Superbike convert Roby Rolfo was fastest for Italtrans STR on the first day of the inaugural group test for the new Moto2 series, but poor weather conditions at Barcelona prevented representative times being set.
With rain only clearing toward the end of the day, many riders opted not to participate in the session at all, instead waiting for better conditions tomorrow and Friday. Rolfo completed 35 laps and set a best time of 1m51.3sec, with Technomag-CIP rider Shoya Tomizawa second but 1.4sec adrift. There was a huge spread of times across the list of riders who ventured out, with most riding preferring not to push given the weather.
Tech 3's Raffaele de Rosa and Yuki Takahashi, and Aspar duo Mike di Meglio and Julian Simon, were among the riders who decided not to leave the pits at all today.
Other likely front runners Toni Elias (Gresini), Mattia Pasini (JiR), Alex de Angelis and Niccolo Canepa (Scot) are skipping the Barcelona test, and will join the fray at Valencia on March 1-3, where the official Honda Moto2 engines will be used for the first time.