Quartararo breaks lap record in MotoGP testing

Jerez (Spain), May 7: Fabio Quartararo first made history as the youngest-ever pole sitter in FIM MotoGP World Championship by grabbing the top spot on the grid for the SpanishGP at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.

Then he went home heartbroken after a mechanical problem saw him forced to retire from the fight for the podium.

But after the race, the Petronas Yamaha SRT rider was back on top in the one-day Official Test as he seared around Jerez a stunning half second quicker than his lap record pole.

The 1'36.379, set near the end of the day, put him 0.418 ahead of Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and 0.714 ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT).

Quartararo did 73 laps and left it late to put in his fastest on Lap 70, following it up with another not far off the same pace. Team-mate Morbidelli was also late mover up the timesheets into third and his best of a 1'37.093 was set on his penultimate lap of 82.

Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales was the fastest Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider in fifth, 0.847 off the top after an impressive workload of 94 laps, with team-mate Valentino Rossi ending the day in P17 after 74 laps.

Consistent Crutchlow

At Honda, one big focus for Crutchlow was the start; clutch feel and electronics.

He did 78 laps, was the man deposed by Quartararo's late lunge, and did his fastest lap on a new rear medium compound tyre from Michelin featuring new technology for improved grip and consistency.

Marquez on Bradl's bike

A little further down the timesheets, Jerez winner Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) ended the day in seventh after 75 laps.

He set his quickest on the bike that wildcard and test rider Stefan Bradl rode in the race with carbon fibre chassis additions.

Espargaro shines

For KTM the timesheets made for good reading with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as he ended the day in fourth, 0.735 off P1 after 63 laps, with team-mate Johann Zarco in P16 after 71.

They tested chassis parts, chassis settings and some engine parts.

Different Dovizioso!

Ducati were not inside the top ten by the end of the day.

Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) was P11 after 52 laps with a best of 1'37.601, but he was not trying any particular new parts, instead focusing on big set-up changes they had not use time for during a race weekend.