Sepang Day 3: Marquez again fastest

American Nicky Hayden now riding for the 2nd tier Aspar Honda team

Sepang is well known for its hot and humid conditions but the first test of the MotoGP preseason has been particularly torrid, with the riders completing their test schedules today through the pain of blisters on their hands and feet and the exhaustion of three days in the saddle.

Despite that the lap times were once again as hot as the asphalt and no fewer than four riders broke the two-minute barrier today, with Marc Marquez setting the pace for the third day running – his best lap of 1'59.533 almost a tenth inside the circuit record set by Casey Stoner in 2012 (1'59.607). The riders will now have three weeks to recover before their second preseason appointment, starting here in Malaysia on the 26th February.

Test Day Three Times

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 59.533s (Lap 10/40)
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 59.727s | +0.194s (11/55)
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 59.866s | +0.333s (2/65)
4. Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Mobile Forward Racing (FTR-M1) 1m 59.998s | +0.465s (7/43)
5. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 2m 0.112s | +0.579s (11/38)
6. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 2m 0.223s | +0.690s (29/55)
7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 2m 0.370s | +0.837s (10/40)
8. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 0.655s | +1.122s (8/65)
9. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 2m 0.725s | +1.192s (13/57)
10. Alvaro Bautista ESP GoFun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 2m 0.788s | +1.255s (3/63)
11. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 0.896s | +1.363s (10/65)
12. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 2m 1.057s | +1.524s (58/58)
13. Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 2m 1.514s | +1.981s (21/59)
14. Colin Edwards USA NGM Mobile Forward Racing (FTR-M1) 2m 1.731s | +2.198s (41/47)
15. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Test Rider (Desmosedici) 2m 1.782s | +2.249s (12/67)
16. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 2m 2.383s | +2.850s (61/66)
17. Randy De Puniet FRA Suzuki Test Rider (XRH-1) 2m 2.486s | +2.953s (17/67)
18. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 2m 2.556s | +3.023s (31/65)
19. Kosuke Akiyoshi JPN Honda Test Rider 2m 2.619s | +3.086s (3/58)
20. Katsuyuki Nakasuga JPN Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1) 2m 2.788s | +3.255s (13/38)
21. Scott Redding GBR GoFun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R) 2m 2.833s | +3.300s (42/60)
22. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 2m 3.187s | +3.654s (12/41)
23. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki) 2m 3.204s | +3.671s (49/54)
24. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 2m 3.402s | +3.869s (40/43)
25. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki) 2m 4.516s | +4.983s (28/58)
26. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Suzuki Test Rider (XRH-1) 2m 5.686s | +6.153s (10/12)
27. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 2m 5.974s | +6.441s (6/12)