A load more laps are clocked in as fresh parts are tested by several factories at the Official MotoGP™ Jerez Test.
That’s a wrap for the annual MotoGP™ Jerez Test, and ending the day quickest is Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as the Italian’s 1:36.405 was enough to pip Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) to top honours. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) was third on his GP24, and there were more headlines made as Yamaha roll out their highly-anticipated, fresh-looking YZR-M1.
Here’s a full rundown of what’s been seen in Jerez, factory by factory.
DUCATI LENOVO TEAM
Visibly, there wasn’t too much to report from the Bologna camp. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was trying some different geometry settings, which is normal for test days. With 43 laps under his belt, Pecco clocked by far the least laps – 17 fewer than the next lowest, Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing). Signs of confidence, perhaps? You’d lean towards thinking that given the #1 was P4 and under two tenths away from P1.
Enea Bastianini ended the day in P9, with ‘The Beast’ completing 65 laps in Jerez. There wasn’t much to go off on Bastianini’s side of the garage too, as Ducati worked quietly and away from the spotlight.
PRIMA PRAMAC RACING
Quiet isn’t a word that can be used to describe Jorge Martin’s day. After crashing from the lead on Sunday, one of the #89’s GP24 suffered an issue during the Test. That forced Martin to miss over an hour of action and then towards the end of the day, the Spaniard crashed at Turn 9. He was all OK, but it wasn’t a smooth day at the office. Nevertheless, 71 laps were completed and Martin finished in P10. Better fortunes will be hoped for when the Championship leader lands in Le Mans.
Teammate Morbidelli was busy working on ergonomics as the Italian took part in his first Ducati test since Valencia last year. Unsurprisingly, Morbidelli lapped 82 times as he notched up some crucial Ducati mileage that will now stand him in better stead for the rest of the season. And Morbidelli was quick. P3 signals a job well done.
PERTAMINA ENDURO VR46 RACING TEAM
After Marco Bezzecchi’s Spanish GP P3 and Di Giannantonio topping the Jerez Test timesheets, things are looking much more promising for the riders in the yellow corner.
New parts aren’t going to be landing in the laps of the GP23 riders, so testing is all about trying new settings and playing around to see if gains can be made. P1 for Diggia and P13 for Bezzecchi is how VR46 head home from the Test.
GRESINI RACING MotoGP™
Marc Marquez has 71 more laps of Ducati knowledge under his belt as Sunday’s P2 finisher claimed P5 on Monday, with the eight-time World Champion leaving Jerez a happy rider after the few days he’s had in Andalucia.
The same can be said for Alex Marquez. The #73 clocked an aesthetically pleasing 73 laps while in Test mode, and a P8 to go with it suggests a positive day was had for the two-time World Champion.
APRILIA RACING
Having been given the run-out during the Spanish GP by test rider Savadori, Aleix Espargaro tested the Noale factory’s new ride-height device. On the other side of the box, Maverick Viñales was trying Aprilia’s halfway-house rear tail unit – it has the diffuser like what Espargaro uses, but the top surface of it is rounded like the ’23-spec tail unit that Viñales prefers. It’s a mix of both that Viñales and Espargaro gave a go.
A late time attack – and 80 laps later – saw Viñales propel himself into P2, with Espargaro sitting P7 after a 66-lap stint in Jerez.
TRACKHOUSE RACING
As expected, Raul Fernandez got his leg over Aprilia’s 2024 RS-GP for the first time. The Spaniard’s best time was set on his usual ’23-spec though, a lap that placed him P12 overall.
Following a promising Sunday outing in Jerez, Miguel Oliveira completed 74 laps and ended the Jerez Test in P15. The Portuguese star, like Viñales and Espargaro, was testing Aprilia’s hybrid rear tail unit.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
One of the notable topics to talk about when it comes to the KTM stable is the updated side fairing aero. Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta at Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 were spotted giving it a go, with the former ending the Test fastest of the Pierer Mobility Group full-time quartet. The South African claimed P6, 0.2s away from the summit following a very late personal best lap.
Jack Miller finished the day in P17 having completed 73 laps, with the Australian admitting that they didn’t fully find a solution to KTM’s chatter/vibration issues. More work to be done in that department for the Austrian factory ahead of