sit out the Asian visit completely, choosing instead to put the finishing touches to the V4 in Europe and wait for injured rider Jeremy McWilliams to make a complete recovery after his accident in the final test of 2006. The newest team on the MotoGP grid will also miss the next test on the calendar, at Phillip Island in Australia.

With the premier class in action straight after the lifting of the testing ban, MotoGP’s supporting cylinder classes also resume their preparation for the coming season this week. A number of teams from both 250 and 125cc will ride at the Jerez Circuit in Spain from Monday to Wednesday, with the debut appearances of Honda LCR’s Eugene Laverty and Thailand’s first ever World Championship rider Ratthapark Wilairot to watch out for.

Action and interviews, along with the latest news from Sepang, can be found at motogp.com.

Sepang Test Day One
Unofficial Times

1. John Hopkins - Rizla Suzuki 2’02.277
2. Chris Vermeulen - Rizla Suzuki 2’03.049
3. Valentino Rossi - Yamaha Racing 2’03.184
4. Colin Edwards - Yamaha Racing 2’03.337
5. Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda 2’03.413
6. Loris Capirossi - Ducati Marlboro 2’03.538
7. Randy De Puniet - Kawasaki Racing 2’03.542
8. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 2’03.620
9. Makoto Tamada - Yamaha Tech3 2’03.785
10. Casey Stoner - Ducati Marlboro 2’03.944
11. Alex Hofmann - Pramac d''Antin 2’04.003
12. Alex Barros - Pramac d''Antin 2’04.011
13. Kenny Roberts Jr. - Team Roberts 2’04.088
14. Carlos Checa - Honda LCR 2’04.101
15. Shinya Nakano - Konica Minolta Honda 2’04.138
16. Marco Melandri - Gresini Honda 2’04.270
17. Shinichi Ito - Bridgestone MotoGP 2’04.641
18. Toni Elías - Gresini Honda 2’04.710
19. Olivier Jacque - Kawasaki Racing 2’04.718
20. Sylvain Guintoli - Yamaha Tech3 2’07.403

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