Alex R༺ins finished the Sepang MotoGP test 15th on the timesheets with his new Monster Yamaha, 1.2s behin﷽d Francesco Bagnaia’s all-time circuit record and 0.354s from team-mate Fabio Quartararo (11th)

But Rins was only 22nd on the top speed charꦛts, despite team and riders believing the new M1 eng𝓡ine ‘has enough power’.

While Quartararo had been quickest of any rider through the speed trap on day two (338.5km/h) and joint ninth (335.4km/h) on day three, Rins🥃 was ahead of only Ducati test rider Michele Pirro on a 333.3km/h.

His top fiveꦚ average of 332.7km/h also compar🐲ed with an average of 334.9km/h for Quartararo.

Rins admitted the difference between the M1 top speeds also cꦑaught his eye.

After digging deeper, Rins revealed that problems in braking were causing the appearance of a poor top speed and, in reality, he was reaching the same ‘Vmax’ 𓆉as Quartararo.

“I'm quite happy becauꦬse we are doing good te♛sting [work] but it's true that we are missing a little bit of setup,” Rins said.

“I was struggꦑling a little bit to s🐻top the bike. The rear tyre was up in the air! So we are losing a little bit of time in that area.”

That forced Rins to brake earlier than 👍Quartararo, causing his official top speed to shrink.

“I thought a lot about this and I looked at a lot o😼f🐻 data,” Rins said of the poor official top speed.

“It was bec🐲ause the [circuit] t♒op speed sensor is just at the [turn 1] braking point. 

"On the data, we can see that Fabio is braking some 5-7 metres further than me and [the spee𓂃d difference] was for this.

“On [our] data, on the spe𒁏ed channel, it was the same.”

Sepang top speeds also gauge braking ability

Rins’ explanation that the Sepang speed chart reveals as much about stopping power as engine power also highlights that Gresini’s Ma🥂rc Marquez and rookie Pedro Acosta are braking very strongly on their new machines.

Marquez set the second-highest ✨average speed of 336.4km/h on his GP23, better than even the new GP24 machines, whichᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ have more engine power this year. GASGAS rider Acosta had the third best average speed with 336.0.

The highest top speed (338.5km/h) and average (338.0) on day three was by KTM’s Brad Binder. The South Afr🤪ican didn’t want to speculate if it was down to braki꧑ng, engine or aero.

“Not too surᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚe,” Binder said. “I saw my fastest speed was on my first lap this morning when the grip was mint, it was nice and cold.

“I didn’t have a look at the top speed after that = but we’ve got a bit of speed.🅷”

Meanwhiꦦle, Quartararo spent much of the Sepang tests trying to tame the power delivery of the new M1 engine and make it less aggressi🅰ve, to try and reduce wheel spin.

“I feel the same,” Rins explained. “Not [as stronglyꦜ] as him because I'm coming from another bike and especially with the Honda last ye✨ar we were struggling a lot on that [rear grip] phase.

“So for me this bike is a little🔯 bit better on acceleration [than the Honda], in terms of how the rear grip ♌arrives.

“But it's tℱrue that if we want to push 🍬for one fast lap or for a race pace, we are struggling compared to the others.

“For example, exiting from corne▨r 14, or corner 5 where you need to carry speed. It looks like we are losing a little bit the rear.

“But anyway, I'm quite happy with the work done. We are creating a good groꦚup of work. So let's see if we can continue like this and keep improving.”

Rins was also revived to suffer only minor iꦯssue🤪s from last year’s leg fractures.

“The Shakedown test was fine but the first day of the [official] test I had a bit of pain. But then the second😼 and third days were perfect. So on the bike I was able to ride in my wa𓄧y.”

The final pre-se♍ason test, before Rins makes his Yamaha raꦬce debut, will take place in Qatar from February 19-20.