Slow start for Elias and Terol, but no worries about laptimes yet

This morning in Jerez the last official preseason test of 2012 for Moto2 riders has started. With official timers, official engines and all the riders of the intermediate category in the running. A tastes of what we can expect early next April in Qatar. After the first day there are only two more before the moment of truth. The Moto2 riders know this, so they used every hour to gather lots of information and trying to get ready for the imminent start of the MotoGP season 2012. The sun and high temperatures have accompanied the Moto2 riders from ten o’clock until four p.m. The best laptime today was posted by Thomas Lüthi.

Via trial and error, riding and more riding the Mapfre Aspar riders tried to find new solutions today at the Circuito de Jerez. Both Toni Elias and Nico Terol started the test calmly, aware that their goal is to understand the progress and taking small steps but always in the right direction. Toni has worked primarily on the development of the chassis, continuing to gain more confidence in the fast corners, and has conducted many tests. Near the end of the day he posted his fastest laptime and ended the day tenth. In turn, Nico has followed a similar work plan, also focused on improving the feeling with the front of his bike, to gain more power in the fast corners.

Toni Elías 1.43.467 (52 laps): “The temperature and conditions have been fabulous today in Jerez. This afternoon we took another step forward, as I said throughout the winter it is important not to stop, to grow and adapt to this bike. Every day we are closer to the front runners and that is very important. But still we have to improve in the fast areas of the track, because there we lose a lot, in contrast to the slow segments were we can defend ourselves very well. Let’s see if during the next two days we achieve our goal to continue to evolve gradually. Overall I am satisfied, to gain speed through the corners basically we need a bike that’s more stable on the front. Tomorrow we will continue looking for solutions to improve the fast areas. “

Nico Terol 1.44.574 (55 laps): “To be honest I would have liked to start this test with better pace, ride at least equal to what we achieved on our last visit. Halfway through the day we made many changes and little by little I’ve felt better. But certainly I can ride more comfortable with used tyres. Honestly the laptime didn’t worry us much today, because we have developed a plan of working, thinking about the three days of testing. Today we had to put everything in place and work on the base, tomorrow we continue testing things with other approaches. On the first day we tried to set up a very stable bike that gave me confidence when opening the throttle in the fast corners. That is the way forward for tomorrow. Tomorrow we’ll be testing a different front tyre from the one we have been using. “

Source: Aspar Team