Bautista strikes back on Day 2

Jerez test continues with Aspar Team rider on top

After the first day of MotoGP™ testing at the Circuito de Jerez saw Avintia Racing’s Hector Barbera top the MotoGP™ timesheets, Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) hit back on Day 2 to go fastest, ahead of Avintia duo Loris Baz and Hector Barbera. With many WorldSBK teams also sharing the test day, it was Jonathan Rea of Kawasaki Racing Team who topped the overall timesheets – after splitting the Avintias on Wednesday in P2 – with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Chaz Davies also impressing in third overall.

Bautista completed 71 laps with a best of 1:38.946 - on his final attempt - as he settles into life on the Ducati Desmosedici, with Baz completing some fewer but only a couple of tenths off the Spaniard’s best lap of the day. Barbera, riding the 2016 Ducati as Baz mans the 2015, was another three tenths behind his teammate. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) completed the top five of the GP machines, with Petrucci trying his 2017 Desmosedici for the first time in Jerez following his absence from the Valencia test.

Jerez MotoGP™ Test

Bautista's teammate Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), Ducati Team test rider Michele Pirro, Octo Pramac Yakhnich rider Scott Redding, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller – testing for HRC – and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing test rider Mika Kallio completed the MotoGP™ top ten – with Kallio completing more than 70 laps on day two as the Austrian factory prepare for their full time 2017 premier class entry.

Jerez MotoGP™ Test

MotoGP™ rookie Sam Lowes, moving up with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, managed more laps as he continues to recover from a crash at the Valencia test – and a further, minor fall on Day 1 in Jerez - and did 20 laps on Day 2.

Absent from the test are Movistar Yamaha MotoGP and Monster Yamaha Tech 3, who have instead tested at Sepang International Circuit for two days – and have just concluded activity for 2016.

Track action conitnues tomorrow for some...so make sure to catch up with everything from WorldSBK today as the paddock waits for the lights to go green once more.