MotoGP

Unstoppable Quartararo delivers the fastest time on day three

2 Mins read
Image Credit: MotoGP.com

Fabio Quartararo topped the third and final day of the Sepang test making it a clean sweep for the Petronas Yamaha SRT rider ahead of Cal Crutchlow and Alex Rins

Sunday’s running was the closest margin between the field of the three days, with the top ten separated by just under four tenths. 

However, just as day one and two, it was Quartararo who eventually topped the timesheets with a lap time of 1:58.349s.

Franco Morbidelli was 13th onbaord the second Petronas Yamaha, which was his A-spec bike. The Italian completed 58 laps, one more than his teammate. 

Valentino Rossi climbed up the standings on day three after back-to-back tenth place finishes prior. 

The 40 year-old was also the top Monster Energy Yamah rider with Maverick Vinales in 18th and Jorge Lorenzo two places further back. 

Although Vinales didn’t finish a day top which had become the norm in testing, the two-time winner in 2019 was the iron man as he completed 83 laps on Sunday alone. 

Image Credit: MotoGP.com

Lorenzo was back in action for the final day of running and put together a run of 46 laps. 

LCR Honda’s Crutchlow was +0.089s back in what was a very good day for the British rider. Crutchlow completed 69 laps for the team, which was the most by any Honda rider. 

Crutchlow’s Japanese teammate Takaaki Nakagami was 22nd for the team and managed 48 laps on the final day. 

Repsol Honda had a quiet day with Marc Marquez in 12th place. Even so, the eight time world champion was only four tenths off.  

Image Credit: MotoGP.com

His brother Alex Marquez finished 16th after making yet more improvements and was one position ahead of fellow rookie Brad Binder

Third for Suzuki was Rins, who retook the reigns as fastest for the team after Joan Mir led the way on Saturday. 

Perhaps more impressive than anything over the weekend was the consistency on long runs for Rins.

Consistency over race distance was not an issue in 2019 for the Spaniard, but a long run of laps in the mid 59s is still significant for the teams hopes in 2020. 

Mir finished the test in tenth place +0.387s down on Quartararo’s top time, but it was another good showing for the former Moto3 champion. 

Fourth was the mightily impressive Francesco Bagnaia for Pramac Ducati. Over the first two days it was his teammate Jack Miller who led the Ducati charge. 

Image Credit: MotoGP.com

Miller finished in eighth place and the pair put together a combined 101 laps. For the factory team, Danilo Petrucci was sixth which was by far his best result of the three days. 

Andrea Dovizioso was 14th for the Bologna outfit and posted his best lap on the 23 of his 51.

The Italian has won the last two openers in Qatar to start the season and will be hoping to make it a third come March. 

Finally for Ducati and the Reale Avintia team, it was another step in the right direction for Johann Zarco who finished +0.602s away in 15th, while Tito Rabat was 19th. 

With no Dani Pedrosa for the final day after his impressive showing Saturday, it was normal service resumed as Pol Espargaro led the way. 

Espargaro was seventh, while Binder totaled 45 laps in 17th spot. The pair were joined by longtime test rider Mika Kallio who was +1.799s down. 

Miguel Oliveira impressed for the second day in succession with 11th place on the Tech 3 machine. Teammate Iker Lecuona was only out on track for 23 laps on the other 2020 bike.

Aleix Espargaro was the lead Aprilia once again with a ninth place finish while Bradley Smith was 21st. Espargaro completed 45 laps while Smith was a bit busier on 60 for the day. 

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