Moto2 preparations continue at Jerez

From Saturday until Monday (March 6-8) the teams and riders from the Moto2 and 125cc World Championship categories will meet again for the second official test of the pre-season at Jerez.

The test continues the work completed earlier in the week in Valencia, where the riders of the new intermediate category were able for the first time to ride with the official Honda engines to be used this season. At Jerez they will continue their progression on the new 4-stroke 600cc machines.

The three days at the Valencia circuit saw the emergence of a series of riders who appear to have adapted well and early to the new Moto2 format. Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) set the fastest time, whilst Kenny Noyes (Jack&Jones by Antonio Banderas), Toni Elías (Gresini Racing), Claudio Corti (Forward Racing), Yuki Takahashi (Tech3 Racing) and Alex de Angelis (Scot Racing) all came in under the 1’38” mark, very close to the times set in the former 250cc class.

Others who made an impression included Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki Racing), Fonsi Nieto (G22 HolidayGym), Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) and Yonny Hérnandez (Blusens-STX), all of whom were regularly inside the top-ten times at Valencia and will continue to work on their prototype settings ahead of the first race of the season in Qatar on April 11th. Scott Redding, Axel Pons, Niccolò Canepa, Joan Olivé, Raffaele De Rosa, Mattia Pasini, Gabor Talmacsi, Lukas Pesek, Andrea Iannone and Simone Corsi are all names that will be present at Jerez as well.

Returning to action at Jerez will be Italian rider Roberto Rolfo (Italtrans STR), who injured his shoulder during the private test at Montmeló in mid-February.

In the 125cc class, Marc Márquez (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) set the pace at Valencia and was joined in the top five times by Efrén Vázquez, Pol Espargaró (both Bainet Derbi), Bradley Smith and Nicolas Terol (both Bancaja Aspar), and all will maintain their preparations for a title challenge at Jerez.

Experienced riders Esteve Rabat and Sandro Cortese will also look to lay down markers this weekend, Brit Danny Webb will continue his work and rookies such as Alberto Moncayo, Marcel Schrötter, Adrián Martín and Sturla Fagerhaug will carry on with their educations.