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/821592
MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4 / MAY 5-7, 2017 CIRCUITO DE JEREZ / CADIZ, SPAIN P88 The new-generation aero fairings— with downforce ducts sandwiched in the fairing flanks—reappeared at Jerez, for Yamaha, Suzuki and Aprilia, but with inconclusive or at best mixed results. Vinales had them on both of his bikes Yamahas on day one, Rossi on just one. Did they help? According to team director Massimo Meregalli, "We have to go far before judging, but this is one circuit where it could work." Clearly the judgement went the other way, however, with both Yamahas revert- ing to the stock fairings on day two. Suzuki came to the opposite conclusion, with both Iannone and substitute rider Tsuda switching to their version on day two, while at Aprilia, Sam Lowes was trying them out. The main benefit of the winglets at slower tracks with lower gearing is in cutting wheelies. Reigning Moto3 Champion Brad Binder was on hand at Jerez after yet more surgery—the third bout—to the left arm injury incurred in his first Moto2 tests at the end of last year. The radial fracture had failed to heal fully in spite of another opera- tion in January in South Africa, and started playing up badly at round two in Argentina. Ignoring the grow- ing pain Binder managed a heroic ninth place in the race, but directly thereafter flew back to Dr. Mir at the Dexeus clinic at Barcelona, who had performed the first operation, for the plate to be "repositioned" and re-screwed, Binder was upbeat as he sat out a second race. "The bone is growing back," he said. "I need to see Dr. Mir again, but I feel like I've made good progress, and I hope to be back at Le Mans, or maybe Mug- ello." Riders from opposite camps were looking forward to testing an improved front Michelin on the Monday after the Jerez GP. Although not actually new, having been used at Valencia's final race last year, the tire has a stiffer carcass. One rider hoping it will solve his problems is Rossi, who had been complaining of a queasy feel from the front in testing and at the early races, and, once again, at Jerez, seemingly a step backwards from the last round in Texas. The softer construction of the 2017 front didn't suit his style. Italian SKY VR46 Moto2 rider Stefano Manzi got away with a three-position grid penalty for his headlong charge into the first corner in Texas two weeks ago, which ended with him taking down Tech3 substitute rider Julian Simon, fortunately without injury to either. It underlined the second Tech3 bike's growing reputation for being jinxed, as for a third race in succession it did not complete a single race lap. In rounds one and two, regular rider Remy Gardner was similarly the in- nocent victim of other riders' errors on lap one, taken down by Syahrin in Qatar and Nakagami in Argen- tina, where the Australian son of a champion suffered a badly broken left ankle. Remy Gardner made a courageous return to Jerez, still limping badly as he awaited full recovery. The injury was still very painful, he said, "and it is still bleeding from the operation scars." Clearly struggling, he had another low-speed spill in qualify- ing, bravely remounting to continue, only for another freak encounter. Running wide on the paved run-off into the final hairpin, he encountered Alex Marquez there already, and clipped his back wheel. It gave the Spaniard a puncture, while Gardner avoided injury, but lost his drive chain, ending a difficult session. LCR team owner Lucio Cecchinel- lo was trying hard to put the brakes on, but nothing could stop rumors that current Moto2 rider Takaaki Na- kagami would be moving up to join Crutchlow in his independent Honda squad next year. Nakagami has the backing of sponsor Idemitsu, and the move would allow LCR Racing to return to a two-rider team. Martin (59) dropping to third, then McPhee (49) and today's winner Canet (43). CN MotoGP 1. Dani Pedrosa (Hon) 2. Marc Marquez (Hon) 3. Jorge Lorenzo (Duc) 4. Johann Zarco (Yam) 5. Andrea Dovizioso (Duc) Moto2 1. Alex Marquez (Kal) 2. Pecco Bagnia (Kal) 3. Miguel Oliveria (KTM) 4. Mattia Pasini (Kal) 5. Luca Marini (Kal) Moto3 1. Aron Canet (Hon) 2. Romano Fenati (Hon) 3. Joan Mir (Hon) 4. Marcos Ramirez (KTM) 5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Hon) Briefly... cont. on page 90