Everything ready for the warmest Grand Prix of the year.
Aoyama and Pedrosa, first and second in the 250cc, with Porto fifth and De Puniet seventh. In the MotoGP, Nicky Hayden sets the sixth fastest time. Faubel ninth in the 125cc.
A lot of heat and an unbearable atmosphere conditions today for the riders in Sepang, although the sky was fortunately clear and the second practice day of the Malaysian Grand Prix was not threatened by rain. The riders of the Repsol Honda Team are still having trouble finding the right path on the Malayan track and Nicky Hayden was the only one who significantly improved this morning, setting the third fastest time, although in the afternoon, and despite being more competitive than yesterday, he was not able to do better than sixth, thus getting a place on the second row of the grid. The American rider complains about lack of time to face tomorrow’s race with a guarantee to be able to fight for the podium. His team-mate Max Biaggi, after his second place at the Japanese Grand Prix, does not really feel comfortable on his bike in Sepang, a fact confirmed by his eleventh position in the morning and twelfth in the afternoon qualifying practice.
In the 250cc, the four Repsol riders of the class took positions in the first and second row of the grid. In the morning session, Dani Pedrosa already warned his rivals setting the fastest time, despite still feeling some discomfort after his crashes during the practice sessions of the Japanese Grand Prix. In the second free practice session Sebastián Porto was third, Hiroshi Aoyama fifth and Randy De Puniet sixth. In the afternoon, Alberto Puig’s pupils took a one-two finish with Aoyama in the lead despite crashing and Dani Pedrosa second, only 81 hundreds of a second behind his team-mate. Sebastián Porto was finally fifth and Randy De Puniet, who suffered a spectacular crash right at the beginning of the first of his two fast laps at the end of the session, dropped back to seventh, keeping however a place on the second row. The French rider of the Repsol Aspar Team has suffered a painful burn on the palm of his right hand.
In the quarter-of-a-litre class, average performance of the Repsol riders, both in the morning, during the second free session, and in the afternoon, during the decisive qualifying session. In the morning, Joan Olivé stood-out after setting the fifth fastest time, several places in front of Sergio Gadea, who was seventeenth and Héctor Faubel, eighteenth.
Things got better for some and worse for others in the afternoon. Faubel who had finished seventh yesterday, getting a place on the second row of the grid, did not manage to keep the position today, finishing ninth and dropping back to the third row of the starting grid, where he will be joining Repsol rider Joan Olivé, who moved up to twelfth this afternoon. Further in the back, Sergio Gadea had to settle for the eighteenth position on the fifth row of the grid.
Rider´s comments:
MotoGP. Nicky Hayden,
6th on the grid.
Third free practice 3rd, 2’02.913, 23 laps
First qualifying practice 6th, 202.377, 22 laps
‘We’re much better off today than we were yesterday. We just made a few little changes on the bike and it all felt much better this morning. Just felt like I was riding stronger today than I was yesterday. The bike was better than I was showing – I gotta’ do my part. We’re all in this together. Was third this morning and sixth this afternoon on qualifiers. I’m not where I want to be for the race. My consistency in the afternoon in the heat is not where it should be. I’m gonna’ have to make a huge step tomorrow if I’m gonna’ make anyone proud. I don’t want to run round at the back tomorrow – I looking for a good race but I know it’s going to be hard.’
MotoGP. Max Biaggi,
12th on the grid.
Third free practice 11th, 2’03.477, 20 laps
First qualifying practice 12th, 203.210, 24 laps
‘I’m really disappointed with this situation. We spent a long time with the team yesterday looking at all the data so we could make a better set-up for the machine. It was pretty obvious that we had not made the big improvement as soon as I went out this morning. Same really for this afternoon. Even with the qualifying Michelins I didn’t go any faster. There seems not to be too much grip from the back of the machine and we lose time everywhere. I would like to think we can battle hard in the race – for sure I will give my 100% as I always do – I just know that at the moment we don’t have the pace to fight for the victory over 21 laps. As I said yesterday, and all year, I do have great confidence in my team and we still have time to change things before the race – not much but we still have time and with time we have hope.’
250. Hiroshi Aoyama,
1st on the grid.
Second free practice 5th, 2’08.739, 20 laps
Second qualifying practice 1st, 207.860, 13 laps
This second consecutive pole is very important after the victory in Japan. I made a mistake at the beginning of the practice and crashed. From then on I had really trouble getting back into the session and I had no good pace. I reacted towards the end and pushed hard, although it is true that Dani helped me. I guess that its going to be very warm during the race and it wont be easy, but I hope to keep a good level until the end.
250. Dani Pedrosa,
2nd on the grid.
Second free practice 1st, 2’07.770, 19 laps
Second qualifying practice 2nd, 207.941, 16 laps
Weve done two good practices today and I feel better with the bikes setting here than in Japan. It was easier to lap fast in the afternoon, because the bike slid better with the heat and there was also a bit of wind. But we have a good configuration for the race. The most important was being on the first row of grid and, although I lost the pole, I hope to make a good start and get the best possible result.
250. Sebastián Porto,
5th on the grid.
Second free practice 3rd, 2’08.476, 15 laps
Second qualifying practice 4th, 208.436, 14 laps
‘It didn’t go badly today, the bike improved from yesterday. We still have a bit to do before the race, but we should be ready by tomorrow. The race will be very close, everyone is pretty equal apart from the final two laps when Pedrosa and Aoyama went very fast. It was very hot today and that showed us we will have to use hard tyres in the race, but in these conditions we should be competitive.’
250. Randy De Puniet
7th on the grid.
Second free practice 6th, 2’08.843, 22 laps
Second qualifying practice 7th, 208.762, 14 laps
‘I’m a little disappointed as we have done an excellent job during qualifying and had everything under control. On the final laps in the afternoon I was looking for a quick one and I opened up the gas too quickly and suffered a fall. I thought I was going to be on the front row, but I’ll have to settle for seventh. At the moment I feel a bit down, but I’ll be okay for the race tomorrow and I feel confident.’
125. Héctor Faubel,
9th on the grid.
Second free practice 18th, 2’18.657, 12 laps
Second qualifying practice 9th, 215.343, 11 laps
‘To be honest I had to work hard to do a qualifying time; we put on a different setting which didn’t give us what we expected and I had to grit my teeth to set that time. I’m on the third row, so a good start is crucial tomorrow and I will need to be in the front group as soon as possible so they don’t escape.’
125. Sergio Gadea,
18th on the grid.
Second free practice 17th, 2’18.113, 15 laps
Second qualifying practice 18th, 216.406, 10 laps
‘We are having some small problems with the bike’s set-up, due to the fact that we had to put different parts to the ones we had before the crash in Motegi. We are working hard though and we’re gradually finding the right way, although we’re still behind. I think tomorrow we can improve the lap-time and I’m confident of doing a good race.’
Standings:
125
- T. Luthi: 2’14.546
- M. Pasini + 0.291
- G. Talmacsi + 0.357
- M. Kallio + 0.418
- M. Simoncelli + 0.501
9. H. Faubel + 0.797
11. J. Olive + 1.089
18. S. Gadea + 1.860
25. J. Carchano + 3.613
29. M. Túnez + 4.133
250
- H. Aoyama: 2’07.860
- D. Pedrosa + 0.081
- C. Stoner + 0.426
- S. Porto + 0.576
- A. Dovizioso + 0.663
7. R. De Puniet + 0.902
12. A. Debón + 2.278
MotoGP
- L. Capirossi: 2’01.731
- S. Gibernau + 0.136
- J. Hopkins + 0.286
- S. Nakano + 0.447
- K. Roberts + 0.484
- N. Hayden + 0.646
12. M. Biaggi + 1.479
