MotoGP: Morbidelli Sets Fastest Time On Day Two Of Winter Test At SIC

SEPANG, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Italian Franco Morbidelli set the fastest time on a relatively less dramatic second day of the 2025 Official Sepang MotoGP Test at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) here today.

This was in stark contrast to yesterday's session, which was blighted by several horrific crashes.

Morbidelli, of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, clocked 1 minute and 57.210 seconds on his 18th lap this morning, faster than his qualifying lap at last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix (GP), making him the quickest rider after the second day of the Winter Test.

Monster Energy Yamaha Fabio Quartararo, who was fastest yesterday in 1:57.555s, improved his time to 1:57.324s to be placed second ahead of Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez (1:57.340s).

The 30-year-old Morbidelli, the first rider from the VR46 Riders Academy under the mentorship of MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, was elated by the strong performance and attributed it to the team working as a family.

“It was a fantastic day… The team deserves this kind of performance. It's something we have been missing for a long time... we need performances like this to start the season strong and build from here. We are very happy,” he told reporters.

Asked whether the riders were more cautious following multiple crashes on the first day, Morbidelli credited the improvement to better tyre selection.

“I didn't see anybody (crashing) on the track today... there were fewer crashes than yesterday. Maybe also (it's) due to the right tyre selection. Yesterday, everybody kind of used a harder compound, so also that helped today,” he added.

One of the casualties of yesterday’s crashes was Aprilia Racing's reigning world champion Jorge Martin, who was forced to withdraw from the Winter Test after crashing at Turn 2 and suffering a right-hand fracture as well as multiple fractures on his left foot.

Trackhouse Racing's Raul Fernandez also had to pull out of the Sepang Test after fracturing the metacarpal bone in his left hand while his teammate Ai Ogura and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Pedro Acosta were also involved in separate incidents.

Meanwhile, SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif responded to concerns over the crashes by saying that the track surface remains in satisfactory condition, with daily inspections conducted before the test rides to ensure compliance with International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) safety protocols.

He said the SIC received no negative feedback from riders and teams after hosting the three-day Shakedown MotoGP Test last week, ahead of the ongoing Winter Test.

"We constantly ensure our track is inspected and maintained properly for the safety of the riders. Improvements to the track were last carried out in 2023, including partial resurfacing, with the majority of the circuit having been resurfaced since 2016.

"Several crucial improvement and maintenance works were done last year to enhance the safety and performance level of the circuit, including repairing the Misano Curb at Turn 15 as well as the maintenance of gravel beds, armco barriers, tyre barriers and debris fencing,” he said in a statement.

The riders have one more day to fine-tune their machines before the Sepang Test ends tomorrow.

They will then head to their final pre-season testing at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand from Feb 12-14, ahead of the season-opening Thai GP from Feb 28 to March 2.

The SIC will host the Malaysian GP from Oct 24-26.

-- BERNAMA