Yamaha in command at MotoGP test

epa05140791 Spanish MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo of the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team in action during a pre-season test session at Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 03 February 2016. EPA/FAZRY ISMAIL

epa05140791 Spanish MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo of the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team in action during a pre-season test session at Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 03 February 2016. EPA/FAZRY ISMAIL

Published Feb 3, 2016

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Sepang, Malaysia - Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo topped a rain-affected final day of the first 2016 official MotoGP test session on Wednesday.

Lorenzo logged 1m59.580s - 0.976s ahead of Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi, who significantly improved his lap time and pace during the three-day testing. Honda's double MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez, who had been struggling with the machine over the past two days, was third, 1.303s off the pace.

Day 2: Triumph and disaster at Sepang MotoGP test

Day 1: Lorenzo sets the pace at MotoGP test

A rain shower momentarily stopped testing in the afternoon.

Cal Crutchlow on a Honda was fourth, with a time of 2m00.992s, while retired Australian double world champion Casey Stoner, back on track testing for Ducati, was fifth fastest, 1.490s behind the pacesetter.

Dani Pedrosa, who had complained about problems with his Honda, managed to secure sixth with a time of 2m01.161s while Danilo Petrucci on a Ducati was seventh, 1.637s down on Lorenzo.

On Monday Lorenzo was the fastest, clocking 2m0.684s, a little more than a second faster than Rossi, who has made clear his intentions to win his 10th World Championship title in 2016.

Petrucci topped the timesheets on Day 2 while Loris Baz's dramatic crash on Tuesday afternoon saw manufacturer Michelin withdrawing its soft tyre for the duration of the Sepang test.

Baz escaped serious injury when his rear tyre exploded and hurled him off his Ducati bike in a spectacular high-speed crash, at about 290km/h down the Sepang circuit's long main straight.

From Malaysia, MotoGP riders will head to Australia for three days at Phillip Island from 17-19 February. After the first two tests, the premier class will head to Qatar from 2-4 March for their final official test before the MotoGP world championship begins in Losail, Qatar, on 17 March.

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