Repsol Honda riders Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa worked tirelessly during the final day of testing at Phillip Island, but both riders achieved top three positions. Marc 2nd, with Dani in 3rd.
Honda found a new setting that allowed for a more settled and flexible electronics package, whilst Marquez could build on his race pace and consistency in the latter half of the day. Pedrosa’s side of the garage was in praise of the steps made by Michelin, who have been developing the front tyres throughout the test.
“I’m very happy with how it went today because we improved a lot, especially in the afternoon, even if I did my best lap time in the morning. In the end I felt much more comfortable and it seems that yesterday’s long runs were useful for improving the electronics and getting closer to the level we wanted to reach, said the reigning champion.
“Overall, I think it has been three very positive days, and we did a good job. Of course we shouldn’t forget that this circuit is quite particular, and in Qatar we’ll see where we really are.
It is the Spaniard’s birthday today, and he wasn’t shy in sharing the positive vibes that the team were emitting. “Today I had a funny present from my team, a magnifying glass; I know I’m quite persistent in asking to check the data to find the issues we had, and they told me to find it myself! I’m very thankful that HRC is putting in a lot of effort, and step-by-step we’re getting better. I’d like to wish all the best to my Crew Chief Santi, who wasn’t able to be here at Philip Island because of some medical checks. We all missed him and we’re looking forward to seeing him with us again at the next test!”
Dani Pedrosa was much happier, now that he had overcome a sudden illness which kept him down the timesheets on day 2. “Overall I think it’s been a very positive test, especially considering that this isn’t one of my favourite tracks. I was riding quite well and I think we improved day by day.
Pedrosa reiterated his illness yesterday, but was glad he got in one productive day in testing today. “Yesterday I wasn’t feeling well but today I felt a bit better and we could do a good job on the track. The team has worked very well. We focused again on electronics and on the setup of the bike, and the only thing we missed was a long run, as we ran out of time. Michelin have also made some good steps forward with the tyres. All in all, we can say we’re heading in the right direction, even if we still have some work to do.”
Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko