MotoGP D-8: We're warming up in Barcelona and Valencia!

8 days before the first MotoGP tests in Qatar, the circuits of Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona and Ricardo Tormo in Valencia have taken on the appearance of a dress rehearsal in preparation for the start of the school year which will take place on March 5 for the test riders , the rookies and the Aprilia riders, then the next day for the others.

En Catalonia, no less than 9 MotoGP riders met in Montmeló to race at high speed on production motorcycles: Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Johann zarco (Bow Racing), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Gresini), Jack Miller (Ducati Team), Pol Espargaro on a magnificent RC213V-S and a CB1000 RR-R (Repsol Honda), Alex Marquez et Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Joan mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

A single session of 10 to 14 hours was on the program for this good third of the grid which did not fail to pay tribute to Fausto Gresini.

The session began under a gray sky with a temperature of 10°, but the sky quickly cleared and the warmed up track allowed some to complete around fifty laps, waking up certain muscles that had not been used for a while... All while testing the new turn #10.

With this preview of MotoGP, smiles were on everyone's faces and discussions were going well this afternoon, just a few days before taking the plane to Qatar.

fabio quartararo : " Since Portimão, I haven't been on a circuit, so it's been good for me. Everything was standard, so it's pretty easy to fly. I'm just happy to flex the muscles on a road bike.
The route of the turn is quite different, but it feels good. It is between the old track and that of F1. I like it and I'm happy to be back, it's one step closer to Qatar.
For the first two races, things will go well despite fewer days of testing. The problem will be when we get to Portimão which is a totally different track and was quite difficult last year with the M1. For Qatar, I'm not stressed, but it's more in Portimão that we see how the bike works and everything else. We will see, but above all we must enjoy these moments. I'm happy to be riding today and I'm looking forward to being in Qatar for the first test. »

 

Pol Espargaro : " It was cool to be back after such a long time, and to see opponents and Moto2 and Moto3 riders fighting each other! It's good to start feeling that racing spirit even before Qatar. All winters are long, but this one has been especially long, waiting for this moment. I'm really looking forward to jumping on the bike to see what I can achieve where a lot of riders have struggled. I have the opportunity to wear these colors and, for me, it is a great responsibility but a moment in my career that I have dreamed of a lot. I feel like my time has come and I'm going to try to make it happen.
This winter, I pushed myself a lot on dirt bikes and motocross: I was really into it. For months, maybe a month and a half, I just rode motorcycles, and I really enjoyed it. I've never done so much motocross. Every year I try to implement something different to be a better Pol and a better rider, and I think this year was the time to push myself on motocross, more than other years, and I trained a lot. »

More solemn atmosphere Valencia where a minute of silence also made it possible to honor the memory of Fausto Gresini before the Gresini Racing, Sky VR46, Intact GP, SIC58 Squadra Corse and Snipers team take to the track under a uniform and increasingly gray sky.

Lorenzo Fellon

 

Photo credits: MotoGP.com, social networks, etc.