Viñales, Yamaha continue to set pace in post-season testing

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Maverick Viñales has again gone fastest in MotoGP post-season testing, topping the opening day at Jerez by three quarters of a second.

As was the case on the second day of the Valencia test, it was Viñales and Petronas SRT Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo at the top of the timesheet, while Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez had a crash as he ended up sixth fastest.

Viñales, who worked with both current and prototype M1 machinery, held the lead for most of the day, initially with a 1:37.187s before setting a 1:37.131s on his 60th lap of 68.

Quartararo’s best was a 1:37.885s, while Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir, who had a spill during the day, was third with a 1:38.012s.

Mir’s team-mate, Alex Rins, took fourth with a 1:38.089s, ahead of Petronas SRT Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli on a 1:38.117s.

Marc Marquez was classified sixth with a 1:38.227s on his 22nd lap of 69.

The world champion partially dislocated his right shoulder when he crashed at Turn 13 but did get more laps in after his visit to the medical centre.

Rounding out the top 10 were Cal Crutchlow (Castrol LCR Honda), Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory), Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team), and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team).

Jack Miller was 0.018s outside the top 10 with a 1:38.492s for Pramac Ducati as he tested the Bologna factory’s new engine.

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha) ended up 14th and Alex Marquez, entered with Repsol Honda for the first time, was 17th.

The top Aprilia rider was Aleix Espargaro in 12th.

Yamahas have filled at least the top two positions on each day of post-season testing so far, with the last day of track activity in 2019 commencing tonight at 2000 AEDT.

Post-season testing: Jerez: Day 1