Zarco fastest, Miller fourth in Jerez MotoGP test

Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco has set the pace in MotoGP’s post-race Official test at Jerez, while fellow Ducati rider Jack Miller was fourth-quickest.

Zarco beat Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder to top spot by 0.158s, with all six manufacturers in the top seven at the end of the day.

Repsol Honda’s Pol Espargaro was fastest at the end of the first hour on a 1:37.556s, before satellite Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu LCR Honda) caused the first of two red flags when he crashed at Turn 1.

Sunday runner-up Fabio Quartararo then went top with a 1:37.508s and 1:37.504s on consecutive laps late in the second hour on his Monster Energy Yamaha.

In the third hour, Brad Binder punched out a 1:37.294s before Zarco clocked a 1:37.136s in the third hour.

That lap would have put Pramac’s Frenchman fifth on the grid on Sunday, one position higher than he had actually qualified, and would not be beaten for the rest of the test.

However, there was further drama to follow, chiefly a spate of crashes.

Among them were both Zarco and Brad Binder, as well as Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), and Darryn Binder (WithU RNF Yamaha) twice.

All-told, Zarco was fastest from Brad Binder, Quartararo on a 1:37.438s, and Miller (Ducati Lenovo) on a 1:37.456s.

Pol Espargaro ended up fifth, ahead of Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar), Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati), and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati).

The previous day’s race winner, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) was 12th on a 1:37.807s, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 15th on a 1:37.940s, and Gardner 22nd on a 1:38.589s.

Bastianini was able to try a GP22 front fairing on his GP21-spec Desmosedici, while Brad Binder and KTM team-mate Miguel Oliveira tested a new exhaust, and Marc Marquez had three RC213V motorcycles on his side of the factory Honda garage.

Aprilia ran test rider Lorenzo Savadori but Honda opted not to field Stefan Bradl, and Tech3 KTM race rider Raul Fernandez remained out with injury.

Savadori was at the centre of the day’s second red flag, which occurred inside the final two hours, when his RS-GP dropped fluid onto the circuit.

Competition resumes with the French Grand Prix at Le Mans on May 13-15.

Results: Jerez Official Test II