A day after the MotoGP™ teams and riders were busy running through their testing agendas at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, it was the turn of some Moto2™ and Moto3™ outfits to do the same on Tuesday as Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) set the quickest times in their respective classes.
IT'S TEST DAY! ????
— Red Bull KTM Ajo (@RedBull_KTM_Ajo) May 2, 2023
After an intense #SpanishGP, @Denizoncu53, @ruedajr99 and @AlbertArenas75 continue their work in Jerez ????
| #GivesYouWings | #ReadyToRace | @MotoGP | #AjoMotorsport | #AjoFamily | pic.twitter.com/YdDgqBjVtH
Moto2™:
It was a great day for the Pons Wegow Los40 team as they locked out the top two positions, with impressive rookie Sergio Garcia joining Canet at the summit. And it was close between their pair as just 0.018s split the two Spaniards in Andalucia.
In addition, saying it was close inside the top 10 doesn’t really cut the mustard either. The top five of Canet, Garcia, Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar M2), Sunday’s race winner Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Albert Arenas (Red Bull KTM Ajo) were covered by less than a tenth. Sixth place Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was only 0.102s off, while Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – who was unhurt in a crash – and Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) were two tenths adrift in P7 and P8.
Elsewhere, World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) didn’t take part in the Jerez Test, with 20 of the full-time Moto2™ field lapping on Tuesday.
Moto3™:
In the Moto3™ class, Spanish GP polesitter Öncü set the pace by well over half a second on Tuesday. The top five fastest riders completed their best laps in the opening session of the Test, with Jerez podium finisher David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar M3) sitting as Öncü’s closest challenger – 0.642s adrift.
Ready for the last run of the Jerez test!
— Aspar Team (@AsparTeam) May 2, 2023
Teamwork to end a great day ???? pic.twitter.com/4j8NWtK4I2
Xavier Artigas (CFMOTO Racing PrüstelGP) rounded out the top three and was the only other rider in the 1:45 bracket, as reigning JuniorGP™ and Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup Champion Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) rounded out the top five. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) was the other rider within a second of Öncü’s time in P6.
A busy day all in all for the intermediate and lightweight classes! Next up: the 1000th Grand Prix at the world-famous Le Mans.