Moto2™ and Moto3™ have concluded the first day of a two-day private test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a number of teams testing new parts and setup. Kalex have brought a new test chassis with Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Sam Lowes and ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team’s Tetsuta Nagashima confirmed as testing it over the two days, with the SKY Racing Team VR46 squad and the EG 0,0 Marc VDS team also rumoured to be testing it. Alex Marquez the only man to have a crash with minimal damage halfway through the morning session.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brad Binder and Jorge Martin, alongside Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Marco Bezzecchi, continue to work on the new chassis that was first used in Le Mans over the weekend. Both Binder and Martin say the new frame has solved some front-end issues but both continue to struggle with rear grip. After three podiums in a row, Jorge Navarro continued to work on his setup, admitting he wasn’t trying anything new on his Speed Up ahead of Mugello.
FlexBox HP40’s Lorenzo Baldassarri will ride tomorrow after dislocating his shoulder in Le Mans, but the World Championship leader is confident he will be 100% fit for his home round at Mugello. Dynavolt Intact GP’s Tom Lüthi and Marcel Schrötter were both working on setup, in particular trying to find more rear grip.
In Moto3™, French GP winner John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) was within a second of the lap record on a 22-lap old rear tyre but the times were tight. Leopard Racing’s Lorenzo Dalla Porta made some progress on braking stability, whilst Kömmerling Gresini Moto3’s Gabriel Rodrigo and SKY Racing Team VR46’s Celestino Vietti pleased with the progress they’d make on setup.
Light rain cut short the afternoon session, but a clear day tomorrow will allow the Moto2™ and Moto3™ teams in attendance to finalise their work ahead of the Italian Grand Prix next weekend.