Rising Australian motorcycle star Jack Miller experienced his first taste of a MotoGP premier class machine aboard an LCR Honda at the Velencia end of season test.
The 19-year-old geared up for his move from Moto3 to the premier class with the satellite Honda squad by completing 61 untroubled laps of the Spanish circuit on the team's 2014 Open Class specification bike.
The test came just 24 hours after Miller narrowly missed out on securing the Moto3 title by two points despite winning the final round of the season at the venue.
Although having never experienced a MotoGP bike previously, the Townsville rider didn't put a foot wrong throughout the first of the three day test, which he ended in 22nd position.
“It was a special day and I worked a lot – I did a lot of laps,” said Miller.
“I think it was one of the best days of my career. The potential of this bike is incredible: the engine, brakes, tyres … it's amazing how much grip there is on these tyres.
“I cannot wait to start again tomorrow.
“The boys of Team CWM LCR are great and I already feel at ease. I feel that together we can do a great job and I have to give my best and stay focused.”
Meanwhile, Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo topped the times with a personal best effort of 1:30.975s which was 0.143s quicker than Tech 3 Yamaha's Pol Espargaro.
Bradley Smith was third fastest with Valentino Rossi fourth on the factory Yamaha ahead of Pramac Ducati's Andrea Iannone.
The top Honda was Dani Pedrosa in sixth, while world champion Marc Marquez completed just a handful of demonstration laps alongside his brother Alex Marquez. The latter's outing was a reward for winning the Moto3 title.
Cal Crutchlow made an impressive debut on the LCR Honda in eighth. The Suzuki's of Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales were 14th and 17th quickest respectively.
The test also saw the Gresini Aprilia squad confirm its line up for the 2015 season with World Superbike star Marco Melandri joining Alvaro Bautista at the team.
Melandri, who has won five grands prix in the premier class, has been plying his trade in the World Superbike Championship for the previous four seasons.
“I was offered the chance to develop a completely new project and it is something that I have not yet done in my career since I have always had ‘inherited' bikes,” said Melandri.
“Precisely for this reason I am very intrigued by this challenge. I am working with a company and a racing department which sought me out and with which I want to continue to work in order to develop and grow a great project.”
MotoGP Valencia Post-Season Test: Day 1 Times
Position | Rider | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
1 | Jorge Lorenzo | Yamaha | 1:30.975s | 45 | |
2 | Pol Espargaro | Tech 3 Yamaha | 1:31.118s | +0.143s | 49 |
3 | Bradley Smith | Tech 3 Yamaha | 1:31.204s | +0.229s | 59 |
4 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | 1:31.250s | +0.275s | 42 |
5 | Andrea Iannone | Ducati | 1:31.465s | +0.490s | 39 |
6 | Dani Pedrosa | Honda | 1:31.602s | +0.627s | 33 |
7 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 1:31.644s | +0.669s | 46 |
8 | Cal Crutchlow | LCR Honda | 1:31.847s | +0.872s | 53 |
9 | Michele Pirro | Ducati | 1:32.054s | +1.079s | 37 |
10 | Yonny Hernandez | Pramac Ducati | 1:32.146s | +1.171s | 34 |
11 | Hector Barbera | Avintia Ducati | 1:32.190s | +1.215s | 54 |
12 | Stefan Bradl | Forward Yamaha | 1:32.209s | +1.234s | 50 |
13 | Danilo Petrucci | Pramac Ducati | 1:32.314s | +1.339s | 56 |
14 | Aleix Espargaro | Suzuki | 1:32.315s | +1.340s | 40 |
15 | Scott Redding | Marc VDS Honda | 1:32.998s | +2.023s | 36 |
16 | Alex de Angelis | Ioda Aprilia | 1:33.132s | +2.157s | 56 |
17 | Maverick Vinales | Suzuki | 1:33.268s | +2.293s | 64 |
18 | Karel Abraham | Cardion Honda | 1:33.446s | +2.471s | 57 |
19 | Mike di Meglio | Avintia Ducati | 1:33.594s | +2.619s | 30 |
20 | Loris Baz | Forward Yamaha | 1:33.834s | +2.859s | 55 |
21 | Eugene Laverty | Aspar Honda | 1:34.320s | +3.345s | 45 |
22 | Jack Miller | LCR Honda | 1:34.633s | +3.658s | 61 |
23 | Alvaro Bautista | Gresini Aprilia | 1:34.919s | +3.944s | 14 |
24 | Alex Hofmann | Gresini Aprilia | 1:35.646s | +4.671s | 26 |
25 | Marco Melandri | Gresini Aprilia | 1:35.959s | +4.984s | 9 |
26 | Marc Marquez | Honda | 1:36.181s | +5.206s | 12 |
27 | Alex Marquez | Honda | 1:36.658s | +5.683s | 12 |