Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa has continued his form from yesterday at the Valencia MotoGP test and set the fastest time of the final day with a 1'31.807 which was over a tenth quicker than team-mate Casey Stoner with Yamaha's Ben Spies third.
Pedrosa was only a gnat's off Stoner's qualifying time of 1'31.861 but with a while season's development to come, and the new Bridgestone tyres which were used in part today, Valentino Rossi's outright lap record of 1'31.002 set in 2006 on Michelins, must be a realistic target now.
As with yesterday, Stoner had been in charge since the start and Pedrosa left it until right to the end to stick in his banker lap. Spies, meanwhile, occupied third place with his 1'32.338 which was miles faster than he managed in qualifying on Saturday on the 800.
The American was shadowed by the Monster Yamaha pair of Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso. Crutchlow bagged fourth with a 1'32.550 (he qualified on a 1'34.329) while his new team-mate managed a 1'33.256 which was half a second up on his lap from Saturday.
It was not good news again for Valentino Rossi and the Marlboro Ducati team. The Doctor is 1.5s slower than Pedrosa and if the gap stays like this at the Sepang test, it is going to be a long 2012. We suspect that Rossi will take no solace from the fact he was the fastest Ducati in sixth - Karel Abraham and Hector Barbera are right behind him and only tenths slower.
San Carlo Honda new-boy Alvaro Bautista was the fastest of the 800s as he lapped in 1'33.814 on the ex-Hiro Aoyama machine. The Spaniard signed for the team yesterday and rode in plain leathers, and managed to keep Stefan Bradl behind him. The new Moto2 Champion was on the LCR Honda and, with a 1'34.142 lap which would have put him ninth on the grid, may well remain on it for next year.
Valencia MotoGP test day two - conditions dry
1 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 1:31.807 - - 45
2 Casey Stoner Repsol Honda Team 1:31.968 +0.161 +0.161 33
3 Ben Spies Yamaha Factory Racing 1:32.338 +0.370 +0.531 75
4 Cal Crutchlow Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:32.550 +0.212 +0.743 67
5 Andrea Dovizioso Monster Yamaha Tech3 1:33.256 +0.706 +1.449 69
6 Valentino Rossi Ducati Team 1:33.332 +0.076 +1.525 62
7 Karel Abraham Cardion AB Motoracing 1:33.433 +0.101 +1.626 72
8 Hector Barbera Pramac Racing Team 1:33.648 +0.215 +1.841 41
9 Alvaro Bautista San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:33.814 +0.166 +2.007 55 (800cc)
10 Stefan Bradl LCR Honda MotoGP 1:34.142 +0.328 +2.335 61 (800cc)
11 Kousuke Akiyoshi Repsol Honda Team 1:34.546 +0.404 +2.739 32
12 Franco Battaini Ducati Team 1:34.840 +0.294 +3.033 74
13 Carmelo Morales TeamLaglisse 1:35.911 +1.071 +4.104 67 (CRT)
14 Ivan Silva BQR Inmotec 1:36.695 +0.784 +4.888 52 (CRT)
15 Yonny Hernandez BQR FTR 1:37.279 +0.584 +5.472 30 (CRT)
16 Federico Sandi Grillini Team 1:38.680 +1.401 +6.873 26 (CRT)
