Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1056041
MOTOGP VALENCIA POST SEASON TEST NOVEMBER 20-21, 2018 RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT / VALENCIA, SPAIN P68 for two more days of testing be- fore the compulsory winter break, with all hoping that a grim weather forecast would not come to pass. Moto2 The new Triumph-powered Moto2 got a warm welcome from riders and the stop-watches at the first tests at Jerez last week, with the tuneful triples already half-a-sec- ond inside the previous genera- tion's best lap at the first attempt, in cool conditions interrupted by rain on Sunday. The top five times went to Kalex riders, with 15 riders inside one second. Malaysian GP winner Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Kalex) threw down the gauntlet with the top time of 1:41.524, compared with fifth- fastest Lorenzo Baldassarri's circuit best time of 1:41.890, set at the sun-soaked GP earlier this year. And like all the riders, Marini praised the character and per- formance of the 765cc Triumph engine, which has had several upgrades compared with the more production-based Honda impressive 14th, looking at home on the MotoGP bike at his first attempt. But even more impressive was fellow rookie Francesco Bagnaia. The Moto2 Champion was on a GP18 Pramac Ducati and placed 11th. Another impressive switch was that of Franco Morbidelli, sixth fastest in his first outing on the Petronas Yamaha after placing top 2018 rookie on a Honda. He praised the bike's smooth responses, as suiting his style much better. The other Petronas Yamaha was an impressive 16th for rookie Fabio Quartararo, one place behind the courageous Tito Rabat, making his return to a Reale Avintia Ducati (now on a GP18), still on crutches after his severe leg injuries at the British GP in August. Johann Zarco had a difficult start on the KTM, including a first- day crash. He ended up 20th, commenting on poor turn-in that was all the more of a problem on this tight circuit. MotoGP travels south to Jerez Honda's Marc Marquez, trying the 2019 Honda, which has a new engine configuration and a seem- ingly gruffer exhaust note, possi- bly indicating even closer timing of all four firing episodes. He com- mented on improved power and torque, but was riding cautiously, with his dislocation-prone shoul- der and two falls on the weekend, saying that if he crashed, "the team would kill me." He is going for remedial sur- gery after next week's Jerez test. All eyes were on Jorge Lo- renzo, making his acquaintance with the Repsol Honda RC213V Honda, and placed 12th, eight- tenths off the leader. Still carry- ing an injury and contractually banned from comment, Lorenzo looked comfortable on the Honda, thanks partly to continual adjustments to the ergonomics. Rossi was ninth. The new Suzuki engine made an encouraging debut, with Alex Rins seventh, and reporting more power across the full range. New teammate Joan Mir was barely half a second slower and an Joan Mir says the MotoGP Suzuki suits him much better than the Kalex Moto2 bike he raced this year.