After a long off season the MotoGP boys are finally back in town. Well, in Qatar. A fortnight before the first round of the championship an official MotoGP test was held in the Doha desert. Everyone but 2020 absentee Marc Marquez was there. Speculation’s still rife as to whether he’ll be on the grid at round one but we’re bored of talking about that now; so let’s have a look at what went down in the official MotoGP test.
Day One
After a shakedown day for the 2021 rookies and factory test riders, the official MotoGP test began in earnest. And there were a couple of surprise front runners at the close of play. Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro topped the time sheets, quarter of a second ahead of Repsol Honda Team test rider Stefan Bradl. I say test rider… I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Bradl on the grid at the first round, as a replacement for MM93. As per 2020.
Reigning champ Joan Mir was third ahead of Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira, who all had some decent pace. In fact the pace in general was pretty hot on day one, with the top 14 all covered by less than a second a lap.
Anyway, here’s the results from day one of the official MotoGP test.
Day one official results
Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
1 | Espargaro Aleix | 41 | SPA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1’54.687 |
2 | Bradl Stefan | 6 | GER | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 0.256 |
3 | Mir Joan | 36 | SPA | Team Suzuki Ecstar | Suzuki | 0.293 |
4 | Miller Jack | 43 | AUS | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati | 0.335 |
5 | Oliveira Miguel | 88 | POR | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 0.397 |
6 | Zarco Johann | 5 | FRA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 0.423 |
7 | Morbidelli Franco | 21 | ITA | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 0.487 |
8 | Rins Alex | 42 | SPA | Team Suzuki Ecstar | Suzuki | 0.511 |
9 | Vinales Maverick | 12 | SPA | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 0.572 |
10 | Marquez Alex | 73 | SPA | LCR Honda | Honda | 0.591 |
11 | Nakagami Takaaki | 30 | JPN | LCR Honda | Honda | 0.780 |
12 | Binder Brad | 33 | RSA | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 0.848 |
13 | Bagnaia Francesco | 63 | ITA | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati | 0.885 |
14 | Rossi Valentino | 46 | ITA | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 0.897 |
15 | Quartararo Fabio | 20 | FRA | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1.020 |
16 | Test2 Yamaha | 82 | JPN | Yamaha Test Team | Yamaha | 1.120 |
17 | Espargaro Pol | 44 | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1.191 |
18 | Martin Jorge | 89 | SPA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1.460 |
19 | Savadori Lorenzo | 32 | ITA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1.824 |
20 | Bastianini Enea | 23 | ITA | Avintia Esponsorama | Ducati | 1.906 |
21 | Test1 Yamaha | 81 | JPN | Yamaha Test Team | Yamaha | 1.954 |
22 | Lecuona Iker | 27 | SPA | Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 2.233 |
23 | Petrucci Danilo | 9 | ITA | Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 2.302 |
24 | Marini Luca | 10 | ITA | SKY VR46 Avintia | Ducati | 2.648 |
25 | Guintoli Sylvain | 50 | FRA | Suzuki Test Team | Suzuki | 2.773 |
26 | Pedrosa Dani | 26 | SPA | KTM Test Team | KTM | 2.930 |
27 | Test3 Yamaha | 83 | ARG | Yamaha Test Team | Yamaha | 4.009 |
28 | Pirro Michele | 51 | ITA | Ducati Test Team | Ducati | 4.230 |
29 | Tsuda Takuya | 85 | JPN | Suzuki Test Team | Suzuki | 5.006 |
Day two
There was a bit of a shake up on day two. Quartararo went P1 (after only managing 15th quickest on day one), 0.077 ahead of Miller on his Ducati. Aleix Espargaro won’t have been too disappointed with third and I doubt his lads would have been either. Suzuki boys Mir and Rins only managed 8th and 10th fastest so will be looking to improve when the lights go green again for testing after a couple of days off. Veteran Valentino will also be hoping to improve after failing to break the top ten so far.
This is everyone’s fastest times from day two of the official MotoGP test.
Day two official results
Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
1 | Quartararo Fabio | 20 | FRA | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1’53.940 |
2 | Miller Jack | 43 | AUS | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati | 0.077 |
3 | Espargaro Aleix | 41 | SPA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 0.212 |
4 | Morbidelli Franco | 21 | ITA | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 0.213 |
5 | Bradl Stefan | 6 | GER | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 0.270 |
6 | Zarco Johann | 5 | FRA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 0.416 |
7 | Vinales Maverick | 12 | SPA | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 0.455 |
8 | Mir Joan | 36 | SPA | Team Suzuki Ecstar | Suzuki | 0.575 |
9 | Bagnaia Francesco | 63 | ITA | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati | 0.711 |
10 | Rins Alex | 42 | SPA | Team Suzuki Ecstar | Suzuki | 0.718 |
11 | Oliveira Miguel | 88 | POR | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 0.726 |
12 | Espargaro Pol | 44 | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 0.733 |
13 | Nakagami Takaaki | 30 | JPN | LCR Honda | Honda | 0.750 |
14 | Marquez Alex | 73 | SPA | LCR Honda | Honda | 1.012 |
15 | Test1 Yamaha | 81 | JPN | Yamaha Test Team | Yamaha | 1.366 |
16 | Bastianini Enea | 23 | ITA | Avintia Esponsorama | Ducati | 1.546 |
17 | Savadori Lorenzo | 32 | ITA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1.630 |
18 | Marini Luca | 10 | ITA | SKY VR46 Avintia | Ducati | 1.665 |
19 | Martin Jorge | 89 | SPA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1.692 |
20 | Rossi Valentino | 46 | ITA | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 1.768 |
21 | Petrucci Danilo | 9 | ITA | Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1.855 |
22 | Test2 Yamaha | 82 | JPN | Yamaha Test Team | Yamaha | 1.927 |
23 | Lecuona Iker | 27 | SPA | Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1.933 |
24 | Binder Brad | 33 | RSA | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 2.004 |
25 | Pedrosa Dani | 26 | SPA | KTM Test Team | KTM | 2.512 |
26 | Guintoli Sylvain | 50 | FRA | Suzuki Test Team | Suzuki | 2.822 |
27 | Pirro Michele | 51 | ITA | Ducati Test Team | Ducati | 3.955 |
28 | Tsuda Takuya | 85 | JPN | Suzuki Test Team | Suzuki | 4.970 |
One Response
Aprilia raising some eyebrows. I love it.