Bagnaia Steals the Show on Final Day of Sepang Testing

The final day of the Official MotoGP Sepang Test is now complete! It was an optimal condition day which ultimately helped 2023 reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia bounce back from the two earlier sessions this week to top the table in the final test day. Bagnaia did so in top form fashion after setting the first lap time to dip into the 1m56s on two wheels. Jorge Martin was just 0.172s behind and also hit the sub 1:57 mark. As the day progressed Enea Bastianini and Alex Marquez also joined the club. 6 of the top 10 lap times on the day were aboard Ducatis.

Sepang Test Day Three

Next up is the final Official MotoGP Test in Qatar starting on February 19th, 2024 at Lusail international Circuit.

After a flying day one of testing Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac) has made it clear he plans to bring the battle to Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia in 2024. After narrowly losing out in the closing rounds of the 2023 Martin has now led both days of 2024’s first official test session. 2023 champion Bagnaia ran 4th fastest on day 2 behind Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) finishing second and third respectively.

Martin set the unofficial lap record with a 1m57.273s on Day 1 of testing. Martin was the fastest on track all day. Day three of testing begins tomorrow.

Day 2 Testing Results

Prim Pramac Rider Jorge Martin came out of the paddock blazing on day one of the Official MotoGP Sepang Test. The 2023 runner up set a best 1m57.951s lap time, clearing Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) by just under 3 tenths in the session. Fabio Quartararo (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) finished third fastest as the Yamaha rider looks to bounce back after a disappoint year in 2023.

Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) both had crashes in the session. Fernandez’s bike caught on fire and the Spanish rider was taken to the medical center for examination. He was able to rejoin the session later on after complaining about pain.

Day One Sepang Testing Results

Due to the circumstances in the country the MotoGP Argentina Grand Prix will be cancelled for the 2024 calendar. The Argentina Grand Prix was scheduled to be the third round on the schedule. The race promoter released the following statement, “Due to the current circumstances in Argentina, the promoter of the event has communicated that it is currently unable to guarantee the services required for the Grand Prix to take place in 2024 at MotoGP standards.”

Argentina has recently faced many economic hardships including hyperinflation, a rapidly depreciating currency, and almost 50% of the citizen population living in poverty. Given these challenges the promoter felt that now is not an ideal time to hold a race. Given these challenges MotoGP has stated that they would not be able to provide the services required for the safe conduct of the event. The race will not be replaced on the calendar given the late announcement.

Factory team, Ducati Lenovo has unveiled their livery designs for the 2024 MotoGP season. The announce arrive as the gears start moving on the 2024 MotoGP campaign. Francesco Bagnaia returns to the factory team to defend his world championship title. Teammate Enea Bastinanini returns for his second season with the team eager to get back to form. An early season injury in 2023 took Bastianini out of title contention. In 2024 Bastianini will be looking for redemption as he never really seemed 100% after returning to the grid in 2023. The start of the 2024 season is set for Feb 6th-8th in Malaysia for the first official test of 2024 at Sepang.

Comments from Bagnaia and Bastinaini from the Team Launch

Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team):
“I’m thrilled to kick off my fourth season with the Ducati Lenovo Team. The last test in Valencia provided positive feedback, giving us a solid foundation for the upcoming season’s development work. I’m eager to hit the track and pick up where we left off. It’s bound to be a challenging season, but we’re ready to face it with our usual determination. As a close-knit team, we’ll give our best to aim for the Championship once again.”

Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team):
“2023 was a challenging year, and I look forward to redeeming myself in the upcoming season. We have an exciting 2024 ahead of us. Despite participating in only a few Grands Prix last year, I’ve learned valuable lessons that I’ll carry into the new season. I have great confidence in my Team, and I know we have all the potential to do well. I can’t wait to hit the track and start the new season.”

After previously hinting at the announcement for their 2024 livery unveil, Gresini Racing has now unveiled the new 2024 livery for both Alex and Marc Marquez. The release marked the first time in Marc Marquez’s MotoGP career where he isn’t suiting up in Repsol Honda orange. Marc Marquez made the decision to nullify his contract with Honda with one year left in the agreement to join the Gresini Racing team. His departure was mutually beneficial as Honda did not want to hold him back if he was unhappy.

Alex and Marc Marquez are finally reunited under the same banner after 4 long years since their Honda factory debut in 2020. Below are some of the images released by the team.

After making the switch to Gresini for the Valencia test, Marc Marquez has been quiet in the media due to contractual obligations with Honda. Now that those obligations are satisfied Marquez has released his first comments on the switch to Gresini.

“I was nervous and there were butterflies in my stomach,” stated Marquez in the exclusive interview with DAZN, “Even though I have been in the championship for many years, it was a big change. But afterward I stayed calm, relaxed. I made the day calm and relaxed by trying to understand everything with my new technical team and with my new motorcycle. In the end, you’re jumping onto the Champion’s bike, so it’s in your hands. 

It was a day of adaptation, mainly to the position on the bike. We changed some things because in some areas I didn’t feel completely comfortable, but the speed was there. I understood the bike and how to manage things. I still have a lot to learn, maybe not to go faster, but to be more consistent and much safer.”

Marquez Continued on Adapting to the Change

“I was able to adapt faster than expected because I immediately felt very good. There was a good feeling and the lap time came without massively looking for it. At the end of the day, we were able to put in new soft tyres and I also felt good.”

After a hard fought 2023 season that ended in despair for Jorge Martin. Martin has come out publicly with his thoughts on Ducati Factory support in 2024. In an interview with Europa press Martin said, “My main goal is to go to Ducati but, if it can’t be done, I’ll have to look at other options,” he warned.

“There are many factories that are making big steps, we’ll see what the best option is. I’m happy to continue at Pramac, it’s the best place to fight for a championship.” The statement comes after speculation at the end of the 2023 season around Martin’s distaste for the lack of factory Ducati support at Pramac. Its not surprise that Martin could explore his options if he feels he isn’t being given the best opportunity to win. His meteoric rise to the top of the championship fight in 2023 resulted in a mail biting finish that went down to the last race. Martin is looking to bounce back stronger than ever in 2024.

After his close loss in the 2023 title fight we all but wonder if this is the fuel he needs to edge out an on fire Francesco Bagnaia who now has secured his second MotoGP title. The season opener is three months where the riders will kick things off at Lusail for the Qatar GP.

With the MotoGP season now at its end, and the dust settled. Pol Espargaro begins his transition to his new life as a test rider for GASGAS and will not return for the 2024 season as a rider for the factory team. Espargaro had a year of ups and downs starting with what many thought would be a seasoning ending injury in Portimao where he suffers from a broken jaw and lung and back injuries. Despite all odds he made a full recovery and returned to the grid for the British Grand Prix.

Espargaro will move to a test rider position with GASGAS for the 2024 season after losing his seat to the 2023 Moto2 champion Pedro Acosta. Despite the setback Espargaro seemed to be in good spirits after the final race of the season in Valencia.

Espargaro Stated the Following After the Valencia GP

Every time I raised my head and I was looking at all the people in the stands, the noise, the tension, all my teammates around, all the guys that I have raced with since I was a little guy. It’s been amazing. I just feel so, so lucky to have been with you know living my life, my story, trying to chase my dreams through the last 10 years so I’m a very lucky guy.

A day to remember because, OK I have raced my last race as a permanent guy in MotoGP but obviously because I had those people surrounding me. This is with the people I live every day with, every hour, not just in racing but at home. It’s the people that make me happy so at the end of the day I need them from now till the end of my days so it was just amazing to be with them.”

The riggers of the MotoGP season takes is toll on riders. Espargaro comments on the need for time to rest after a long grueling season. “I need to take some rest. I need to recover myself a little bit. It’s been a while since I don’t feel as competitive as I should feel, but also with the confidence that I need to perform to be beside these guys. These guys are talented, young and extremely fit. If you don’t have all of these things, then you are too far away so you enjoy it.”

Where he will end up after 2024 is yet to be determined but if this is goodbye from riding in MotoGP he can hang his head high with his career accomplishments. In this sport its all about how you bounce back.

Trackhouse Racing a long standing staple organization in NASCAR has acquired the RNF Aprilia Racing team in a three year agreement that will see them to the MotoGP grid in 2024. The move comes after RNF CRYTODATA announce they would take legal action against Dorna for excluding the team from the 2024 MotoGP entrant list. With the Trackhouse deal, all threats of legal action are now off of the table.

From the Aprilia Racing Press Release…

Aprilia Racing has signed a three-year agreement with US outfit Trackhouse, already a major player in the NASCAR motorsport championship. Captained by former racer Justin Marks, the American team will bring the RS-GPs to the track as an Independent Team. Confirmed are riders Miguel Oliveira and Raùl Fernandez, in their second season riding the Italian prototypes.

A partnership that will see Aprilia Racing take charge of all technical aspects, collaborating closely with Trackhouse Racing on track and taking care of development during the season, through a dedicated structure that represents an important step forward in Aprilia’s MotoGP project.

Massimo Rivola – CEO Aprilia Racing

“We are happy and proud to welcome Trackhouse into the Aprilia Racing family. What they have been able to build in a very short time in NASCAR is an extraordinary presentation card, which anticipates the potential of this partnership. This is thanks to Justin Marks and his team, whom I got to know through my long-time friend PJ Rashidi, and with whom we were immediately in sync both in terms of technical ambitions and marketing and communication developments in such an important market as the US. Our commitment will increase significantly, a responsibility we gladly take on because, I am sure, it will allow us to grow even more”.

Words from the Involved Parties

Justin Marks, Trackhouse Racing Founder and Owner:

“Joining the MotoGP World Championship is a very exciting moment for our young company. Trackhouse has worked from day one to recognize unique and compelling motorsport opportunities and being able to expand to a global series like MotoGP is a massive step in scaling the company. We believe deeply in the mission of Dorna and are committed to bringing something new and exciting to the championship while working hard to help grow and amplify this amazing sport to millions of new fans in North America and beyond.”

Carlos Ezpeleta, Dorna Sports Chief Sporting Officer: “We’re super happy to welcome Trackhouse to MotoGP. We know this new team is a perfect fit for our sport: they’ve already shown they know how to win and arrive with a great personality. In the most competitive era the sport has ever seen, it’s even more vital than ever to have strong Independent Teams on the grid with solid projects. Trackhouse working with Aprilia, who will offer extensive support, is a really exciting prospect too. The RS-GP is a winning motorcycle and the combination of the bike, factory and Trackhouse’s approach with this team is something super exciting for MotoGP fans everywhere. We can’t wait to see Trackhouse come racing with us.”

Dan Rossomondo, Dorna Sports Chief Commercial Officer: “Trackhouse coming to MotoGP is great news. They get it – the racing success, which they’ve had plenty of already – and the marketing and promotion that comes with running a top level motorsport team. That combination of operational excellence, paired with their expertise off-track, is a standard we want throughout MotoGP. We know Trackhouse’s influence will be positive and an ally for our business objectives.”