NGM Forward Yamaha's Aleix Espargaro already has one eye on the MotoGP podium after blitzing his Open class opposition today in testing at Sepang and only finishing six-tenths behind leader Marc Marquez.
The Spaniard, who is using a works Yamaha motor with British-built FTR chassis parts, set a 2:00.547 which put him ahead of both Bradley Smith and Jorge Lorenzo on Factory machinery from the same stable.
"For sure it is not easy to do this time, but it was not really difficult so today we did a great job. We try a lot of things with electronics and the frame. Cal show last year this bike can arrive in the podium, so we will see if we can do it," said Espargaro, speaking at Sepang.
"Tomorrow will be important as I will do a long run or race distance and we will see if our hardest, most difficult part will be the last seven laps of the race as the electronics are so important for that part and for sure it is not as good as the Factory riders.
"I think on the first part of the race we are really good, we are fast and the second part our electronics will suffer. I think we are in a better way that we expected before. Today we tried four or five different tyre that Bridgestone bring."
