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MotoGP, Michele Pirro first … and second on the final day of Shakedown in Sepang

TIMES - Two different transponders gave the Ducati test rider the opportunity for this amusing record, the only rider to go under 2 minutes. Behind him Crutchlow, Fernandez and Savadori

MotoGP: Michele Pirro first … and second on the final day of Shakedown in Sepang

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The three days of Shakedown have officially ended on the Sepang track and, after the bad weather of the previous two days, today the testers were able to make full use of all the eight hours available to them to properly test the bikes that they will leave in the hands of the regular team riders from Friday to Sunday.

On the timesheets, Michele Pirro was able to double up as he appeared both in first and second position. Nothing strange, he simply fitted two different transponders on his bikes and hence the… magic.

The Ducati is the bike that has shown the fewest external innovations in recent days, but it is also a mature project and its speed is not surprising. Pirro, however, put some of his own into it and was the only one to go below the 2-minute mark, setting the best time in 1'59.803.

Which means giving half a second (0.550 to be precise) to Cal Crutchlow. The Yamaha, these days, has seemed to be the most revolutionized bike both in terms of chassis (with a new swingarm) and aerodynamics. Even the maximum speed seems to be better, although we will have to wait for the official tests to get confirmation.

Augusto Fernandez, the GasGas rookie, continued his apprenticeship in MotoGP, posting the third fastest time 0.679 behind Pirro. Fourth time for Lorenzo Savadori, who had many new developments (above all aerodynamics) to test on the Aprilia, so much so that in recent days he has taken turns in riding no less than six bikes.

A lot of work also for Stefan Bradl (76 laps today only) on the Honda. The German probably didn't pay too much attention to the stopwatch and his time was high (2'01.129). Sixth time for Nakasuga on the Yamaha, while Folger brings up the timesheets. Dani Pedrosa was also on the KTM but, as in recent days, the Spaniard didn't have the transponder on.

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