2017 Catalunya MotoGP Test: Marquez Tops Vinales

2017 Catalunya MotoGP Test Results

Following round seven of 2017 MotoGP at Catalunya Circuit, the traditional post-race test was held Monday.

The man who finished second Sunday at 2017 Catalunya MotoGP, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, was quickest at his home circuit. The three-time MotoGP Champion put in 82 laps aboard his RC213V, posting a quickest time of 1:44.071 around the 2.94-mile circuit containing 13 corners.

“The test today was good enough, though we didn’t test anything new in particular on the bike,” Marc Marquez says. “We did a lot of laps working a bit on the electronics and on my riding style, aiming to manage the tires better.

“What finally made me very happy was the symmetric front tire Michelin brought here, which is the same, or more similar to last year’s. I immediately felt great again, on the bike and with the front. Actually I did my fastest lap on that tire, as it was more stable. I was smiling again, at least on this track. Hopefully we can continue on this path with the tires.”

The only rider anywhere near Marquez was the current points leader, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Vinales. The Spaniard, who placed 10th on Sunday, finished Monday’s test 0.366 of a second behind rival Marquez.

“We tried many things today, many new set-ups and some different settings on the bike and I was feeling comfortable all day,” Maverick Vinales says. “I’ve been riding well, riding with a lot of confidence on the YZR-M1, so for me it was a good day. Overall for the test the feeling was really good, in the afternoon it was better with the very hot conditions and we completed many laps in the ‘45‘s and then ‘46’s so I was quite happy.”

As for the rider who won the Catalunya Grand Prix and the previous round at Mugello, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso wasn’t present. The factory Ducati team didn’t participate in Monday’s test. Rather, it will participate in private testing this week at Catalunya.

The next closest rider at Monday’s one-day MotoGP test was Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Jonas Folger, who was 0.901 of a second off the pace. The only other two riders to post within a second of Marquez were Catalunya’s pole man Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda, -0.932) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, -0.975).

Rounding out the top 10 were Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda, -1.225); Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3, -1.381); Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing Ducati, -1.494); Tito Rabat (Marc VDS Honda, -1.511); and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, -1.564).

The series now breaks for two weeks ahead of the Dutch GP at Assen.

2017 Catalunya MotoGP Test Results:

1. M. MARQUEZ REPSOL HONDA TEAM 1’44.071

2. M. VIÑALES MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP 1’44.437

3. J. FOLGER MONSTER YAMAHA TECH3 1’44.972

4. D. PEDROSA REPSOL HONDA TEAM 1’45.003

5. A. ESPARGARÒ APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI 1’45.046

6. C. CRUTCHLOW LCR HONDA 1’45.296

7. J. ZARCO MONSTER YAMAHA TECH3 1’45.452

8. S. REDDING OCTO PRAMAC RACING 1’45.565

9. T. RABAT TEAM EG 0,0 MARC VDS 1’45.582

10. V. ROSSI MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP 1’45.635

11. D. PETRUCCI OCTO PRAMAC RACING 1’45.863

12. J. MILLER TEAM EG 0,0 MARC VDS 1’45.897

13. P. ESPARGARÒ RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 1’46.107

14. A. IANNONE TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’46.130

15. S. LOWES APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI 1’46.389

16. M. KALLIO RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 1’46.405

17. A. RINS TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’46.490

18. S. GUINTOLI TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’47.055