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Ducati's Lorenzo ends MotoGP test fastest with record Sepang lap

Ducati MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo ended the three-day pre-season test in Malaysia quickest, setting a new unofficial lap record in the process.

Lorenzo surpassed the previous best MotoGP lap of the Sepang circuit, set by Honda's Marc Marquez during winter testing in 2015, by 0.037 seconds on the final day.

Maverick Vinales' laptime that stood as the best effort from the opening two days did not remain the benchmark for long on Tuesday, bettered by a 1m59.186s from Lorenzo just half an hour into the session.

The Ducati rider was overhauled by Honda's Dani Pedrosa a couple of minutes later, but returned to the top spot after another hour.

Lorenzo's record-breaking 1m58.830s kept him top for the remaining six hours, as premier class riders wrapped up their test programmes by focusing on long runs.

Pedrosa ended the day second, with LCR Honda's Cal Crutchlow completing the top three.

Lorenzo's team-mate Andrea Dovizioso was fourth, but his day was disrupted by a crash at the Turn 1 hairpin early in the session.

Pramac privateer Jack Miller wrapped up his Tuesday running early but still ended the day as the third Ducati in the top five, while Alex Rins wound up top Suzuki rider, 0.002s behind the Australian.

Reigning champion Marquez took seventh ahead of Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, who was among the few riders to improve in the closing minutes of the test. Rossi's team-mate Vinales ended the day in 18th place.

Tech3 Yamaha's Johann Zarco finished ninth despite an early tumble, while Pramac's Danilo Petrucci put Avintia Ducati newcomer Tito Rabat - who crashed twice during the day - out of the top 10 at the chequered flag.

With Pol Espargaro sitting out the day after his big crash on Monday, test rider Mika Kallio led the way for KTM, placing 16th.

Zdroj: autosport.com