Rain disrupts Jerez Moto2/125 testing

After the recent three-day Estoril test was virtually washed out by persistent rain, hopes that the Moto2 and 125GP field would benefit from more favourable conditions in Jerez were quickly dashed today.

The track had been open for less than two hours when rain started to fall on the Andalucian venue, curtailing any serious action as the majority of riders opted to stay in the pits.

In the limited dry track time available, British rider Scott Redding set the second quickest Moto2 time on his Marc VDS Racing machine.

The 18-year-old, who will start the second Moto2 world championship as a leading contender for the 2011 title, clocked a best time of 1.43.941 in the 17-laps he managed before the rain interrupted proceedings.

That put the Gloucestershire rider just 0.139s behind Swiss star Thomas Luthi. Yuki Takahashi was third fastest with pre-season favourite Alex de Angelis sixth and reigning 125GP world champion Marc Marquez was seventh.

Marquez, who has made an immediate impact in the 600cc four-stroke class, only completed six laps, which was the second fewest of the top ten.

Tech 3 Racing rider Bradley Smith managed 20 laps to finish in 17th position. He clocked a best time of 1.46.695 to finish five places higher up the rankings than team-mate Mike di Meglio.

Scottish rider Kev Coghlan was 25th on the timesheets, the Motorsport 69 rider one of the few to venture out in wet conditions as he completed 37-laps.

In the 125GP class, Nicolas Terol set the pace ahead of the rain intervention, the Spaniard setting a best time of 1.49.168 to finish ahead of Maverick Vinales, who is riding for the Aprilia team backed by Paris Hilton.

Taylor Mackenzie was top British rider, the Scot logging a best of 1.52.155 to finish just ahead of Danny Kent in ninth. Danny Webb was 13th on the Indian-built Mahindra Racing machine with Leicester’s Harry Stafford in 19th place.