Pecco Bagnaia, the current champion, achieved the fastest time on the first day of the two-day Qatar test, which signifies the conclusion of the 2024 MotoGP pre-season.
Throughout the day, the Aprilia riders showcased their dominance on the dusty Lusail circuit, renowned for its low-grip conditions. However, as the temperature dropped and the track gained more traction, the Ducati motorcycles took the spotlight.
Maverick Vinales, who faced difficulties in the previous pre-season test in Sepang, led for the majority of the day. At one point, he was accompanied by his Aprilia teammates Aleix Espargaro and Raul Fernandez, who made an impressive comeback despite recovering from a triple fracture caused by a previous crash.
Nevertheless, it was Bagnaia and the 2024 Ducatis that ultimately stole the show. Bagnaia achieved a remarkable time of 1m52.040s, coming within three tenths of the pole record at the circuit. His title rival from 2023, Jorge Martin, finished 0.22s behind him, securing a Ducati 1-2.
Espargaro, the leading Aprilia rider, secured third place, closely followed by Brad Binder from KTM. Binder made a late surge and briefly challenged Bagnaia’s time but ultimately settled for fourth.
Fabio Di Giannantonio, a newcomer to the VR46 Ducati team, continued to impress after his strong performance in Sepang. He finished in fifth place, the fastest among the Ducati GP23s.
Vinales, Alex Marquez, and Enea Bastianini completed the top eight, while Johann Zarco and Fabio Quartararo made late improvements to secure spots in the top 10.
Unfortunately, Marco Bezzecchi had a challenging day, crashing early on and finishing just outside the top 10. Jack Miller and Augusto Fernandez also experienced crashes during the session.
Marc Marquez, who initially had a strong start to the day, gradually slipped down the rankings and finished in 16th place. He was the seventh-fastest Ducati rider, only ahead of test rider Michele Pirro.
Franco Morbidelli, who is still recovering from a crash during private road bike testing, is expected to make his return in the Qatar opener in a few weeks’ time.
That concludes Day 1 of the Qatar test. Pecco Bagnaia claims the top position, followed by Jorge Martin and Aleix Espargaro. Pedro Acosta was the most active rider on the track, completing a total of 73 laps.
According to the source the-race.com
