Source: LCR.

MotoGP’s first pre-season testing session came to close on Friday at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, after three days of intense work in the gruelling tropical heat.

CWM LCR Honda’s Jack Miller was happy with the big step forward he and his crew have made during their first outing of the 2015 season, improving his lap time by well over a second.

The Australian today finally started to put some laps in using a bigger range of the electronics available to him this season, as the team gradually introduce him to the RC213V-RS.

As is normal in Malaysia, track conditions were best in the first hour after the circuit opened at 10am, after which the effects of direct sunshine and heat means it is almost impossible to set a fast lap.

As if to demonstrate that fact, factory Honda rider Marc Marquez set the fastest-ever lap of Sepang on just the eighth of his 52 laps at 1m58.867s.

Like Marquez, Miller was also able to make the most of the cooler climate in the morning, as he set his best lap of 2m01.895s on the third of his 50 laps of the track. This compared to a 2m03.083s on day two and 2m02.807s from the first day.

“Today we improved our pace in the morning, managing to put in a different tyre at the right time and we improved our lap time by a second,” Miller reflected. “Everyone else improved too, but we are making steps forward.

“We made some real progress, particularly in the last three runs out on the track, when we started to work with the electronics including the traction control and anti-wheelie settings. It was good, so I’m really looking forward to the next test and working some more on the electronics and aids to make the lap times come that little bit easier.

“For now though, I’m happy. It’s been a positive test for me and the crew. I’ve picked up lots more experience with the Bridgestone tyres and I think that it will get even better for the next test here.”

The CWM LCR Honda team now return to Europe to work on their findings from this test, before heading back out to Malaysia for a four-day session later this month starting 23 February.