[roadracingworld.com] - MotoGP: Miller Quickest After Record-Shattering Day One in Po

[Ninjette Newsbot]

By Michael Gougis Jack Miller’s pre-season was challenging, but at the end of the first official day of the 2023 MotoGP season, he was quickest, smashing the best-ever lap time […]

The post MotoGP: Miller Quickest After Record-Shattering Day One in Portugal appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.



By Michael Gougis

Jack Miller’s pre-season was challenging, but at the end of the first official day of the 2023 MotoGP season, he was quickest, smashing the best-ever lap time at the Autodromo Internactional do Algarve in Portugal.



Fairing: KTM’s work in the aero field continues with the company’s adoption of the “fat” fairing lower design that puts more bodywork surface closer to the track at maximum lean, generating downforce (right arrow), but unlike Ducati and Aprilia, also incorporates ducting (left arrow) that helps eliminate the high-pressure zone at the very lower leading edge of the fairing. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Miller’s lap at 1:37.709 was more than a second under the existing all-time lap record of 1:38.725 set by Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia in 2021. Maverick Vinales was second-quickest, his Aprilia sporting even more new aerodynamic devices around the front wheel, and only 0.037 second back. Bagnaia was third, 0.147 second behind Miller.



Fairing And Swingarm: Aprilia continues to use the “fat” fairing lower to create downforce and clean and direct airflow under the machine when it is on its side in a corner. The manufacturer has gone a step further with wings bolted directly to the swingarm and front wheel fender (white arrows) that apply downforce directly to the tire, instead of transmitting it through the suspension as fairing-mounted aerodynamic devices do. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Aprilia Front Wheel: The front wheel winglets on the Aprilia RS-GP generate a small amount of drag but no downforce mid-corner on the upper part of the bike (left arrow designates direction of force generated by appendage) but push the front tire directly into the pavement when the bike is at maximum lean angle (right arrow). Aleix Espargaro told Roadracing World that the bike is fast, very fast, in the daunting, high-speed Turn 15 that leads onto the main straight at the Algarve. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Pol Espargaro suffered an ugly highside and became entangled with his GASGAS racebike as the bike and rider slid through the gravel. He was reported to be conscious.



Alex Marquez (73) was fast in the preseason on his new Gresini Ducati Desmosedici, and he topped the first practice session of the season. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir (seen here leading teammate Marc Marquez) was second in the first practice, ahead of Marc Marquez, who struggled to 11th. Neither ended the next session in the top 10. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Joe Roberts (16) was 12th in the second Moto2 practice session. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Sean Dylan Kelly (4) recovered from arm pump surgery during the off-season and was 18th at the end of Friday. Photo by Michael Gougis.

After years of rider objections, the gravel in the most common run-off areas at the Autodromo was replaced prior to the MotoGP riders going on track this weekend. Note how much smaller the rocks at the top of the screen are, compared to the rocks at the bottom. Photo by Michael Gougis.The post MotoGP: Miller Quickest After Record-Shattering Day One in Portugal appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.