Muddy conditions make for bizarre day of MotoGP testing at Mandalika

Repsol Honda’s Pol Espargaro has set the fastest lap on MotoGP’s first day of testing at Indonesia’s Mandalika circuit, after a long stoppage due to track conditions.

Overnight rain and construction work in the tourism estate in which the Mandalika International Street Circuit is located left the track covered in mud at the start of the morning.

With just over an hour elapsed, proceedings were suspended so that the track could be cleaned, resulting in a delay of around 90 minutes.

Riders were even told to go out and cut laps for the express purpose of cleaning the circuit, before the test properly got going again.

Even then, the field ran on wet tyres until the surface was good enough to switch to slicks.

With the earlier delay, the session finish was extended by 45 minutes, and it was only in that additional time that the aforementioned Espargaro managed a lap quicker than the World Superbike record from last November when he set a 1:32.466s.

More rain subsequently meant he would be the only rider to do so, with brother Aleix Espargaro finishing the day second on his Aprila with a 1:32.937s.

All six manufacturers were represented in the top six, with Red Bull KTM’s Brad Binder third from Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins, Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, and the Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller.

Rounding out the top 10 were Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Viñales, from Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir, WithU RNF Yamaha’s Andrea Dovizioso, and Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin.

Tech3 KTM’s Remy Gardner was slowest of the 24 riders at 2.137s off the pace.

Testing continues tomorrow (Saturday).

Day 1: Mandalika Official test