The Rain tire says ‘Rain’ on it – perhaps so it won’t be mistaken for an Intermediate?

2016 will also see a change to 17-inch wheels, from today’s 16.5s. Can you tell a difference by looking? Probably not, but the possible effects are several, as discussed in this post.

As for the test itself, it was not very rewarding to the fans who braved the weather, hoping for something to see. Neither Movistar Yamaha nor Repsol Honda appeared on track before I gave up and left. Iannone was there with slicks on a GP15 but I never saw that bike leave the Ducati garage.

Perhaps a sign of Aprilia’s commitment to their MotoGP project, Alvaro Bautista did more laps while I was paying attention than any other rider.

But others, seeming ready to ride in the right conditions, ending up making only brief appearances. Marc Marquez chatted with Scott Redding for a few minutes, then disappeared.

More from there Brno test on the next page: