Portimao MotoGP test times - Wednesday (Session 1)
Ahead of the inaugural Portimao MotoGP round on November 20-22, a two-day test and track familiarisation outing is taking place at the Portuguese circuit on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ahead of the inaugural Portimao MotoGP round on November 20-22, a two-day test and track familiarisation outing is taking place at the Portuguese circuit on Wednesday and Thursday.
Factory test riders from all six MotoGP manufacturers are present - Dani Pedrosa (KTM), Jorge Lorenzo (making only his second appearance for Yamaha this season), Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki), Stefan Bradl (Honda), Michele Pirro (Ducati), Bradley Smith (Aprilia) and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) - to gather tyre and set-up data for the season finale. Lorenzo is still riding a 2019-spec Yamaha.
Joining them today are most of the MotoGP race riders, attending to learn the circuit using street bikes before heading straight to Le Mans for this weekend's French Grand Prix.
However, only Oliveira and Binder appeared to have timing transponders fitted this morning. KTM would only confirm its race riders are on 'Superbikes', which are not part of the KTM product range, meaning they are using unbranded Superbikes from another manufacturer.
As the only manufacturer still with full Concessions, Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro is able to ride an RS-GP. The Spaniard was fastest in session 1, with a lap time under the official WorldSBKlap record, but not yet better than the pole record.
Team-mate Smith (currently replacing Andrea Iannone) will ride today before handing over to Savadori, but Bradl (replacing Marc Marquez at Repsol Honda) will test on both days before travelling to France.
Session 1 took place from 9:00-13:00, followed by a lunch break, then a second session from 14:00-17:00.
| Portimao MotoGP test times - Wednesday (Session 1) | |||||
| Rider | Nat | Team | Time | Lap | |
| 1 | Aleix Espargaro | ITA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | 1m 40.88s | 31/42 |
| 2 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati Test Rider (GP20) | +0.774s | 24/29 |
| 3 | Bradley Smith | GBR | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +1.172s | 37/39 |
| 4 | Stefan Bradl | GER | Honda Test Rider (RC213V) | +1.389s | 38/48 |
| 5 | Sylvain Guintoli | FRA | Suzuki Test Rider (GSX-RR) | +1.474s | 23/28 |
| 6 | Dani Pedrosa | SPA | KTM Test Rider (RC16) | +1.898s | 43/47 |
| 7 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (Production Bike) | +3.882s | 9/16 |
| 8 | Jorge Lorenzo | SPA | Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1) | +5.308s | 28/31 |
| 9 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (Production Bike) | +6.150s | 16/19 |
Portimao WorldSBK records:
Best lap:
Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki 1m 40.372s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki 1m 41.272s (2019)
