Edwards debuts Suter-BMW
An action-filled first day of private testing at Jerez featured Colin Edwards debuting the Suter-BMW CRT on Wednesday.
Over a dozen riders gathered at the Andalusian track in a three-day test that featured MotoGP, CRT and Moto2 bikes on track together.
Despite prevalent rain earlier in the week, the first day of testing was held under sun and clear skies, encouraging the riders to squeeze
all they could from the eight hours of work allotted to them each test day.
Edwards wrapped up his first experience aboard CRT machinery riding the BMW-powered Suter CRT bike of his new team for 2012, NGM Forward
Racing. The experienced Texan posted a best time of 1'43.9 during his 39 laps, in his first day of track action since getting injured in the
tragic accident that claimed the life of Marco Simoncelli at Sepang. The American was absent for both the Grand Prix of Valencia and
end-of-season official test held directly after at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit.
Sharing the track was Yonny Hernandez, who took to the controls of the Kawasaki-powered BQR FTR motorcycle to turn out a best lap of
1.45.7, and Ivan Silva, who was crowned the Stock Extreme Champion in the Spanish Championship CEV on Sunday, who rode the prototype Inmotec
machine to register an unofficial time of 1'45.5 within 40 laps.
Also present was Ducati Team, though without their official riders. Instead the GP12 was put through its paces in the hands of World
Superbike champion Carlos Checa and regular Ducati test rider Franco Battaini. The two riders lapped aboard the 2012 1000cc Desmosedici
sporting an aluminum frame, although their times were not disclosed.
Several teams from the Moto2 class were present to give their new riders time aboard their new machinery, among them the Aspar Team with
riders Nico Terol and former Moto2 World Champion, Toni Elías. The two focused primarily on bike geometry and set-up, with Elías putting
in a remarkable 104 laps aboard the 600cc bike.
Scott Redding and Mika Kallio of the Marc VDS Racing Team continued to familiarise themselves with the Kalex Moto2 that the team will run
next year. Redding had a crash early in the day but was unhurt. Also taking a fall in the morning was Pol Espargaró of the Pons Racing
team, the Catalan rider was also uninjured and was able to continue the day's testing alongside team mate Esteve Rabat.
Unofficial times - Day one
MotoGP
Colin Edwards (NGM Forward Racing) 1.43.9 (39 laps)
Iván Silva (Inmotec) 1.45.5 (40 laps)
Yonni Hernández (BQR-FTR Kawasaki) 1.45.7 (28 laps)
Moto2
Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team) 1.42.9 (52 laps)
Pol Espargaró (Pons Racing) 1.43.3 (45 laps)
Esteve Rabat (Pons Racing) 1.43.3 (57 laps)
Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team) 1.43.9 (50 laps)
Gino Rea (Gresini Team) 1.43.9 (57 laps)
Bradley Smith Tech 3) 1.44.0 (60 laps)
Toni Elías (Aspar Team) 1.44.2 (104 laps)
Axel Pons (Pons Racing) 1.44.7 (50 laps)
Alex De Angelis (Forward Racing) 1.44.9
Yuki Takahashi (Forward Racing) 1.44.9 (42 laps)
Xavier Simeon (Tech 3) 1.45.2 (67 laps)
Nico Terol (Aspar Team) 1.45.6 (63 laps)