MotoGP Test Day After Brno Race Interrupted by Rain

Most of the MotoGP teams and riders stayed behind after yesterday’s Grand Prix to participate in one of the few official test days of 2009 (in order to cut costs, the number of official test days permitted by racing teams using current riders during the season has been decreased to just three—the day after the Catalunya race in June, today, and the day after the season-ending event at Valencia in November). Although some of the testing will involve running the new “high mileage” spec engines—riders are now limited to a maximum of five engines for the rest of the season—the Repsol Honda team is said to be testing Öhlins suspension, after decades of using Showa components, while the Rizla Suzuki squad is running through a new engine and updated chassis. Other teams were either trying out different setups, or allowing future MotoGP riders the chance to get their first taste of a MotoGP machine.

The day started out sunny and hot, but a thunderstorm dropped in during the lunch break and drenched the track, rendering it damp until an hour left in the day. Track organizers kept the circuit open for an additional 15 minutes so that the riders could get in a few extra laps.