Dunlop Moto2 and Moto3 Jerez test report

 In Moto2, Moto3, News

dunlop1After three days of mixed weather, the final pre-season testing for Dunlop-shod Moto2 and Moto3 riders has concluded at the Jerez circuit in Spain.

Track conditions were very slippery on the first day but conditions improved lap by lap and riders’ times began to fall.
On the second day of testing rain came in torrential floods soaking the track every fifteen minutes or so. The third and final day was spent getting the track back up to a condition where riders were happy to continue testing including trying their second choice tyres.

Moto3 teams tested medium and hard fronts combined with soft and medium rear tyres in the dry with quick times being set on all combinations. Tyre appearances were good for the majority of riders and consistency showed some best laps to be completed on tyres that had already done 25 laps. The rain brought the opportunity to test the wet tyres which showed strength and grip. Luis Salom was the quickest rider during the four days setting a time of 1’46.374 with Maverick Vinales and Alex Rins only 2/10ths slower.

The Moto2 riders were limited in the amount of testing by the regulations for their new Honda 600cc Moto2 official engines. The restrictions did not stop the riders from pushing to the limits, nor were they curtailed despite reporting the track surface seeming to have less grip than in the past, which led to lap times being approximately one second slower than in 2012. The wet tyres showed their expected grip and consistency. Pol Espargaro was the eventual quickest rider over the four days setting a time of 1’42.636. Italtrans team-mates Takaaki Nakagami and Julian Simon followed in second and third.

Clinton Howe, Operations Manager Motorcycle Grand Prix
“It was a good test for Dunlop and the teams. The varying conditions gave the opportunity to test the range and the riders were happy with the results. As usual the Dunlop wets gave confidence despite the changing conditions on the circuit, and the times in the dry dropped lap after lap. The top 20 Moto2 riders are only separated by 1.7 seconds so racing is going to be very exciting from the very beginning of the season.”

Source: Dunlop Motorsport

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