Rennie Scaysbrook | November 20, 2018
2018 Valencia MotoGP Test Day One Results—Movistar Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maverick Vinales topped the timesheets on the opening day of the 2018/2019 testing season at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain, with a time of 1:31.416 before rain stopped the on-track action early.
2018 Valencia MotoGP Test Day One Results
New number, new speed. Vinales was flying at Valencia.
The Spaniard, who claimed his only victory of the 2018 MotoGP season at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in October, bested champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) by 0.302, with Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) third on a 1:31.845.
Vinales used the session to evaluate a new engine on the factory YZR-M1, which had been a continual source of complaint during the 2018 season. “We changed the engine and we felt like we’d suddenly improved on the points we need to,” said Vinales. “I’m really happy and the direction we followed with Yamaha was the correct one. We felt much better into the corner, it’s where we needed to improve and now we’re trying to understand how to improve the acceleration. The difference is especially on the engine braking. The new engine is much better.”
Mir adapted well to the new Suzuki.
2018 Valencia MotoGP Test Day One Results
Marquez had two bikes at his disposal today—a 2019 development machine and an all-new RC213V—but it was his new teammate Jorge Lorenzo who garnered most of the attention today in his debut for Repsol Honda. The five-time World Champion, still not fully fit after suffering wrist injuries in a massive crash at the Thai MotoGP, finished the session in 17th after completing 30 laps, 1.543 seconds off Vinales’ pace.
Andrea Dovizioso, winner of the Valencia MotoGP race on Sunday, ended the session fourth fastest on the factory Ducati, only managing laps on his 2018-spec Desmosedici GP18 before the rain came. Tomorrow he’ll revert to his 2019-spec Ducati for a direct comparison.
All eyes were on Lorenzo as he took his first laps on the Repsol Honda. Banned from talking to the media, Lorenzo finished 17th.
His new teammate Danilo Petrucci finished in eighth place as he adapted to his new factory-spec Ducati.
Fifth went to Honda test rider Stefan Bradl, still filling in for the injured Cal Crutchlow. Bradl was just ahead of the impressive Franco Morbidelli in his first ride for the new Petronas Yamaha team, the Italian setting a 1:32.085 to be 0.669 seconds off Vinales.
Aleix Espargaro ended Day One of the test in seventh on the factory Aprilia, brother Pol was ninth on the Red Bull KTM and Ducati test rider Michele Pirro rounded out the top 10.
Bagnaia was flying on the Pramac Ducati, comfortably outpacing teammate Jack Miller.
Of the new rookies, 2018 Moto2 World Champion Francesco Bagnaia was fastest with a 1:32.396 in a solid 11th for Pramac Ducati, Ecstar Suzuki’s Joan Mir was 15th, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha) was 23rd and Miguel Oliveira (KTM Tech3 Racing) was 25th.
2018 Valencia MotoGP Test Day One Results
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