The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team was back on track today for the second day of the Phillip Island MotoGP Official Test. Though the morning started off wet, the riders were able to ride throughout most of the day. Jorge Lorenzo was quick to get up to pace and ended the day in third place just slightly ahead of teammate Valentino Rossi in fourth.

Today the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team successfully completed a second day of testing in Australia. Wet weather at the start of the day, followed by a drying track around noon delivered challenging conditions for riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, but they were unfazed and secured third and fourth place respectively in today's standings.

Despite the rain in the morning, Lorenzo used the day to its full capacity. He had nearly the entire track to himself at the start of the session when he opted to continue working on bike set up, looking for the optimum balance on the YZR-M1, especially with increased tyre wear, gathering valuable data for the engineers. As track conditions improved, a flurry of activity followed with all riders streaming out of the pits. The warmer temperatures in the afternoon allowed the Spaniard to get down to a lap time of 1'29.357s, on his 65th lap out of 80, only 0.226s from the front.

Rossi also had a productive day and set multiple fast laps. As soon as a dry line formed at the Phillip Island circuit, he didn't waste a second and seized the opportunity. He went out on track and set a 1'31.1s on his fifth lap to take over at the top in the provisional time sheets. He continued to drop quick laps even when the brief sunny spell was spoiled by more rain, and completed 71 laps in total all the way through the afternoon. His best effort was a 1'29.404s for fourth place, 0.273s from today's fastest time.

Untitled Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director

"This morning, when we started the session, we thought that the weather was going to be similar to yesterday with lots of interruptions due to rain, but in the afternoon the weather improved significantly and we were able to start working. In the available dry track time we managed to tick off a lot of items from our test plan. We tested a new front fork as well as front tyres, as per Michelin's request, and we completed half a race simulation, so in the end it has been a positive day for us. Unfortunately we haven't been able to extensively test the two bikes yet for both riders, which is a must for tomorrow. Once we have made a decision on which bike we will continue to develop, we will start fine-turning the set-up and the electronics."

Jorge Lorenzo - 3rd / +0.226 / 80 laps

"I was concentrating on trying many things and when I had the good tyre on the front, the rear wasn't new so I couldn't improve and do a time attack. Our rivals are fast, especially Maverick, as he likes the track and he is riding very well. Today we have experienced some issues on the front with the stability to ride confidently with open throttle. I think it was a combination of the type of track, the type of tarmac and the type of corners, which are faster than Sepang and are inducing these problems. If we can solve the problem we can be much quicker, let's see if it's possible. Looking at what happened today, it looks like the new electronics are going to change the performance of the bikes a lot on other tracks. Someone can have an advantage at one track and maybe they have more problems at another. We have to understand how to be more competitive here to get the same advantage we had in Sepang."

Valentino Rossi - 4th / +0.273 / 71 laps

"We're lucky and happy, because the summer arrived today and we could work on the bikes and understand more, especially about the tyres. Sincerely, I'm very satisfied about today because from the morning until the end I was always fast and competitive and in one of the first positions. I also had a good feeling with the bike and I was able to improve, from the morning to the afternoon, the pace and the lap times. The only thing we haven't had time for was to compare the two bikes, we will do it tomorrow, hoping we have good weather like today. About all other things I'm satisfied, because I have a good pace and also my best lap is good. I got fourth position, but the first four are the four riders that were more competitive today and are close in times, so we are there at the front. For sure, keeping up the pace in the race will be harder, simply because you get less help from the electronics, you have to do more work with your body and the throttle, so that will be a bit more demanding."