The second day of the MotoGP test for the 2014 spec motorcycles was far more busier than the first day. More teams took to the track and hence the results of the test also began to change substantially. First things first. Marc Marquez was on the Honda for the 2014 season and he went like stink. He made sure that Jorge Lorenzo was demoted to second place in terms of the times set. Marquez’s form seems ominous. It remains to be seen if he will run away with the championship or will he be properly reined in by the opposition? That is a million dollar question that will be answered in due course of time which will be the year 2014
Marc Marquez’s 2014 test mule has a new design fairing with just one air intake instead of the two that Honda has had for years.
While all other Yamahas were relegated to various places down the order, Jorge Lorenzo, who has appropriately been called the Bull Dog that never gives up by no less a person that Kenny Roberts Sr., proved that he was worthy of the description by finishing second on the time sheets not very far from Marquez. The factory Yamahas have finished their testing on the second day itself even though they have an option of testing on the third day as well.
The Bull Dog fights to bite back.
While Lorenzo went impressively enough, Rossi had to leave from the test with a lot to worry. He finished the second day 7th fastest which was slower than even Bradley Smith. The self styled Doctor has no medicine or surgery as yet to improve his performance on the Yamaha YZR-M1 which he claimed to be ‘his bike’ since he was the one who originally developed. Is the great champion reaching the end of days? We think he already has reached.
The Doctor who needs to find something to stop fading into oblivion. Will he find it though?
Another rider who is trying to resurrect his career after 5 years on the career destroying Ducati, Nicky Hayden took to the track on the second on the all new Honda RCV 1000R also being called the production racer. Hayden was not very impressive finishing towards the bottom of the time sheets and unfortunately for him he could not even describe his experience aboard the Honda because Ducati with whom his contract runs till the end of this year have asked him not to speak about his test. Livio Suppo the factory team Principal spoke on his behalf to say that Hayden has to still find his feet. One has to wonder what it is that Ducati is afraid of and why they have forbidden Hayden from speaking to the world. It should be interesting what happens once the contract lapses.
Hayden’s day out on the Honda RCV 1000R. Not the hottest of debuts.
Also taking to the track was a solitary FTR-Yamaha ridden by both Forward riders Colin Edwards and Aleix Espargaro. Edwards, renowned for his development skills was given more by the team but Aleix Espargaro was happy with his limited run and claimed that the Yamaha engine is more powerful than the ART engine that he rode for a couple of years. Both riders were fulsome in their praise for FTR who managed to build the chassis for the Yamaha in a small period of four weeks. In fact, the short time was the reason why there is no second bike with the team as yet.
Meanwhile Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso riding the Ducati have said that the changes that have been made so far have not done much good to the motorcycle. For this test the new General Manager of Ducati Corse (the racing division) Luigi Dall’Igna was at the test and has said that there are no quick fixes for the Ducati problems and that it may take upto two years for Ducati to start challenging for the World Championship. He did say however, that he is confident that progress will be made incrementally from 2014 season itself.