P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Marquez rubs shoulders with the ‘big three’ in MotoGP race simulation
The three-day test at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia revealed the progress made by the riders since 2023 and hinted at the potential challenges for the upcoming season. Defending champion Franco Bagnaia secured the fastest lap time of 1m56.682s, breaking the lap record with help from slightly cooler conditions on Thursday morning. His rival Jorge Martin came in second, just under two tenths of a second behind Bagnaia, while Enea Bastianini, Bagnaia’s Ducati teammate, finished in third place, only 61 thousandths of a second behind Martin. These top three riders all used the latest-spec GP24 bike with a new engine and aerodynamic package. The only other rider to join them in breaking the 1m56s barrier was Gresini’s Alex Marquez, who used a year-old Desmosedici. While one-lap pace is important, long-run speed was also assessed during the test, with Marquez proving to be the third quickest over longer runs, behind Martin and Bezzechi, but ahead of Bagnaia. Marquez showed impressive consistency and rhythm with the GP23. Although Marquez downplayed his chances, his long-run performance serves as a warning to his competitors. Marquez will have two more days of track running at the Losail International Circuit before the season officially begins on March 10th.
