Marquez on top form at Sepang test sessions

Sepang (Malaysia) (AFP) - Reigning world champion Marc Marquez was the fastest rider for the second successive day at Malaysia's Sepang circuit on Wednesday, the final day of the second round of pre-season MotoGP winter testing.

Engineers had brought two different chassis to test in Sepang for the Honda rider, who clocked the best time of the day at 1 minute and 59.115 seconds.

The Spaniard experienced braking problems on the first day of testing on Monday. But he bounced back quickly, topping the time sheets for the next two days.

During the first round of testing in Sepang earlier in February, he had set a new unofficial track record.

Marquez, who in 2013 became the youngest rider ever to take the world title and the first rookie to win in 35 years, rode 73 laps on Wednesday in sweltering and humid conditions.

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo was the second fastest, trailing 0.322 seconds behind Marquez. British rider Cal Crutchlow, on a Honda, took the third spot on the time sheets at 1 minute and 59.658 seconds.

Lorenzo's team mate and nine-time Grand Prix champion Valentino Rossi was fifth fastest with a lead gap of 0.718 seconds.

The Yamaha riders have been testing out a new seamless shift gearbox in Sepang.

Ducati also debuted its new GP15 bikes at the Malaysian circuit, with Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone putting the machines through their paces over the last three days.

Iannone was fourth fastest Wednesday, clocking in at 1 minute and 59.722 seconds.

The new season officially kicks off in Qatar on March 29 and Malaysia will host the penultimate leg of the championship on October 25.