[kropotkin thinks...] - 2013 Sepang MotoGP Friday Round Up: Pedrosa's Speed, The Brai

[Ninjette Newsbot]

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Is Sepang a Honda track or a Yamaha track? On the evidence of the first day of practice, you would have to say it is definitely a Honda track. Or more specifically, a factory Honda track, according to Valentino Rossi. The Italian veteran told reporters that the factory Hondas seemed to have something extra at Sepang, even compared to the satellite RC213Vs. Having lighter riders meant they did better on the long straights, consumed less fuel and could therefore use more power, Rossi said, but there was more to it than that. They were also better on corner entry, especially in the tight corners, where HRC appears to have found something extra. The only place the Yamahas had any kind of advantage was in the longer faster corners, Rossi said. Through turns five and six, Rossi could catch Dani Pedrosa. Once they left that section, Pedrosa was gone.

If the bike is good, then Dani Pedrosa is outstanding. His lap in the afternoon was exceptional, the 2'00.554 just a couple of tenths slower than Jorge Lorenzo's pole lap record from last year. Nobody else could get anywhere near him. His only rival was teammate Marc Marquez, forced to give half a second away to Pedrosa. A brace of Yamahas followed, Cal Crutchlow 3rd fastest despite suffering badly with his still damaged right arm swelling in the tropical heat, ending a tenth ahead of Valentino Rossi, the first of the factory Yamaha machines. Both Crutchlow and Rossi were clear where they were losing out: three tenths of a second on each of the two long straights at Sepang, according to the Tech 3 man. Rossi concurred, though he was less inclined to put numbers to his disadvantage. The Yamahas are having to make up through the fast corners what they are losing in the long straights.

Source:
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2013/October...


http://www.gpone.com/en/2013101111790/Pedrosa-1-per-rabbia-Sono-rilassat...


http://www.gpone.com/en/2013101111786/Rossi-i-piloti-pesanti-sono-svanta...


http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/196862/1/struggling_lorenzo_battles_apo...


http://www.gpone.com/en/2013101111789/Lorenzo-setup-dei-test-Yamaha-ha-d...




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