With𒁏 the first MotoGP test of 2012 taking place next week at Sepang in Malaysia, here is a recap of what happened one year ago.

Although single lap times from testing can often be deceptive, with hindsight the 2011 Sepang results proved an accurate forecast for the 🍬season ahead.

New Honda signing Casey Stoner led four of the six days, including a clean sweep of the second test where he also smashed the two🌸-minute barrier. Fellow factory Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and Marco Simoncelli went top for one day each at the first test.

World champion Jorge Lorenzo led the Yamaha challenge - the Spaniard or factory team-mate Ben Spies often able to beat💧 some, but not all, of the four factory RC212Vs. Meanwhile🦹, Ducati struggled throughout.

The top three positions on each day of 2011 testing are show below, plus the position of Ducati's Valentino Rossi. Rossi was ⛄an average of 1.5sec from pole during the 2011 season, which was roughly the time gap he had faced at Sepang.

The seven-time MotoGP champion will be looking to slash that 𝔍gap with the new GP12, which he and team-mate Nicky Hayden will ride for th🍌e first time next week...

2011 Sepang I Test (Feb 1-3)

Day 1:
1. Stoner (Honda) 2m 1.574s; 2. Lorenzo (Yamaha); 3 Pedrosa (Honda).
12. Rossi (Ducati) +1.791s.Day 2:
1. Pedrosa (Honda) 2m 0.770s; 2. Stoner (Honda); 3. Spies (Yamaha).
13. Rossi (Ducati) +1.827s.Day 3:
1. Simoncelli (Honda) 2m 0.757s; 2. Stoner (Honda); 3. Lorenzo (Yamaha).
10. Rossi (Ducati) +1.085s.

2011 Sepang II Test (Feb 22-24)

Day 1:
1. Stoner (Honda) 2m 0.987s; 2. Pedrosa (Honda); 3. Lorenzo (Yamaha).
9. Rossi (Ducati) +1.012s.Day 2:
1. Stoner (Honda) 2m 0.171s; 2. Pedrosa (Honda); 3. Dovizioso (Honda).
Rossi absent due to illness.Day 3:
1. Stoner (Honda) 1m 59.665s; 2. Pedrosa (Honda); 3. Simoncelli (Honda).
11. Rossi (Ducati) +1.804s.