Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez topped today’s Catalan MotoGP test timesheets by three tenths of a second, leaping ahead of Movistar Yamaha rider Maverick Viñales and Monster Yamaha’s Jonas Folger right at the end of the day setting a lap just over a tenth slower than Dani Pedrosa’s Saturday’s pole time.
Both Marquez and Dani Pedrosa set quick times with Pedrosa putting in 53 laps, Marquez 82 and focused on setups. The reigning champion posted a 1’44.932 while his team-mate was a second in arrears.
Cal Crutchlow at LCR Honda worked on geometry, electronics and suspension to try and fix his problems encountered in the race with rear grip, ending the day sixth quickest after 60 laps despite a crash at Turn 10. The Brit also tried an HRC liveried fairing.
Movistar Yamaha had two new chassis to test, with Vinales trying one back-to-back and Valentino Rossi the other. Vinales’ fastest was a 1’44.437 and he did 81 laps – improving at the end - with Rossi in P10 after 71 laps.
Johann Zarco left it until the middle of the day to head out, as the Monster Yamaha mob worked chiefly on suspension and setup. The Frenchman, who broke a finger in Saturday’s crash, did 33 laps and ended the day seventh, with teammate Jonas Folger putting in a good number more on 42 laps completed.
The German was third fastest overall, and had topped the timesheets earlier in the day with his best of 1’44.972 despite a crash – rider ok. He tried a new chassis, but will stay with the one used until now.
EG 0,0 Marc VDS’s Tito Rabat did 59 laps and was an impressive P9 as he worked on chassis setup, with teammate Jack Miller in P12 after 52 laps and three tenths down on Rabat. Miller worked on the front suspension, and on agility in preparation for Assen.
Aprilia focused on the front end and for Sam Lowes the aim was to improve confidence under braking, for Aleix Espargaro it was to work on maximising one of the Granollers native’s strongest points on the bike. Espargaro also tried a new exhaust for a few laps and ended the day in an impressive P5 after 48 laps.
Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) did 28 laps and then called it a day before the end of the session, feeling some pain in his left shoulder. He ended the day in P11, with teammate Scott Redding finishing up in P8 after 59 laps.
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was back in action following injury and focused on re-adaptation, with teammate Andrea Iannone working on settings. Sylvain Guintoli, who replaced Rins when the Spaniard was injured, was also on track for the Hamamatsu factory.
Red Bull KTM Factory racing spent their day evaluating their chassis compared to the previous version, and working on improving the turning of the bike. Pol Espargaro was P13 after 75 laps and joined on track by test rider Mika Kallio, as Bradley Smith recovers from an injury to his finger.
