Repsol Honda dominates second Sepang test session – MotoGP news
The second Sepang test session has come up with a new set of runners by the end of final day.
Repsol Honda riders’ were on high tide. The duo of Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa led the time sheet throughout the second pre-season test at the Sepang International Circuit.
On the first day, Stoner ran with a lap time of 2:00.987, and Dani Pedrosa concluded it 2:01.360 seconds on the clock, whereas, the third rider Andrea Dovizioso was placed at fifth position with lap-time of 2:01.747.
The second day of Sepang II test marked the top-three positions for Repsol Honda Team riders as Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso respectively. The second day of test was also concluded in same order.
By the last day of second pre-season test Valentino Rossi was the rider to start the day as he missed the entire second day of test session due to illness. He was placed at 11th on the time chart, but seemed unsatisfied by the chassis
of GP11.
As the practice heated up, Repsol Honda riders Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa were again in the lead, but this time Marco Simoncelli was at the third place falling after Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa, first and second respectively.
By these time sheet standings RC212V was called the fastest machine of entire test session, as it was riding on top-four positions. Stoner and Pedrosa were the only riders to break the two-minute time barrier. By the end of the second day, Stoner had
already said that it would take couple of laps to crash the two-minute circle.
Ben Spies of the Yamaha Factory Racing was standing at the fifth place with the lap time of 2:00.678 seconds by the final day and teammate Jorge Lorenzo was placed in seventh place with a timing of 2:01.003 on the clock. Colin Edwards of Monster Yamaha
Tech3 was at sixth place completing the triple position (5-6-7) for YZR-M1. Cal Crutchlow was a bit unfortunate due to poor health conditions and after an accident, he was placed at the 14th position.
This superb performance has raised a question for the Honda team that they have been using Dual Clutch Technology (DCT) from the VFR1200 sport tourer. The DCT technology is banned by the MotoGP regulations. Honda Racing Corporation Boss Shuhei Nakamoto
explained to the media present, that HRC is not using dual clutch technology in its RC212V machines and cannot violate the regulation restrictions of MotoGP. Nakamoto was generous enough to reveal that Honda has been using a new system which eventually gives
a faster gear shift, but not DCT.
“Obviously HRC is not using anything illegal, but it’s true that we have something new on the transmission that currently ... allows for faster gear changes,” says Nakamoto. “We are not talking about a DCT, but I can’t tell you how it works ... because
I don’t know!”
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