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MotoGP riders hoping for dry weather on final day of Valencia test

Consistent rain on second day hampers MotoGP Teams testing schedule

Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Yamaha MotoGP

Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing
Marco Melandri, San Carlo Honda Gresini
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha
Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Third place Jack Miller
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Maverick Viñales, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Maverick Viñales, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team
Maverick Viñales, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing
Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team

Preparations began for the 2015 MotoGP in earnest on Monday 10th November with the premier class teams taking part in a three-day test at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. While dry conditions prevailed on day one and giving all riders, including many newcomers, the first taste of MotoGP machinery, day two was a wash out with just 11 riders deciding to brave the wet weather conditions. Testing concludes today with teams hoping for a dry track so they can completeas much of their workload as possible.

I am satisfied because I rode the fastest lap time.

Jorge Lorenzo

There was a total of 27 riders on track on Monday with fans worldwide getting their first look at some of the new talent to enter the MotoGP paddock this year including Moto3 star Jack Miller with LCR Honda and also the return of Aprilia to the premier class with Gresini Racing and with them former 250cc World Champion and former MotoGP race winner, Marco Melandri and new teammate Alvaro Bautista. The influx of riders from World Superbikes also sees Eugene Laverty riding for GO&Fun Honda Gresini and Loris Baz competing for the NGM Forward Racing team.

The fastest man on Day two was Danilo Petrucci who made the most of the two days on his new Pramac Racing machine and the Italian risked the most on Tuesday to take the top time of 1m 42.431s with 2006 MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden in second despite opting not to test on the first day while teammate Laverty took the opportunity to lap in both dry and wet conditions to familiarize himself fully with the new customer Honda RC213V-RS. Scott Redding is moving onto new factory Honda machinery with Team Estrella Galicia Marc VDS and set the third fastest time on day two. The British rider also had a small crash at the end of the day but walked away unhurt.

Marquez gets to lap Valencia circuit with brother and Moto3 champion Alex 

Current World Champion Marc Marquez took to the track both on Monday and yesterday but the first day of testing was more about taking part in a demo lap organised by HRC so that Marquez could take to the track with his brother Alex on the second RC213V after he won the Moto3 title. “It was a wonderful experience riding with Alex and following him around the track,” commented Marquez who had planned to begin his test schedule on day two but was affected by the wet weather leaving the Repsol Honda rider to complete 16 laps and ending up 8th on the timing sheets.

Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo topped the timing sheets on day one with a 1m 30.975s lap that was right on Sunday’s race pace and better than his combined lap times from the race weekend. Lorenzo opted not to go on track yesterday due to the rainfall. Speaking about new modifications on his YZR-M1 Lorenzo said he was pleased with the outcome, “I am satisfied because I rode the fastest lap time, even better than the times set this weekend during the Grand Prix. I didn’t ride a 1’30 before, so this means the bike is working well,” he said.

Valentino Rossi tested on both days and the seven times MotoGP World Champion was fourth fastest on day one while yesterday he also ended up in fourth position but only completing 6 laps while Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa was another rider who decided not to risk going on track yesterday and settling for his day one position of sixth fastest. Monster Yamaha Tech 3 riders Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith finished in the top four on Monday while neither rider took to the track yesterday.

The Ducati Team was busy on Monday with Andrea Dovizioso alongside new teammate Andrea Iannone who graduated from Pramac Racing to the factory team. Both men worked on chassis settings on the GP14.2 and both were lapping in the 1m 31s bracket with neither rider opting to go on track yesterday. Dovizioso and Iannone will have to wait until the new year for their new machines to break cover.

Spotlight shines on Jack Miller as he takes to track on a MotoGP bike for the first time

The spotlight was firmly on the CWM LCR Honda team with new Cal Crutchlow jumping onto the Honda RC213V as well as Australian superstar Miller who had the tentative task of handling a MotoGP, albeit an Open Class Honda machine but still with a lot more horsepower compared to that of the single cylinder 250cc Moto3 machinery. Crutchlow set the eight fastest time on day one in a positive first shakedown of his new machine while Miller clocked up 61 laps familiarizing himself with the new machinery. Team Suzuki MotoGP also had a positive first day with new riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales who finished day one in 14th and 17th respectively.

The testing continues at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit until 5pm today with most teams and riders heading into the winter break.

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