Jerez MotoGP Test Results - Thursday lap times (5pm)

Lap times as of 5pm during the opening day of the final official 2021 MotoGP test, at Jerez.
Takaaki Nakagami, Jerez MotoGP test, 18 November 2021
Takaaki Nakagami, Jerez MotoGP test, 18 November 2021
© Gold and Goose

Following's Sunday's Valencia season finale, MotoGP teams have travelled to Jerez for a two-day test and the last official track action of 2021.

Marc Marquez is absent as he continues treatment for double-vision problems, while Repsol Honda team-mate Pol Espargaro is back on track after withdrawing from Valencia due to rib pain from a huge Saturday highside.

The main task for the factory riders is to continue development work on their 2022 prototypes, which in the case of Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki and Honda can feature engine upgrades for the first time since the Covid technical freeze at the start of 2020.

KTM's engine was frozen at the start of 2021, when it left Concessions, while Aprilia has been free to develop this year.

The test marks the debut of the new VR46 Ducati team, plus the heavily revised RNF Yamaha (formerly SRT) and Gresini Ducati (formerly partnered with Aprilia) squads.

After finishing the 2021 season on an A-Spec bike, Andrea Dovizioso has a 2022-spec M1 at RNF, with Darryn Binder on the 2021 model.

All five of next year's rookies are in action, reigning Moto2 champion Remy Gardner and Tech3 team-mate Raul Fernandez making their second appearances on the RC16 after some laps at the Misano test, while Binder (RNF), Fabio di Giannantonio (Gresini) and Marco Bezzecchi (VR46) get their first taste of MotoGP.

Testing began at 10am and concludes at 6pm, with Takaaki Nakagami dominating the top of the timesheets for much of the day, courtesy of an early lap time on the 2021 Honda, before switching to the 2022 prototype.

New Gresini rider Enea Bastianini, upgraded from a GP19 to GP21 this season, Ducati title runner-up Francesco Bagnaia and Aprilia's Maverick Vinales briefly moved ahead of the Japanese before Nakagami responded with a 1m 37.313s just after 4pm. Pramac Ducati's Johann Zarco has also made progress to second as the final hour begins...

2021 Jerez MotoGP Test - Thursday (5pm)
Pos RiderNatTeamTimeLap
1^3Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)1m 37.313s51/58
2^4Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP)+0.043s78/78
3˅2Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP)+0.089s38/51
4˅2Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP)+0.102s47/68
5˅2Maverick VinalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.361s56/72
6˅1Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.497s28/76
7= Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.571s46/56
8^9Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP)+0.689s53/61
9˅1Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.707s34/73
10˅1Luca MariniITAVR46 Ducati (GP)+0.836s50/58
11^3Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP)+0.839s52/61
12˅2Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.852s19/45
13˅2Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.881s59/71
14˅2Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.894s18/45
15˅2Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.999s61/67
16˅1Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.033s6/45
17˅1Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.167s6/71
18=Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)+1.285s40/49
19^3Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.770s56/57
20˅1Mika KallioFINKTM Test Rider (RC16)+1.963s6/67
21˅1Sylvain GuintoliFRASuzuki Test Rider (GSX-RR)+2.183s20/43
22^3Fabio di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP)*+2.315s48/48
23˅2Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Test Rider (RS-GP)+2.414s25/34
24˅1Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+2.857s34/52
25^1Marco BezzecchiITAVR46 Ducati (GP)*+3.525s42/45
26˅2Takuya TsudaJPNSuzuki Test Rider (GSX-RR)+3.623s22/28
27=Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*+4.436s35/43

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than previous hour.
= Rider is same position as previous hour.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than previous hour.

* Rookie

Official Jerez MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Maverick Vinales SPA Yamaha 1m 36.584s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 37.770s (2021)

By Peter McLaren

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