Montmeló to host members of new Moto2 grid

The test at the Circuit de Catalunya this week will see many of the riders who will contest the inaugural Moto2 World Championship in action together for the first time.

A total of 42 riders across the intermediate and 125cc categories – the maximum number permitted at the circuit – will be in attendance on the scheduled dates of February 17-19, and amongst them will be those who have regularly tested throughout the winter such as Julián Simón and Mike Di Meglio (Mapfre Aspar Team), Axel Pons and Sergio Gadea (Pons Kalex), and Yuki Takahashi and Raffaele De Rosa (Tech 3 Moto2). The likes of Gabor Talmacsi (Speed Up), Joan Olivé and Kenny Noyes (Jack&Jones by A. Banderas), Fonsi Nieto and Yannick Guerra (G22 HolidayGym), and Mashel Al Naimi and Yonny Hernández (Blusens-STX) will all also be part of the group of Moto2 riders present.

Amongst those not in attendance will be Scot Racing pair Alex de Angelis and Niccolò Canepa, and Italian rider Mattia Pasini (JiR Moto2). Toni Elías (Gresini) will also not be riding his Moriwaki prototype, but has said that it is his intention to be present to monitor the progress of his rivals.

In the 125cc class, title hopefuls Bradley Smith and Nico Terol (Bancaja Aspar Team), Pol Espargaró and Efrén Vázquez (Bainet Derbi), Marc Márquez (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) and Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) are amongst those who will be riding.

To see a more complete grid of Moto2 competitors, observers will have to wait until the official Moto2/125cc test at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, scheduled for March 1-3, when the Moto2 teams will also be supplied with the official 600cc Honda engines that will be used in 2010.