MotoGP Results: Thrills and spills as Vinales tops pre-Jerez test

The 2020 MotoGP season is finally underway with Maverick Vinales picking up where he left off by topping Wednesday's refesher test ahead of Jerez opener.

Maverick Vinales - Yamaha [1200]
Maverick Vinales - Yamaha [1200]

Maverick Vinales officially heralded the resumption of MotoGP action in 2020 by topping the first full group test since the season was halted way back in March due to the unfolding coronavirus pandemic.

Four months later and the MotoGP field has gathered for the first of two races in Jerez on back-to-back weekends, which forms the opening stages of what will be at least a 13-round calendar.

With the short sharp season set to throw another dynamic into the mix, a fast start from today’s single ‘refresher’ test could make all the difference.

Following the theme of pre-season testing, Vinales was quickest of all on the Yamaha M1, ahead of future team-mate Fabio Quartararo on the satellite Petronas SRT machine.

With none of the physical concerns that dogged his original pre-season preparations, Marc Marquez worked on bringing the latest RC213V up to speed following a tumultuous development period but looked back to his best in third.

Suzuki pair Alex Rins and Joan Mir were evenly matched in fourth and fifth positions, ahead of top Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia and Johann Zarco, the Frenchman showing well ahead of his debut for Avintia Ducati.

Aleix Espargaro showed encouraging pace for eighth on the new Aprilia, though question marks over its reliability remain after the RS-GP spewed oil and took down Alex Marquez and Danilo Petrucci in the process. 

The latter was taken to the medical centre but after managing only 20th fastest in the morning, adds pressure onto a Ducati factory team contending with the already injured Andrea Dovizioso.

Pol Espargaro - KTM Factory Racing
Pol Espargaro - KTM Factory Racing

2020 MotoGP Pre-event testing results 

Jerez 2020 MotoGP Test Results - [Wednesday]
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Maverick ViñalesSPAMonster Energy Yamaha MotoGP1m 37.793
2Fabio QuartararoFRAPetronas Yamaha SRT1m 37.911
3Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda Team1m 38.021
4Alex RinsSPATeam Suzuki Ecstar1m 38.317
5Joan MirESPTeam Suzuki Ecstar1m 38.380
6Francesco BagnaiaITAPramac Ducati1m 38.417
7Johann ZarcoFRAReale Avintia Racing Ducati1m 38.513
8Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing Team Gresini1m 38.549
9Pol EspargaroSPARed Bull KTM Factory Racing1m 38.592
10Franco MorbidelliITAPetronas Yamaha SRT1m 38.646
11Jack MillerAUSPramac Ducati1m 38.676
12Andrea DoviziosoITADucati Team1m 38.779
13Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM Factory Racing1m 39.016
14Cal CrutchlowGBRLCR Honda1m 39.055
15Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda1m 39.063
16Valentino RossiITAMonster Energy Yamaha MotoGP1m 39.302
17Iker LecuonaESPRed Bull KTM Tech31m 39.346
18Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM Tech31m 39.364
19Alex MarquezESPRepsol Honda Team1m 39.378
20Tito RabatESPReale Avintia Racing Ducati1m 39.407
21Bradley SmithGBRAprilia Racing Team Gresini1m 39.456
22Danilo PetrucciITADucati Team1m 40.362

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