Moto2 & Moto3 private test in Valencia: Aron Canet sets the tone and aims for the title, Álex Márquez seeks the limits

In the end, perfect conditions welcomed around twenty Moto3 and Moto2 riders to the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia for the first private test of the year organized by Monlau.

A uniformly blue sky and temperatures of 18° in the air and 22° on the ground allowed everyone present to make the most of each day, which they did not fail to do, starting with the men of Max Biaggi, already authors of the best time on Wednesday and very fast again on Thursday.

In the absence of official timing, the figures given are indicative, but Aron canet (KTM, Max Racing Team), credited by us with a 1'39.6/1'39.8 on the first day, indeed seems to have clocked 1'38.9 yesterday, which brings it significantly closer to the circuit record which belongs to George Martin since 2017, in 1'38.428.

Just like the day before, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Honda, Leopard Racing) also drove quite well, although a little slower than the Spaniard.

gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) also seemed to be in the mix with its new 2019 Honda cycle part (2018 engine and gearbox), with lap times substantially identical to those of Lorenzo Dalla Porta, just like Tony Arbolino (Honda, Marinelli Snipers Team renamed Team O), while Romano Fenati, his teammate, was rather in the big 1'39.

gabriel rodrigo (Honda, Kömmerling Gresini Moto3):  » These were two very important days and today we took a big step forward. We had planned a pace with the worn tires and we managed to keep it and improve it. The idea was to run with worn tires like at the end of a race, and keep a good pace, and I must say that the objective was achieved. We also fixed an issue in the corner entries that we found yesterday. So I leave Valencia with good feelings and a great desire to return to the Jerez track in a few days, in the hope that the weather will accompany us there.

But, as in all these Moto2 and Moto3 winter tests, it is advisable not to give too much importance to the performances achieved at the moment, each team using engines in different configurations and states of form, the definitive engines (in particularly at Honda) being provided to competitors only later in the calendar (in principle next week in Jerez). The same goes for tire allocations that certain teams can renew very often if their means allow them to do so... which was the case for that of a Aron canet who appears as a contender for the world title.

Anyway, Max Biaggi has rediscovered with pleasure the charms of competition and declares on his Facebook: “Hello guys, today at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia the first test of 2019 for my Max Racing Team ended. After a short break, it was very pleasant to breathe in the smell of the engines. Next test on February 10 and 11 in Jerez.
If you have any curiosity about the tests, even more technical questions, ask too. I'm sure there will be a good discussion. Stay tuned. Max.”

The day ended without incident despite the harmless falls of the Moto3 riders Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse), Vicente Pérez (KTM, Reale Avintia Racing), Albert Arenas (KTM, Angel Nieto Team) and Tom Booth Amos (KTM, CIP-Green Power), as well as those of Moto2 riders Jake Dixon (KTM, Angel Nieto Team) and Alex Marquez (Kalex, EG 0,0 Marc VDS).

Un Alex Marquez who declares himself satisfied with his new Triumph-powered Kalex but nevertheless specifies that there is still a lot of work to do, the Cervera driver having crashed during each of these two days of testing.

All these little people will meet again Monday and Tuesday in Jerez, but still without some of the KTMs, the latter being currently in Austria for the presentation which will take place Tuesday February 12. The Mattighofen structure has therefore planned a session in Jerez just before the first official test which will take place there from 20 at 22 February.