Takaaki Nakagami tops first pre-season test
Idemitsu Honda Team Asia and Gresini Racing Moto3 riders fastest as action opens
Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) went fastest over a two day Moto2 and Moto3 test at the Circuito de Jerez, as many traveled from the Valencia GP to begin preparations for next season in the south of Spain.
Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) was second fastest, only 0.022 behind Nakagami’s quickest lap. The two riders also went fastest on day one.
Álex Márquez: – P2
“Over the course of the two days here in Jerez we’ve tested a lot of things on the bike, many more than was originally planned as, unfortunately, Franco was unable to ride because he was sick. Overall it’s been a very positive test with which to end the season and, having tested a lot of the 2017 components, we go into the winter break with a clear direction to follow when testing resumes next year. The lap times were good, but I wasn’t the fastest, so we still have some work to do ahead of the new season, but now it’s time to take a break before training starts again ready for next year.”
Lorenzo Baldassari (Forward Racing Team) was third quickest and put in 87 laps, with Danny Kent (Kiefer Racing) adapting well to the new Suter chassis of the Leopard Team to go fourth. Axel Pons (RW Racing GP) completed the top five after more running on day two.
Luca Marini (Forward Racing Team), Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) and Edgar Pons (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) were P6 to P8, with fastest rookie on the timesheets proving Francesco Bagnaia for the new Sky Racing Team VR46 intermediate class project in ninth – just ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Portuguese rider debuted the KTM Moto2 chassis – along with new teammate and 2016 Moto3 World Champion Brad Binder.
Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder followed different workplans, but both improved their feelings with a new machine that has provided improvement day by day and has great potential.
Miguel Oliveira’s year of experience in Moto2 has helped the entire team to take important steps forward with each hour of testing. Good weather conditions at Jerez allowed the Portuguese rider to put in some 66 laps, including the first laps for the KTM with soft tyre compounds at this track.
Brad Binder continued with his adaptation to the class, completing 85 laps of the Andalusian track with a bike he is finding enjoyable to ride – although which he admits he needs more days to understand.
Aki Ajo (KTM Team Manager)
“We are very excited to be starting this project in Moto2 with the new WP KTM. It is clear that we are only at the beginning and it is important to carry out many tests. After these first two days, we already have information, in this case at a circuit that is not easy. I think we have started very well and it is very important to also get a lot of data from a track as different as Valencia is. Binder and Oliveira have done a great job. For Brad it was the first test in Moto2 so it’s a big challenge. Miguel showed his great professionalism and has done very consistent work. I thank them both and the team for this good start.”
Brad Binder
“These two days of testing at Jerez have been very fun, and I have really enjoyed riding. I have tried to fully understand how to ride this Moto2 bike and I have had a great time. I have begun to notice improvements and find the way to go, but I know I will need many laps to understand it 100%. It was strange, because after a few consecutive laps I set a good time, but after going through the pits, I couldn’t understand how I had been able to get it. I just need to keep working hard and little by little everything will go better.”
Miguel Oliveira
“Today we once again had many good hours on the track. This is the first time that KTM have been able to run the soft tyres at this track, so it has been a challenge since we had no previous reference; this is what prevented us from being able to go a little faster with new tyres. In any case, the day has been very positive because we have identified where we can improve the bike. This WP KTM Moto2 bike has a lot of potential! We are happy with these first two days of testing.”
Isaac Viñales (SAG), Fabio Quartararo (Paginas Amarillas HP 40), Yonny Hernandez (AGR Team), Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Khairul Idham Pawi (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Axel Bassani (Speed Up), Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) and Stefano Manzi (Sky Racing Team VR46) were also present and completing the runners. Quartararo had another long day of familiarization with Moto2, as the Frenchman put in the most laps – 95 – after also completing more than 100 on day one.
2016 Rookie of the year, Xavi Vierge strongly concluded the two-day test having undertaken crucial work with the Tech3 Racing Team where he sampled the updated frame and chassis for next year’s campaign.
Xavi Vierge
“I am happy with what we achieved in Aragon and we are all pleased with the outcome. Today, I tested a lot of important factors, and now the Tech3 Racing Team know more or less which direction we need to keep heading towards next year, which was the goal of the outing. I rode a large number of laps and I managed to lower my best time, which I set in the Aragon GP, and that is very encouraging. Therefore, we can leave here feeling positive and we have two more days of testing in Valencia starting on Monday, where we will make the final checks on the different parts and settings so that we can go into the winter break having completed a good portion of the important preparation work for the 2017 season. Finally, I have to say thanks to the team for their efforts and I am excited for next week.”
New Tech3 arrival Remy Gardner got to grips with the Mistral 610, and despite his track time being cut short on the second day due to a fall, the notable work that he completed on Wednesday sees him fully optimistic of improving further in the future. Both riders will return to the asphalt at Valencia on Monday where they will carry on their solid efforts in preparation for 2017.
Remy Gardner
“Today didn’t quite go to plan but after the positive time that we had yesterday, I am looking forward to getting back on the Mistral 610 next week and continuing the progress with my new team. This morning we got off to a good start, but later, unfortunately, I had a crash and we couldn’t complete all of the repairs for the rest of the session. This was a shame because we lost valuable track time, however, my initial feeling is very good and the first day went better than expected. I don’t have long to wait until I get back on my Mistral 610 because we are testing at Valencia on Monday and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish there.”
Moto3
In Moto3, it was Gresini Racing Moto3 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio who took P1 on the second day of testing, after returning rider Romano Fenati (Ongetta-Rivacold) topped the timesheets on day one. Di Giannantonio put in a best lap of 1:46.995 to go fastest.
Second on day two was Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who impressed once again after a good first day.
Bendsneyder completed a total of 86 laps, had two positive days of testing, capped with a small race simulation.
Bo Bendsneyder
“This second day was another very positive one. In particular, in the first few hours we tried different setups, although it was not at that time that we set our best lap time. At the end we put on the soft tyres and our one-off time was really good, considering the track conditions. We had had time to do a race simulation and the pace was good. There is still work to be done, so I can’t wait to get back on the bike in Valencia.”
Sky Racing Team VR46’s podium finisher Andrea Migno completing the top three.
Fenati was fourth on day two, ahead of Jorge Martin (Gresini Racing Moto3) as he switches colours, with Valencia pole setter Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) in P6.
Marco Bezzechi (CIP-Unicom Starker), Albert Arenas (Pull&Bear Aspar Mahindra Team), Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Niccolo Antonelli (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top ten in the great rider shuffle ahead of 2017 – with reigning Champion Brad Binder not staying to defend his crown and everything to play for.
Antonelli improved his feeling with his new machine. The Italian escaped unharmed after crashing in this second day, and put in a total of 59 laps.
Niccolo Antonelli
“This second day in Jerez has been useful for continuing testing different aspects of the new KTM. We were able to push on with some setups and discard others. The whole team are working very well to find the perfect setup for next season. Next week, in Valencia, we will continue in the same way so as to reach the winter break with the work as far along as possible.”
