Why test in Sepang?

jvs9932 · Feb 11, 2023

Why does MotoGP do preseason testing in an area where rain is so likely? Day 2 in Sepang today was basically a waste of time (and money) for the teams. I like the Sepang track but it seems like testing should be done somewhere that the weather is more likely to replicate weather the teams will have to deal with during the season, meaning most races are dry. Why don't they come to COTA (where this week it's in the upper 70s) or somewhere that's not as likely to rain like Malaysia?

Thanks.

Mick D · Feb 12, 2023

Hmmm... What are the choices. They are not going to Philip. COTA is 60°. Euro tracks are colder. Same weather as Sepang here in Thailand.

jvs9932 · Feb 12, 2023

Mick D said:
Hmmm... What are the choices. They are not going to Philip. COTA is 60°. Euro tracks are colder. Same weather as Sepang here in Thailand.

I agree, choices are limited. I could very easily be wrong, but I guess I think it makes more sense to go somewhere cooler rather than wetter. And just about anywhere has to be drier than SE Asia. Is cooler just as bad as wet?

Mick D · Feb 13, 2023

jvs9932 said:
I agree, choices are limited. I could very easily be wrong, but I guess I think it makes more sense to go somewhere cooler rather than wetter. And just about anywhere has to be drier than SE Asia. Is cooler just as bad as wet?

Well, there are no cold races during the season, and temp affects testing more than rain. there are warm wet races so at least theres some wet data to gather. cold data is useless.

Keshav · Feb 13, 2023

And then there's the ready supply of Laksa, Nasi lemak, Char kway teow, Roti canai, Yee sang, Apam balik, Nasi kandar, Nasi dagang, Bak kut teh, Laksam. And of course too many elderly British tourists splayed out over the beaches.

mylexicon · Feb 13, 2023

Track time is not free. Sepang might give MotoGP a sweetheart deal. They've been testing in Sepang forever, though anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere would do.

warthog1 · Feb 13, 2023

Mick D said:
Hmmm... What are the choices. They are not going to Philip. COTA is 60°. Euro tracks are colder. Same weather as Sepang here in Thailand.

Just wondering why they don't use PI.
Summer here.
Travel and freight?
Booked out by the .... boring "super"cars?
Freight costs?
Dunno.
It'd be better than Sepang

Mick D · Feb 13, 2023

warthog1 said:
Just wondering why they don't use PI.
Summer here.
Travel and freight?
Booked out by the .... boring "super"cars?
Freight costs?
Dunno.
It'd be better than Sepang

Travel and freight

warthog1 · Feb 14, 2023

They don't get much testing time. It'd be nice to get some in.
Than again PI aint that reliable for weather either.

Keshav · Feb 14, 2023

warthog1 said:
They don't get much testing time. It'd be nice to get some in.
Than again PI aint that reliable for weather either.

Good to see yer snouty A avatar pop up on the board. Feels like a harbinger of Spring.

p4p1 · Feb 14, 2023

warthog1 said:
Just wondering why they don't use PI.
Summer here.
Travel and freight?
Booked out by the .... boring "super"cars?
Freight costs?
Dunno.
It'd be better than Sepang

How useable is data from PI for other tracks on the calendar? I always assumed it was because as a track, Sepang seems to have a decent mix of everything.

warthog1 · Feb 15, 2023

p4p1 said:
How useable is data from PI for other tracks on the calendar? I always assumed it was because as a track, Sepang seems to have a decent mix of everything.

No clue really. PI does have slow speed stuff and high speed. A bit of elevation change. Dunno.
It is very far south on the Australian mainland. So wind and rain too.

Maybe it is expensive for freight and they dont trust the weather anyway. :lol:

michaelm · Feb 19, 2023

I don’t think Lindsay Fox would be very greedy, I am sure he is keen on the motogp event being held there, and don’t imagine the bikes would be any harder on the tarmac than all the other activities for which the circuit is hired.

In general terms it seems to be one of the most extreme circuits for tyres, and as you say the weather is probably too unreliable even in summer, not much between PI and Antarctica as you know.

Iirc they did do some testing there in the past, but not pre/season testing

p4p1 · Feb 19, 2023

michaelm said:
I don’t think Lindsay Fox would be very greedy, I am sure he is keen on the motogp event being held there, and don’t imagine the bikes would be any harder on the tarmac than all the other activities for which the circuit is hired.

In general terms it seems to be one of the most extreme circuits for tyres, and as you say the weather is probably too unreliable even in summer, not much between PI and Antarctica as you know.

Iirc they did do some testing there in the past, but not pre/season testing

They did but IIRC that was after/because of the 2013 race.

warthog1 · Feb 21, 2023

WSBK just tested there.
It seems doable.

michaelm · Feb 21, 2023

warthog1 said:
WSBK just tested there.
It seems doable.

Said to have had good weather for the WSBK testing.. Probably pretty cold a few days later though.

Havey · Feb 22, 2023

It was two good days of testing, even the wind held off.
Remy in WSB and Ollie in SSP are both up in the top end of their groups.
Gana be a good to get some racing going again,

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Why test in Sepang?

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