Jerez MotoGP Test Results - Thursday lap times (2pm)

Lap times as of 2pm 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 10m and concludes at 6pm with Nakagami, fastest since the start of testing, spending time on both a 2021 and 2022 RCV...

2021 Jerez MotoGP Test - Thursday (2pm)
Pos RiderNatTeamTimeLap
1=Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)1m 37.713s4/40
2=Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP)+0.084s22/28
3=Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.097s28/42
4^5Maverick VinalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.148s32/44
5^5Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.307s34/41
6˅2Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP)+0.329s6/29
7˅2Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP)+0.372s29/45
8˅2 Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.419s5/33
9˅2Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.452s19/24
10˅2Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.494s18/36
11=Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.633s6/31
12=Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+0.767s6/39
13=Luca MariniITAVR46 Ducati (GP)+0.784s35/35
14=Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP)+1.036s22/28
15=Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.080s4/39
16=Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+1.113s4/25
17=Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)+1.246s20/27
18=Mika KallioFINKTM Test Rider (RC16)+1.563s6/29
19=Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP)+1.786s11/25
20=Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Test Rider (RS-GP)+2.121s5/9
21=Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+2.477s29/31
22=Takuya TsudaJPNSuzuki Test Rider (GSX-RR)+3.223s22/28
23=Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+3.685s13/20
24^1Fabio di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP)*+4.792s24/26
25˅1Marco BezzecchiITAVR46 Ducati (GP)*+4.801s21/21
26=Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*+5.848s20/27


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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