Former Moto GP champion Rossi crashes in Malaysia
Selasa, 22 Januari 2008 | | |KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Moto GP icon Valentino Rossi crashed on the first day of pre-season testing at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit, clearly rusty after a long layoff due to injury, organisers said Tuesday.
The seven-time world champion has been out of action since fracturing his right hand in three places during a qualifying crash at the Valencia Grand Prix in Spain in November.
Sporting a new crew-cut hairstyle, Rossi returned to the track aboard his new 2008 YR-M1 machine but his gestures to his Fiat Yamaha team showed he was not happy with the handling of the bike, organisers said.
“Entering his 20th lap at noon, Rossi crashed at the entry of the sharp Turn 2 after his front wheel gave in,” they said in a statement.
The Italian rider jumped off his bike to escape injury and then walked back and picked up the fallen machine.
“As he rode slowly to the pits (Rossi) was seen holding his left hand with the new machine badly dented on the right side,” it added.
Rossi, who won five world titles in a row from 2001-2005, has struggled in the past two seasons, seeing American Nicky Hayden win in 2006 then Australian Casey Stoner triumph in style last year.
His new team-mate Jorge Lorenzo also had a crash in a disappointing session for Fiat Yamaha. Rossi clocked the eighth fastest time of 2 minutes 3.295 seconds while Lorenzo was fifth fastest with 2 minutes 2.871 seconds.
Stonor went out on the morning practice run but did not finish the lap.
Honda’s Dani Pedrosa clocked the fastest time of 2 minutes 1.864 seconds despite also crashing at turn one.
The Sepang tests will run for three days until Thursday. Afterwards they will shift to Phillip Island in Melbourne before returning to Sepang on February 4-6 for a second round of testing.
