Moto2™ and Moto3™ back on track at Le Mans

The intermediate and lightweight classes had a one-day Official Test following the French GP

After the French GP it was time for many in the intermediate and lightweight classes to get back on track at Le Mans on Monday, with a one-day Official Test giving them all the option of more track time before MotoGP™ heads for Mugello. Moto2™ outnumbered Moto3™, but the track was busy throughout the day – and the weather stayed clear, with no rain affecting play.

Intermediate class big hitters EG 0,0 Marc VDS had three bikes in the garage. Two were for Alex Marquez, one of which had a chassis modification to be tested back to back. Joan Mir, meanwhile, was getting more laps in – having missed some track time in preseason due to injury. Mir also crashed in the final sector but rider ok, and bike soon repaired.

MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing riders Fabio Quartararo and Danny Kent were trying their new fairing and working on setup, and NTS RW Racing GP were also working on more radical setups than usually tried throughout a race weekend. Steven Odendaal was also trying a new frame already used by teammate Joe Roberts recently.

Dynavolt Intact GP, who had a fantastic weekend with riders Xavi Vierge and Marcel Schrötter, were another working on setup changes, and Forward Racing Team’s Stefano Manzi and Erica Granado continued their programs with their Suter machinery. Granado crashed in the morning, rider ok.

Federico Fuligni (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) was testing a 2018 chassis and had a black fairing out on track, and Isaac Viñales (SAG Team) was showing off some aero solutions. Hector Barbera (Pons HP 40) had some new front suspension parts to try, and said he was feeling more and more comfortable every weekend. Teammate Lorenzo Baldassarri, who won in Jerez, was trying a new setup on the front end. The Italian suffered a crash – rider ok – and is gearing up for his home round at Mugello.

Also out were Jules Danilo (Nashi Argan SAG Team), Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Tetsuta Nagashima and Khairul Idham Pawi, Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) and Bo Bendsneyder (Tech 3 Racing).

In Moto3™, Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PrüstelGP) was putting in the laps and trying setups, with one small crash in the after to report – testing different suspension settings, as well as focusing on the front forks and rear shock. His compatriot Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) was also concentrating on track time. Redox PrüstelGP’s Jakub Kornfeil was also out on track as talk about his incredible motocross-style save continues.

At RBA BOE Skull Rider, Gabriel Rodrigo was focused on front suspension and working on used tyres, regaining confidence after a crash out of the race on Sunday despite some good consistency so far this season. Teammate and reigning Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion Kazuki Masaki was also out on track.

Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) tried a different rear suspension setup and found what they were looking for – improvements in higher speed corners as they look towards Mugello. Teammate Tatsuki Suzuki was also testing, as were Honda Team Asia riders Kaito Toba and Nakarin Atiratphuvapat.

That’s it from Le Mans. It’s now time to head for Tuscany and the mythical Mugello – with practice firing up on Friday 1st June.