Alonso Lopez prints a 1’33”061 which is worth the Valencia track record, canceling both the pole position of Aron Canet (2nd with Fantic Racing) and the fastest lap in the race by Fermin Aldeguer. In Moto3 the protagonist is Dani Holgado, who shatters the record by 1″
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Without mincing words, Pirelli began the era in Moto2 and Moto3 by setting the fastest lap times ever. On Monday 27 November 2023, dedicated to testing the aforementioned categories of the MotoGP, the Italian tires show their full potential on the Valencia track. This is, in fact, the first official test ahead of the 2024 season, as well as the beginning of the Pirelli era in the World Championship. Three sessions available for each category and at the end of the day the combined rankings rewarded Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp – Boscoscuro) in Moto2 and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull Ktm Tech3) in Moto3 with record times. All riders used Diablo Superbike slick tires in soft and medium compounds for both the front and rear. In Moto2 in size 125/70 R17 front and 200/65 R17 rear, in Moto3 100/70 R17 front and 120/70 R17 rear. The surprising thing is that these are standard tires and not prototypes, meaning that they can be purchased by anyone because they are regularly on sale.
Moto2: Alonso Lopez’s record lap
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Alonso Lopez was the fastest rider of the day in Moto2 with a time of 1’33”061, a new all-time record lap in Valencia in this category. Lopez set the best time in the first session on his 24th lap of 26 laps completed, lowering by two tenths the record set by Fermin Aldeguer this year in free practice 3 (1’33″264). Second best time overall for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), author of the pole position on Saturday in 1’33″314, while third is Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools Speed Up – Boscoscuro), winner of the Valencia race on Sunday. Twelfth time for the Moto3 world champion Jaume Masià (Pertamina Mandalika Sag Team). Moto2 debut also for Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), Ayumu Sasaki (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull Ktm Ajo) and Xavi Artigas (Forward Team).
Moto3: Holgado fastest of all
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Daniel Holgado (Red Bull Ktm Tech3), with a time of 1’37”300, was the fastest in Moto3, even improving the class record lap by a second. Holgado “signed the fastest time” in the second session at the 13th of 17 laps, shattering Darryn Binder’s previous record (1’38″286) from 2020. The goodness of the Pirelli tires – combined with the technical upgrades brought in view of 2024 – are confirmed by the time of José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull Ktm Ajo), just over three tenths behind Holgado. Third best time of the day in the combined classification for David Alonso (Gaviota Gas Gas Aspar Team). Good day’s work also for rookies David Almansa (Rivacold Snipers Team), Ángel Piqueras (Leopard Racing), Luca Lunetta (Sic58 Squadra Corse), Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull Ktm Ajo) and Eddie O’Shea (VisionTrack Racing Team).
Start of sprint
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“We are very satisfied with the results obtained in this first official 2024 test with the Moto2 and Moto3 riders and teams,” declared Giorgio Barbier, Racing Moto Pirelli director. “For us the objective was to confirm the good impressions seen at the beginning of September on the Montmelò circuit. On that occasion, since it was a private test, no official times were provided, whereas today it was possible to make a direct comparison with the times of the weekend just gone, in substantially similar weather conditions and temperatures. Achieving the fastest laps ever for this track in the respective championships, in the case of Moto3 even improving it by a second, is certainly clear and easily quantifiable proof of the excellent performance that our tires are able to guarantee. Some drivers completed (using the same set of tyres) more laps than those done in the race, even if not consecutive, with low drops and levels of wear. All the compounds performed well, clearly the softer ones are generally the ones that allowed the riders to achieve their best times. We know that the tests, however representative, are never like a race weekend and that each track has its own story, but we can say that the conditions for doing a good job next season are all there”, concluded Barbier.
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