FIM MotoGP World Championship
Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli
Rimini, San Marino
21.-22. September 2021
Unofficial combined lap times from both days (all on Michelin tires):
- Francesco Bagnaia, Italy (Ducati), 1: 31.524
- Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1: 31.584
- Pol Espargaro, Spain (Honda), 1: 31.631
- Joan Mir, Spain (Suzuki), 1: 31.707
- Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), 1: 31.735
- Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), 1: 31.798
- Fabio Quartararo, France (Yamaha), 1: 31.959
- Luca Marini, Italy (Ducati), 1: 31.998
- Maverick Vinales, Spain (Aprilia), 1: 32.002
- Jorge Martin, Spain (Ducati), 1: 32.135
- Miguel Oliveira, Portugal (KTM), 1: 32.136
- Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1: 32.151
- Brad Binder, South Africa (KTM), 1: 32.169
- Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha), 1: 32.170
- Alex Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1: 32.259
- Michele Pirro, Italy (Ducati), 1: 32.331 *
- Johann Zarco, France (Ducati), 1: 32.348
- Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), 1: 32.352
- Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Yamaha), 1: 32.635
- Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Yamaha), 1: 32.665
- Iker Lecuona, Spain (KTM), 1: 32.751
- Enea Bastianini, Italy (Ducati), 1: 32.837
- Dani Pedrosa, Spain (KTM), 1: 32.959 *
- Danilo Petrucci, Italy (KTM), 1: 33.526
- Raul Fernandez, Spain (KTM), 1: 33.988 *
- Lorenzo Savadori, Italy (Aprilia), 1: 34.043 *
- Sylvain Guintoli, France (Suzuki), 1: 34.141 *
- Stefan Bradl, Germany (Honda), 1: 34.280 *
- Remy Gardner, Australia (KTM), 1: 34.641 *
* = Test driver
More from a press release from Dorna:
Aprilia top Day 2, Honda continues to steal the headlines at Misano
Aleix Espargaro overshadows Pecco’s best Day 1 on the timesheets, and there’s a lot more to discuss as Day 2 ends
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro (41) was the fastest on the second day. Photo courtesy of Dorna.
Much to everyone’s delight, the weather played along on day 2 of the official Misano MotoGP ™ test, as each factory was able to collect valuable time on the track and more new parts were introduced on Wednesday. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) finished the combined timesheets with a 1: 31.524 on Day 1 at the top, but it is Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini who topped the timesheets on Day 2, 0.080 from Bagnaia’s best on Wednesday since the Italians stayed consistently fast.
However, the two-day schedule mainly made headlines for the new parts and upgrades on display, and none had more to test out than Honda. Test driver Stefan Bradl rolled out of the pits on a damp Tuesday morning with a radically new RC213V, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) drove out that afternoon as conditions brightened. Outwardly noticeable differences were the shape of the air inlet, the tail unit and the positioning of the exhaust.
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy of Dorna.
Then, on Wednesday morning, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) ventured onto the bike that Marc Marquez and Bradl were seen lapping on, while the number 93 also lapped on another new Honda – a little different again, with a different air intake. Marc Marquez also rode the new bike with the current 2021 Aero package, which Honda has been using since the German GP, and Pol Espargaro tested it with the new Aero. He also did his best lap in the FP4 Wednesday session on a new bike, a 1: 32.105. He finished day 2 in sixth with a better lap from the morning, with teammate MM93 in 10th place.
LCR Honda CEO Lucio Cecchinello announced that Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) has been working on the weight distribution of his motorcycle and that they have found an attitude he is more comfortable with. The two-time world champion also tested the normal, carbon-bound chassis and the chassis that Marc Marquez and Espargaro have been using again and again since Assen. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) worked – again according to Cecchinello – with the aero package, which was first seen at the Sachsenring, and his two motorcycles were equipped with the carbon-bound HRC chassis. The Japanese impressed on Wednesday with a 1: 31.735 in fourth.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy of Dorna.
On the first day at Ducati, the Bologna brand presented two new aero packages. The first is similar to the one they’ll be using in 2021, but the second splits the second winglet into two different elements, meaning that the aero package is a total of four elements when the downwash duct is included at the bottom of the fairing .
Bagnaia and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) tested the various aerodynamic packages one after the other over the two days in Misano, with a crash on day 1 not affecting Pecco’s schedule. The Italian finished just before lunch on Wednesday, 0.080 behind Aleix Espargaro. Miller finished fifth on Day 2.
Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) tested the new Ducati Aero and the works duo, while teammate Johann Zarco drove home after Day 1 to undergo an arm pump operation – successfully completed – and the Frenchman was replaced by test driver Michele Pirro.
It wasn’t the ideal test for Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) from San Marino, who finished on the podium. The Italian suffered a crash on both Day 1 and Day 2, on the second day he had to skip the remainder of Wednesday but the rider was fine. Bastianini’s team-mate Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia), however, had a very successful test and the Italian was able to drive faster laps than he had driven all weekend at the San Marino GP.
Alex Rins (42) with a new chassis. Photo courtesy of Dorna.
At Suzuki, reigning World Champion Joan Mir and Team Suzuki Ecstar teammate Alex Rins were both impressed by the new chassis that Suzuki brought to the Misano test on day two. So much so that it will be seen on their GSX RRs in 2021 Chassis has a carbon binding unlike the current one above.
In addition, Suzuki tested the 2022 engine, which we first saw in pre-season testing in Qatar. Test rider Sylvain Guintoli joined Mir and Rins fresh from his Bol D’Or win on Wednesday when we watched Suzuki also unveil a new side panel.
Joan Mir (36) with new side panels. Photo courtesy of Dorna.
I was able to improve something on the braking side on Day 2 that he had been missing all season, and the number 36 finished third on Wednesday. Rins confirmed that the 2022 engine appears to be a bit more powerful, but the aero package needs to be tweaked for the extra power. Rins also said he did a couple of long runs, one with the rear height stabilizer, and it looked like he would be faster with the built-in device – a solid test overall for Suzuki.
Meanwhile, Yamaha, the current world title, had a new chassis to try out, but Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team manager Massimo Meregalli said 2022 wasn’t their main focus during the two days. Fabio Quartararo was able to put the 2022 prototype to the test on Tuesday before focusing on finding some improvements for the second race at Misano in October. On day 2 he finished seventh.
Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was uninjured from two falls on Day 2 as the Italian resumed his adaptation to the 2021 YZR-M1 and got back into full shape. Morbidelli felt better than during the San Marino GP, especially with the front, according to Meregalli. Morbidelli drove 70 laps on Tuesday and Wednesday, now it’s time for a break before the Americas GP.
This was Valentino Rossi’s (46) last test as a full-time MotoGP rider. Photo courtesy of Dorna.
Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took part in his final test as a full-time rider on home turf. The nine-time world champion’s agenda included electronic adjustments to solve the traction problems he was facing. The main goal of new teammate Andrea Dovizioso was to just get used to his new bike. The Italian tested a carbon swingarm on the second day when Dovizioso completed a mammoth 130 lap on the two days.
Meregalli also confirmed that Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow will be in Aragon for two days to test the 2022 bike before heading to Jerez for a three-day test shortly thereafter. The Brit will be busy putting next year’s YZR-M1 through its paces over the next few months ahead of the 2022 pre-season test in Jerez after the Valencia GP.
KTM’s Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy of Dorna.
After a quiet opening day, day 2 was a busy day for KTM. A new aero package and air intake have been introduced: the intake is larger and the aero package has an additional set of blades lower than the 2021 RC16. Additionally, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had another all black motorcycle, but the aero, air intake and fairing shape are the same as the regular motorcycle – which could mean the Austrian factory had something new internally. Oliveira finished ninth on day 2 and teammate Brad Binder 12th.
Remy Gardner (87). Photo courtesy of Dorna.
The other big news on Day 2 was the debut of Moto2 ™ title contender Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and team-mate Raul Fernandez. Both will join the ranks of Tech3 KTM Factory Racing at the end of the season, and it comes as no surprise that the duo more than enjoyed their first outing on a MotoGP ™ bike. Both were impressive in terms of pace, despite Gardner crashing, and Fernandez ended the day just over two seconds behind Aleix Espargaro’s fastest time.
Raul Fernández (25). Photo courtesy of Dorna.
The Timesheets told a good story for Aprilia, and the Noale factory first launched some new, smaller and thinner aero on test rider Lorenzo Savadori’s bike on the first day of testing. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was the first rider out on the track as the Spaniard continued to get used to his new bike, try different setups and improve the overall pace. With 0.7 s the number 12 made good progress on the two days and finished on P8 on Wednesday. Viñales has not tried anything for 2022 in the 149 laps he drove during the test.
Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, has tried some new aerodynamic configurations and other new parts for the 2022 bike, including some front fairing developments. The Spaniard confirmed that he and Aprilia have taken a step forward, with the fastest lap of the day showing good marks.
A busy, exciting and very interesting Misano test is over! Next up for the MotoGP ™ paddock is a trip to Austin and the Circuit of the Americas for the 15th round of the 2021 World Championship. So be there next weekend at the PS rodeo.