FIM MotoGP World Championship Pre-Season Test
Mandalika International Street Circuit, Indonesia
February 13, 2022
Day Three Lap Times (all on Michelin tires):
- Pol Espargaro, Spain (Honda), 1:31.060
- Fabio Quartararo, France (Yamaha), 1:31.074
- Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1:31.385
- Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Yamaha), 1:31.416
- Francesco Bagnaia, Italy (Ducati), 1:31.436
- Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), 1:31.477
- Maverick Vinales, Spain (Aprilia), 1:31.478
- Johann Zarco, France (Ducati), 1:31.488
- Brad Binder, South Africa (KTM), 1:31.574
- Alex Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1:31.603
- Miguel Oliveira, Portugal (KTM), 1:31.620
- Luca Marini, Italy (Ducati), 1:31.665
- Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), 1:31.687
- Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1:31.793
- Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), 1:31.870
- Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Yamaha), 1:31.890
- Marco Bezzecchi, Italy (Ducati), 1:31.901
- Fabio Di Giannantonio, Italy (Ducati), 1:31.915
- Enea Bastianini, Italy (Ducati), 1:32.010
- Jorge Martin, Spain (Ducati), 1:32.544
- Remy Gardner, Australia (KTM), 1:32.860
- Darryn Binder, South Africa (Yamaha), 1:33.049
- Raul Fernandez, Spain (KTM), 1:34.896
- Joan Mir, Spain (Suzuki), no time recorded
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
#MandalikaTest: Pol Espargaro back on top as 21 riders end testing within 0.855
Pre-season is done and dusted and it’s HRC on top after an action-packed three days in Indonesia
Sunday, 13 February 2022
2022 MotoGP™ pre-season testing is over! After three days in Indonesia, focus now shifts to the season-opening Qatar GP and heading in as the fastest rider from the Mandalika Test is Repsol Honda Team’s Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard set a 1:31:060 on Day 3 to beat reigning World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) by just 0.014, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) completing the top three thanks to his Day 2 best at the brand-new, spectacular Pertamina Mandalika Circuit.
21 riders, down to Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), are split by just 0.855 heading to Qatar, setting the scene for another spectacular season of racing.
HONDA
As pre-seasons go, HRC’s has gone incredibly well. A brand-new, very different RC213V was brought to the table and ahead of the Qatar GP, the Japanese giants look in good shape. Pol Espargaro leading the way in Mandalika will inject the factory with a nice dose of confidence for man and machine, with the number 44 posting a further 38 laps on the final day. His words spoke volumes: “I’ve never been so fast before.”
The same positivity was heard from Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). The eight-time World Champion ends the Mandalika Test in ninth as the second Honda, 0.4 shy of Espargaro, but it’s all smiles in the number 93’s camp. Improvements have been made day-by-day in Mandalika, although Marc Marquez admitted he doesn’t have the “special feeling” with the bike still and was suffering on the final day. That meant no time attack, but testing couldn’t have gone much better.
Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) clocked up another 75 laps and the two-time World Champion was 12th overall, half a second from P1 as he focused on long runs and aerodynamics. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was testing two completely different chassis on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday, ultimately finishing 17th on the combined standings and 0.6 away from the top. Nakagami lapped a whopping 91 times on the final day.
YAMAHA
Quartararo finished P2 in Indonesia with a late time attack, but the lack of improvement with top speed remained a concerned. The Frenchman, however, has expressed his joy at his speed with used tyres, but something wasn’t clicking with new, soft tyres. “We need to know why,” is what Quartararo said on Day 2. But on Day 3, the number 20 said he was “feeling good” as testing comes to an end, and is in good spirits despite both he and the team expecting more from the new engine.
Franco Morbidelli’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) Mandalika Test saw the Italian claim P5 on the timesheets after a late time attack, 0.3 from the top. Morbidelli explained at the end of Day 2 that he’s riding the bike too much on the rear, meaning he’s got little confidence with the front. And on Day 3, the number 21 was changing front forks.
62 laps came in from Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) who finishes 19th, eight tenths away from the top. Pre-season was all about the Italian getting used to the characteristics of Yamaha’s 2022-spec YZR-M1. Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team), meanwhile, has his first premier class pre-season under his belt and finishing under two seconds from the fastest time is a job well done for the South African. 61 more laps will be more than valuable for the rookie who is making the leap from Moto3™ to MotoGP™.
DUCATI
Marini remains the top Ducati overall thanks to his Day 2 time, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) the next Borgo Panigale presence on the timesheets in sixth, 0.376 off the top. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) completed the top ten, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) took P13 on the GP21 and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) ended the test in 16th. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was P18, but the feedback from the majority was largely positive and centred on progress. Miller crashed on his race simulation, and Martin and Zarco both took tumbles too, riders ok.
During the hottest part of the day in Indonesia, pitlane reporter Simon Crafar was especially impressed by Bagnaia’s race pace. It seems the GP22 is definitely faster too, although Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi said power delivery is an area they can still improve. Overall the Italian said the factory was 80% satisfied so far with pre-season.
The revised aero remained on both Ducati Lenovo Team and Pramac Racing machines by the end testing, that seeming a done deal, and the riders said the longer exhaust doesn’t work at Mandalika – but could do elsewhere.
By the end of play, it’s Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) who once again takes the top rookie honours – but by just 0.014 ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in P20 and P21. The two Ducati-riding rookies had a few tenths in hand over their fellow debutants, too.
APRILIA
It’s been a hugely successful pre-season test in Mandalika for Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales, who continued their good work from Sepang. A fantastic handling RS-GP and upgrades across the board see both riders in very good stead heading to Qatar, with both doing a 20-lap, race simulation on the final day too.
Aprilia were testing two different chassis that were almost identical to the naked eye, even for our resident expert Simon Crafar. P4 for Espargaro and P8 for Viñales reads well, and all the signals from the Noale camp are positive after three days of testing in Mandalika.
SUZUKI
At Team Suzuki Ecstar, it was another day of hurdles – at least for one side of the garage. 2020 MotoGP™ Champion Joan Mir began feeling unwell in the morning and ultimately returned to the hotel with suspected food poisoning. He remained relatively positive, however, and on the combined timesheets remains P12.
“These things happen,” explained the number 36, “and in the end I have some good conclusions from the first and second day. I think we will arrive quite ready for the first race in Qatar despite all the inconveniences we found during the last two days here in Mandalika.”
Teammate Alex Rins was once again the first out on track on Day 3, and his plan for the final day was to focus on testing the Hamamatsu factory’s carbon reinforced chassis. By the end of the action, the number 42 was P7 overall after another 46 laps on Day 3.
KTM
Day 3 saw KTM testing their aero package, and there was a modified tail exhaust on show from the Austrian factory. Brad Binder ends the test as top Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider in P11, 0.514 off the top after 68 laps. His teammate Miguel Oliveira was one of the last on track on Day 3, and the Portuguese rider was 0.560 off and in P15 by the end of play – improving on Lap 71 of 73. The Austrian factory’s pre-season mission was finding a good base to use to develop throughout the season, comparing new parts and parts from 2021 to find a focused direction. Binder and Oliveira certainly put in the laps as KTM try and get back towards the front after a tougher 2021, despite having still taken victory with both riders.
By even Day 2 of the Mandalika Test, Binder said the factory is in much better shape heading into Qatar than they were this time last year, and overall the South African was pretty positive by the end of play: “So far so good. We’ve found some things that work well for us and we’ve improved our package from last year. We still need to work for sure and there’s work to be done to take that next step that we need, but so far so good.” The next focus? “The drive out the corners and rear grip in general.”
On Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing rookie watch, Raul Fernandez ends the test in P22 and a couple of tenths ahead of teammate and 2021 Moto2™ Champion Remy Gardner. Fernandez, following a crash on Day 2, then sat out most of the running on Sunday, and Gardner continues riding through the pain barrier from a broken wrist.
That’s a wrap on the #MandalikaTest. Now it’s time to head for Qatar for the opening race of the season before the field returns to Pertamina Mandalika Circuit for Round 2. Catch up on everything at motogp.com and across social media as we gear up to race in 2022!
More, from a press release issued by WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team:
WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team concludes winter tests on a positive note
Andrea Dovizioso and Darryn Binder made further progress on the final day of testing ahead of the 2022 season.
The sun greeted riders and teams one more time today at the Mandalika Circuit for their third and final day of testing in Indonesia, before everyone is packing and gearing up for the first Grand Prix of 2022 in less than three weeks’ time at the Losail International Circuit, Qatar.
Once again, Andrea Dovizioso managed to step forward aboard his Yamaha YZR-M1. The Italian went 0.413 seconds faster than yesterday. To improve his sensations and learn more about his new machine, he tried several settings and did a long run before midday. In total, the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team rider did 189 laps at the brand-new venue in Indonesia throughout the three days of official test.
On the other side, Darryn Binder did 173 laps in three days, learning the new layout and further adapting to the MotoGP bike and the premier class in general. He beat his personal best time from Saturday slightly and finished off testing with a long run this afternoon, gathering a lot of data and experience. With the pre-season finished, the MotoGP rookie and the entire WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2022 season now.
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
“Today was a bit better. In terms of lap time, I felt more comfortable and I could do a bit better overall. Regarding my pace for the race I’m not very satisfied, but it was very important to do the long run, where you always realize a lot of things. It was really nice to compare my long run with the one of Fabio (Quartararo) in the same tyres. At the beginning, he was very fast, so it will be incredibly important for me for Qatar to continue to adapt to the bike. Overall, it’s not enough yet, but we improved in these three days and I’m happy about that fact.”
DARRYN BINDER
“It’s been really good. I’m very glad that the weather was stable and we had many great long days to test and try everything. I wish I could have done more laps myself, but in these hot conditions every day you arrive to a point where you have to stop, because otherwise you’re just destroyed the next day. It’s been very good. We’ve made steady progress throughout every day. I wish I made a few more steps forward, but at the end of the day, I have to accept this. It’s a really big step coming from Moto3, so I know it’s going to take a couple more days to find the step I’m looking for. Otherwise, it’s been very good. I’ve learned so much over these days and I feel like I’m a bit more ready to go to Qatar.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team
“It has been great three days of very positive testing at the Mandalika Circuit. Our riders always improved our times, which is important, but the conditions on the track are not ideal, but improved every day. I’m sure come the Indonesian Grand Prix next month, the situation will already be better on the track and elsewhere. Both riders tried different things. Everything was positive, in terms of setup and feeling. Especially for Darryn, who still needs to learn the bike and tried to understand the circuit. Andrea was trying new things, trying to improve himself and got better with the feeling aboard the M1. After two weeks of tests in Sepang and Mandalika, we are ready for the Qatar GP. Of course, we have some more practice sessions before the race in Losail, but the team is ready and the riders are ready as well.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team
“After three eventful days here in Mandalika, I’m quite pleased with the test we have been doing. Of course, we didn’t plan the two crashes of both boys yesterday, but luckily, they were unhurt. This also belongs to the sport. These guys are pushing, trying everything to get the best lap times, the best feelings and sometimes you slide off, especially on tracks like this, where you easily lose the front when you are just a bit apart from the line. But other than that, we have been testing everything and each time, they went out, they have improved and gathered a better feeling on the bike. So, overall, I think we are ready to go to Qatar and to see what the actual situation is for all the boys.”
More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing Team:
TOP3 FOR LUCA MARINI AND MARCO BEZZECCHI BEST ROOKIE IN MANDALIKA
More than positive results for the riders of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team in Indonesia respectively in P3 and P20 in the combined standings of the three days
Lombok (Indonesia), February 13th 2022 – Last act of the 2022 pre-season for the Mooney VR46 Racing Team in Mandalika where the last MotoGP test ended today before the debut at the Qatar GP on 6 March. Thanks to yesterday’s excellent lap time, Luca Marini is in the Top3 with his Ducati GP22 while Marco Bezzecchi hits the P20, with his best time of three days, first among the rookies.
48 laps today for Luca and a good race simulation (25 laps) where he signs a best lap time of 1.31.665 (P12 of the Day3). A further step forward on the set-up of the Ducati Desmosedici GP and a more than positive balance from Indonesia where thanks to a best lap time of 1.31.289, set yesterday, he is in the Top3 of the standings.
Closing in crescendo and race simulation – together with Luca – also for Marco (38 laps today), leader among the rookies, and under the wall of 1.32 on Day3 in Mandalika thanks to a lap time of 1.31.901 achieved this morning (P17 today).
For both, the next appointment will be LIVE on Facebook and Youtube on February 24th at 12.00 PM CET for the unveil of the new bikes of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
Luca Marini #10
Today’s focus was mainly on the race simulation: we tried to work on the setting in these specific conditions with the M at the rear. I think it was a good choice for us, but I know that other riders were on track for the long run with the soft. We still don’t know which compounds Michelin will bring for the race, but in the tests done so far the results are good. I started behind Marco at the beginning, I was struggling to stay in the slipstream due to the temperatures and at the same time to overtake because the track, if we remove the three-day rubber strip, is very dirty and dangerous. The feedback is positive overall, I was a bit tired, but it was really hot today. I am satisfied with the whole Team, we are working hard and I am happy.
Marco Bezzecchi #72
I am happy to have closed in crescendo: a positive day, I did fewer laps than yesterday and I worked on the time attack before the simulation. On the flying lap I made a step and the 25 laps race simulation with Luca went well, especially the first part. I started first and I was in front for half of the laps. I felt at ease, then Luca overtook me and I struggled more, but I can’t complain. The whole Team has done a great job in this pre-season, every session I have made steps forward and I can’t wait to get back into the garage in Qatar for my first GP in the Top class. It will be amazing!
Pablo Nieto
Team Manager
A demanding pre-season for the whole Team, we can only be satisfied even if there is still a lot to do. Today we closed with a race simulation: Luca and Marco were together on track and they did a good job. Luca is close to the strongest guys and Marco has made a nice step and is less than a second from the Top riders. We will continue like this to arrive in Qatar as ready as possible for our debut in the World Championship as a Team. We can’t wait to show you the new bikes on February 24th.
More, from a press release issued by Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:
Gardner and Fernandez End MotoGP Preseason Programme Eager to go to Qatar
Today marked the end of the MotoGP preseason as the action returned for Day 3 of the Official MotoGP Mandalika Test in Indonesia. Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner jumped on their KTM RC16 for their eighth and final day of winter testing, combining five days in Sepang and three here in Mandalika.
With 133 laps already registered on Day 1 and 2, Remy Gardner worked on a race simulation this morning in order to collect data to prepare for the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia next month. Race pace was good and some important information was collected to allow KTM to work on improvements for the race. He completed an additional 42 laps, bringing him to a total of 175 laps here. After a very intensive preseason, the Moto2 World Champion will now get some rest and focus on his wrist recovery in order to be ready for Qatar.
Raul Fernandez has not been shy on laps either over the last two weeks. With around 200 laps registered in the Official Sepang Test in Malaysia, Raul rode an additional 116 laps at the circuit of Mandalika these last couple of days with a best lap-time of 1’32.401 reached yesterday, and feels positive overall about his progress and all the preseason work done with his team. He admitted feeling better day after day on his machine, and is more motivated than ever to kick off his rookie season in the MotoGP class next month. And we cannot wait either.
Remy Gardner
Best-Lap Time: 1’32.598
Cumulated Day 1 + Day 2 + Day 3 Laps: 175
“Today was the eighth day of riding in two weeks. This morning we did a race simulation of an amount of laps close to a race. We found a few issues that we need to iron out but the pace was better. After that I felt tired and my wrist was hurting so we decided to stop at lunch time.
I have learned a lot during these winter tests. In Malaysia we found some good bike set-ups but they did not work on this circuit, so we still have some work to do in order to go faster here for the Grand Prix. We will compare the data with the other three KTM riders to try to understand where we can improve, but I also still need to feel more comfortable with the machine, and it will come with races and experiences.
It has been tough physically and I look forward to going home now, taking some time to relax, recover and get ready for Qatar.”
Raul Fernandez
Best-Lap Time: 1’32.401
Cumulated Day 1 + Day 2 + Day 3 Laps: 116
“Yesterday I crashed and everything seemed good after my medical check. However when I got on the bike this morning, I didn’t feel well. I crashed again this morning and on the moment I did not understand why, so I went for another medical check and my speed reflexes were not good. The doctors decided that the safest option was to stop for the day.
Anyway, we did a good job here in Mandalika. Day after day, my feeling with the bike gets better and I feel competitive because yesterday I was in the top 15 most of the day.
Now it is time for me to rest and focus on recovery because it has been a very intense preseason from a physical perspective. The process since the Jerez test in November has been positive and I have improved a lot. I feel happy with the work done, my team, and I am really motivated to go racing in Qatar.”
Hervé Poncharal
Team Manager
“The Official MotoGP Mandalika Test comes to an end for Tech3 KTM Factory Racing. It has been a very productive testing period in both Malaysia and Indonesia. Our two riders learned a lot about their respective KTM RC16 and they are already better MotoGP riders than they were two weeks ago. Having five days of testing in Sepang followed by another three here in Mandalika has been very intense and both riders and the crew are exhausted. The next few days at home before heading to Qatar will be key for everyone in order to get some well deserved rest, recharge batteries and come back in full form.
I would like to thank both Raul and Remy for their dedication. For rookies, this tough testing period is never easy but they managed to get a lot of laps done and I really appreciate their never give-up attitude. They provided a lot of information that will be very useful to KTM in order to provide them with the best package possible. Now it is time for riders, mechanics and engineers to reflect on the two weeks of work in Asia and get ready for the first race in three weeks.”
More, from a press release issued by Gresini Racing:
TEAM GRESINI MOTOGP WRAPS UP WINTER TESTING AT MANDALIKA CIRCUIT
A very important three-day test has drawn to a close today at Lombok, which also ended winter testing for MotoGP. Team Gresini showed they can be among the protagonists straight from the get-go with an excellent performance by Bastianini both at Sepang and Mandalika, while Fabio Di Giannantonio has already proved he can comfortably be within the premier class. The Mandalika Circuit has surely presented some challenges for the two riders: track conditions were never perfect and line mistakes, which are absolutely normal on a new track, came with a big price to pay.
Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed unhurt twice, one on the opening day (turn ten) and the other on the second and final day (turn 11): both crashes came after similar mistakes, as the rider #49 lost the front-end and tumbled onto the very-wide gravel traps of the Indonesian track. The Rome-born rider did well in making sure those setbacks did not affect him as he worked both on time attack and race pace, with the priority being to improve his feeling with the Desmosedici GP21 machine.
Enea Bastianini had another great weekend, on a track that does not suit his riding style perfectly. Less late braking, but great feeling especially in the fast part of the track and with soft tyres, which helped the premier class sophomore log the 13th quickest time on the Ducati – one tenth shy of top five. One thing the Italian did remarkably well was to find his time attack lap in a matter of a few minutes, which is something absolutely crucial qualifying-wise ahead of the season.
13th – ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (1’31.599 – 129 laps)
“It was a very positive test, and we’re ready for Qatar. I got to know the 2021 bike properly, even though I also liked it at Jerez. Today’s result is not very indicative… We only worked on the race pace and the feeling was excellent. Things are going great with the team and I think we made a step forward even compared to Sepang: the more time we spend on the bike, the more we can be competitive. We have a little more experience compared to last season and honestly speaking it is also easier to work with the team: now I know what to ask for and what to tell them. I just can’t wait now.”
21st – FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (1’31.915 – 149 laps)
“It has been a positive preseason for us. We improved a lot aboard the Ducati and we managed to do so day after day. Today we also did a race simulation and we’re very happy. We are still in our early ‘school’ days but there’s plenty of motivation to do well. Compared to Sepang – where we lost a few days – we made an important step forward and now we need to keep both feet on the ground and think one step at the time. Qatar is around the corner so now it will be about anxiously waiting for another three weeks.”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Espargaro ends MotoGP pre-season on top
Pol Espargaro ruled supreme on the final day of running in Indonesia, ending the winter tests with a confidence building day as Repsol Honda Team team-mate Marc Marquez put in final stint of intense work.
Sunday, the final day of MotoGP pre-season testing, saw a late revision to the schedule as riders were given more time for practice starts and the circuit given time to clean the start-finish straight. With the break in action coming at 13:00 Local Time, a natural lunch break was added into the day.
Pol Espargaro ended the morning session as the fastest rider with a best lap of 1’31.060, 0.215s clear of second place World Championship Fabio Quartararo at the time. This continues the fine form the #44 has found aboard the new Honda RC213V. Aside from the headline-grabbing lap time, Espargaro was able to round out his testing programme and conclude a fruitful five days of running. With his work done, Espargaro and the Repsol Honda Team decided to end his day early, just before 14:00 Local Time. Even with the early finish, Espargaro’s 1’31.060 stood as the fastest lap of the day, bookending an extremely positive three days in Indonesia for the #44.
The last day of testing was a day about mileage for eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez as he completed a total of 74 laps. Marc Marquez suffered a fall at Turn 2 but was able to remount and return to the Repsol Honda Team garage before eventually heading back on track. Ultimately ending the day in 14th, Marquez was only 0.733s behind his team-mate as he focused on long runs and bike setup to preserve his shoulder. Overall, Marquez concludes the test in ninth place. The overview of the five days of testing has been ultimately positive for Marquez and the Repsol Honda Team as he returns from injury.
The Repsol Honda Team completed a total of 1,702 kilometers across the three days in Lombok with Marc Marquez totaling 212 laps while Pol Espargaro completed 180.
Now the Repsol Honda Team prepare to start another year battling for the MotoGP World Championship, the 28th season of cooperation between Repsol and Honda HRC. The season begins under the Qatar floodlights on Sunday, March 06 where both Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro are determined to start the year on the front foot.
Pol Espargaro
1ST 1’31.060
“I’m feeling really pleased with how this pre-season has gone and especially here in Mandalika. It’s nice to get the fastest time but what’s more important is our pace and feeling with the bike, I’m able to ride how I want. I have to say congratulations to HRC and the Repsol Honda Team for all their work over winter, they’ve put in a lot of effort and the results are showing. Normally at hot tracks like here and Sepang I struggle a lot, but right now we leave having done two good tests and able to find somethings for long runs and on our one lap speed. Yesterday we solved a small issue we were having and it really helped us with the one lap speed. Now it’s time to rest a little and get ready for Qatar, my confidence is good and I can’t wait to race.”
Marc Marquez
14TH 1’31.793
“I really enjoyed riding the bike a lot today, I was tired at the start of today like everyone but having fun and enjoying riding was the best way to work today. I have some pain in my shoulder today so that’s why we didn’t focus on a time attack, because pushing for a fast lap requires a lot of power and I worked on race pace and setup. I continued to improve my feeling on the bike and comparing now to Malaysia, it’s a big difference. We have made a big step with the new bike and the feeling is getting better with each lap. HRC and the Repsol Honda Team have done a great job to get us to where we are today and I am looking forward to starting the season. A few weeks to keep training more and then we race!”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
APRILIA CONCLUDES PRESEASON TESTS AT MANDALIKA
ALEIX AND MAVERICK CONSISTENT ONCE AGAIN ON THE NEW INDONESIAN CIRCUIT AND READY FOR THE FIRST 2022 RACE IN QATAR
New track, same feedback: on the Indonesian circuit of Mandalika, just like in Sepang, the 2022 Aprilia RS-GP once again proved to be a project with good potential. Over the course of the three days of testing, the last tests before the official season start in Qatar, Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales put the new prototypes to the test and agreeing that the work done by Aprilia’s techs has passed with flying colours.
The track, where the second race of the season will be held, did not offer a great deal of grip for this first approach. This is a complicated situation, but also a chance to see how the new bike reacts in less than optimum grip conditions. The good sensations perceived in Malaysia were confirmed, not only by the lap times, but especially by the good feelings both riders had in terms of overall improvements to the bike, with plenty of margin to work with and a good base to take to Qatar.
Aleix Espargaró
“We can’t evaluate the worth of preseason tests so much based on times as on the confidence that we’ve done a good job. From this point of view, I think that both Aprilia and I are headed to Qatar with a good base. The new bike has demonstrated improvements in all areas. We can and must improve, that much is certain, also because my goal is to do better than last year. It will not be at all simple because, in my opinion, this will be the most competitive and demanding MotoGP season ever.”
Maverick Viñales
“I’m pleased with our tests. It’s still early to define our level with certainty, but the new RS-GP proved to be fast on two extremely different tracks like Sepang and Mandalika. My feeling also improved progressively, although I still can’t say it’s perfect, while Aprilia’s techs are getting better and better at meeting my needs. I still need time in the saddle, especially on race weekends, because I feel like I still have plenty of margin to be faster. In any case, I’m feeling positive ahead of the first race in Qatar – a track where I have always been comfortable.”
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDE MANDALIKA TEST
Lombok (Indonesia), 13th February 2022
MANDALIKA OFFICIAL MOTOGP TEST
TEST
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP wrapped up the second and final official IRTA test of the 2022 season today at the Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia. Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli wrapped up the three days of testing in second and fifth place respectively in the overall standings.
2nd FABIO QUARTARARO 1’31.074 / 79 LAPS
4th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1’31.416 / 69 LAPS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli completed their 2022 pre-season testing programme at the Mandalika Circuit today. The third consecutive session was crucial to collect some final data on race simulations and time attacks. They ultimately took second and fourth place respectively in today‘s timesheets and second and fifth in the overall MotoGP test results.
There was a slightly amended time schedule today, as the track was cleaned between 13:15-13:45 local time (GMT+8).
This morning Quartararo picked up where he left off, on only his 18th lap he set a 1‘31.275s that put him in second place. Following the track cleaning, he worked on the race pace of his YZR-M1. He completed an 18-lap race simulation and then readied himself for one final shoot-out on soft tyres at the end of the day. His 1‘31.074s, set on lap 77/79 kept him in second position in both today‘s and the overall results, 0.014s from first.
Morbidelli used the final day of pre-season testing to mainly work on his feeling with the front of the bike. It was the preparation needed for the Italian‘s final push. In the closing minutes of the session, he committed to one last time attack. His fastest lap was a 1‘31.416s, set on lap 68/69, that earned him fourth place in the Day 3 rankings and fifth place in the combined results, 0.356s from the top.
The team will now return to Europe whilst the engineers in Japan process the testing data. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will regroup in Qatar from 4-6 March to kick off the 2022 season.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
This test was very important. We had to start from zero because this is a completely new track. Overall, our findings are very positive. The track conditions got better day by day and that allowed our riders to be able to push their bikes closer to the limit and find areas of improvement. Over the last three days we have been able to evaluate all the testing material that we prepared during the winter break and first tried in Sepang. The progress made throughout the entire test is significant for us. Our mission is to improve the bike in all areas whilst maintaining the bike‘s strong points. We are impressed with Fabio‘s race pace and his time attack today. We’re also pleased with Franco‘s improved feeling with the bike. He was able to do a really nice lap at the end of the session. But with 21 riders covered by just one second, we can expect a very closely contested 2022 season. We will now analyse the data and make sure we are fully prepared for the first GP weekend in Qatar at the start of March.
FABIO QUARTARARO
I‘m feeling good. We put in a lot of work and laps again. We had set out to improve our feeling with the soft and we did that: our pace with the soft was fast. I could feel myself being much better, the feeling with the bike improved a lot. I also did a long run with a medium rear tyre. The feeling wasn’t as good as it was with the soft tyre, but I‘m still really happy with what we managed to do today. I think we did a great job.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
It was a good day. We improved day by day during this pre-season with Patrick, my new crew chief. At the end of this day, we also tried a time attack and it was good. The speed is getting there. I’m happy about this pre-season.
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
INDONESIAN TEST BRINGS 2022 MOTOGP™ PRE-SEASON TO A CLOSE. NOW: QATAR!
2022 MotoGP news
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Tech3 KTM Factory Racing had three days and plenty of laps to get acquainted with the new Pertamina Mandalika Circuit on the island of Lombok in Indonesia for the second and final pre-season test of 2022. Brad Binder set the 11th quickest lap among the quartet from combined times.
Mandalika will host the second round of the 2022 series for its inaugural Grand Prix on March 20th and the three-day session for the MotoGP runners was a perfect opportunity to get familiar with the circuit, the climate and to judge any final technical changes to race bikes before the homologation phase for the season closes. The test was marked by some unstable weather and the near-finished status of the circuit itself which meant the new asphalt was often dirty and hard to judge. Most of the riders enjoyed the challenging fast layout and some vital data and information was collected for the race-ready state of the RC16 as well as for future development.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder held the top spot in the screens on the second day and a small technical issue prevented another time attack as the clock ticked down. The South African’s final push on day three was just half a second from peak of the chart. Miguel Oliveira was not far away in 15th but the Portuguese completed a rapid race simulation on day three that gave the former GP winner strong cause for optimism.
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing ended the test with Raul Fernandez 22nd (but the Spaniard opted to sit out the final outing after a fast crash on the second day) and Remy Gardner in 23rd even though the Australian was still feeling the effects of his recent wrist injury.
The 21-race 2022 campaign will start with the Grand Prix of Qatar at the Losail International Circuit on March 6th.
Brad Binder: “So far so good. The bike is working better and I’m working better. We have found some good things and we have improved our package from last year. We still need to work to increase that forward step that we’ve made over these five days in Malaysia and Indonesia. Now we can go home, evaluate and hopefully come back even stronger in Qatar. I think we can progress with our drive out of corner and with rear grip in general: those are my two main things. If we can sort them out then I think we’re going to be in good shape but I’m much happier. Hats-off to the team and thanks to everybody for their hard work. Qatar is a track that will really push us but I’m confident we’re in a better place than 2021.”
Miguel Oliveira: “Many laps again today and we did a race simulation with the medium tire in very hot conditions and it was very fast. Coming here we had quite a bit of work to do but, finally, I’m happy with the pace we managed and I think we can trust this will help us for qualification sessions and getting a better starting position at the GPs. We still have more room to improve the bike but I do know that we have good tools to do the job. We had five longs day of work and the team did a great job, a great effort. I want to thank them. I think we have good pace to start the season and I think this is the most important thing.”
Raul Fernandez: “Yesterday I crashed and everything seemed good after my medical check. However when I got on the bike this morning, I didn’t feel well. I crashed again this morning and so I went for another medical check and my speed reflexes were not perfect. The doctors decided that the safest option was to stop for the day.Anyway, we did a good job here in Mandalika. Day after day, my feeling with the bike gets better and I feel competitive because yesterday I was in the top 15 most of the time.Now I need to rest and focus on recovery because it has been a very intense preseason from a physical perspective. The process since the Jerez test in November has been positive and I have improved a lot. I feel happy with the work done, my team, and I am really motivated to go racing in Qatar.”
Remy Gardner: “Today was the eighth day of riding in two weeks. This morning we did a race simulation. We found a few issues that we need to iron out but the pace was better. After that I felt tired and my wrist was hurting so we decided to stop at lunch time.I have learned a lot during these winter tests. We will compare the data with the other three KTM riders to try to understand where we can improve but I also still need to feel more comfortable with the machine, and it will come with races and experiences.It has been tough physically and I look forward to going home now, taking some time to relax, recover and get ready for Qatar.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We had a lot of comments to take into consideration, as well as the feedback from Dani [Pedrosa] and Mika [Kallio] from the shakedown test in Sepang and this meant we had a lot to get through here but we achieved our plan. We now need to go home, analyse the data and go deep into the details to be ready for the first race. The details will make the difference with our 2022 package. The team is great and have been pushing hard these days, so I want to thank them for that. We know Qatar could be very close but hopefully we are in the front group.”
Sebastian Risse, Red Bull KTM Technical Manager MotoGP: “We had some productive and intense days. After Sepang we had a package that the riders seem to like and it was important for them to try it on another track and see how it reacts to the normal set-up changes that we make from circuit to circuit. I think we were quite successful because it worked right away even if the track conditions were not that great: we managed to react to that. We put the parts for homologation as a priority and they had to be checked again and I think this part of the test was also successful. The last area of the test was to go deeper into development. We always have a large crate of parts to try and see what can work better so we took the time to look at the next steps. I think we found something interesting there. For our work in 2022 we have changed two areas. Firstly, we did not bring a completely different bike to these tests. We did bring a lot of different parts so, in the end, we made a different bike out of those but we put a lot of effort into making those interchangeable so you can test them one-by-one and assess more easily what is positive and negative; then hopefully put everything together for the best mix. Secondly, we really took a lot of time to get the best out of those components. Not only in testing but in definition of targets for making them work and to understand the potential. A quality instead of quantity approach and I think that worked quite well.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
ÁLEX MÁRQUEZ TENTH FASTEST ON FINAL DAY OF MANDALIKA TEST
Álex Márquez completed his preparations for the new MotoGP campaign with an impressive showing on the final day of the pre-season test in Indonesia. The LCR Honda CASTROL rider was again one of the busiest riders at the Mandalika circuit on Sunday and finished the session in upbeat mood having made solid progress throughout the three days in Lombok.
The Spaniard clocked up another 75 laps on his RC213V as he continued to make refinements to his 2022 package, before wrapping up the session ahead of the scheduled end. He was able to shave four tenths off his best time from Saturday – finishing the day in 10th position on the timesheets – and will now head to Losail for the season-opening Qatar GP in good spirits.
Álex Márquez – 14th
(1’31.603)
“I’m happy today as we did an amazing job with the team. I need to congratulate my team as they’ve done a really good job throughout pre-season, being really focused, changing the bike a hundred times but never dropping the ball, so thanks to all the mechanics and the rest of my team. In the morning, we were able to make some time attacks, we weren’t perfect but not bad so I’m quite pleased about that. Later on, we did some long runs, my body was tired from these three days and the Sepang Test, but I had a good feeling, it was a good performance and we’re ready for Qatar which is the main thing. We’ll analyse the data now, but I think we have everything more or less under control for the Qatar race.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
BUSY FINAL DAY FOR TAKA AT MANDALIKA
Takaaki Nakagami made full use of the final day of testing in Mandalika as he completed his preparations for the 2022 MotoGP World Championship. The LCR Honda IDEMITSU star was the busiest of any rider at the Indonesian venue on Sunday as he fine-tuned his Honda machinery ahead of the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix in three weeks’ time.
The Japanese rider got through a total of 91 laps and was able to make significant improvements to the set-up of the new RC213V prototype. He was particularly pleased with refinements to the front-end feeling as he ended the day in 13th position on the timesheets.
Takaaki Nakagami – 17th
(1’31.687)
“It was a long day, I completed 91 laps today. We did a race simulation in the morning which was pretty good, the pace was good, and then during the day we tried to find a set-up on the bike and improve the front feeling. By the end of the day, we were able to do that and I’m pleased with how we ended the tests here in Mandalika. I feel ready for the first race in Qatar and I’m really looking forward to going there. I want to say a big thanks to all my team for these three days, they worked really hard.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Bagnaia and Miller conclude three days of official MotoGP testing at Lombok in Indonesia
Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller concluded the final pre-season test at the Mandalika Street Circuit in Lombok. The brand new Indonesian circuit was inaugurated in 2021 and will host MotoGP for the first time in March this year.
Coming from two more days of testing in Sepang, Malaysia, the Ducati Lenovo Team riders could resume their busy schedule in Indonesia, having spent the first few days studying the new track. Heavy rain made the asphalt treacherous on the first day, but conditions improved over the next two days. The riders could ride consistently, gathering crucial information ahead of the race.
At the end of the three days, Bagnaia completed 215 laps, setting the sixth fastest lap time in 1:31.436. Miller, who completed 234 laps, finished in eighteenth place in 1:31.870.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:31.436 (6th)
“I’m pretty satisfied with the work we have done during these three days of testing here in Mandalika. The track is very nice, and I really like the first sector, so I’m looking forward to racing here in a month. During these days, we have mainly followed our development programme. We tested new components and worked on the tyre management and the electronics of the new bike without worrying too much about the timesheets. Today we did a race simulation, and the feedback was positive. Now we will have two more weeks off before we finally start the new Championship in Qatar! I’m looking forward to it”.
Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:31.870 (18th)
“It was a tough three days of testing because we had so many things to try, but we were able to complete most of our programme and gather a lot of data for the engineers to work on. I like the new circuit, and it reminds me a little of the track in Argentina. Unfortunately, the rain and the construction site nearby made the asphalt quite dirty. We had to be careful not to go off the lines, but this allowed us to work for Qatar, where we will certainly find similar conditions because of the sand. I’m satisfied and ready to get on track for the first race of the year!”
The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will return to the track on 4th-6th March at night to contest the inaugural Grand Prix of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship at the Losail International Circuit in Doha Qatar.
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
MIR FORCED TO SIT OUT FINAL DAY BUT RINS COMPLETES PLAN
Alex Rins: 6th – 1’31.477 (+ 0.417)
Joan Mir: No Time Set
Team Suzuki Ecstar have wrapped up a challenging but rewarding three-day test in Indonesia. The next stop will be the opening round of the season in Qatar on March 6th.
After a difficult day two in Mandalika for Joan Mir, things unfortunately got worse for the final day of testing; upon arrival at the track he experienced stomach pain and vomiting and he was diagnosed with food poisoning by Dr. Michele Zasa of the Clinica Mobile. Despite taking medication to try and ease the situation, he remained too unwell to ride.
However, thanks to the work done during the first days in Mandalika and the last pre-season test in Sepang, Mir feels confident that he will arrive in Qatar with a strong set-up and a well rounded GSX-RR.
Alex Rins, the sole Suzuki rider on track, was able to complete a useful test programme on the final day. He worked on chassis comparisons and long runs, and he feels well prepared for the season opener next month.
Alex Rins:
“We’re feeling quite ready to start the season now. I don’t want to make any big predictions like ‘we’re going to win in Qatar’ because everything is unknown, but we’re certainly well prepared to kick off the year. The bike works well, and we’ve done a good job in both Sepang and Mandalika. There are definite improvements to our GSX-RR compared with last year and, even though there are a few things still to fine-tune, this test has given us confidence and overall my feeling is good!”
Joan Mir:
“This morning when I woke up I felt something strange in my stomach, like everything was moving. After having some breakfast I went to the track, but once I was there I started to feel much worse and I started to throw up. Then the doctor came to my office to try and help me, but in the end I had to go back to the hotel because I was completely exhausted. My physical condition has stopped me today, I had no power to ride the bike and this also conditioned our plan. I felt very bad today but these things happen and in the end I have some good conclusions from the first and second day. I think we will arrive quite ready for the first race in Qatar despite all the inconveniences we found during the last two days here in Mandalika.”
Shinichi Sahara – Project Leader & Team Director:
“Today marks the end of all the winter testing, two days in Malaysia and three days here in Indonesia, and we’ve completed it without any big problems. It was pity for us not to have Joan for the last day of testing due to his stomach issue, but these things can happen and the rider’s health is important. From a technical point of view, it wasn’t a big problem for us because we already checked and confirmed all the test items yesterday. I’m feeling very positive about the step we’ve made from last year to this year, so I’d like to thank all the people involved in the team and factory. We’ll continue to work, and we’ll also have time to investigate the data from these tests to be as strong as possible for Round 1 in Losail next month.”
Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager:
“Unfortunately Joan’s physical condition today was not good, so we cancelled testing for his side of the garage. This is a shame, of course, but we don’t feel that the loss of this final day will impact us too badly. The team have worked very hard over all five pre-season test days, they’ve done a great job, and we’ve learned a lot. We are very happy because we’ve found the base settings to start the season, and I can’t wait for Qatar now.”
