Simoncelli ends Sepang test on top
Marco Simoncelli was the surprising pace-setter on the final day of MotoGP testing at Sepang on Thursday
The Gresini Honda rider posted a best time of 2m00.757s, the best time of the three days of testing at the Malaysian circuit.
Simoncelli was followed closely by a group of riders who also broke into the 2m00s bracket, with Casey Stoner just 0.054 off the Italian's pace on the works Honda.
World champion Jorge Lorenzo was also less than a tenth behind the leading bike on his Yamaha.
Andrea Dovizioso on the second works Honda, and Ben Spies on the Yamaha completed the top five, with yesterday's pace-setter Dani Pedrosa down in sixth position.
Valentino Rossi finished down in 10th as he continued to acclimatise to the new Ducati, the Italian around three tenths of a second slower than team-mate Nicky Hayden.
Suzuki rider Alvaro Bautista was sidelined from the final day of testing after feeling unwell, the Spaniard replaced by Noburu Aoki.
"I am not feeling well at all, I have a constant feeling of sickness and it hasn't improved all day," said Bautista. "I tried to ride the bike this morning; I really wanted to use the good track conditions and try to do my first 2'00 minute lap-time of Sepang!
"But immediately I made the first lap, the physical effort made the sickness worse and it was just impossible. So, I must say sorry to the team and I am also very disappointed for myself."
Pos Rider Team Time Laps 1. Marco Simoncelli Gresini Honda 2m00.757s 42 2. Casey Stoner Honda 2m00.811s + 0.054 42 3. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 2m00.845s + 0.088 46 4. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 2m00.945s + 0.188 51 5. Ben Spies Yamaha 2m01.002s + 0.245 60 6. Dani Pedrosa Honda 2m01.241s + 0.484 44 7. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda 2m01.353s + 0.596 63 8. Nicky Hayden Ducati 2m01.534s + 0.777 60 9. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 2m01.651s + 0.894 32 10. Valentino Rossi Ducati 2m01.842s + 1.085 52 11. Hector Barbera Aspar Ducati 2m02.030s + 1.273 42 12. Loris Capirossi Pramac Ducat 2m02.057s + 1.300 48 13. Randy De Puniet Pramac Ducati 2m02.159s + 1.402 57 14. Karel Abraham Cardion Ducati 2m02.645s + 1.888 29 15. Cal Crutchlow Tech 3 Yamaha 2m02.717s + 1.960 44 16. Toni Elias LCR Honda 2m02.916s + 2.159 55 17. Kousuke Akiyoshi Honda 2m03.452s + 2.695 3 18. Noburu Aoki Suzuki 2m04.700s + 2.943 46
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