Moto2 and Moto3 tests in Jerez J.1: Mid-day update!

The Moto2 and Moto3 riders are present from March 6 to 8 at the Jerez circuit for three days of tests which mark the end of the pre-season before the first Grand Prix in Qatar which will take place next week.

Moto2 Test Jerez de la Frontera	Chronos
Official record	1'42.080 Alex Marquez 2017
Test February 2018	1'40.926 Alex Marquez (new coating)
Test March 2018 J.1	1'42.863 Francis Bagnaia (at 12).
Test March 2018 J.2
Test March 2018 J.3

Almost the entire Moto2 grid set off for the first session from 10 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Alone Joan mir (EG 0.0 Marc VDS), injured, Isaac Viñales (SAG Team) and teammates from Tasca Racing Scuderia, Frederick Fuligni et Simone Courses, did not turn.

The drivers leave in the first minutes, without waiting, due to the rain forecast for the morning. It is Francis Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) which opens the ball in 1'44.127, a quiet start far from the 1'40.926 ofAlex Marquez (EG 0.0 Marc VDS) from the last tests in February.

Twenty minutes after the start of the session, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took the best time by achieving a time of 1'43.512, but was dethroned by Alex Marquez and his 1'43.385 in the minutes that followed.

Halfway through the session the rain starts to fall. Although very fine, it prevents drivers from improving until the last ten minutes. Francesco Bagnaia is then the only driver to go below the 1'43.00 mark and takes first place in the session in 1'42.863, putting half a second behind the second who is none other thanAlex Marquez. Miguel Oliveira finishes just behind the Spaniard.

In fourth and fifth places we find teammates from the Swiss Innovative Investors team, Iker Lecuona et Sam Lowesthen Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in sixth and seventh positions.

Then, Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46), Xavi Virgo (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) complete the top 10.

The French Fabio Quartararo (Speed Up Racing) and Jules Danilo (SAG Team) are, respectively, nineteenth and twenty-sixth.

En Moto3, the morning was very calm due to the rain.

Moto3 Test Jerez de la Frontera	Chronos
Official record	1'46.004 Jorge Martin 2017
Test February 2018	1'45.498 Tony Arbolino (new coating)
Test March 2018 J.1
Test March 2018 J.2
Test March 2018 J.3

At mid-session, only three drivers had spun: Jakub Kornfeil (PruestelGP), Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Honda Team Asia) and Dennis Foggia (SKY Racing Team VR46) more than eight, thirteen and twenty-two seconds behind the time established by Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) during the last tests. Meaningless results, therefore.

Ten minutes from the end of the session, twelve drivers went out to do a few laps on a wet track. Andrea Migno (Ángel Nieto Team) finished first with a time of 1'49.353, followed by Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) and Tony Arbolino, but we will have to wait for the track to dry to have a significant ranking.

According to the forecast, the rain should stop early in the afternoon, allowing the drivers to really race.

Tune in tonight for a full summary.