Offseason tests – MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests in 2018 –

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MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first 2018 tests

Offseason tests - MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests in 2018 -

The Honda response was not long in coming: while the Yamaha riders Maverick Viñales, Johann Zarco and Valentino Rossi had recorded respectively the first, second and fourth lap of the first day, the HRC officials immediately reacted yesterday with the two best times of the second day.

Before addressing the explanations of the main stakeholders, let us note that all the riders reported that the track offered excellent grip over these two days of testing, better than during the MotoGP race because of the rubber deposits left by the Moto3 and Moto2. This data could explain why the Yamaha were so fast, whatever the vintage used..

  • MNC of November 15, 2017 : Yamaha dominates first day of 2018 testing in Valencia

So on Tuesday, Maverick Vinales turned almost as fast with the 2016 as with the 2017, but without being able to explain why … Johann Zarco’s performance on the 2017 model (second on the first day and third on the second), as deserving as they are, they also deserve to be put into perspective: the Frenchman turned 0.193 sec slower than in qualifying on the M1 2016 … Despite his optimistic statements and the fact that he makes sure he feels better in the 2017, this does not translate into chrono despite the good grip conditions…

  • Valencia GP : 
  • Valencia GP : 
  • MNC special file :
  • MNC Live :

It should also be noted that these tests started badly for Suzuki, with a bad gastro that prevented Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins from racing on the first day! "Unfortunately, our riders didn’t sleep a night because of gastro and they were therefore unable to ride on the first day", regrets Davide Brivio, Suzuki Ecstar team manager. "It’s a real shame because we had things to try, especially the new engine in 2018 configuration and an evolution of the chassis that we had already tested during the last tests. Fortunately, we have three days of testing next week at Jerez where we will have time to assess what we could not do here ".

Finally for Ducati, things will start to get serious with the next official testing in Sepang (Malaysia) at the end of January, when Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo will be able to test the new Desmosedici GP18. Before that, they will return to the track on November 22 and 23 in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) for two more days of testing before the winter break..

2018 MotoGP test declarations in Valencia (combined ranking)

Marc Marquez, Honda Repsol (1st, 1’30.033) : "We have collected a lot of information and now we will have to prepare well for the next time we hit the track, during the tests in Malaysia at the end of January. Today was a good day, very positive. We tried lots of stuff and we had a good pace so I’m happy. We had some issues to sort out on the new bike, of course it has strengths and weaknesses. But that‘s perfectly normal in a test when we hit the track with a new engine and a new bike. We also tried some modifications on the current bike which worked very well. However, we will have to try everything again in the next test. Valencia is a special circuit, small, and the conditions today were excellent, so we will have to confirm on another circuit ".

Maverick Viñales, Yamaha Movistar (2nd, 1’30.189) : "On Wednesday we worked on the engines to try to understand this part in order to know which direction to take and I’m happy. We worked well on both days. Of course, Tuesday I was more comfortable on the bike. The track conditions have changed a bit, but I’m still satisfied. The team worked very well and the good feelings came back, so it’s good to finish the test like that. In Sepang I will start the test as I finished the race here, because I felt good in qualifying so it’s a good benchmark. I hope at least one rainy day in Malaysia, it would be perfect for us to try the bike, the electronics and the new engine in the wet ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests 2018 -

Johann Zarco, Yamaha Tech3 (3rd, 1’30.389) : "It was a great test day for me and I’m happy to see how much I’ve improved since last year. I have a very good feeling with the bike and we were competitive against the clock. We also had worked on the rhythm, which is the main objective to prepare well for a race. I have tried several chassis and communicated my feelings to the team. Now you have to analyze everything in detail to know which is the best option. We will continue to work, but overall I can say that we are finishing well this year ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests 2018 -

Dani Pedrosa, Honda Repsol (4th, 1’30.436) : "Today we started by evaluating the track with my racing bike, then we immediately switched to the new machine to evaluate the modifications of yesterday afternoon. We mainly tested a different setting on the electronics, suspensions and geometry, in order to better understand how the new bike works. We don’t just focus on performance, we also try to see how the bike behaves with the tires and on this track to identify its strengths and its weak points. We also tried a new swingarm and a new Michelin rear tire with a different compound on one side. So it was a lot of work, with a lot of new things to understand and adjust. We did a lot of progress but of course we have not finished with the settings. Overall it was a very important session which allowed us to collect a lot of information on which we will be working during the offseason ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests 2018 -

Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Movistar (5th, 1’30.519) : "Wednesday we had a lot of work because we had to test and choose different engines. The day was long but positive. We focused on this point but we also tried other things, nothing great but ultimately this was not that bad. I repeat, we mostly tested the engines so I don’t know anything else yet. We’ll see in Malaysia. ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests 2018 -

Jorge Lorenzo, Ducati Team (6th, 1’30.534) : "During these tests we didn’t really try new things, but we gathered valuable information for the development of the bike for next year. Today (Wednesday, Editor’s note) I felt very good, j ‘ve improved my performance on the bike by changing certain aspects of my riding style and had good lap times. But we have to keep working to find the tenths that we always lack on some circuits. We also tried the new Ohlins fork, but we know that the most important novelties will arrive at Sepang for the first test of 2018 ".

Jack Miller, Ducati Pramac (7th, 1’30.635) : "These two days have been very positive for me and I’m really happy with the feeling I managed to find immediately. I feel comfortable on the bike and with the whole team. The sensations are very good, I can’t wait to be in Jerez ".

Cal Crutchlow, Honda LCR (8th, 1’30.654) : "We are happy with the work we did on Wednesday. Tuesday I had a little trouble with the bike in some places, but it was just because it was different from my habits. I was quite fast. on my normal bike Tuesday and Wednesday I was faster on the new one so we’re happy with how it went. Wednesday I toured a lot, did two rides on my old bike and all the stay on the new prototype. We worked hard and I think we worked well for HRC. As a team we are happy, I think we had a good last race of the season and now we have to focus on the positive aspects of the new bike in order to approach the next season calmly ".

Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Gresini (9th, 1’30.756) : "We did not test many new parts during this test, we mainly tried modifications to the geometry of the bike and the weight distribution. These are ideas that we would like to realize on the 2018 bike and we have I need to confirm them to know which direction to take. I can consider myself satisfied. After a difficult weekend (, note), we showed that we could be fast. The next tests in Jerez will be important (, note). It’s a different circuit where we will continue our work of preparation for the next season. The new 2018 bike will not be radically different, but the handling and the ergonomic characteristics will change, so moving in the right direction is fundamental ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests in 2018 -

Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team (10th, 1’30.850) : "We tested some details that will be useful to prepare the 2018 bike. We managed to complete the work plan that had been decided with our engineers and now we are waiting for the last test of the year in Jerez next week, where we will define the last details of the new bike before the winter break ".

Andrea Iannone, Suzuki Ecstar (11th, 1’30.877) : "Tuesday I was not fit to drive, I felt very sick and we couldn’t work. Wednesday it was better and we were able to do a few runs. Although we didn’t tour a lot, we have already understood some things and this is a starting point for the next test in Jerez. Suzuki has worked a lot on the new engine specifications and the new chassis. We are progressing gradually with the gradual introduction of each element, and for Sepang we will have a more complete package. During the last month of the championship we have made a lot of progress. I am happy with the way the team works and Suzuki. There is a good atmosphere in the garage and it helps me a lot to work on the GSX-RR ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP Valencia tests: 2017 world champion Marc Marquez flies over the first tests in 2018 -

Alex Rins, Suzuki Ecstar (15th, 1’31.516) : "Wednesday was a little better than Tuesday and I wanted to take the track to do at least part of the planned program. I’m not 100% yet, so we only did the most important things. We tested new specifications for the engine and a new chassis to try to get a first impression. The objective is to evaluate the improvements one by one, then to assemble everything in Sepang. The feeling was positive so I can’t wait to get to Jerez in good shape to work 100% ".

Danilo Petrucci, Ducati Pramac (16th, 1’31.721) : "We worked a lot on the bike setup to try to solve the problems this weekend and test new components. I’m always happy to do this job for Ducati. I will have the new bike in Jerez and I can’t wait to try it ".

Results of the second day of MotoGP 2018 testing in Valencia

  1. MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 1: 30.033 60/61
  2. PEDROSA, Dani Repsol Honda Team 1: 30.436 0.403 0.403 43/51
  3. ZARCO, Johann Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1: 30.439 0.406 0.003 53/65
  4. LORENZO, Jorge Ducati Team 1: 30.534 0.501 0.095 14/39
  5. VIÑALES, Maverick Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1: 30.640 0.607 0.106 61/66
  6. CRUTCHLOW, Cal LCR Honda CASTROL 1: 30.654 0.621 0.014 45/72
  7. ROSSI, Valentino Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1: 30.724 0.691 0.070 51/62
  8. MILLER, Jack OCTO Pramac Racing 1: 30.860 0.827 0.136 34/45
  9. IANNONE, Andrea Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1: 30.877 0.844 0.017 41/47
  10. ESPARGARO, Aleix Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1: 30.889 0.856 0.012 16/44
  11. ESPARGARO, Pol Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1: 31.100 1.067 0.211 Nov-46
  12. SMITH, Bradley Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1: 31.202 1.169 0.102 May-39
  13. RABAT, Tito Reale Avintia Racing 1: 31.386 1.353 0.184 39/64
  14. RINS, Alex Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1: 31.516 1.483 0.130 35/38
  15. DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Ducati Team 1: 31.758 1.725 0.242 Apr-22
  16. MORBIDELLI, Franco EG 0.0 Marc VDS 1: 31.786 1.753 0.028 48/58
  17. NAKAGAMI, Takaaki LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1: 31.867 1.834 0.081 62/62
  18. PETRUCCI, Danilo OCTO Pramac Racing 1: 31.874 1.841 0.007 30/36
  19. REDDING, Scott Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1: 32.358 2.325 0.484 34/56
  20. SIMEON, Xavier Reale Avintia Racing 1: 32.698 2.665 0.340 59/61
  21. TAKAHASHI, Takumi EG 0.0 Marc VDS 1: 33.870 3.837 1.172 30/70

Not classified

  • ABRAHAM, Karel Pull & Bear Aspar Team
  • BAUTISTA, Alvaro Pull & Bear Aspar Team

Combined results of the two days of MotoGP 2018 testing in Valencia

  1. Marc MARQUEZ, Repsol Honda Team: 1’30.501 on the 1st day, 1’30.033 on the 2nd day
  2. Maverick VIÑALES, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP: 1’30.189 on the 1st day, 1’30.640 on the 2nd day (+0.156)
  3. Johann ZARCO, Monster Yamaha Tech 3: 1’30.389 on the 1st day, 1’30.439 on the 2nd day (+0.356)
  4. Dani PEDROSA, Repsol Honda Team: 1’31.328 the 1st day, 1’30.436 the 2nd day (+0.403)
  5. Valentino ROSSI, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP: 1’30.519 on the 1st day, 1’30.724 on the 2nd day (+0.486)
  6. Jorge LORENZO, Ducati Team: 1’31.059 the 1st day, 1’30.534 the 2nd day (+0.501)
  7. Jack MILLER, OCTO Pramac Racing: 1’30.635 on the 1st day, 1’30.860 on the 2nd day (+0.602)
  8. Cal CRUTCHLOW, LCR Honda CASTROL: 1’31.259 on day 1, 1’30.654 on day 2 (+0.621)
  9. Aleix ESPARGARO, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini: 1’30.756 on day 1, 1’30.889 on day 2 (+0.723)
  10. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Ducati Team: 1’30.850 the 1st day, 1’31.758 the 2nd day (+0.817)
  11. Andrea IANNONE, Team Suzuki Ecstar: NC on day 1, 1’30.877 on day 2 (+0.844)
  12. Pol ESPARGARO, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing: 1’31.166 on the 1st day, 1’31.100 on the 2nd day (+1.067)
  13. Bradley SMITH, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing: 1’31.415 on day 1, 1’31.202 on day 2 (+1.169)
  14. Tito RABAT, Reale Avintia Racing: 1’31.673 on the 1st day, 1’31.386 on the 2nd day (+1.353)
  15. Alex RINS, Team Suzuki Ecstar: NC on day 1, 1’31.516 on day 2 (+1.483)
  16. Danilo PETRUCCI, OCTO Pramac Racing: 1’31.721 on the 1st day, 1’31.874 on the 2nd day (+1.688)
  17. Franco MORBIDELLI, EG 0,0 Marc VDS: 1’32.762 the 1st day, 1’31.786 the 2nd day (+1.753)
  18. Takaaki NAKAGAMI, LCR Honda Idemitsu: 1’32.723 on the 1st day, 1’31.867 on the 2nd day (+1.834)
  19. Scott REDDING, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini: 1’32.075 on the 1st day, 1’32.358 on the 2nd day (+2.042)
  20. Karel ABRAHAM, Pull & Bear Aspar Team: 1’32.445 day 1, NC – day 2 (+2.412)
  21. Xavier SIMEON, Reale Avintia Racing: 1’34.242 on the 1st day, 1’32.698 on the 2nd day (+2.665)
  22. Takumi TAKAHASHI, EG 0.0 Marc VDS: 1’33.569 on the 1st day, 1’33.870 on the 2nd day (+3.536)

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