Former world champion Jorge Lorenzo is the latest high profile rider to express concerns about the huge gulf in lap times between the factory 1000cc prototypes and new CRT machinery.
The Spaniard got his first experience of riding on track with the new CRT bikes during the first Sepang test in Malaysia earlier this month.
The CRT machines are based on highly tuned production engines with prototype chassis and nine will compete in the inaugural 1000cc MotoGP world championship in 2012.
Three of the new CRT projects took part in the three-day Sepang test, including the Suter-BMW machine to be campaigned by experienced American Colin Edwards for the Forward Racing squad.
Edwards finished the test just over five seconds away from the best pace set by Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner while the Kawasaki ZX-10R-powered machine run by the Spanish-based BQR squad was well over seven seconds off the pace.
Aussie Stoner has already warned of potentially dangerous situations in practice and qualifying and Lorenzo said: “I am really surprised because I thought the gap would be much less. This could be dangerous.
"I was with Colin, who is the fastest of the CRT here, and it seemed like he was in another category compared to MotoGP."
source: MCN
