Pol Espargaró is the fastest in the Moto2 test in Valencia

The Moto2 World Championship test got underway yesterday, kicking off the 2013 season, just one day after closing the 2012 season, so it was full throttle and hard work at the Cheste Circuit, where many of the riders and teams have already started work for what promises to be a spectacular next season of the World Championship after what we saw in 2012.

Fortunately, the rain that had been forecast did not appear during the morning training session, and we were able to see new developments on the Valencia track. One of the first out on track was the Briton Scott Redding of Marc VDS Racing Team, working on setting up his bike, along with other regular riders in this category such as Nico Terol, who is still at the controls of his machine for MapFre Aspar Team.

We also saw on track the Tech 3 Racing team, which is debuting its two riders this season, backing Frenchman Louis Rossi and Briton Danny Kent, so there are new faces for them in this Moto2 category, which welcomes these two riders just promoted from Moto3. Among the most notable changes on the grid is that of our Julián Simón, who is now integrated into the Italtrans Racing team, and we also saw Toni Elías with Blusens Avintia.

Plenty of action in these first hours with the track dry after several days of rain, and we also saw more新 faces such as Simone Corsi and Mattia Pasini in the colours of Mobile NGM Forward Racing, Mike Di Meglio with JiR Moto2, and the debut of Johann Zarco with the IodaRacing Project team. Some other newcomers in the paddock include Kyle Smith, the CEV rider who has ridden for Blusens, and Doni Tata Pradita with Thai PTT Honda Gresini Moto2.

So there is a lot of work and testing, the world runner-up and his teammates have already begun trying many things such as swingarm, clutch and new tyres, so progress is being made, although today the 40 suffered a small scare with a fall, as did Marcel Schrotter, Kyle Smith, Mike di Meglio, Marcel Schrotter and Rafid Topan Sucinto, but luckily with no physical consequences for any of them.

As for times, although they are not official because there is no official timing and they are the times reported by the teams, using these benchmarks the fastest was the Moto2 world runner-up, Pol Espargaró, setting a 1:34.9 after completing 84 laps of Cheste. Meanwhile, just a tenth behind, Julián Simón placed himself there; the 60 has adapted quickly to his Kalex with the Italtrans team and has ridden very fast, leaving Mika Kallio 3rd and Nico Terol 4th behind, who is still very much on form at his circuit.

Below you can see all the complete times from this day for Moto2; today it is the turn of MotoGP. Remember you can follow the training sessions on EnergyTV and mitele.es from 10:30h.