Arenas, Canet, Syahrin, Nepa preparing for Jerez

Aspar's Moto2 and Moto3 riders have all emerged from lockdown and completed their first motorcycle laps, as attention turns to a 'hot and tough' 2020 restart at Jerez in July.

Moto2 rider Aron Canet returned to the track on May 27 at the Kartodromo Internacional Lucas Guerrero in Chiva (Valencia), where he completed more than a hundred laps in two training sessions.

“Getting back on track after so long has been fun. It is our first contact with the bike after many months, but from the first moment I have been able to maintain a good pace, even better than in the preseason”, stressed Canet.

Team-mate Hafizh Syahrin, who remains in Malaysia, had to wait until June 2 to get on a motorcycle again.

“I had been training at home and had started getting on the bicycle, but this is different: now I have a big smile, I missed it. I have completed about seventy laps, training with Zulfahmi Khairuddin, who also works with young riders.”

Syahrin has had to combine this new off-season period with Ramadan, which took place between the end of April and the end of May.

Qatar winner and therefore Moto3 World Championship leader, Albert Arenas, got back on a motorcycle on May 26. Two days later he was able to train for the first time on a circuit, in Barcelona.

“I am happy to go back to riding and to feel what it is like to ride a motorcycle again," Arenas said. "Mentally I am very motivated, especially after the absence of adrenaline of these months, it has been very good for me.

"It is what I needed. It's time to continue like this, get back into shape and pace and start competing soon”, he added.

During the lockdown, Italian Stefano Nepa was only able to train with a stationary bicycle and some indoor exercises. He then began road and mountain bike training on May 4 and has since been riding off-road bikes, but is yet to make his asphalt return.

“Now, on weekends I do flat track. We are already in a situation almost like the one before the stop, the only thing I need is a motorcycle to be able to train again on the asphalt, it has already been a long time since March 8," Nepa said.

The aim of this second pre-season will be to prepare for the Jerez double header on July 19 and 24, when temperatures are set to be far more punishing than for the usual grand prix date in May.

"In Jerez it will be very hot and we will have tough races, so in these weeks it will be necessary to work on muscle mass and cardio," Canet said.

"We will have a very intense championship, especially if we repeat races on some circuits," added Arenas.