Marc Marquez faced a challenging start to the Sepang test as he encountered unexpected technical issues with his Ducati. Despite not being a fan of the track, Marquez was more concerned with adapting to the new machine rather than his personal preferences. Unfortunately, his day was filled with interruptions as he experienced multiple problems with his year-old Desmosedici. These issues forced him to return to the garage several times, either on a recovery truck or using the service roads. Surprisingly, none of these interruptions were due to crashes, but rather a series of technical malfunctions. Although he did run off track at one point, it was not classified as a crash. Despite the setbacks, Marquez remained positive about his team’s response and their ability to fix the problems. He acknowledged that the day was challenging and prevented him from fully working with the bike, but he was able to have a productive last hour of the afternoon. Marquez completed 47 laps, which is a respectable number, but he emphasized the lack of quality laps. He recognized that there is still a lot of work to be done to adapt to the Ducati, especially at a circuit like Sepang where his confidence is lower. Marquez highlighted the differences in riding style between the Honda and Ducati, particularly in terms of throttle control and racing lines. He initially struggled due to his Honda habits but started to make progress in the afternoon. Marquez acknowledged that he still needs more time to understand and master the Ducati’s balance and rear-focused riding style. Despite the challenges, Marquez remains determined and optimistic about the remaining days of testing.
Trackhouse Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez has joined Franco Morbidelli on the sidelines for the remainder of the three-day MotoGP pre-season test at Sepang.
Pramac Ducati MotoGP rider Franco Morbidelli will skip not just the current pre-season test at Sepang but the upcoming one in Qatar too as a consequence of his crash in road bike testing at Portimao.
MotoGP’s aero war is escalating into 2024, and the appearance of a Formula 1 style aero rake in testing is another visually striking step that will unnerve many fans – and riders.
Jorge Martin and Pedro Acosta led the way on the opening day of collective MotoGP testing at Sepang, with Marc Marquez ninth.
Marc Marquez’s move from Honda to Gresini means a change of crew chief for the first time in his MotoGP career. The recollections of Marc and Alex Marquez paint a frightening picture of MotoGP peer Franco Morbidelli’s pre-season road bike crash.
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