Moto2 and Moto3: We are already in 2021!

The first official test of the 2021 season for Moto2 and Moto3 riders is scheduled for March 16-18 in Jerez. Like their big brothers in the MotoGP category, they are also required to respect the winter break between December 1 and January 31, and this is why most of the teams concerned have planned private tests before the obligatory break.

Initially, this was to take place on the Jerez circuit rented by the Marc VDS team on Thursday and next Friday, after the Aprilia private test from yesterday to Wednesday, but the weather forecast is catastrophic and many teams have preferred to review their plans and stay in Portimão which still benefits from exceptionally mild conditions.

Aspar, Avintia, but also among other CIPs, Honda Asia and Ajo were therefore at work today, in their 2021 configuration with the driver changes that this implies.

This therefore gave for example the opportunity to see the very recent Moto3 world champion, Albert Arenas, launch the Moto2 Speed Up with which he will compete next season, still under the colors of the Aspar team.

The Catalan completed a total of 65 laps achieving a best time of 1'43.705, which is far from ridiculous if we compare it to the 1'42.592 recorded by Remy Gardner during his pole position at the Autodromo do Algarve.

Albert Arenas : " I have a really big smile and I still have it after yesterday. Today I had to put it aside and get on the bike. I'm happy, the bike is a lot of fun, with more power, but I adapted step by step. I had a good time, I did around sixty laps. I enjoyed every one of them. I would like to thank the team because we were able to close the season in the best possible way. Now I want to go home and rest. »

In Moto3, his KTM is now driven by Sergio Garcia who abandoned his Honda following the shutdown of the Estrella Galicia 0,0 structure. Seasoned in the category, the Valencian completed 66 laps on the Portuguese track and achieved a best time of 1'48.132 to compare with Raúl Fernández's pole position in 1'48.051.

Sergio García : " It was a very positive day, a first contact with a bike I had never ridden before, after four years of competing in the Moto3 category. The conclusions were very positive, and we worked and tested a lot of things with my technical team. I'm happy because I made progress during the day. I rode alone and I did it quite quickly. We need to improve some things, but for the first day it's very good. »

On the Avintia side, satisfaction is also required for the newcomer but experienced Niccolo Antonelli which now rides alongside Carlos Tatay.

The Italian's first contact with the team was very good, and the rider and his team understood each other very well. The ex-driver of Paolo Simoncelli seems to have adapted very well to the KTM, and even announces having reduced his best time of the weekend by four tenths, with a 1'47.7 to compare with the circuit record of 1'47.398 achieved by Jaume Masiá in FP3.

Niccolo Antonelli : " I am very happy with this day because I immediately had a very good feeling both with the bike and with the team. It was a good day and we are going home with these good feelings. »

Carlos Tatay continued to work with his KTM, stopping the clock at 1'48.1, almost half a second better than his best time of the weekend. Both drivers felt very comfortable on the track, whether with new or used tires.

Carlos Tatay : " It was a very positive test, because I felt very comfortable with the bike. We tried some things, and with all these changes, I felt great. Now is the time to rest for a few weeks and then we will get back to work to arrive as strong as possible in 2021.”

At Honda Team Asia, Ai Ogura, who fought for the Moto3 title until the last moments, also tried his Kalex Moto2, which he will ride in 2021 alongside Somkiat Chantra.