After the three races in Qatar, Argentina and the United States, MotoGP moves to the old continent for a long series of races. For several years now, the Spanish race in Jerez has opened this segment of the season, being one of the most popular races. The paddock resumes its most distinctive appearance with the big trucks parked in front of the boxes, exhibiting sparkling hospitality areas.
Lorenzo and Dovizioso arrive in Jerez having already run a test session a month ago, making it possible to establish a basic setting to start with. This is quite important for the Spanish rider, who this year is faced with the challenge of arriving at many circuits without any previous experience with the motorcycle from Borgo Panigale, so being able to start with a predetermined setup in a hectic weekend of racing can be a big help. The test session was also beneficial for Dovizioso, making it possible during the race to concentrate on the pitch of the race and tyre wear, which in Jerez is always a problem needing to be dealt with.
In addition to the tyre wear, the Andalusian circuit puts pressure on other aspects: from the chassis due to the long series of hard corners, to the brakes, with two decelerations at turns 1 and 6 that engage the brake systems for more than 200 m. It is definitely a circuit where the rider makes the difference, and the previous test session may prove to be a real advantage.
It will be one of the home races for Barberá and Bautista, but also for their teams (Reale Avintia Racing and Aspar Team), so they will need to be watched carefully, and the same goes for Danilo Petrucci who arrives in Spain after a beautiful race in Austin.
Week-end Timetable (Local time)
Friday 5
|
Time |
Session |
09.55 - 10.40 |
FP1 |
14.05 - 14.50 |
FP2 |
Saturday 6
|
Time |
Session |
09.55 - 10.40 |
FP3 |
13.30 - 14.00 |
FP4 |
14.10 - 14.25 |
Q1 |
14.35 - 14.50 |
Q2 |
Sunday 7
|
Time |
Session |
09.40 - 10.00 |
WarmUp |
14.00 |
Race |
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