Private MotoGP Test In Jerez: Andrea Dovizioso To Get First Ride On Aprilia RS-GP

Monday sees the start of three days of activity at the Jerez ciruit, as first the MotoE teams, and then MotoGP test teams get to work at the Andalusian circuit. Alongside the full MotoE grid - it is an official MotoE test - the test teams of Aprilia, Honda, KTM, and Yamaha will be present at the track.

Though the MotoE test is an official event, a one-day official test or the electric motorcycle class, and will consequently have live timing available via the MotoGP.com website, the MotoGP part of the test is a private test, and will therefore run without coverage, and without transponders. The MotoGP test teams will be at Jerez from Monday through Wednesday, sharing the track on the first day with the MotoE teams (and making use of the dead track time while the Energica machines are recharging between sessions), before having the track to themselves for the final two days of the test.

Though there will be no official coverage of the test, media interest in the test is high. For alongside KTM's Dani Pedrosa, Honda rider Stefan Bradl (now demoted to test rider again with the return to competition of Marc Marquez), Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow, and Lorenzo Savadori, Andrea Dovizioso will be making his debut aboard the Aprilia RS-GP. The ex-Ducati veteran will be getting his first taste of what from the Qatar test and races looks like being a competitive bike.

The test is the first of two which Dovizioso is scheduled to have with Aprilia. The Italian is also due to try the RS-GP at Mugello in May, and despite protestations to the contrary by both sides, the test is widely seen as a way for the two sides to assess one another. Aprilia gets a look at how Dovizioso works, and Dovizioso gets to see exactly how competitive the RS-GP really is.

The rider who won't be at Jerez, at least not on a MotoGP bike, is Marc Marquez. There had been rumors that the Spaniard could ride at Jerez, but the MotoGP rules make it clear that private testing is only allowed at a two-day private test already planned for later in the year. If Marquez were to attend, he could ride the Honda RC213V-S street bike, of course. But so far, it looks like Marquez is saving himself for his MotoGP return at Portimao on Friday.