FIM Moto3 World Championship
Jerez, Spain
February 19, 2015
Best Overall Test Times (all using Honda engines and Dunlop tires):
1. Johann Zarco, France (Kalex) 1:42.121
2. Sam Lowes, UK (Speed Up), 1:42.165
3. Tito Rabat, Spain (Kalex), 1:42.392
4. Axel Pons, Spain (Kalex), 1:42.410
5. Luis Salom, Spain (Kalex), 1:42.484
6. Sandro Cortese, Germany (Kalex), 1:42.566
7. Jonas Folger, Germany (Kalex), 1:42.625
8. Lorenzo Baldassarri, Italy (Kalex), 1:42.880
9. Alex Rins, Spain (Kalex), 1:42.927
10. Thomas Luthi, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:42.980
11. Xavier Simeon, Belgium (Kalex), 1:43.043
12. Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Kalex), 1:43.172
13. Marcel Schrotter, Germany (Tech 3), 1:43.176
14. Mika Kallio, Finland (Kalex), 1:43.222
15. Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Kalex), 1:43.251
16. Alex Marquez, Spain (Kalex), 1:43.254
17. Simone Corsi, Italy (Kalex), 1:43.287
18. Dominique Aegerter, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:43.349
19. Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (Kalex), 1:43.358
20. Louis Rossi, France (Tech 3), 1:43.738
21. Anthony West, Australia (Speed Up), 1:43.849
22. Julian Simon, Spain (Speed Up), 1:43.936
23. Ricky Cardus, Spain (Tech 3), 1:43.979
24. Azlan Shah, Malaysia (Kalex), 1:44.533
25. Robin Mulhauser, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:44.551
26. Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:44.635
27. Thitipong Warokorn, Thailand (Kalex), 1:44.646
28. Florian Alt, Germany (Suter), 1:44.692
29. Jesko Raffin, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:46.209
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Zarco leaves Jerez with fastest lap
The final day of testing has concluded at a sunny Jerez for the Moto2™ class with Johann Zarco finishing top of the timesheet on his Ajo Motorsport Kalex bike.
With the inclement weather of yesterday continuing, it was the 24-year-old Frenchman who took advantage to post the fastest time of the day with a 1’42.121 during the second session. Zarco’s confidence on soft and hard tyres was evident as he was consistently quick, and he revealed that over the three day test he was focusing on trying to relax on the bike, which is the key to him going faster.
Speed Up Racing’s Sam Lowes had another great day at Jerez, finishing 2nd overall on the time sheets, and posting his fastest time over the three days in the second session on the final day, a 1’42.165. His pace is made all the more impressive by the fact that it was the first lap Lowes had done with a new swingarm and fairing, plus his was the only bike in the top 12 not to be on a Kalex chassis.
Moto2™ Champion Tito Rabat was in third, continuing his impressive testing form, with a best time of 1’42.392 on his Estrella Galicia 0.0 Marc VDS Racing bike. As usual the Spaniard was one of the busiest riders, managing well over 100 laps throughout the day and cementing his reputation for consistency over the three days.
Axel Pons and Jonas Folger were again on impressive form on their AGR Team Kalex machines, finishing 4th & 7th respectively, with Folger closing the gap to his teammate over the three days to just 2 hundredths of a second.
Luis Salom finished the test 5th overall, but couldn’t quite match his best time of day two, as he finished 0.15 seconds slower with a 1.42.652 during the final day, although he managed to finish the test ahead of his Paginas Amarillas HP 40 team mate Alex Rins, who managed to break the 1’43 mark with a 1.42.927.
With the top ten riders separated by less than 9 hundredths of a second, it could be all change when the Moto2 teams and riders return for another 3 day test at Jerez between the 17-19th of March.
More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team:
Rabat and Marquez conclude successful Jerez test
Jerez, Spain – 19 February 2015: Preparations for the 2015 season are back on track for Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS, following a successful three-day test at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain.
With the weather at Jerez far better suited to testing than at Valencia one week ago, the team’s two World Champions, Tito Rabat and Alex Marquez, took maximum advantage of the almost perfect conditions to complete an extensive test program.
A gearbox problem saw Rabat crash heavily at turn five on the opening day, leaving the reigning Moto2 World Champion with severe bruising on his left arm. Undeterred, the 25-year-old Spaniard continued working to improve feedback from the front of his 2015 Kalex Moto2 machine, eventually ending the test with a best time of 1’42.392 and third position on the timesheet. Rabat declared himself satisfied, especially with his speed and consistency over a full race simulation today.
After three days of dismal weather in Valencia, Marquez was able to get his transition from Moto3 to Moto2 back on track at Jerez. The reigning Moto3 World Champion focussed mainly on reducing his braking distance into slower corners and improving turn in with the heavier Moto2 machine. It is an approach that paid off, with the 18-year-old Spaniard improving his lap time by almost three seconds over the course of the three-days, ending the test 16th on the timesheet.
The conclusion of this test marks the start of a month long break for the Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Moto2 riders, but they will return to Jerez on 17th March for the third and final preseason test.
Tito Rabat: 3rd – 1’42.392
“The first day we had a problem with back shifting and I had a big crash at turn five as a result, but on the second day we got a lot done with the new bike and found many answers to many questions. Every day we saw an improvement with the bike, especially the turning, and we came to a lot of conclusions about how we move forward so I’m happy with what we achieved here at Jerez. We also saw that a lot of riders are able to run a fast pace, so this year looks like it’s going to be more difficult than last year. But, I will continue in the same way; focussing on my own performance and looking for more improvements.”
Alex Marquez: 16th – 1’43.254
“Here we made a big improvement with my riding style and also with the lap time, but the most important thing is that I have the bike under more control now. I didn’t put together a perfect lap, but I definitely have a better feeling and I’m also more comfortable on the bike, which will be important for the next test. We have more test days before Qatar, so we need to continue working step-by-step, but overall I’m happy with what we’ve achieved here at Jerez this week.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“After the wash out in Valencia the better weather conditions here at Jerez allowed us to get our preseason test plan back on schedule. Tito had a big crash on Tuesday through no fault of his own, but that didn’t stop him being both fast and consistent while working to improve feedback from the front tyre. Alex has made a big step forward with his transition to the Moto2 bike, as the steady improvement in his lap time shows. Overall it’s been a very successful test for the team and we’re now looking forward to an equally successful third and final test here at Jerez next month.”
More, from a press release issued by Gresini Racing:
THREE DAYS OF CONSTANT IMPROVEMENTS FOR SIMEON AT JEREZ
Xavier Siméon and the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 closed today the official Moto2 test at the Jerez Circuit completing another good day of work: the 25-year-old Belgian rider collected 64 laps aboard his Kalex machine, setting in the forst morning session his best performance, 1’43”043, which puts him in eleventh place in the combined classification of the three days. However, Siméon showed a very steady pace, replicating in the afternoon almost the same lap times and resulting the fifth fastest rider on track in the third and final session today.
Over the three days spent in Spain Siméon collected no less than 214 laps, always growing and improving the feeling with his bike: the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 will be back in action from March 17th to 19th, again at Jerez.
XAVIER SIMEON (11th – 1’43″043)
“I’m satisfied about the valuable information collected in these tests: I have a good feeling on the bike and I can keep a good pace, although of course we have to keep working to close the gap with the fastest riders, because something is still missing. Today I would have liked to go below the 1’43” mark, but we didn’t succeed and I’m a little disappointed for that, but we are only at the first test of the year and we are on the right direction. I’m confident that we can close the gap”.