FIM Moto2/Moto3 World Championships Jerez, Spain March 18, 2013 Day One Test Results: Moto2 (all using Honda engines and Dunlop tires): 1. Toni Elias (Spain), Kalex, 1:43.365 2. Esteve Rabat (Spain), Pons Kalex, 1:43.424 3. Pol Espargaro (Spain), Pons Kalex, 1:43.651 4. Takaaki Nakagai (Japan), Kalex, 1:43.664 5. Julian Simon (Spain), Kalex, 1:43.747 6. Mika Kallio (Finland), Kalex, 1:43.774 7. Alex De Angelis (San Marino), Speed Up, 1:43.925 8. Nicolas Terol (Spain), Suter, 1:43.931 9. Johann Zarco (France), Suter, 1:43.996 10. Xavier Simeon (Belgium), Kalex, 1:44.029 Moto3 (all using Dunlop tires): 1. Jonas Folger (Germany), Kalex KTM, 1:47.149 2. Alex Rins (Spain), KTM, 1:47.401 3. Maverick Vinales (Spain), KTM, 1:47.457 4. Luis Salom (Spain), KTM, 1:47.468 5. Brad Binder (South Africa), Suter Honda, 1:47.903 6. Miguel Oliveira (Portugal), Mahindra, 1:47.940 7. Danny Webb (UK), Suter Honda, 1:47.959 8. Jack Miller (Australia), FTR Honda, 1:48.154 9. Alex Marquez (Spain), KTM, 1:48.182 10. Romano Fenati (Italy), FTR Honda, 1:48.214 More, from a press release issued by Blusens Avintia Racing: Toni Elías leads the first day of official test at Jerez The Blusens Avintia rider has achieved the best lap time after being among top riders all the day Jerez de la Frontera, 18 March 2013. The last official test before the first Qatar GP couldn’t possibly start better for the Blusens Avintia team. With an optimum temperature and good conditions track, despite the fact that the riders complained about lack of grip, Toni Elías completed a superb day in which he was constantly among the fastest riders and ended setting the best time after a great lap. Both the team and Toni are aware that there are three long days left until the end of the last test at the Jerez circuit and they have to keep improving the set-up of the bike to arrive in Qatar in the best possible conditions to fight for the victory. But sweet things never made anyone bitter and, although it is not time to start shouting about it, it is nice to check that work and constancy produce good results and the efforts are rewarded. His teammate Kyle Smith kept on with his learning and lapped already with a good pace on this first day, improving the times he made the last time he was on this track last month. 24 – Toni Elías (1º, 1’43.365): “I am very happy because I have had again that nice feeling that you have when you are among the first ones all the practice session, when you have a good pace and when, in addition, you can finish with a good lap that allows you to get the best time of the day. It is fantastic for me and for the team, that deserves to be on top after so much work. The Blusens Avintia is giving me all I need and attending to any of my requests, and compensating them with a good result is very gratifying. I am aware that it is the first day of the test and that there are three working days left in which we will have to keep improving, but it is good to start well because that gives us confidence. There are a lot of things to improve, but it is clear that we are on the right way. We have ideas and material to try and improve. We have advanced significantly since the last test we did on this track thanks to the work and constancy of all. We made a private test that worked wonderfully for us and the team has managed to make me feel at my ease on the bike. I do not deceive myself and I know that it will be difficult, but for the moment things are going well. I knew that when we were on equal conditions -regarding to engines-, the differences would not be as big as in previous tests in which engines were not checked. We will see what happens these days but this is a good way to start this last test before Qatar.” 9 – Kyle Smith (24º, 1’45.314): “It has been a good day and I am very happy even though I have finished in 24th place. We have to think that the best riders are here and I have to learn a lot. Today we have worked well and I managed to improve greatly the feeling. I have ridden faster than in the last test on this track and I only need a second to be in a point scoring position. I am sure that with the help that the team is offering me, with its experience and with my wish to improve, we will be able to catch that second that will place us higher.” More, from a press release issued by Aspar Moto2 Team: ASPAR TEAM BEGIN FINAL PRESEASON TEST Nico Terol eighth fastest and five tenths off the top on opening day at Jerez Exactly a month on from their last test here at Jerez the Moto2 riders were back on track today to begin their final preparations for the opening round of the season in Qatar in two weeks time. For the first time this year the new official Moto2 engines were made available to the teams, with the intermediate category riders on track today from 14:30h to 17:30h. A full day is planned tomorrow and Wednesday with another half day on Thursday, which will bring preseason testing to an end. It looks set to be another close season in Moto2, with just a second separating the top fourteen riders today. ASPAR Team rider Nico Terol finished with the eighth fastest time, half a second off the top. With slippery conditions on track the Spaniard was careful to take things steadily on the opening day, working on the set-up of his new Suter chassis and some new tyres in a quest for more grip. His team-mate Jordi Torres also worked with the latest Suter update but only managed to completed fourteen laps so he will have plenty of work to do tomorrow. 8th Nico Terol 1.43.931 (38 laps): “Today was quite a short day because we only spent half of it on track. There wasn’t much grip out there but we were able to have a shakedown and set a consistent pace in the low 1’44s. We are half a second off the fastest lap but the times are close and for a first day I am pretty happy with our work. I would have liked to have improved the lap time but we still have plenty of time here. I was struggling to stop the bike from sliding in some areas. We tried two new tyres today and played around with the ride height to try and find more grip.” 23rd Jordi Torres 1.45.240 (14 laps): “We used the new chassis today and compared the data from the last test here at Jerez. I don’t know why but the track was very slippery today, maybe because it rained yesterday and today the temperature was quite high. It was a case of doing laps and waiting for the track conditions to improve. With us only having half a day to work we spent it revising our settings and checking everything was in order. Just before the end of the Moto2 session I had a crash in turn five. There was no damage to the bike or myself but it ended our day early.” More, from a press release issued by Aspar Moto3 Team: FOLGER STRIKES FIRST AT JEREZ TEST MAPFRE Aspar rider tops the timesheets with his final lap after clocking competitive times all day The final test of the Moto3 preseason got underway at 1:30pm this afternoon at Jerez, signalling the start of the final countdown to the opening round of the 2013 campaign in Qatar on April 7th. Whilst the track time was split with the Moto2 teams today, tomorrow will see all riders on track throughout the day and they will be hoping for a repeat of today’s conditions, which were sunny and warm throughout. MAPFRE Aspar rider Jonas Folger clocked the fastest lap of the day with his final effort of a productive first afternoon, most of which he spent in the top two or three positions on the timesheets. After a month’s break since the last test the German was keen to ride without making too many changes to his Kalex but after 38 laps he went six tenths quicker than in the last test here, registering an impressive 1’47.149. His team-mate Eric Granado equalled his best effort from the team’s last visit to Jerez, the young Brazilian gradually building his pace on used tyres and finishing the day in positive fashion. 1st Jonas Folger 1.47.149 (38 laps): “I am happy because we have improved by six tenths since the last test here and considering there are no major changes to the bike that is very positive. We have a new exhaust available here but we decided to save it until tomorrow. We didn’t get many laps done because we didn’t have much track time available to us today but we got a lot of information. We will try some chassis updates tomorrow. At the end of the day I set the fastest lap and could have gone even faster if it wasn’t for another rider holding me up in the final sector.” 25th Eric Granado 1.49.505 (44 laps): “I got a bit lost at the start of the session. The bike was fine but I just struggled to get on the pace. We made some basic set-up changes, mainly with the swingarm and ride height, to get me a little more comfortable. We also worked on developing the bike and hopefully tomorrow we can make some progress with the suspension. At the end of the day I finally managed to get in a group and pick my pace up and even though I was on used rubber I felt more comfortable. I am happy that we made progress as the day went on and I was able to match my time from the last test here. We have done a good job so far and we’ll pick up tomorrow where we left off today.”