The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team have wrapped up the first official IRTA test of the 2020 season today at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales spent the three days working through a number of testing items and confirmed the positive 2020 YZR-M1 development.Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team‘s Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales have completed the three-day testing programme at the Sepang International Circuit today, concluding it in 5th and 16th place in the combined standings and with positive feedback.
Rossi was a man on a mission today, working hard to give all the testing items a try before leaving the Sepang track. The decision to focus on the 2020 items evaluation meant he wouldn‘t be able to put in a race simulation but it resulted in the gain of valuable data and feedback. His schedule also allowed him to put in a time attack which he made good use of. He earned himself fifth place in the Day-3 and combined standings with a fastest time of 1‘58.541s, 0.192s from first, on today‘s lap 10 of 51.
On the third and final day of the Sepang MotoGP Official Test, Viñales was brave enough to complete a race simulation in the typically hot Malaysian temperatures, to get a clear understanding of the 2020 model‘s race pace. He was positive about the YZR-M1‘s development, having been able to keep up a good rhythm throughout the 20 laps. The weather turned when he was scheduled to put in a time attack, and it left him 18th in today‘s results and 0.820s from first, with a 1‘59.169 best lap set on lap 30 of 83. However, his best lap from Day 2, a 1‘58.893s, puts him in 16th position in the combined Day 1-2-3 timesheets, 0.544 from first.
The team will now return to Europe whilst the engineers return to Japan to process the data and take their 2020 MotoGP preparation another step further. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will regroup in Qatar from 22–24 February for the second preseason test of this year.
