Moto3: Kent Completes Clean Sweep at Jerez

Young British rider Danny Kent gave his pre-season hopes a massive boost by leading all three days at the Jerez Moto3 test.

The Red Bull KTM rider, eleventh in the final season of 125cc and fourth after the opening Moto3 test of the year at Valencia, went straight to the top at Jerez and led the unofficial timesheets by 0.4sec by the end of the three days.

Avintia Racing's FTR Honda rider Maverick Vinales - last year' highest ranked 125cc rider to sign-up for Moto3 - finished the test in second place, just as he had at Valencia. Then came the Kalex KTM of Aspar's Alberto Moncayo (+0.8sec), followed by Kent's team-mate Sandro Cortese.

Cortese had set the pace at Valencia, but was 0.9sec behind Kent at Jerez, venue for round two of the inaugural Moto3 season.

Hector Faubel (Aspar) and Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Ajo KTM) were credited with the joint fifth fastest lap time, 1.3sec from Kent, with the Kalex-KTM of RW Racing's Luis Salom a further tenth back on supplied times.

The next best Honda rider after Vinales was Efren Vazquez, in eighth (+1.6sec) for Team Laglisse, with Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira ninth on the Monlau Competicion Honda - results that seem to underline an early advantage for the KTMs.

Australian rookie Arthur Sissis was tenth quickest on his Red Bull KTM, two seconds from Kent.

The third and final pre-season test will be held back at Jerez from March 19-21, when official timing should be in use.