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MotoGP, Tests: Honda tests exhaust and frame, news from Michelin

THE TIMES AT NOON. A brand new front tyre and three rear tyres from France. Viñales is fast out of the gate

Tests: Honda tests exhaust and frame, news from Michelin

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The sun is shining on the Montmelò track and high temperatures are expected for the day of testing where all the MotoGP riders will be present (except for the Aspar team riders). More than one team, at the head of the line, Honda anxiously awaited these tests and most of the riders were on their bikes just minutes after the track opened.

Michelin also brought several new items. There is a new front tyre with different construction that had already been brought to the previous tests in Jerez. At that time, the riders had tested three different options and this one proved to be the best. The French manufacturer also brought three rear tyres with new carcasses: this is an evolution of the 47 used in recent races. The goal is to find better traction, which is the rear tyre’s weak point at the moment.

Moving on to news in the garages, Honda is the one with the most, long awaited by the two riders. There are various exhausts, as shown in the photo above. The clearest difference is the way the silencer is routed under the tail fairing (as you can see in the photo), now in a straight line and no longer ‘entangled’ as in the past. Marquez and Pedrosa also have a new frame available.

Moving over to Suzuki, Viñales and Aleix Espargarò will once again test the two frame evolutions that they had tried out a few weeks ago at Valencia. At that time the two riders had different preferences. With the new chassis various setups will be tested, including electronics.

And now the track results two hours after testing began. Maverick Viñales is clearly the fastest with a time of 1’44”310, Marquez is in 2nd at almost 9 tenths, followed by Iannone another couple of tenths behind. Fourth place goes to the other Suzuki ridden by Aleix Espargarò ahead of Crutchlow, Barbera, Pol Espargaro, Pedrosa, Lorenzo (among the last to go out onto the track) and Smith who closes out the top 10.

Valentino Rossi has not yet gone out on track.

THE TIMES AT NOON

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
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