FEATURE
MOTOGP TEST/NOVEMBER 10-11, 2015 / RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT / VALENCIA,
P62
WHAT OF
THE REST?
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T
he Valencia test saw not
only new tires and electron-
ics, but also many riders
switching teams and one former
GP champ step up.
As expected, the Tech3 Yama-
ha crew was fast out of the blocks
with Pol Espargaro out-pacing
teammate Bradley Smith to take
eighth place overall to Smith's
10
th
. Smith spent the whole test
riding the 2016 Tech3 Yamaha
(this year's factory YZR-M1), while
Espargaro only briefly sampled
the machine while concentrating
on developing his style for the
Michelin tires. Neither rider tried
the new ECU and will have to wait
until Sepang to test it out.
LCR's Cal Crutchlow was
pleased with his season ending
performance in sixth overall on
his Honda RC213V. Next year
will be the first in three seasons
he's had the same bike and the
Englishman's confident display at
Valencia means he could spring a
surprise or two next season.
"I was pleased with my pace
and made one of my fastest laps
with nearly 25 laps on the tires,"
Crutchlow said. "This is a positive
situation to be in. We had a small
crash in turn one, using a new
Michelin tire that nobody else had
used all day, but there have been
many similar over these two days
with the front tire."
The Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc
VDS team welcomed two new
riders into the MotoGP program
Miller was
sideways and
happy on his
new seamless
shift-equipped
Honda.
