Marquez sets the marker in Australia

Under more seasonable skies than have sometimes greeted the MotoGP™ paddock upon arrival for the race weekend at Phillip Island in October, the second Official Test of 2017 saw blue overhead but a stiff breeze keeping the grid from heading out straight away – with new Ducati Team arrival Jorge Lorenzo one of the first to get down to work. By the end of Day 1, it was compatriot Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) who topped the timesheets, as the Spaniard put in a 1:29.497.

There were some crashes for the field including Hector Barbera (Reale Esponsorama Racing) and Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), and two Red Flags on Day 1. One saw animals on track cause a short stoppage, before a crash for Lowes at Turn 6 – rider ok – damaged the tyre barrier and necessitated some repair work.

The day’s fastest man, Marc Marquez, spent the day working with the engine specification chosen in Sepang alongside teammate Dani Pedrosa. The reigning Champion put in 68 laps and set his best on his 53rd. Pedrosa, who spent most of the day in P4 before a late charge from some others in the top ten, ended the first session in seventh on a 1:30.281, after 55 laps.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP held second on the timesheets for most of the latter part of Day 1, first with Maverick Viñales after the Spaniard had led the way, and secondly with Valentino Rossi – who ended the day in P2 on a 1:29.683. The rider from Tavullia also saved a potential crash earlier in the session. Viñales, who did a best of 1:29.989 after 64 laps, didn’t better his time towards the end as his new teammate and Rossi’s compatriot Andrea Iannone did, moving down to P4.

Iannone shot up the timesheets for Team Suzuki Ecstar near the end of the day, taking third overall with a 1:29.926 after having spent much of the session outside the top ten. The “Maniac” completed 70 laps and set his fastest on number 68. Teammate and rookie Alex Rins did 66 laps as he gets to grips with MotoGP™, setting a best of 1:31.432

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow completed the top five with a 1:30.065. Putting in a late charge to move up, the Brit did 61 laps and set his fastest on his final effort. Crutchlow was another testing a version of the new specification engine for Honda, as well as Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller. Miller did 82 laps of his home track with a best of 1:30.426 – impressively ending the day in the top ten in P9. Miller’s teammate Tito Rabat is not at the test following a crash at Sepang, but is hoping to return for the Qatar test.

Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) was another late charger as he moved up to end the session in sixth, just ahead of Pedrosa and fastest Ducati on Day 1. Putting in 87 laps as he gets used to life on his new GP17, the Italian also set his quickest lap on his last – a 1:30.262.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was the next Borgo Panigale machine, and the 2016 Malaysian GP winner ended the day in eighth with a 1:30.410. Charged with testing new parts and continuing the progress of the Desmosedici, “DesmoDovi” did 64 laps. New teammate Jorge Lorenzo continued his progress as he focuses instead on adaptation to the machine, spending much of the day in the top ten and one of the first out on track. The “Spartan” did 61 laps with a best of 1:30.631, just pushed down to P11 in the latter stages.

Completing the top ten was the fastest rookie of the day: Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Impressing once again after a solid debut in Sepang, the German posted a 1:30.578 and did 62 laps. Teammate Johann Zarco, reigning Moto2™ World Champion, did 80 laps with a best of 1:30.867 to go P15.

Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), Hector Barbera and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed that top fifteen, ahead of Zarco.

Red Bull KTM Racing continue their progress in MotoGP™ as they prepare for their full-time debut in Qatar, with Pol Espargaro putting in a 1:31.200 as the fastest Austrian machine on Day 1.

Action continues at Phillip Island on Thursday, with the grid eager to head back out and continue their 2017 preparations as lights out in Qatar begins to loom large

Jorge Navarro and Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Team challenge kicks off in Faenza

The Gresini Racing headquarters in Faenza, Italy, was the scene of the official presentation of the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2, taking part at the 2017 Moto2 World Championship with a Kalex machine ridden by Jorge Navarro. The young Spaniard, who turns 21 just today, together with the team manager Fausto Gresini, took the covers off the bike with which he will make his debut in the hard-fought intermediate class of the World Championship.

Already fighting for the top positions in 2016, the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 launched an ambitious project, therefore giving continuity to its growth path, investing on young talented riders thanks to the valuable support of Federal Oil (at the sixth year of partnership with Gresini Racing), market leader in lubricants for motorcycles in Indonesia – a country with an expanding motorcycling market for motorcycles and where MotoGP enjoys a tremendous interest from the media and the fans.

Born on February 3rd, 1996 in La Pobla de Vallbona, near Valencia, Jorge Navarro faced his first full season in the Moto3 World Championship in 2015, clinching the “Rookie of the Year” trophy with four podium finishes. Last season saw him third overall in the final standings with two GP wins (Barcelona and Aragon).

The first test of the year for the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 is scheduled for 18 and 19 February at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Spain

Jorge Navarro:

“The official presentation of a new season is always a very special moment; for me this year it’s even more exciting, because it marks the beginning of an exciting adventure inside a solid and ambitious project. I had the opportunity to ride the Kalex Moto2 machine last November, although actually the test was halted by my physical problems. During the winter I had time to recover and now I feel stronger and stronger every day and full of energy; in addition, I can count on a few more days of rest before getting back on track, so I think that I can be fully fit ahead of the first test of the year. I will work together with the team trying to progress step by step, in order to learn and to adapt in the best possible way to this category. I know I can do well, because I have everything I need, that’s a great team and a great bike!”.

Fausto Gresini:

“Our program in the Moto2 World Championship together with Federal Oil continues to be a very ambitious project: in the 2017 season we will bring to the Moto2 debut one of the most talented riders expressed by Moto3, Jorge Navarro. A rider of undoubted talent, which in 2016 was still one of the great protagonists of the smaller displacement, despite some injuries have not allowed him to fully express his potential. Jorge has a great desire to do well and last November, although he was not in the best physical condition, he already wanted to try the Kalex to start getting to grips with a totally new category for him; later he had time to undergo surgery, to train a lot and recover his physical fitness; a necessary ‘set-up’ that will allow him to face in the best possible way the upcoming test in preparation for the first race in Qatar. Of course we are aware that he’s a rookie and therefore we cannot expect to be among the teams that can aspire to the fight for the World title, but I think we can grow up quickly and start in a short time to fight for important results”.

 

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team unveils Line-Up in Madrid

The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team grabbed the spotlight in Madrid today as it presented its new rider line-up, 2017 YZR-M1 livery, team logo and sponsors. The team launch event featured Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales as well as key members of the Yamaha Management staff and the President of Telefónica Spain.

the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team gave racing fans from all over the world a first glimpse of its team colours for the new season during the official team launch at Telefónica‘s headquarters in Madrid, to kick-start their 2017 campaign.

The Italy-based team travelled to Madrid in the last week of its ’winter break‘ before heading overseas for the first official IRTA MotoGP pre-season test of 2017 in Sepang. During this on-track outing, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales will help Yamaha‘s engineers fine-tune the development work of the YZR-M1 that was carried through during the “off-season”. The Valencia test already showed great promise for this formidable team; all members are eager to reclaim the MotoGP World Championship crown.

Nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi impressed chasing the premier class trophy in the last three years, securing the Vice-Champion Title every season. He is determined to compete once more at the front this year and his fans from all over the world will be cheering him on as he pursues his quest to make his title win tally a nice round ten.

Last year Rossi meant business right from the start of the season and in Argentina he climbed the rostrum for the first time. Though struck by external circumstances on occasion, ’The Doctor‘ never lessened his attack and went on to secure nine further podium finishes, with wins in Jerez and Catalunya, remaining a key protagonist in the 2016 challenge until the overseas leg at the end of the year. His and his teammate‘s consistent drive brought Yamaha its seventh FIM MotoGP Team Title.

Young Spanish talent Maverick Viñales is a fresh face in the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team. He joins the Factory crew after gaining two years of experience in the premier class. His 2016 season highlights included a superb win at Silverstone and three third places, in France, Japan and Australia, allowing him to finish fourth in the final standing. He followed up his strong end of the season with a stunning debut on the YZR-M1 at the Valencia test, topping the time sheets both days, establishing that his switch to Yamaha was the right decision.

It‘s not only the new rider line-up that‘s cause for celebration, Yamaha Factory Racing and Spanish telecommunications giant Telefónica‘s collaboration also deserves recognition. The two companies signed a five-year partnership agreement in the premier class of road racing in 2014, underlined with Movistar becoming the team‘s title sponsor. In the past three years Yamaha and Telefónica‘s shared values and passion for innovation laid the groundwork for success, resulting in a Triple Crown in 2015 and the Team‘s Title in 2016.

Presenting the 2017 team were MotoGP‘s Dylan Gray and Izaskun Ruiz, who welcomed to the stage Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales for a Q&A session. They were later joined by General Manager of Motorsports Division & YMC MotoGP Group Leader, Kouichi Tsuji, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, Lin Jarvis, and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Team Director, Massimo Meregalli, who went into detail on the technical development of the bike as well as the new rider line-up and its promising prospects.

Luis Miguel Gilperez, President of Telefónica España, was also put in the spotlight and further explained Movistar‘s strategy and its dedication to MotoGP before it was time to reveal the bike. The ceremony saw the 2017 Yamaha YZR-M1 revealed in its new colours with a refreshed livery.

Besides the new Movistar logo, the Blue Core logo (Yamaha‘s new generation engine development designed to extract maximum performance and fuel economy) is added as a new design element on the bike, while the deepened Yamaha blue gives the bike a chic finish.

Further revelations include the new Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team logo. Its new design is a testament of how much value the team assigns to the Telefónica and Yamaha collaboration and puts the Movistar‘s ’M‘ in a more prominent role. This sentiment is also reflected in the YZR-M1‘s 2017 livery, which features the new Movistar-logo on either side of the fairing and the front of the bike.

Happy new Year

Ricardo Tormo Circuit wishes you a Merry Christmas and a very happy 2017,

See you at the races 😉

#ValenciaGP

On November 10th, 11th and 12th, 2017, Ricardo Tormo Circuit will close once again the Motorcycling World Championship of the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 classes in Valencia with the Motul Comunitat Valenciana Grand Prix.

ValenciaGP Big Screens mapYou can already buy your tickets to attend one of the biggest sporting events of 2017

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Andrea Dovizioso will race in Valencia behind the wheel of a Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo

  • The official Ducati Team MotoGP rider will participate in the sixth round and in the World Final in Pro-Am class
  • For the occasion the Huracán will have a special livery designed by Centro Stile Lamborghini

Among the over sixty Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeos taking part in the World Final in Valencia, there will be one in particular to be carefully monitored. It will be the car number 100 “dressed” in a very original livery and its driver is a famous champion on two wheels.

It is Andrea Dovizioso, official Ducati Team MotoGP rider, who will participate as a VIP guest both in the sixth round of the Blancpain Super Trofeo and in the World Final, scheduled from December 1 to 4, behind the wheel of a Huracán Super Trofeo fielded by Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the motorsport department of the manufacturer of Sant’Agata Bolognese.

andrea_dovizioso_2Now in his fourth season with Ducati Corse, the 30-year-old rider from Forlì has taken part in 258 World GPs (of which 160 in MotoGP, where he scored his most recent victory in Malaysia last October) and is very familiar with the Valencia track. Besides hosting every year the last round of the season of the MotoGP championship, the unbeaten record of highest speed reached on the Ricardo Tormo circuit is actually held by Andrea Dovizioso: 335,9 km/h reached in 2015 with his Ducati Desmosedici GP.

“I’m really happy to have this experience with Lamborghini – says Andrea Dovizioso -, this is the first race on one of their cars in such an important championship. I’ve just finished the MotoGP season in Valencia and honestly, I don’t know what this track will be like with the four wheels, anyway I can’t wait! I will be racing for four days, therefore I’m sure I’ll enjoy it very much. I have no idea who my opponents will be, but certainly the best ones of the American, Asian and European championships.”

For the Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo, Andrea Dovizioso will naturally have to adapt his driving style to the four wheels. But the Italian rider, who can rely on the support of Lamborghini Squadra Corse, has already had a taste of the potential of the  Huracán, since he participated in the Lamborghini Track Accademia at Imola last May, where he did some training with his “colleague” of the manufacturer of Borgo Panigale, the Australian Casey Stoner.huracan_front

In Valencia, on the occasion of the sixth round of the three continental series of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo and the World Final, Andrea Dovizioso will take part both in the two races of the European Series and in the World Final in the Pro-Am class, but he will be transparent in the ranking.

This will be therefore a special participation, just like the car reserved for the Ducati MotoGP rider. The Huracán Super Trofeo fielded by Lamborghini Squadra Corse will have an exclusive livery for the occasion: the car will have the race number 100, to celebrate the birth centenary of the founder Ferruccio Lamborghini and the livery was designed by the Centro Stile Lamborghini, according to the indications of its Design Director, Mitja Borkert. The Huracán Super Trofeo – Borkert explains – is divided in a metallic grey and a blazing green. The Titans grey side describes the state-of-the-art technology used by Lamborghini. Obviously the Mantis green half shows the passion of the Squadra Corse. Both aspects are connected with the hexagonal design, which is inspired by the Miura and is clearly a Lamborghini statement.”

The competitive events scheduled in Valencia will start on Thursday, December 1st  with the first free practice and qualifying sessions. Races will begin on Friday and each competition will last 50 minutes, with a rolling start. The protagonists of the Asia and North America series will be the first to get to the track and will share the grid. Race 1 will start at  8:50 and will be preceding those of the Europe series for the classes AM/Lamborghini Cup (scheduled at 10:20) and PRO/PRO-AM (11:50). Race 2 for Asia and North America will kick off at 13:35 and will be followed by those of the Europe series for the classes AM/Lamborghini Cup (15:00) and PRO/PRO-AM (16:25). Saturday morning, the day will start with the qualifying sessions of the World Final and Race 1 of the classes  AM/Lamborghini Cup (12:15), PRO-AM (14:15) and PRO (15.55). On Saturday, Race 2  of the classes AM/Lamborghini Cup will kick off at 9:30 and will be preceding those of the classes PRO-AM (11:30) and PRO (14:05).

MotoGP 2017 starts with Viñales on top

Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) has topped the first test day for the 2017 MotoGP™ season, up to speed quickly before then stealing the top spot from new yet veteran teammate Valentino Rossi as the day wore on – an incredible statement of intent in his new home. With a 1:30.930, Viñales beat his 9-time World Champion teammate by only 0.020 on the first day, after Rossi led the timesheets for some time. The man he replaced, Jorge Lorenzo, was third quickest in his first outing with the Ducati Team – only a tenth off the top.

As the lights went out to signify the start of the first of 2017 testing, somewhere in the midst of a huddle of photographers there was a black-liveried 2016 Ducati preparing to meet its new rider: Lorenzo. Quick to exit the pits once action was underway, the 99 had a new 99 on the bike – with double devil horns.

After a few laps well off the pace, Lorenzo was soon up to speed; smiling and making adjustments in the pits in good company: test rider Casey Stoner. One of the biggest stories of the day had a happy first chapter, as the number 99 settled into the top ten around six tenths down – and then went for a final blast around the lengthening shadows of the circuit on the 2016 bike to go red in the first two sectors and cross the line in P3 – only 0.122s down.

The ‘Spartan’ then did a short run on the 2017 bike he is expected to run tomorrow.

New teammate Andrea Dovizioso was running the 2016 bike in full red and the 2017 in a full black testing livery, ending the day in fifth with a 1:31.31. ‘DesmoDovi’ was also one of the riders testing new front forks from Öhlins, alongside Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).

web-marquez-new-1-circuit-ricardo-tormo-test-martes-motogpMarquez spent his first day in defence of his 2016 World Championship in P3 on the timesheets after proving an early leader in the morning. A best of 1:31.102 after 53 laps saw the reigning World Champion slot into the timesheets just 0.050s behind Ducati’s new kid on the block Lorenzo. Marquez’ teammate Dani Pedrosa also led the timesheets for a window in the middle part of the day, doing 42 laps despite his ongoing recovery from a broken collarbone and registering a best of 1:31.306 – 0.376 off Viñales’ best as the ‘Baby Samurai’ closed out the top ten.

There were a number of victims of Turn 10 on Day 1, including Movistar Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi falling in the morning, as well as Red Bull KTM Factory racing’s Pol Espargaro and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone – with the latter walking more slowly away from the scene as he tested his back following a cracked vertebra sustained in FP1 at Misano in September; riders ok.

Iannone impressed on his first day at Suzuki, fourth for much of the day before the crash and eventually ending up P7 on the timesheets, just behind fellow crasher Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda).

Crutchlow, as well as riding his LCR Honda, got a taste of a full Repsol Honda machine with LCR livery – ending the session with a best of 1:31.156 after 69 laps over the day. He also suffered a crash at Turn 14 – the same place he crashed out of the 2016 season finale; rider ok.

Compatriot Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) finished the day in P8 and three tenths off the pace, completing 71 laps, with teammate for the test, Michele Pirro, in P13 as he sits in for Danilo Petrucci – who has returned to Italy for family reasons and is missing the test.

Hector Barbera and Loris Baz began Avintia Racing’s 2017 with a solid performance, with Barbera in P9 and 0.020 ahead of Pedrosa – three tenths down on P1. The Spaniard was on the 2016 Ducati – the bike he raced in red when replacing Andrea Iannone for two races this season – with Baz a further second back in P15 as he looks to get back to full fitness after a tough season.

web-jorge-lorenzo-accion-arriba-valencia-tests-martes-circuit-ricardo-tormo-motogp-fotos-paco-diazAprilia Racing Team Gresini saw their new arrivals start to settle in. Aleix Espargaro ended the first day in fourteenth and 1.2s back from P1, after also proving a key member of the top ten for much of the first few hours of the session. Sam Lowes, who does have some previous experience of the Aprilia machine following in-season tests, began his MotoGP™ career in earnest with a slightly more difficult day. He registered a 1:33.359 as his best lap over 63, then crashed out in the last minutes of the day – but walked away unscathed.

Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) was P11 in an impressive return to the track and only half a second back from the front, with teammate Tito Rabat putting in the most laps – 72 – and finishing up P18 on 1:32.578, a few tenths off his best from Q2 during the Valencia GP. Alvaro Bautista had a happy return to Aspar with the Pull&Bear sponsored team, closing out day one in P12 and seven tenths off P1 – the last man on the timesheets within a second of Viñales.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s new line-up, Moto2™ graduates Jonas Folger and Johann Zarco, had a good first day on track as they gradually improved laptimes, down to around a second and a half off the fastest of the day by the end of their first taste of MotoGP™ – and both incredibly split by only 0.015 in P16 and P17.

web-valentino-rossi-valencia-tests-martes-circuit-ricardo-tormo-motogp-foto-pere-verdejoWith Iannone ending the day on a 1:31.165 in P6 on his first impressive showing for Suzuki, new teammate Alex Rins also had a good first day as the rookie chipped away at the laptime in his first experience of MotoGP™. Completing 71 laps on his first day in the premier class, the white-liveried number 42 Suzuki got down into the 1:32s by 16:00, ending the day with a 1:32.811.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith debuted in their new colours in P19 and P20 respectively, with Espargaro one of the fallers at Turn 10 but ending the day two tenths quicker than his recovering teammate as the pair get to grips with the switch to KTM.

Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia was another on track and completed the timesheets – getting a ride on the Aspar Ducati after winning a bet in the team that he could test the MotoGP™ bike if he won two races in Moto3™ this season with Pull&Bear Aspar Mahindra – duly taking the victory in Assen and then in Malaysia.

Teams and riders will be back on track tomorrow at 10:00 (GMT +1) – with many eyes on Viñales and Lorenzo once again after an incredible first day of 2017 action.

2017 testing begins in Valencia

The 2016 MotoGP™ World Championship may be over, but bikes are already back on track at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana on Tuesday and Wednesday – for the first test sessions of the 2017 season, from 10am to 5pm local time (GMT +1).

The future is coming and it looks like this: a major reshuffle across the premier class, banned winglets, and a new manufacturer – as well as the usual, never-ending push for progress in the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship.

The key draw for most will be wearing red: Jorge Lorenzo is set to get his first taste of Ducati on Tuesday, as the ‘Spartan’ leaves Movistar Yamaha for the Borgo Panigale factory team. Maverick Viñales is the man in to replace the outgoing 5-time World Champion alongside Valentino Rossi at Yamaha – with Andrea Iannone completing the top draw shuffle as he switches Ducati for the Team Suzuki Ecstar seat vacated by Viñales.

johann-zarcoGraduation is also on the cards for many: reigning intermediate class Champion Johann Zarco leads those on the move up, with key 2016 Moto2™ rivals Alex Rins, Jonas Folger and Sam Lowes also all making the leap. Lowes will join former Suzuki rider Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, as Rins takes the older Espargaro brother’s place with the Hamamatsu factory.

Zarco and Folger will continue their rivalry from Moto2™ in close quarters as they move to MotoGP™, taking over from Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith at Monster Yamaha Tech 3. Espargaro and Smith maintain their relationship as teammates – but moving to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

After a year of testing with an impressive line-up of names, the Austrian factory line up full-time in 2017 with 2013 Moto2™ World Champion Espargaro and MotoGP™ podium finisher Smith. Following their first real run alongside their competition with Mika Kallio at the helm for a wildcard in the 2016 season finale – hampered by a technical fault – the Austrian factory are now a full time entrant and will have comparative data from the test sessions for the first time. The Moto3™ frontrunners will be looking to hit the ground running in their quest to win yet more titles – this time in the premier class.

Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, along with Movistar Yamaha MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, will also be straight back to work for the new season: more ready than ever to pick up where they left off. With four of the top six riders in the 2016 standings not moving team, consistency could play to their advantage.

After a year of the new Michelin tyres and standard spec electronics packages in the MotoGP™ class, each factory will be going into the season with more data than last year – and more idea of how the pack was shuffled.

Ducati, Suzuki and Aprilia are still on the hunt for the pace of the frontrunning two Japanese factories, Honda and Yamaha, with Suzuki making huge gains in 2016 and looking to continue them. Aprilia, who have tested in competition throughout this season, have also had a fantastic curve of progress – with both factories looking to their new line-ups to continue the trend and find those final steps.

Ducati are the factory closest to their goals. After the arrival of Andrea Dovizioso in 2013 and Luigi Dall’Igna in 2014, the Borgo Panigale factory have taken huge steps forward in 2016 in their quest to return to the top – including winning their first two races since 2010. Winglets, banned for 2017, will be an interesting part of their puzzle after Ducati proved the frontrunners in the winglet war – but testing will initially begin with the winglets remaining, to enable back-to-back comparison.

 

Lorenzo demolishes the lap record

Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) decimated his previous Best Lap during qualifying at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana, set last season, as the Yamaha rider blasted straight into the 1:29s before eventually taking six tenths off his 2015 best by the end of the session. Smooth, controlled and ominously fast, only Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was left with a gasp at knocking his great rival off pole – but the number 93 eventually crossed the line three tenths back. The Repsol Honda rider was both the only other man to get into the 1:29s and the only other man to get within the previous record.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) got over some of his Friday afternoon woes in Q2 to complete the front row – but remained seven tenths off the pace of teammate Lorenzo on pole. The ‘Doctor’, celebrated for his Sunday miracles, will be looking to cut the gap as he tries to spoil the hometown Spanish party for the third time in 2016.

Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Maverick Viñales heads the second row in his final appearance for the Hamamatsu factory, ahead of Sepang winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro in his last appearance for the Tech 3 squad.

Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) qualified in P7 as he continues to recover from cracked vertebrae sustained in Misano, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) impressing on his return to competition – despite his ongoing recovery following a collarbone break in Motegi. The ‘Baby Samurai’ went straight through to Q2 and then qualified in P8 for the 2016 season finale.

Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) qualified in ninth after a crash in the session, with Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completing the top ten – after also moving straight through to Q2.

After leading the charge from Q1, a crash for Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) saw the Brit rushing back to the pits for his second bike then ending the session in P11, ahead of fellow Q1 graduate Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich), who completes the Q2 timings in P12.

Sunday dawns with the end of both an era and a history-maker of a season as Lorenzo faces his final race in Yamaha colours – from another record-breaking pole

2015 and 2016 Moto2™ World Champion Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) starts his final intermediate class appearance from pole position in Valencia, beating Garage Plus Interwetten rider Tom Luthi to the top spot by only 0.006 seconds – with Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) only another 0.048s back to complete the front row for the final showdown.

Fresh from his first podium in Phillip Island, Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) put on a show for the home crowd in Valencia as he took his first ever pole position, on his final attempt – knocking none other than reigning Champion Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) down to P2. Hiroki Ono (Honda Team Asia) was another who impressed, qualifying in P3 to complete the front row.

Lorenzo lidera con autoridad la primera jornada de Gran Premio

After Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) ruled FP1 at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana over four tenths clear, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) hit back in the afternoon to take the provisional top spot for much of the second session of the day. In the final few minutes of the day’s track action however, Lorenzo hit back to go quickest once again – six tenths faster than his best of FP1 and two tenths quicker than his 93-numbered rival.

The morning session was cooler, with the afternoon bringing the air and track temperatures up considerably – and the paddock hosted by uninterrupted blue skies.

Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) moved up the timesheets in the sunnier afternoon session from P6 to end Friday P3 on combined times, with Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) moving up one place from a P5 in FP1 to fourth on Friday as the home crowd hit back to take control at the top.

web-marc-marquez-final-de-recta-viernes-valenciagp-circuit-ricardo-tormoWinner last time out Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) ended the Spanish dominion at the top in fifth by the end of play, despite the Circuit traditionally being more difficult for the Ducati. Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was another improver as he moved from P7 in FP1 to P6 in the afternoon, just ahead of the second Ducati Team machine of Andrea Iannone in seventh.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi was second quickest on Friday morning despite a problem on an out lap, but was eighth by the end of FP2 and over seven tenths down on teammate Lorenzo’s best. Another Italian followed the ‘Doctor’ home, as Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) ended day one in ninth, after teammate Scott Redding had also been in the top ten in the morning.

Starting slow as he comes back from injury, Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa was 22nd after his first few laps on track in FP1 – and then ended the session in P12. Gaining confidence and pace, the ‘Baby Samurai’ upped the ante further in FP2, and rounded out the top ten in an incredibly impressive Friday performance despite his ongoing recovery from a broken collarbone sustained in Motegi.

The KTM RC16 ended its debut day down the timesheets, and was three seconds down in FP2 – but within a second of both Loris Baz (Avintia Racing) and Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS). Test rider Mika Kallio is at the helm for the one off appearance ahead of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team lining up full time in 2017, and cut half a second off his best from FP1.

FP3 decides final direct entry to Q2 qualifying on Saturday, with Lorenzo leading the way in blue – for the last time.

MotoGPweb-valentino-rosse-valenciagp

  1. Jorge LORENZO    SPA    Movistar Yamaha MotoGP    Yamaha        1’30.463
  2. Marc MARQUEZ    SPA    Repsol Honda Team           Honda 1’30.710
  3. Maverick VIÑALES SPA    Team SUZUKI ECSTAR        Suzuki 1’30.775
  4. Pol ESPARGARO    SPA    Monster Yamaha Tech 3      Yamaha        1’31.000
  5. Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA  Ducati Team           Ducati           1’31.066
  6. Aleix ESPARGARO  SPA   Team SUZUKI ECSTAR        Suzuki 1’31.186
  7. Andrea IANNONE    ITA   Ducati Team           Ducati 1’31.189
  8. Valentino ROSSI     ITA   Movistar Yamaha MotoGP    Yamaha        1’31.257
  9. Danilo PETRUCCI    ITA   OCTO Pramac Yakhnich       Ducati 1’31.295
  10. Dani PEDROSA   SPA   Repsol Honda Team           Honda 1’31.358

Moto2

  1. Franco MORBIDELLI  ITA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS         Kalex  1’35.443
  2. Takaaki NAKAGAMI   JPN  IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia        Kalex 1’35.568
  3. Johann ZARCO           FRA  Ajo Motorsport               Kalex  1’35.754
  4. Julian SIMON             SPA  QMMF Racing Team                  Speed Up      1’35.810
  5. Danny KENT              GBR  Leopard Racing              Kalex  1’35.877
  6. Simone CORSI           ITA    Speed Up Racing           Speed Up      1’35.912
  7. Xavier SIMEON           BEL   QMMF Racing Team                 Speed Up      1’35.961
  8. Sam LOWES              GBR   Federal Oil Gresini Moto2         Kalex  1’36.039
  9. Jonas FOLGER      GER    Dynavolt Intact GP             Kalex  1’36.046
  10. Alex MARQUEZ        SPA     Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Kalex  1’36.081

Moto3

  1. Enea BASTIANINI   ITA   Gresini Racing Moto3          Honda 1’39.556web-jorge-navarro-valenciagp-moto3-circuit-ricardo-tormo
  2. Juanfran GUEVARA  SPA  RBA Racing Team              KTM    1’39.655
  3. Joan MIR               SPA  Leopard Racing                  KTM    1’39.734
  4. Brad BINDER         RSA  Red Bull KTM Ajo               KTM    1’39.748
  5. Philipp OETTL         GER  Schedl GP Racing               KTM    1’39.793
  6. Jorge NAVARRO      SPA  Estrella Galicia 0,0             Honda 1’39.874
  7. Fabio QUARTARARO FRA Leopard Racing                  KTM    1’39.876
  8. Jorge MARTIN        SPA  Pull & Bear Aspar Team      Mahindra       1’39.881
  9. Jakub KORNFEIL     CZE  Drive M7 SIC Racing Team  Honda 1’39.949
  10. Gabriel RODRIGO   ARG  RBA Racing Team             KTM    1’39.983