Jerez MotoGP Test Results - Thursday lap times (12pm)
Following's Sunday's Valencia season finale, MotoGP teams have travelled to Jerez for a two-day test and the last official track action of 2021.
Marc Marquez is absent as he continues treatment for double-vision problems, while Repsol Honda team-mate Pol Espargaro is back on track after withdrawing from Valencia due to rib pain from a huge Saturday highside.
The main task for the factory riders is to continue development work on their 2022 prototypes, which in the case of Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki and Honda can feature engine upgrades for the first time since the Covid technical freeze at the start of 2020.
KTM's engine was frozen at the start of 2021, when it left Concessions, while Aprilia has been free to develop this year.
The test marks the debut of the new VR46 Ducati team, plus the heavily revised RNF Yamaha (formerly SRT) and Gresini Ducati (formerly partnered with Aprilia) squads.
All five of next year's rookies are in action, reigning Moto2 champion Remy Gardner and Tech3 team-mate Raul Fernandez making their second appearances on the RC16 after some laps at the Misano test, while Darryn Binder (RNF), Fabio di Giannantonio (Gresini) and Marco Bezzecchi (VR46) get their first taste of MotoGP.
Testing began at 10am but as is often the case it was a slow start with Luca Marini the first to set a lap time, just before 11am.
As of midday it's LCR's Takaaki Nakagami, who is also thought to have been trying the 2022 RC213V, who is fastest...
| 2021 Jerez MotoGP Test - Thursday (12pm) | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1m 37.713s |
| 2 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP) | +0.329s |
| 3 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.419s |
| 4 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.624s |
| 5 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.633s |
| 6 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.684s |
| 7 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.767s |
| 8 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.798s |
| 9 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP) | +0.801s |
| 10 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP) | +0.939s |
| 11 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.043s |
| 12 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +1.080s |
| 13 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP) | +1.113s |
| 14 | Maverick Vinales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP) | +1.448s |
| 15 | Mika Kallio | FIN | KTM Test Rider (RC16) | +1.563s |
| 16 | Luca Marini | ITA | VR46 Ducati (GP) | +1.949s |
| 17 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP) | +1.964s |
| 18 | Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | Aprilia Test Rider (RS-GP) | +2.121s |
| 19 | Andrea Dovizioso | ITA | WithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1) | +2.157s |
| 20 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Lenovo (GP) | +2.350s |
| 21 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16)* | +3.371s |
| 22 | Takuya Tsuda | JPN | Suzuki Test Rider (GSX-RR) | +3.967s |
| 23 | Remy Gardner | AUS | KTM Tech3 (RC16)* | +4.987s |
| 24 | Fabio di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP)* | +5.612s |
| 25 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | VR46 Ducati (GP)* | +6.256s |
| 26 | Darryn Binder | RSA | WithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)* | +9.158s |
* Rookie
Official Jerez MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Maverick Vinales SPA Yamaha 1m 36.584s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 37.770s (2021)
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
