MotoGP: Vinales Fastest At Post-Season Valencia Test

MotoGP: Vinales Fastest At Post-Season Valencia Test

© 2023, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. By Michael Gougis.

Maverick Vinales was fastest on his Aprilia RS-GP at the post-season MotoGP test Tuesday at Circuito Ricardo Tormo, near Valencia, Spain. Vinales’ 1:29.253 was slower than the All-Time Lap Record he set in qualifying on Saturday, but weather conditions on Tuesday were significantly worse than on race weekend. The ground temperature never got over 67 degrees Fahrenheit, and strong winds prevented accurate back-to-back comparisons with race weekend performance.

Brad Binder and Marco Bezzecchi were second and third, respectively, and fourth on his Ducati debut was Marc Marquez. Marquez’s 1:29.424 best lap on a 2023 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici was less than two-tenths slower than his qualifying lap on Saturday on his Repsol Honda RC213V. 

Two-time World Champion Francesco Bagnaia finished 11th on his Lenovo Ducati, and 2023 title challenger and runner-up Jorge Martin crashed early and could manage only 15th on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.

Bagnaia, Binder and Bezzecchi tied for the highest top speed at 337 kph (209.402 mph), with Binder’s KTM the only non-Ducati of the fastest six machines.

Among the other riders who switched to new motorcycles Tuesday:

Luca Marini, Marquez’s replacement at Repsol Honda, finished 10th with a 1:29.956 on his new RC213V.

Franco Morbidelli was 16th with a 1:30.206 on his new Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.

Johann Zarco ranked 17th with a 1:30.283 on his new LCR Honda.

2023 Moto2 World Champion Pedro Acosta was 18th with a 1:30.476 in his debut ride on his new GASGAS machine.

And Alex Rins ended the day 19th with a 1:30.564 on his ex-Morbidelli Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1, which was only half a second slower than his new teammate Fabio Quartararo’s 12th-quickest 1:30.022.

 

Marc Marquez
Marc Marquez made his debut for Gresini Racing on a Desmosedici GP23 in a special livery. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Marc Marquez
Marc Marquez (93) did fewer laps than all but one other rider, yet his best lap was only 0.171 seconds off the best time of the day. After the test, Marquez did not speak to the press, but the Gresini Racing team sent out over social media a cartoon of a cat wearing a huge grin. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

KTM fairing action
Brad Binder (shown) and Jack Miller tested a new aero package for the factory KTM team. The company tried to obscure the configuration with this livery. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

KTM Fairing
Close-up of the KTM fairing, showing a wing section that extends all the way to the back of the fairing. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Francesco Bagnaia
Francesco Bagnaia (1) says the Desmosedici GP24 enters corners better and is more responsive at the throttle. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Joan Mir
Repsol Honda rider Joan Mir says the prototype RC213V is longer, lighter and has better feel on corner entry. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Fabio Quartararo
During the day, Yamaha tested a variety of aero configurations. Note the tail device similar to that used by KTM and GASGAS and the fairing ducting used by most other manufacturers. But Fabio Quartararo says the bike is still very far from where it needs to be. Quartararo finished 12th. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

Aprilia MotoGP
Aprilia tested its carbon-fiber frame again, with Lorenzo Savadori riding it in Valencia. Note the large-scale weave pattern. Photo by Michael Gougis.

 

MotoGP Test Results

 

 

 

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