MotoGP: Honda, Marquez end Sepang test on a high note

By Emanuele Venturoli| Posted January 31, 2017 | In MotoGP, Motor Racing

MotoGP: Honda, Marquez end Sepang test on a high note

The sun was shining on the final day of the Sepang test, and the Repsol Honda riders wasted no time in taking to the track at 10 a.m.

Completing a productive day of testing that was mainly focused on the RC213V’s latest engine configuration, the chassis and the Michelin tyres, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa improved their setup and pace. Marc today completed 85 laps (more than any other rider), and his time of 1’59.506” on lap 18 was the second-fastest (third in the combined standings), just 0.138” off the top. Dani set today’s fourth-quickest lap with his time of 1’59.578” on lap 64 of 67 (fifth in the combined standings), just under one tenth down on his teammate.

The Repsol Honda riders will now fly to Jakarta, Indonesia, for the official Team Launch on 3 February.

Marc Marquez

2ND (COMBINED STANDINGS: 3RD) 1’59.506

“I’m much happier with my position today, even if the rhythm is really more important. We did a lot of laps, aiming to do as much work as possible, and indeed we did a good job; we completed much of our work schedule, though not everything. We need to make further improvements in some areas where I’m not yet totally comfortable, but even so, I’m happy that we got better and better over the three days, which is the most important thing. Today we again worked a lot on the electronics and also on the bike setup. In the last hour I did a mini-long run of 11 laps, sacrificing the time-attack a bit, but for us it was more important to work on the pace. I’m generally very happy with how the three days went.”

Dani Pedrosa

4TH (COMBINED STANDINGS: 5TH) 1’59.578

“We were lucky with the weather today. We managed to complete a full day and were able to do many laps and work a lot. Obviously it was the final of three days in very hot conditions, and one already feels a bit tired being this is the first test of the year. Anyway, I may say it was a positive enough day because we made several steps forward. We struggled a bit at the beginning, but as the day went on we were able to fix several things and get quicker. We’re still not 100% but we were a lot faster than the first day, which gives a positive general picture to this first winter test.”

Sepang Test – Day 3

Pos.	Rider	Num	Nation	Team	Time/Gap
1	VINALES Maverick	25	SPA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	1’59.368
2	MARQUEZ Marc	93	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	0.138
3	DOVIZIOSO Andrea	4	ITA	Ducati Team	0.185
4	PEDROSA Dani	26	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	0.210
5	ROSSI Valentino	46	ITA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	0.221
6	BAUTISTA Alvaro	19	SPA	Pull&Bear Aspar Team	0.260
7	STONER Casey	27	AUS	Ducati Test Team	0.271
8	CRUTCHLOW Cal	35	GBR	LCR Honda	0.360
9	LORENZO Jorge	99	SPA	Ducati Team	0.399
10	ZARCO Johann	5	FRA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	0.404
11	IANNONE Andrea	29	ITA	Team Suzuki Ecstar	0.677
12	RINS Alex	42	SPA	Team Suzuki Ecstar	0.689
13	ESPARGARO Aleix	41	SPA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	0.740
14	PETRUCCI Danilo	9	ITA	Octo Pramac Yakhnich	0.942
15	FOLGER Jonas	94	GER	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	0.944
16	MILLER Jack	43	AUS	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	1.071
17	ABRAHAM Karel	17	CZE	Pull&Bear Aspar Team	1.077
18	BARBERA Hector	8	SPA	Avintia Racing	1.169
19	REDDING Scott	45	GBR	Octo Pramac Yakhnich	1.277
20	BAZ Loris	76	FRA	Avintia Racing	1.505
21	SMITH Bradley	38	GBR	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	1.970
22	LOWES Sam	22	GBR	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	1.973
23	ESPARGARO Pol	44	SPA	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	2.138
24	NAKASUGA Katsuyuki	21	JPN	Yamaha Factory Racing Team	2.290
25	TSUDA Takuya	22	JPN	Suzuki Test Team	3.401

Search on RTR sports

Get in touch today

Emanuele Venturoli

A graduate in Public, Social and Political Communication from the University of Bologna, he has always been passionate about marketing, design and sport.

Why choose RTR Sports Marketing

In an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.

By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.

I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.

Gianluca Degliesposti

Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA

Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.

Francois Ribeiro

Commercial Director

Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.

Luca Pacitto

Head of Communication

We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.

Lucio Cecchinello

Team Principal

I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.

Jim Wright

Group Commercial Director

Your sponsorship in motorsport, our experience.

Get in touch today

MotoGP: Honda, Marquez end Sepang test on a high note

MotoGP: Honda, Marquez end Sepang test on a high note