Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales led the way on the opening day of MotoGP testing at Valencia using a new motor in the M1 which has helped a lot with engine braking and is more smooth, which helps with less wheelspin but team-mate Rossi says it’s still not enough.

Vinales set a 1’31.416 to finish three-tenths ahead of Marc Marquez and has another spec of engine to try tomorrow on what looks like a completely dry day. Rossi finished in third place and a tenth down on his younger team-mate. <Continues below>

Valencia MotoGP test Tuesday times - conditions dry

1 VIÑALES, Maverick Yamaha Factory Racing 1:31.416 33 / 39
2 MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 1:31.718 0.302 0.302 21 / 25
3 ROSSI, Valentino Yamaha Factory Racing 1:31.845 0.429 0.127 27 / 40
4 DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Ducati Team 1:31.846 0.430 0.001 34 / 38
5 BRADL, Stefan LCR Honda 1:32.015 0.599 0.169 45 / 51
6 MORBIDELLI, Franco Petronas Yamaha SRT 1:32.085 0.669 0.070 32 / 40
7 ESPARGARO, Aleix Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:32.095 0.679 0.010 35 / 37
8 PETRUCCI, Danilo Ducati Team 1:32.100 0.684 0.005 25 / 43
9 ESPARGARO, Pol Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:32.179 0.763 0.079 23 / 35
10 PIRRO, Michele Ducati Team 1:32.220 0.804 0.041 18 / 19
11 BAGNAIA, Francesco Alma Pramac Racing 1:32.396 0.980 0.176 37 / 38
12 RINS, Alex Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:32.402 0.986 0.006 30 / 32
13 NAKAGAMI, Takaaki LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1:32.539 1.123 0.137 21 / 26
14 MILLER, Jack Alma Pramac Racing 1:32.555 1.139 0.016 18 / 19
15 MIR, Joan Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:32.787 1.371 0.232 57 / 59
16 RABAT, Tito Reale Avintia Racing 1:32.834 1.418 0.047 28 / 36
17 ZARCO, Johann Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:32.835 1.419 0.001 32 / 36
18 LORENZO, Jorge Repsol Honda Team 1:32.959 1.543 0.124 28 / 30
19 IANNONE, Andrea Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:33.291 1.875 0.332 14 / 15
20 ABRAHAM, Karel Reale Avintia Racing 1:33.301 1.885 0.010 32 / 35
21 SMITH, Bradley Aprilia Racing Test Team 1:33.709 2.293 0.408 16 / 17
22 FOLGER, Jonas Yamaha Test Team 1:33.810 2.394 0.101 27 / 30
23 QUARTARARO, Fabio Petronas Yamaha SRT 1:33.850 2.434 0.040 35 / 38
24 SYAHRIN, Hafizh KTM Tech 3 Racing 1:34.233 2.817 0.383 19 / 20
25 OLIVEIRA, Miguel KTM Tech 3 Racing 1:35.118 3.702 0.885 21 / 33

Arguably the biggest talking point ahead of the first day of 2019 preseason testing was Lorenzo’s debut on an RC213V machine. With track conditions still wet for the first couple of hours, the five-time World Champion didn’t head out until 12:57 local time, eventually completing 30 laps before rain stopped play at around 15:20.

Still not up to full fitness after his wrist injury, Lorenzo ended Day 1 with the 18th fastest time; his 1’32.959 was 1.543 off Viñales’ time as he begins his adaptation from Ducati to Honda.

Meanwhile, teammate Marquez was out on the first version of the 2019 Repsol Honda when he set his quickest lap of the day, before the World Champion appeared with the latest version. However, before we could see what the number 93 could do on it, the rain began to fall in Valencia, with Marquez completing a total of 25 laps to end the day P2.

It was a positive start to 2019 for Yamaha Factory Racing as Viñales topped the times, with both the Spaniard and teammate Rossi having 2019 spec engines to try at the test. The Spaniard – sporting his new number 12 – completed 39 laps and set his quickest time with the new Yamaha engine, while Rossi was able to circulate 40 times before the weather intervened to finish P3.

Day 1 in Valencia also saw the new Petronas Yamaha SRT team break cover for the first time, with Franco Morbidelli and rookie Fabio Quartararo spinning their first laps on a YZR-M1 machine.

The Italian got his Yamaha debut off to a very good start, setting the sixth fastest time of the day to end just over two tenths off Rossi and 0.669 from Viñales, with the 2017 Moto2 World Champion using a 2018 version Yamaha.

On his first ever outing on a MotoGP™ machine, teammate Quartararo was able to get 38 laps under his belt to set a quickest time of 1’33.850 – 2.434 off Viñales, with the Frenchman also using a 2018 version Yamaha, similar to what he’ll be using on a full-time basis in 2019.

Jonas Folger (Yamaha Test Team) was also back on a MotoGP machine as he begins his new role as European test rider. The German rider was able to get 30 laps in his pocket, 2.3 off fellow Yamaha rider Viñales.

2018 runner-up Dovizioso completed 38 laps on the first day of the Valencia Test to finish just 0.001 behind Rossi, the Italian using an updated GP18, with test rider Michele Pirro – the only rider to crash on the opening day - heading out on a GP19 for 19 laps to set the tenth fastest time, 0.804 from the top.

In addition, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) began life as a factory Ducati rider by completing 43 laps on both a standard GP18 and an updated GP18. ‘Petrux’ was P8 on the timesheets as he finished 0.684 from the top.

In the Pramac Racing garage, Jack Miller got his hands on an updated GP18, but his day was cut short due to a technical issue. The Australian was 14th quickest, but he was very happy with how the new bike compared to the one he used in 2018. His teammate for the year is 2018 Moto2 World Champion Francesco Bagnaia, and it was a very solid debut. The Italian ended the day as the fastest rookie, completing 38 laps and setting the 11th fastest time – 0.980 from Viñales.

It was also an impressive day for the returning Tito Rabat; 36 laps completed for the still-injured Spaniard, and a fastest time good enough for P16 – 1.418 from Viñales.

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) closed Day 1 in P12, with the rain halting the Spaniard’s progress as he was about to emerge with a new Suzuki engine. Meanwhile, rookie teammate Joan Mir got his first 2019 test off to a good start; 59 laps done for the Spaniard – the most of any rider – with his best good enough for P15 on the timesheets, 1.371 from P1

One of the other big talking points from the opening day was Zarco’s debut on the RC16. The Frenchman was the first rider to head out, first one a pair of wet Michelin tyres, then on the slicks as he set the first hot laps of 2019.

The double Moto2 Champion set a quickest time of 1’32.835 to end the day in P17, 1.419 from Viñales as he completed 36 laps. Teammate Pol Espargaro – fresh from his maiden GP podium – was able to set a time good enough for P9, 0.763 was the gap between the Spaniard and compatriot Viñales as he managed to get 35 laps done.

We’ll see another two KTM machines on the grid in 2019 and both Hafizh Syahrin (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and rookie teammate Miguel Oliveira experienced the RC16 for the first time. The Malaysian lapped 20 times on Tuesday, 2.817 off on his quickest lap, with Oliveira able to complete 33 laps – a 1:35.118 the Portuguese rider’s fastest lap

After his switch from Suzuki, Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) took to the RS-GP for the first time. The Italian was only able to get 15 laps under his belt to as he ended the day in P19, while teammate Aleix Espargaro got 37 laps done and dusted before the rain came.

The Spaniard ended P7, 0.679 off Viñales, while test rider Bradley Smith was able to get to grips with his new bike – 17 laps completed for the British rider, with a best time of 1’33.709.