2014 MotoGP Preseason Testing
With only a two-day break following the Sepang II MotoGP tests, the factory-supported teams of Honda, Yamaha and Ducati will travel to Phillip Island for a Bridgestone Tire test.
The March 3-5 test was organized due to the traction issues encountered last year at the newly repaved Australian circuit. During last year’s Phillip Island MotoGP event, the premier-class event was divided into two halves by pit stops, and the Moto2 race was shortened.
The issues arrived due to severe tire degradation on the abrasive 2.7-mile Phillip Island Circuit, which will host round 16 in October.
Testing at the circuit that runs anti-clockwise will be the Yamaha Factory Racing duo of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrsoa, and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow. The test arrives on the news that Ducati will run its GP14s under the new Open-class regulations.
As for the reigning MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez, the Repsol Honda rider will miss the test due to recovering from injury. Last month the 21-year-old Spaniard broke his right leg while dirt-track training near Barcelona. He will not participate to further recover, and hopefully be in full fitness for the opening round of 2014 MotoGP at Qatar March 23.
All five riders in the test will experiment with Bridgestone rubber specifically designed for the Phillip Island track surface.
Also on the track will be two leading Moto2 teams – Marc VDS Racing (Mika Kallio and Tito Rabat) and Mapfre Aspar (Nicol Terol and Jordi Torres). These teams were selected by Dunlop to help develop safer tire compounds for the surface at Phillip Island.
Stay clicked to ultimatemotorcycling.com for daily reports on the progress at the Phillip Island MotoGP tire test.
