Moto2 Valencia Test
After wrapping up a two-day test a Circuit de Catalunya in Spain earlier in the week, Marc Marquez and the Repsol Moto2 team didn’t take much time to rest.
The 125cc MotoGP champion took one day off, and then headed to Valencia Thursday to join the rest of the Moto2 grid for a three-day test, the first official session of the 2011 Moto2 year.
After completing 52 laps at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Marquez posted a 1:37.18, which placed him fifth fastest. Marquez continued adapting to the Moto2 bike, which is more demanding than the 125cc machine he won the championship on last year.
Marquez was able to make further adjustments on the Moto2 machine, and although he reported being satisfied, the Spaniard knows there is much more work to be complete.
Marquez and the team will continue today (Friday) and Saturday, as they prepare for the opening round of the Moto2 season at Losail on March 20.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Moto2) says: "This track is much slower than the Catalunya Circuit and it was also the first time I rode a Moto2 here. We did not do many laps, but the overall result was fairly good.
"At the end of the day we tried some different set-ups although for tomorrow I am confident that we will be able to progress a lot more. We have to keep this working path, but we need to be patient and do it step by step. We still have two more days ahead of us and a good margin to improve.
"Physically, the circuit is much more demanding and at the end of the day is when you really feel it. The corners are taken in a different way with the Moto2 than with the 125cc, and I do it properly in some corners and not in others.
"In this aspect I still have to get used to this class. The braking point is one of the most complicated areas, although I feel that we are improving and I hope we keep this progression. We still have to improve our riding, but we need not hurry, it has to be done step by step and we still have a lot of work to do".
Moto2 Valencia Test, Day Unofficial Results:
1. Andrea Iannone (Suter): 1:36.7
2. Alex De Angelis (Motobi): 1:36.7
3. Julián Simón (Suter): 1:37.0
4. Stefan Bradl (Suter): 1:37.0
5. Marc Marquez (Suter): 1:37.1
6. Michele Pirro (Moriwaki): 1:37.1
7. Thomas Luthi (Moriwaki): 1:37.2
8. Aleix Espargaró (Kalex Pons): 1:37.4
9.: Scott Redding (Suter)1:37.4
10. Mika Kallio (Suter): 1:37.5
