The official pre-season test has now concluded, with some eye-popping times as the Pirelli era begins.
The chequered flag has been waved at the 2024 Moto2™ and Moto3™ Jerez Test, and the Pirelli era has arrived with a bang. Heading into Qatar’s season opener at the top of the timesheets it’s Fermin Aldeguer (Sync SpeedUp) in Moto2™ and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in Moto3™, with searing unofficial lap records set by both riders.
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) was the rider to beat on the opening two days in Andalucia, but the Spaniard’s 1:40.7 lap time was beaten on the final day as most riders set personal best laps. Aldeguer’s was the quickest of the lot, but it was tight – Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) was just 0.044s adrift in P2, with Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) 0.078s away in third. Aldeguer and Roberts did crash on the final day, but that didn’t do much to halt their progress with the top three all setting their best laps in the closing session.
In total, seven riders lapped under Canet’s 1:40.640 all-time intermediate class lap record around the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, as the field got to grips with their new machines and Pirelli’s tyres – a huge change for 2024 in Moto2™ and Moto3™.
2023’s runner-up Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) led the way for some of the final day, but it’s P4 at the close of play for the Italian. P5 on the combined timesheets went the way of Canet, with the fastest quintet just 0.134s apart as Moto2™ looks set to be fiercely competitive again. No surprises there!
Elsewhere, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Deniz Öncü ended the three-day outing as the quickest rookie, the Turk set a 1:41.161 on Friday to sit an impressive 0.8s away from Aldeguer.
David Alonso (CFMOTO Aspar Team) – much like Canet – was the pacesetter on Day 1 and Day 2, but fellow sophomore Rueda set a blistering 1:43.272, not far shy of two seconds quicker than Andrea Migno’s lap record, in the penultimate session of the test to climb to P1 overall. That time was 0.043s faster than Alonso’s Day 2 effort as the Spaniard and Colombian set mighty laps.
The rider closest to the leading duo was Ivan Ortola as he and MT Helmets – MSI teammate Ryusei Yamanaka set 1:43.6s on the final day to get within 0.4s of Rueda’s effort. They were joined in the top five by Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) as his Day 2 time means the Dutch star is P5, just over half a second away from the summit.
As for top rookie honours, that went the way of Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Jacob Roulstone. The Australian clocked a 1:44.538 on Thursday, with Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) a whisker shy of his rookie counterpart after the Italian set a 1:44.574 on the final day.
