The 2012 Moto2™ and Moto3™ season is set to get underway with a three day test at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, from February 8th to the 10th, which will see over 60 bikes on the track.
Among those Moto2 teams scheduled to attend the test in Valencia are the Aspar Team with 2010 Moto2 Champion Toni Elias making his return to the class teamed up with 2011 125cc World Champion Nicolas Terol, who continues learning the new machinery ahead of his debut in the class.
Last year’s 125cc runner up Johann Zarco will also be testing ahead of his first Moto2 season, with JiR Moto2 team mate and World Championship newcomer Eric Granado joining him. Pons Racing with their three rider line up of Pol Espargaró, Axel Pons and Tito Rabat will be in force, as will Bradley Smith and Xavier Simeon of Tech 3 Racing.
Elena Rosell is teamed up with Australian rider Damian Cudlin with the QMMF Racing team, and both will be testing the team Moriwaki bikes as the two step into the category as full time riders following several wildcard appearances each in the class.
Speed Master representative Andrea Iannone will be testing an FTR chassis modified by Speed Up after riding a Suter chassis last season, while Scott Redding and Mika Kallio will continue testing the Kalex machinery they will run in 2012 on the Marc VDS Racing Team, as will Claudio Corti and Takaaki Nakagami on the Italtrans Racing Team.
The Gresini Racing Moto2 team will test with riders Ratthapark Wilairot and British rider Gino Rea, who makes his debut in the World Championship following a successful test in Jerez with the team, while Ricky Cardus will be contesting this year with the Arguiñano Racing Team, replacing the earlier signed rider Kenny Noyes.
Avintia Racing will have former 125cc World Champion Julian Simón present as their Moto2 representative, while Technomag-CIP brings Roberto Rolfo back into the World Championship, paired with Dominique Aegerter.
Absent from the meeting will be CatalunyaCaixa Repsol Moto2 rider Marc Marquez, who is recovering from eye surgery to resolve vision issues he has been suffering since a crash in Malaysia last year.
Preparations for the debut season of the Moto3 category in 2012 continue, with teams such as Avintia Racing’s Maverick Viñales as a season favorite in their Moto3 effort, Hector Faubel and Alberto Moncayo from Aspar Team Moto3, and the three rider line up of the Red Bull KTM Ajo Team: Sandro Cortese, Danny Kent and newcomer Arthur Sissus.
Missing from the Moto3 class will be Alex Rins, the Spanish rider making his debut this season on the Monlau Competicion team at the side of Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira. Rins is also recuperating from injury and will be replaced by Alex Marquez (younger brother to Marc).
source: MotoGP
