Sepang test: Andrea Dovizioso rejects new Honda chassis

New factory Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso has ditched a new RC212V chassis and will start the season on an older version having completed back-to-back tests in Sepang this week.

The Italian, who finished the test with the eighth best time on a track where he’s scored his solitary premier class podium last season, told MCN he was more comfortable on the old chassis that he’d tested before Christmas in Valencia and Jerez.

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Dovizioso, who was the lone Repsol Honda rider today with Dani Pedrosa already back in Europe to recover from a recent left knee operation, told MCN: “I have tried two chassis. I tried the new chassis and I won’t use it.

“I will instead use the chassis I used in Valencia and Jerez. I didn’t like the new chassis on the exit of the corner and I had a lot of problems with the grip and the rear was squatting a lot.”

Dovizioso clocked a best time of 2.01.955, which was 0.9s quicker than he managed on a Michelin-shod Honda when he finished third in last October’s Sepang race.