The Suzuki rider does not want to be too optimistic about the new engine of the GSX-RR, but he has only noted positives so far.
After a final positive Grand Prix in Valencia, Joan mir returned to the track to begin the very first winter test of his 2020 season. This was mainly based on the new engine specification developed by Suzuki and the feedback from the Spaniard and his teammate Álex Rins are found to be positive.
It must be said that engine power has been the main weak point of the GSX-RR, which has often struggled against the Ducati and the Honda this season, and that the Hamamatsu clan really wants to improve on this point. Although he was cautious, Mir showed great satisfaction after two days which saw him finish in fifth place in the combined times.
“I’m really happy with these two days of testing”, he commented. “We started by testing the new engine and even yesterday I felt good with it, so today we worked on the electronics to find the limits of this new configuration. I put in some very good laps, consistent and always at the front. »
“For the moment we are happy, everything has gone well, but we are aware that it is too early to say with certainty that we are going in the right direction with the new engine”he recalled. “We need to continue testing, especially electronics. We may have some new elements in Jerez, but whatever happens we are on the right track. »
MotoGP Valencia Test J2: times
| 1 | 12 | Maverick Vinales | Yamaha M1 | 1:29.849 | ||
| 2 | 20 | fabio quartararo | Yamaha M1 | 1:30.013 | 0.164 | 0.164 |
| 3 | 21 | Franco Morbidelli | Yamaha M1 | 1:30.114 | 0.265 | 0.101 |
| 4 | 35 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda RC213V | 1:30.316 | 0.467 | 0.202 |
| 5 | 36 | Joan mir | Suzuki GSX-RR | 1:30.427 | 0.578 | 0.111 |
| 6 | 42 | Alex Rins | Suzuki GSX-RR | 1:30.503 | 0.654 | 0.076 |
| 7 | 93 | Marc Márquez | Honda RC213V | 1:30.556 | 0.707 | 0.053 |
| 8 | 44 | Pol Espargaro | KTM RC16 | 1:30.685 | 0.836 | 0.129 |
| 9 | 46 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha M1 | 1:30.781 | 0.932 | 0.096 |
| 10 | 43 | Jack Miller | Ducati GP20 | 1:30.854 | 1.005 | 0.073 |
| 11 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati GP20 | 1:31.143 | 1.294 | 0.289 |
| 12 | 53 | Tito Rabat | Ducati GP19 | 1:31.258 | 1.409 | 0.115 |
| 13 | 51 | Michele Pirro | Ducati GP20 | 1:31.424 | 1.575 | 0.166 |
| 14 | 26 | Dani Pedrosa | KTM RC16 | 1:31.470 | 1.621 | 0.046 |
| 15 | 27 | Iker Lecuona | KTM RC16 | 1:31.515 | 1.666 | 0.045 |
| 16 | 41 | Aleix Espargaró | Aprilia RS-GP | 1:31.526 | 1.677 | 0.011 |
| 17 | 17 | Karel Abraham | Ducati GP19 | 1:31.597 | 1.748 | 0.071 |
| 18 | 6 | Stefan bradl | Honda RC213V | 1:31.657 | 1.808 | 0.060 |
| 19 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | Aprilia RS-GP | 1:31.800 | 1.951 | 0.143 |
| 20 | 73 | Alex Marquez | Honda RC213V | 1:32.235 | 2.386 | 0.435 |
| 21 | 38 | Bradley Smith | Aprilia RS-GP | 1:32.249 | 2.400 | 0.014 |
| 22 | 33 | Brad Binder | KTM RC16 | 1:32.367 | 2.518 | 0.118 |
