The Moto2 and 125cc riders got a break on Saturday, the weather gods deciding to, if not exactly smile, then at least hold off on the punishment for the second day of the IRTA test at Jerez. The paddock awoke to clear skies, but the cool temperatures and strong wind was hardly conducive to posting fast times, the track still damp and treacherous in patches until well into the afternoon.
The state of the track was illustrated best by the times posted by the 125cc riders. Nico Terol on the startlingly lime green Bankia Aspar continues to dominate the 125 class, though his times are still 1.5 seconds off lap record pace. The opposition is starting to close in, however. Racing Team Germany's Sandro Cortese got within a tenth of a second of last year's runner up, and even led during part of the session, something which has not happened very often so far during pre-season testing. Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales - probably one of the best names for a motorcycle racer for a long time - once again put in an impressive day's testing, keeping hot on the heels of Terol and raising hopes among the Spanish media. The only concern about the Spanish and European 125 champion is how he will fare once the paddock leaves Spain and heads abroad. He has a lot of learning to do.
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