The LCR Honda rider is in a positive spiral and never stops progressing and surprising.
Takaaki Nakagami seems impossible to stop since the Valencia Grand Prix where he achieved the best result of his career in MotoGP by taking sixth place, despite the very complicated weather. Then, he naturally jumped in the rankings of the first 2019 pre-season test by placing in eighth position, just five tenths from the best time.
Once again in great form on the Jerez track for the second pre-season test and the last before the start of 2019, he impressed on Wednesday by concluding the first day in third place and thus ahead of the official Honda drivers, Marc Márquez and Jorge Lorenzo.
The Japanese driver did even better yesterday, during the second and final day of testing, by simply setting the best time of the day, twenty-five thousandths ahead of Márquez and a tenth ahead of Lorenzo. In the combined times of the two days he therefore finished in the lead and thus offers a 2019 season full of promises to LCR Honda: “It was obviously a great day and I’m really happy to finish first. Today our goal was to finish in 1'37 and we did it. I am very happy with my feeling with the bike and we are progressing day by day. Our times are good, even if obviously only Marc and I managed to run in 1'37. It's a great way to end the season, and now I'm going to relax at home. However, I'm already looking forward to 2019 and getting back on my bike at Sepang. »
Jerez Test, Day 2:
1. Nakagami, Honda, 1'37.945
2. Marquez, Honda, +0,025 sec
3. Vinales, Yamaha, +0,121
4. Lorenzo, Honda, +0,160
5. Petrucci, Ducati, +0,164
6. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0,173
7. Miller, Ducati, +0,262
8. Dovizioso, Ducati, +0,347
9. Bagnaia, Ducati, +0,388
10. Rins, Suzuki, +0,577
11. Rossi, Yamaha, +0,651
12. Quartararo, Yamaha, +0,816
13. Rabat, Ducati, +0,931
14. Mir, Suzuki, +0,986
15. Pol Espargaro, KTM, +1,199
16. Bautista, Ducati, +1,393
17. Abraham, Ducati, +1,799
18. Iannone, Aprilia, +1,881
19. Zarco, KTM, +1,919
20. Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia, +2,211
21. Smith, Aprilia, +2,380
22. Guintoli, Suzuki, +2,553
23. Syahrin, KTM, +2,575
24. Oliveira, KTM, +2,632
25. Baiocco, Aprilia, +3,962
