BRNO, Czech Republic – Fabio Quartararo and Petronas Yamaha SRT topped the MotoGP testing charts on Monday at the Brno Circuit.
The Frenchman’s 1:55.616 was fastest of all on Monday afternoon, bettering Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Vinales by .012 seconds. Vinales and his teammate Valentino Rossi were testing an early 2020 YZR-M1 prototype that the Yamaha squad hopes to campaign next year.
Franco Morbidelli was third fastest on the second Petronas Yamaha SRT bike, .139 seconds behind Quartararo.
Alex Rins was fifth fastest for Suzuki, while Cal Crutchlow was fifth fastest for LCR Honda.
Several riders were testing new parts or components their bikes. Quartararo was testing carbon forks, the same forks the factory Yamaha squad uses. Morbidelli tried a thumb brake, though his main focus was on settings aboard his bike.
Sunday’s race winner Marc Marquez had three bikes to ride during the test as did Crutchlow, with each bike having different parts and pieces for the riders to test out.
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir crashed 45 minutes from the end of the session, sending his bike over the fence and into the woods in turn one. Mir was airlifted to a local hospital as a precaution.