Jorge Martin is riding with a purpose in Qatar this weekend. Martin topped Q2 setting a 1m50.789s edging out Aleix Espargaro by 0.083s. The two have traded positions all weekend so we are in for some tight racing between Martin on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati and Espargaro on his Aprilia. The Ducati factory team has been a bit quiet this weekend despite finishing 3rd with Enea Bastianini and 5th with reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) split the Ducatis in 4th place. Next up is the Tissot Sprint race in a few hours time.
Full Q2 Qatar Grand Prix Results
Jorge Martin has found his rhythm to start of the Qatar GP weekend. Martin finish on top of the table in FP1 abord his Prima Pramac Ducati. Martin was the sole Ducati rider in the top 3 for the session. Behind, Aleix Espargaro narrowly finished behind by less than a tenth of a second. In third Pedro Acosta showed a glimpse of pace in third.
The Qatar Grand Prix weekend is the first look at race readiness for the 2024 MotoGP season. Franco Morbidelli who’s weekend was in question yesterday received medical clearance to participate this weekend. However after the first session he finished at the bottom of the table in FP1. Its possibel the team is taking things slow to make sure he is fit to race later this weekend. Morbidelli will look for a chance to fight for a top 10 finish.
Marc Marquez found himself in the top 5 running 5th fastest behind Brand Binder. FP2 will take place later today.
Full Qatar GP FP1 Results Below
Its no secret that MotoGP has been searching for ways to better connect with US audiences after the success seen with Formula 1. Now that need has an avenue that may help MotoGP fulfill that goal. Today MotoGP announced a partnership with television network TNT to provide MotoGP with a home for broadcasting in the US. The arrangement will begin this weekend for the Qatar Grand Prix; the opening round of the 2024 MotoGP Season.
The entire 2024 season will be broadcasted live on truTV and Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. The add on will include all sessions from MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 during race weekends. This level of access will be a new way for US based fans to connect with the sport which is often broadcast over seas at times where tv viewership is lowest during the day due to people being asleep or otherwise occupied.
More About TNT Sports
TNT Sports is a global leader in the delivery of premium sports content. The TNT Sports U.S. portfolio includes expansive, multi-platform partnerships with the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, National Hockey League, United States Soccer Federation, NASCAR (coming in 2025) and a premier golf franchise in The Match.
Owned and operated platforms are highlighted by Bleacher Report, the #1 digital destination for young sports fans, along with House of Highlights, HighlightHER, Golf Digest, and a full suite of digital and social portfolio brands. Additionally, TNT Sports co-manages NBA Digital — comprised of NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE Pass, the NBA App and NBAGLEAGUE.com — as well as NCAA.com and NCAA March Madness Live. TNT Sports in Europe and the Republic of Ireland includes partnerships with the NBA, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UFC, WWE and more, as well as much-loved brands Eurosport, Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN) and multi-sport programming and content on discovery+ and Discovery’s free-to-air TV networks.
After Franco Morbidelli missed out on the Qatar and Sepang official testing events. His participation in the season opener at Lusail international Circuit has come into questions. Morbidelli has been slowly recovering from injuries sustained during the testing event at Portimão where he had a rather aggressive crash that required him to stay overnight in the hospital.
Since the crash Morbidelli has been in recovery which his Prima Pramac Racing team suggests is precautionary so he can achieve 100% fitness by the season opener. Its reported that Morbidelli has traveled with the team to Qatar. Hwoever, his true level of fitness is still unknown. Additionally, Morbidelli has zero seat time on his new Ducati GP24 after making the switch to Pramac in the off season. Despite being cleared by his doctors, he will need to pass a physical examination from the circuit medical team. If he is cleared he will have his first taste of the Ducati GP24 on Friday.
“I am very pleased to have received the medical clearance to start the season. I am eager to try the bike, to return to the dynamics of the races, and to get to know the people of my new team better. This year represents a significant change in my career, and although this incident was unfortunate, it is now in the past, and I want to look forward. I thank the doctors who have been monitoring me, the people who have supported me during these weeks, and a special thanks to Prima Pramac Racing for their support.”
2023 MotoGP World champion Francesco Bagnaia has signed a contract extension with Ducati Lenovo keep his run with the team alive through the 2026 MotoGP season. The contract extension will mean that Ducati Lenovo will retain their all Italian rider lineup for the near future. The extensions occurs as the teams get set to kick off the 2024 MotoGP season in Qatar at Lusail international Circuit this weekend. Here is what the team had to say about the new contract.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team)
“I am so happy to continue racing with the team of my dreams! Wearing these colors is an honor for me. It’s fantastic and a source of pride. Together with Ducati, my team, and all the guys at Ducati Corse, we’ve achieved incredible things. In these three more years (including 2024) ahead of us, we’ll continue to give our best to achieve as much success as possible. I am overjoyed and ready to hit the track in Qatar for the first race of the year.”
Claudio Domenicali (CEO Ducati Motor Holding)
“Pecco is truly the perfect rider for Ducati. He represents our values at their best: style, elegance, and performance. Not only is he fast, determined, and tenacious on track, but he also stands out for his elegance and education off the track. I am very happy for this renewal, which I am sure Ducatisti all over the world will welcome with enthusiasm.”
Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“We are extremely happy to have Bagnaia with us again for 2025 and 2026. Together, we have written an important page of motorcycling history: Pecco was the first Italian rider to win a World Title in MotoGP with an Italian bike, our Desmosedici GP. Together, we brought back a Riders’ World Title that had been missing for 15 years, and we did it again last year. He is a two-time World Champion and has proven on more than one occasion that he truly deserves the number 1 on the fairing of his bike. In addition to these results, Bagnaia continues to demonstrate that he is in perfect harmony with his bike and team. For all these reasons, it was natural for us to want to continue with him. Therefore, we look forward to this new chapter together, confident that we can achieve other important results.”
Day 2 of the Qatar Test was a day for Ducati domination. At the top of the timing sheet was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) who cut 2 seconds off of his fastest lap on day 1 of testing at Lusail. Ducati Lenovo set the tone with both riders Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini finishing 1-2 at the top of the table. Following a successful day 1 Aleix Espargaro again finished third fastest. Bagnaia put down a 1:50.952 lap time, marking him the first rider ever to reach first sub-1:51 lap times on two wheels at Lusail.
Jorge Martin Falls Behind
Last season’s championship contender Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) finished P7 on the day. He had the following words after the final testing session. “In these two days I felt very good with the bike. Today (Tuesday) we had a small problem, we will study the data to understand what happened and look for a solution. I’m very focused on the start of this season.”
Marc Marquez also had a strong day after a disappointing day 1 of testing. He had the following comments, “I felt more comfortable with the bike straight away here, I managed to start using the body more and that’s already an improvement. Instincts are still set on another type of motorcycle, but we’re working on that department and changing my riding style. We did well in the time attack, even though it’s still most difficult area for me. We’re improved our pace on the longer run, we tried many things and push towards the limit – while also finding the first crash (turn four). Are we happy? Yes, even though we’re still far from Bagnaia, Bastianini and Martin.”
The KTMs looked strong, but their day 2 was cut short briefly due to brad Binder having a technical issues and Jack Miller crashing. Despite the adversity Binder and Miller both ducked under the official competition lap record. Miller was able to rejoin the session before the day ended.
Honda Riders Fight Through Illness to Finish the Qatar Test
Joan Mir and Luca Marini both suffered from illness over the two day test in Qatar. It was obvious the rides were not at 100%. However both saw improvements over their day one times and they are optimistic they will climb the pecking order come round 1. The pair had the following words.
Joan Mir
“Today I woke up feeling very tired and in general not feeling great. After the first exit I was feeling really unwell and had to stop to try and recover some strength. I was able to rest and go back out on track but my condition was not 100% so we could only do a few things. Then on the last exit I had a fast crash which meant we couldn’t do the practice starts, so it was quite a complicated day. It would have been good to have this final day at our best, but we have been able to make good progress over the course of these tests. Now we turn our attention to the race and trying to take the maximum result from it.”
Luca Marini
“This test has allowed us to understand many things and we were able to try everything that was on the list for us and for HRC. We made a big change on the bike today which lost us some time in the first hour. Even like this, we have been able to get a lot of data and we can prepare well for the GP. Each day I have been able to improve my feeling with the bike but we still need to do a bit of work to improve our performance over one lap.”
The next opportunity for racing will be the season opener at Round 1 at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar March 8th.
It’s the beginning of the 2024 MotoGP season and todays test was the first opportunity to see all of the 2024 machines out in action . New livery designs were present everywhere in the paddock with each team’s recent releases. On day one it was reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) who showcased a 1:52.040 lap to lead. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) had considerable pace but finished just over 2 tenths behind Bagnaia on Day 1. The battle between Martin and Bagnaia will be the fight to watch for 2024. In the closing rounds of the 2023 MotoGP season Jorge Martin struggled with machine failures and poor setup choices which ultimately cost him the run at the title. Martin is back and hungry as ever to show that he deserves a factory seat where ever that may be.
After the launch of their 2024 program yesterday Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro finished third fastest ton the day but it was clear the Aprilia left some pace on the table as the team appears to be testing a number of upgrades on the 2024 RS-GP. The team stated they have been working on aerodynamic developments that they hope will give them an edge over the Ducati dominated grid come round 1.
It was a successful day for the Red Bull KTM riders as well. Brad Binder and Jack Miller look to continue their end of season form staying close to the top 5 riders. Binder was on pace but Miller fell behind a bit. The session was a complete shock however as the top 16 were separates by less than one second. With day two just hours away the riders will look to improve on today’s lap times and find optimal harmonization with their 2024 upgrades.
Full Qatar Test Day 1 Results
Aprilia Racing released their 2024 livery design at the team launch today. The bike was noticeably sporting some interesting upgrades and additions that turn some heads on social media. Its no secret that Aprilia Racing has been in rebuild mode for the last two seasons. Its seems that the design of the 2024 Aprilia RS-GP is the culmination of that work by the team. The riders had the following comments during the launch.
Aleix Espargaro, Rider, No. 41. Aprilia Racing
“The growth we have demonstrated in recent seasons has been incredible. I am proud to be part of this project which I have always considered to be my second family. In 2024, we’ll make another step forward. Last year we were lacking the consistency to battle all the way to the end, but we still demonstrated that we are a tough rival for everyone. It won’t be simple because, even if it seemed impossible, the level in MotoGP has increased even more. I feel like I’m ready – physically and mentally – and I believe in the work that the Aprilia staff has carried out.”
Maverick Viñales, Rider, No. 12. Aprilia Racing
“Our 2023 season ended on an upward trend and we want to continue that now. The feeling with the team is outstanding. During the winter break I trained like mad and I have faith in Aprilia Racing’s work. If we continue to set the goal of squeezing the most out of our technical package every weekend, the results will follow naturally. The first tests confirmed the extremely high level of the championship. Practically every rider and every bike on the grid have the potential to battle for the podium. This makes the challenge even more intriguing.”
Massimo Rivola, Sporting Director Aprilia Racing
“Over the last few years, Aprilia Racing has undertaken a constant growth process. First becoming a factory team, and then putting four bikes on the track thanks to the satellite team. In 2024, we’ll raise the bar even higher, since Miguel Oliveira will be starting the season on an RS-GP with the same specs as the factory bikes and Raùl will receive it subsequently. This is a significant effort for the racing department, but it is also a sign of this project’s evolution on all fronts. It has not been simple and the season promises to be even more demanding, but at the same time, I believe in the potential of our team. And I am proud of what we have demonstrated thus far, both from a technical point of view and in terms of dedication and commitment. We want to be protagonists in MotoGP and we have everything we need to be able to make that happen. We have four highly qualified riders like Aleix, Maverick, Miguel, and Raùl, a racing department that is courageous and capable of innovation, not to mention that pinch of Italian pride that never hurts in racing.”
Repsol Honda revealed their 2024 livery designs on their RC213V workhorses this morning in Madrid. The new design features a deviation from they standard orange white and black combination. One thing the design team didn’t skimp out on is flair. This effort is to be expected given this year marks celebrating 30 years of collaboration and partnership between Honda HRC and Repsol. Its no doubt these machines will make a bold statement. Here’s what Joan Mir and Luca Marini had to say about the new design and the upcoming 2024 MotoGP season.
Joan Mir
“It’s amazing to be part of a team with such history and success in MotoGP, I am as excited to start this season with the Repsol Honda Team as I was the last one. These team launches are always really nice, especially to see what everyone thinks of the new design. I think the colors for this year are really different and very bold, certainly something unique from the team. We have had a positive first taste of the bike and five productive days in Sepang, now we have to look ahead to the Qatar Test and the race. Last year taught me a lot and I am looking to put everything into practice for this year to help the Repsol Honda Team return to where I know they can be. Let’s enjoy this moment and quickly prepare for the season that is to come.”
Luca Marini
“For me it is an honor to join the Repsol Honda Team, when I was a young child I already had some leathers in their colors for racing minibikes. Now to be here, at the launch, in the leathers and with the bike – it is a dream come true, something from destiny. This bike looks really beautiful, the colors are something very new and I am proud to represent them. We are just at the start of our journey together, but I already feel a part of the team and well supported by the engineers. I’ve ridden just six days on the bike so we are looking to make the most of the last test and begin the year in the best way possible.”
Tetsuhiro Kuwata; HRC General Manager
“2024 is a special year as we celebrate 30 years collaborating with Repsol and enter a new era with renewable fuels. Inside Honda HRC we have been working very hard in order to deliver a package to both Joan Mir and Luca Marini that they can be competitive on. Both riders are young, hungry and are already providing clear feedback for further improvements. It will be another season of developments, of working together with our riders, partners, sponsors, engineers and team members as we strive to improve.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has released their 2024 livery designs for the upcoming campaign. Jack Miller and Brad Binder continue their tenure with the Red Bull factory squad after a fruitful 2023 season. The team released the following season preview video.
The KTM Factory Riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller Had the following comments regarding the launch.
Brad Binder: “The trajectory is on its way up. 11th, 6th, 6th and 4th so, yeah, I have no doubt we are going to do better than 4th. Last season was great at times and difficult at other moments. I felt like we had more in the pocket. We were much more competitive each weekend and always around the podium battle. This season is where we can make the difference. It’s awesome to be starting 2024 for real. It’s going to be my tenth season racing for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and it’s been an amazing journey. we have always stuck together and always had the same goal in mind. I think that we have always fit really well together, and I am really happy where I am. The only thing left is to try and finish off the job in MotoGP.”
Jack Miller: “2023 was a year of learning and of growth for me as a person and as a rider. Towards the back half of the season we really got comfortable with the bike and were able to start challenging for positions where we needed to be. In KTM, and my dealings especially in the racing department, when they find something or find a pathway – new ideas, better ideas and strategies – then they go all -in on to have them on the track as soon as possible. Having that power and that motivation and that backing from the company is awesome as a rider. I didn’t get to achieve all the wishes I wanted in 2023. I have a whole new list of wishes for 2024.”
“2023 was a good year. Very satisfying and where we grew quite a lot. We are pretty happy with how the riders and the bike improved. The approach for 2024 is easy: we have to move ahead with the growth we started last season. There will be areas where we still have plenty of room to increase our performance but in general the project is very balanced, so we just need to push when we know it is time to do it. I can’t wait to start the season and get to the first race because that is where we deliver. It’s when the speaking stops and the real action starts. No excuses. No matter what we have said or done during the winter, it is time to race.”