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SEPANG, Malaysia - Honda rider Marco Simoncelli led the way on the third and final day of pre-season MotoGP testing in Malaysia that ended on Thursday.
The Italian eclipsed his more celebrated rivals Australian Casey Stoner and reigning World champion Jorge Lorenzo to top the time sheets with the fastest lap of the whole three days at Sepang.
Simoncelli, who endured a troubled year in his 2010 rookie season, clocked 2min0.757 on his second lap during the morning session to crack Dani Pedrosa’s fastest time that was set on Wednesday, 2min00.770.
ROSSI STUCK MID-TABLE
Former World champion Stoner (Repsol Honda), who was fastest on Tuesday, was second-quickest on Thursday with 2min00.811 during the final hour on his 38th of 42 laps.
Lorenzo was third-fastest for Yamaha (2min00.845) and his new US team mate Ben Spies was fifth.
Despite the clear weather, Stoner's Spanish team mate Pedrosa didn't have a good day. He finished sixth and multiple World champion Valentino Rossi was stuck in mid-table in 10th place, clocking 2min01.842 for Ducati as he made a return after time out with a shoulder injury.
Honda test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi took a heavy crash and was taken to the medical centre for a check-up. He may have injured a wrist.
The riders will return to Sepang for a second round of pre-season tests from February 22-24. They will have a further session in Qatar ahead of the start of the new season at the United Arab Emirates' Losail circuit on March 20.
The Italian eclipsed his more celebrated rivals Australian Casey Stoner and reigning World champion Jorge Lorenzo to top the time sheets with the fastest lap of the whole three days at Sepang.
Simoncelli, who endured a troubled year in his 2010 rookie season, clocked 2min0.757 on his second lap during the morning session to crack Dani Pedrosa’s fastest time that was set on Wednesday, 2min00.770.
ROSSI STUCK MID-TABLE
Former World champion Stoner (Repsol Honda), who was fastest on Tuesday, was second-quickest on Thursday with 2min00.811 during the final hour on his 38th of 42 laps.
Lorenzo was third-fastest for Yamaha (2min00.845) and his new US team mate Ben Spies was fifth.
Despite the clear weather, Stoner's Spanish team mate Pedrosa didn't have a good day. He finished sixth and multiple World champion Valentino Rossi was stuck in mid-table in 10th place, clocking 2min01.842 for Ducati as he made a return after time out with a shoulder injury.
Honda test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi took a heavy crash and was taken to the medical centre for a check-up. He may have injured a wrist.
The riders will return to Sepang for a second round of pre-season tests from February 22-24. They will have a further session in Qatar ahead of the start of the new season at the United Arab Emirates' Losail circuit on March 20.
