Source: Supplied.

Several Moto2 and Moto3 World Championship riders gathered in Jerez, Spain, for a private test last week as part of their initial preparations for the 2016 season.

A total of nine riders – seven from the Moto2 class and two from the Moto3 class – took to the Jerez circuit for three days of testing.

Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) had set the pace on Thursday with a 1m42.333s, but it was Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) who led on Friday as he continued to learn the Kalex.

A time of 1m42.432s secured the Brit the top spot on Friday, improving by a tenth from his best time of Thursday. Behind Lowes by just over a tenth was Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) with Moto2 returnee Danny Kent (Leopard Racing) setting the third fastest time with 1m42.565s.

In fourth was Luis Salom (SAG) followed by Moto2 rookie Miguel Oliveira (Leopard Racing) and Jesko Raffin (SAG). Isaac Viñales (Tech 3) set a 1m44.834s to end Friday in seventh as he learns the Mistral 610 Moto2 machine.

Meanwhile, Brad Binder was the faster of the two Moto3 riders present at the test. The South African was able to lap below the circuit and pole position record with a 1m46.591s. Binder’s rookie Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Bo Bendsneyder continued to adapt to the world championship spec KTM after dominating the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2015.