Luca Marini on Sunday set the fastest lap time during the third and final day of the 2023 Sepang MotoGP Official Test.
The Mooney VR46 Racing Team rider recorded his fastest lap just before the rain brought an early end to the day.
The track was still wet, much as the day before, hence it took over two hours before the first riders got to the circuit.
Fast lap times were set as soon as the action got underway; after an hour of racing, Luca Marini set the record with a time of 1’58.642.
His speed is not only the fastest he has ever recorded on the Malaysian circuit, but it also beats Jorge Martin’s record time from the past day.
The first crash of the day then comes to the name of Jack Miller. The Australian crashes in the first corner after the start and finish, but fortunately without further consequences.
Martin made his point clear even before lunch. The Prima Pramac Racing rider improved his fastest lap time of the day to 1’58.204, which is also faster than Marco Bezzecchi’s fastest lap time on the first day.
It’s quiet on the track around lunchtime, not only because rider are eating, but also because they don’t have enough tyres to race for more.
Miller set a lap time below the 1’59 mark for the first time during this third and final day of testing not long after the lunch break and thus enter the top ten after his crash earlier in the day
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider cannot enjoy his top ten place for long, because many drivers then sit down again and manage to improve their own fastest lap time.
But with just over an hour to go there will be another series of time attacks in which no less than three riders manage to race under Martin’s fastest lap time to date, with Maverick Vinales even seeming to be the first to break the 1’58 mark bad.
The Aprilia rider finally gets stuck with a lap time of 1’58.036 while the Ducati Lenovo Team duo Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini are a fraction less fast and come second and third on the list.