10 things you need to know from MotoGP’s 2017 Valencia test

1. Maverick Viñales didn’t ride the 2017-spec Yamaha
The Spanish sensation confirmed all his rivals’ fears when he was fast and relaxed right out of the box on his very first ride on the factory Yamaha. While he was cutting fast and consistent laps on Lorenzo’s 2016-spec machine, teammate Rossi was testing the new engine and chassis packages destined for the 2017-spec machines. While Viñales topped the timesheets both days, Rossi’s test was marred with a crash which put him behind the game and saw him finish the test seventh quickest.

2. Lorenzo’s best lap was 0.3s slower than Iannone’s qualifying lap for Sunday’s race
It’s any wonder Jorge Lorenzo had a permanent grin on his face during the two-day test where he made his long-awaited and much anticipated Ducati debut. His best time of 1:30.744 was set on the second day aboard the firm’s new GP17 machine. Still, it was less than 0.3s slower than podium place finisher Andrea Iannone’s qualifying lap of 1:30.420, and quicker than both Andreas’ fastest lap of the race when Dovizioso recorded a 1:31.317 and Iannone a 1:31.196. Not bad for a bloke who had spent his entire nine-year MotoGP career on a Yamaha.

3. Andrea Iannone spent his first lap on the Suzuki trying to do wheelies
It bought wry smiles to his new Ecstar Suzuki team members and reminded onlookers why he earned the nickname of the 'Maniac'. As other riders approached their outlaw on brand new machinery methodically and professionally, Iannone tried (somewhat unsuccessfully) to test the GSX-RR’s wheelie-ing capabilities. His first attempt came exiting just the second corner on his out lap, with another attempt happening exiting turn six.

4. Jonas Folger was the quickest of the rookies
At the end of both sessions, it was Tech3 Yamaha’s Folger who was the quickest rookie to adapt to the rigours of MotoGP machinery. In fact, he was the fastest rookie at the end of both days finishing the first day in 16th place, 1.5s behind Viñales, and improved considerably by the end of the second day reducing the gap to fast man Viñales to less than a second (0.973s adrift) climbing up to 10th fastest. His quickest time was just 0.2s slower than the quickest lap posted by Rossi.

5. Aleix Espargaro is two seconds a lap quicker than the blokes he replaced
Aprilia’s new recruit Aleix Espargaro said he was surprised by just how well the RSGP machine performed, both in terms of top speed and mid-corner stability. We reckon there were a few raised eyebrows at Aprilia, too, because the former Suzuki man’s pace at end of the test was two seconds a lap quicker than the fastest time both Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista managed during the race a few days prior. Aprilia confirmed the bike was identical to the one which finished the 2016 season.

6. Maverick Viñales did the most laps
Viñales cut more laps than anyone else during the two-day test on his way to topping the timesheets on both days. He managed 137 laps of the 4km Ricardo Tormo Circuit which means he rode almost 550km on the 2016 YZR-M1. The hardest worker in the paddock, Estrella Galicia Marc VDS’s Tito Rabat completed the next most with 133 laps, followed by Marc Marquez who posted 131 and Lorenzo who managed 126 laps.

7. Lorenzo’s dad got a little catty
It was on social media that Lorenzo’s dad couldn’t help but stand up for his son with a very public dig at Rossi. Unsurprisingly, Lorenzo’s strong debut on the Ducati was being compared directly to Rossi’s lacklustre debut some five years ago. Journalists pointed out that a direct comparison was probably not a fair match up, considering how different the GP17 is to the troubled GP11 to which Papa Lorenzo replied along the lines of: ‘You’re right, this bike has only won two GPs, the GP11 had won 25!’

8. Marc Marquez wasn’t trying, honest
At the end of proceedings, Marquez insisted he didn’t attempt to set a fast lap at the end of the session despite visibly attempting to do so. “We, maybe, don’t make a time attack,” he said at the beginning of his post-race interview, before repeating his stance at the conclusion saying, “Instead of time attack I was doing long runs.” The 2016 world champ finished 0.196s behind Viñales.

9. Casey Stoner and Lorenzo hugged
It was mid-afternoon on the second day of the test, Lorenzo had adapted well to the once notoriously difficult Italian prototype and the relief was evident when Lorenzo and Stoner shared a heartfelt hug as the Aussie bid his farewells. We can only imagine what went through Rossi’s mind if he looked up at the screen and witnessed the moment shared by two of his most recent and bitter rivals. Bring on 2017!

10. Suzuki mechanics had the most work to do
Two very big crashes on the same corner by both Suzuki newcomers means Suzuki mechanics are probably still repairing bikes. MotoGP rookie Alex Rins went first, and though he walked away from the scene was transferred to hospital by ambulance where it was discovered he’d injured vertebrae and will be forced to miss the test later this month. Iannone went down in the same corner a few laps later and, after both bikes slammed into the tyre wall, the red flags came out postponing the session for 45 minutes while the dangers were assessed and rectified. Rins is expected to make a full recovery.