Bezzecchi fastest in post-race Jerez MotoGP test

Monday’s eight-hour session at Jerez is one of two scheduled in-season tests in 2023, with factories rolling out a number of notable updates to try.

The early part of the test saw three riders – Fabio Quartararo, Aleix Espargaro and Jonas Folger – try a radio system where race direction warnings were fed to them.

The idea is for this to be used as an extra warning system for riders in case of an incident, with Quartararo noting that the system has potential to be useful but needs some refinement.

The Yamaha rider topped the opening hour of the session with a 1m37.304s as he tested a new double-headed exhaust and a new aerodynamic package.

He was replaced at the top of the standings by Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin at the end of hour two, who found a 1m37.089s, before Quartararo reinstalled himself at the head of the pack with a 1m36.725s at the halfway point.

This stood as the benchmark until the final hour, when Bezzecchi on his year-old Ducati produced a 1m36.574s that would keep his fastest of all when the chequered flag fell at 6pm local time.

He headed VR46 team-mate Luca Marini by 0.104 seconds, with Quartararo rounding out the top three.

Fabio Di Giannantonio was fourth on the Gresini Ducati from Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales, who completed the most laps of the day with 94, and Spanish GP winner Francesco Bagnaia on the factory team Ducati.

Aleix Espargaro was seventh on his Aprilia from Jerez sprint winner Brad Binder on the first of the KTMs, Martin and Gresini’s Alex Marquez.

Takaaki Nakagami led the Honda charge in 12th for LCR as HRC finally debuted its long-awaited Kalex chassis.

Test rider Stefan Bradl did the honours, though the German did crash while using the new frame and ended the day in 19th.

There were crashes for fellow Honda riders Joan Mir – who had a new aero kit to try – and LCR’s Alex Rins, who was testing a different chassis.

Mir was 15th, with Rins 17th, while Johann Zarco (Pramac) and KTM’s Jack Miller slotted in ahead of Mir.

Aprilia drafted in Lorenzo Savadori to do some testing at RNF to replace Miguel Oliveira, who dislocated his shoulder in a crash in the grand prix on Sunday.