Two impressive gaps for the men at the top characterised Day 2 of the Moto2 and Moto3 Test at Losail International Circuit, with Jorge Martin dominating in the intermediate class and Filip Salač doing the same in the lightweight class.
In Moto2, Martin went fastest with some authority, with the Spaniard bouncing back from some injury struggles sustained in Jerez to top the timesheets from Australian Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) by over three tenths. Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) was third quickest, with American Joe Roberts once again up in the mix as he put his American Racing Team Kalex in fourth.
Day 2 saw Martin and Gardner strike late to head to the top, with both feeling better as the day went on and Martin managing it despite a crash.
Behind the two at the top, Bulega, and Roberts, Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completed the top five, just ahead of Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP). Rookie Aron Canet (Aspar Team) was back to his old tricks from the Jerez test and slots into an impressive P7, ahead of Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) despite a small spill for the Italian.
Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Day 1’s quickest man, Jorge Navarro (Speed Up Racing), completed the top ten – just knocking the returning Hafizh Syahrin (Aspar Team) down to P11 as the Malaysian seems to be finding his feet in the class once again.
In Moto3, Salač made a serious mark on the Qatar Test on Saturday, with the Czech rider finishing the day over half a second clear of the chasing pack led by Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). Salač was the only man into the 2:04s with a 2:04.892, with Foggia 0.585 off and Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) only another 0.010 in arrears.
The timesheets were close from second down, with Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) in fourth and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in fifth only split by half a tenth – and Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) made for close company in sixth, too.
Albert Arenas (Aspar Team) was the leading KTM in seventh but only just, with Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) taking P8. Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), who has a little less experience of the venue after sitting out the 2019 edition due to his age, was ninth quickest, with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) completing the top ten – the fastest rookie.
Two of Jerez’s standout performers, Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), were P11 and P12.