Summary Casey Stoner clocked the fastest time on day one of 2017 MotoGP test season in Malaysia on Monday.
SEPANG (AFP) - Ducati test rider Casey Stoner came up tops as Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo finished 17th on the timesheets on day one of the 2017 test season on Malaysia s Sepang circuit on Monday.
Stoner, a former Australian double world champion, clocked 1 minute 59.680 seconds - 0.117 seconds faster than Italian Andrea Divizioso, also on a Ducati.
Three-time world champion Lorenzo who after nine years at Yamaha moved to Ducati recently, clocked his best time at 2 minutes 01.349 seconds.
“On this track there s a lot of difference between this bike and the one I was riding for nine years," Lorenzo said. "The important thing is that the other Ducati bikes were very quick, and this means that the bike has a lot of potential."
Spaniard Maverick Vinales on a Yamaha logged 2 minutes 00.129 seconds to be the third quickest.
Motorcycling superstar Valentino Rossi, who is looking for an elusive 10th world title, was eighth fastest with a timing of 2 minutes 00.694 seconds.
"This morning I woke up with a very bad headache and until 12 o clock I wasn t in good shape. After that we were able to do some laps and the feeling was good," the Yamaha rider said.
Sepang circuit s midday heat was replaced by signature tropical downpours which doused the track in the late afternoon, effectively ending the pursuit of faster timings.
Honda s Marc Marquez was ninth quickest at 2 minutes 00.738 seconds.
Alvaro Bautista from the Pull and Bear Aspar Team was fourth fastest at 2 minutes 00.134 seconds while Suzuki s Andrea Iannone was fifth on the timesheets, logging 2 minutes 00.489 seconds.
The test session in Sepang will continue until Wednesday.
The second round of testing will be held on Phillip Island in Australia from February 15-17 and a third round in Qatar from Mar 10-12. The 18-race MotoGP season gets under way in Qatar on Mar 26.
