MotoGP

Vinales Ends Valencia Test on Top after Close Final Day

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Maverick Vinales - Photo Credit: Yamaha
Maverick Vinales - Photo Credit: Yamaha

Maverick Vinales completed a promising Valencia test for the factory Yamaha team by setting the pace on Wednesday. The Spaniard edged out Andrea Dovizioso following a time attack just over half an hour from the end of the day but just two tenths of a second covered the top six riders overall, with three different manufacturers represented.

Vinales had been the fastest rider on day one but Marc Marquez raised the bar on Wednesday morning, clocking a 1:31.068 on a 2019-spec Honda. This put the world champion eight tenths clear of the field approaching the lunch-break but the competition would close up later on. The factory Ducatis emerged as the closest challengers and Dovizioso would indeed usurp his great rival, becoming the first rider to lap in the 1:30s.

An unlikely challenger emerged in the afternoon session as Franco Morbidelli set a 1:30.974 to go second fastest on the Petronas Yamaha, continuing a terrific test for the Italian. The honours would eventually go to the factory Yamaha outfit courtesy of Vinales’ late flyer, a 1:30.757 which edged him a tenth clear of Dovizioso. Marquez improved late on to grab third ahead of Jack Miller and Danilo Petrucci, the two other riders on 2019 Ducatis, while Morbidelli rounded out the top six.

Alex Rins was the leading Suzuki rider in seventh ahead of Takaaki Nakagami and Valentino Rossi while Aleix Espargaro took tenth for Aprilia, providing some much-needed good news after the Noale squad had seen new signing Andrea Iannone crash for the second day running. Francesco Bagnaia continued to impress on the 2018-spec Pramac Ducati, finishing just 0.648s off the pace in eleventh, with fellow rookies Joan Mir and Fabio Quartararo also making rapid progress.

The same couldn’t be said for Johann Zarco who tumbled twice as he adjusted to life at KTM while Yamaha test rider Jonas Folger suffered the most dramatic spill of the day, losing control at turn ten and trashing his YZR-M1.

 

2019 MotoGP Testing – Valencia (Day Two)

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