Not content with hosting the inaugural Sepang 8 Hours Endurance World Championship event, the Malaysian circuit has also put together a star-studded team to try and win it.
Maverick Vinales has produced his customary act of topping the timesheet during a MotoGP test as the final track action of 2019 began at Jerez with the Monster Energy Yamaha rider running back-to-back stints to compare both a new engine specification and new chassis.
Quickest on day one, Fabio Quartararo signed off the Valencia MotoGP test with second on the timesheets, while trying some set-up changes to his Petronas Yamaha.
Following Sunday's season-ending MotoGP race, riders and teams have returned to the Valencia circuit to start their 2020 preparations in earnest during a two-day official test.
The MotoGP paddock has provided tributes to Jorge Lorenzo following his surprise retirement announcement at the end of this season, with Valentino Rossi calling him “one of the most important MotoGP riders of the modern era”.
Franco Morbidelli feels he’s making progress up the ranks in MotoGP but concedes each step is not happening as quickly as he would like alongside Petronas Yamaha team-mate Fabio Quartarao.
With a return to a familiar base setting with his Petronas Yamaha, Franco Morbidelli says he felt instantly faster at Sepang compared to his Australian MotoGP struggles.
The last leg of MotoGP’s epic triple-header takes place with the Malaysian GP in familiar surroundings at Sepang which hosts a special home debut, potential record breakers and the proper start to 2020 preparations.
Fabio Quartararo confirms he has avoided further injury to his left ankle following medical checks after being taken out by a high-siding Danilo Petrucci on the opening lap of the Australian MotoGP and hopes to return to full fitness for his team’s home round in Malaysia.
Fabio Quartararo wants to exploit his confidence with his Petronas Yamaha and front end feeling as he eyes a maiden MotoGP race win to an gloss to a stellar rookie campaign.
Franco Morbidelli has given credit to both team-mate Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha for recent performance gains as he secures a first front-row start since the Catalan round back in June.
Valentino Rossi overcame a late brake issue with one of his Monster Yamaha bikes during the closing minutes of FP2 to start his final soft tyre run and secure a provisional Q2 spot ahead of the Japanese MotoGP.
Andrea Dovizioso feels his charge to the podium at the Aragon MotoGP was kickstarted by profiting from the opening-lap clash between Alex Rins and Franco Morbidelli as he accepts his title fight is effectively over and focuses on defending second place in the standings.
Franco Morbidelli's Aragon MotoGP lasted just eleven corners before he was turfed-off by Alex Rins, when the Suzuki rider misjudged his braking point. While Morbidelli was down and out, Rins remained upright and eventually recovered to finish in ninth place, after serving a penalty.
Andrea Dovizioso felt the fight for fourth place at the San Marino MotoGP could have been possible had he not got stuck behind Red Bull KTM’s Pol Espargaro but concedes he continued to suffer in the low grip conditions for Ducati.
Yamaha took the fight to MotoGP champion Marc Marquez at Misano on Sunday, leading 23 of 27 laps and only missing out on victory after a final lap showdown.
After suffering only his second fall as a MotoGP rider at Silverstone, Fabio Quartararo was back on top of the timesheets during both days of the Misano test.
MotoGP riders Franco Morbidelli and Hafizh Syahrin will join World Superbike star Michael van der Mark in the home Sepang Racing Team squad for December's inaugural 8 Hours race at the Malaysian circuit.
By the time the MotoGP World Championship returns to Silverstone in 2020, Petronas team principal Razlan Razali hopes they will have made history by claiming the first race victory for a satellite Yamaha.
Fabio Quartararo says while topping both days of the Misano test is a nice boost for Petronas Yamaha he doesn’t expect the results to be the true order come the MotoGP race weekend in two weeks’ time.
Fabio Quartararo says he’s recovered from his first-corner crash at the British MotoGP and enjoyed getting to grips with Misano on his Petronas Yamaha as he led a team 1-2 on the opening day of the test.
Morbidelli quickest during a damp morning warm-up for the Austrian MotoGP. Slick tyres were chosen by most at the start of warm-up, when the best lap times were set, but more rain meant all riders then switched over to wets. Marquez was quickest in full wet conditions.