Winter Test is back at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) for the 2024 MotoGP season and this season’s race machines are sporting all sorts of aerodynamics. From the “Cadillac fins” of the Ducati Desmosedicis, the multi-level “Fast and Furious” Ah Beng wings of the Aprilias, all the teams had something to show.
Aprilia raised some eyebrows with its Nachtjäger Matratze tail extension on the GP machine.In a social media video, it was explained the multi antenna fin is a collection of pressure point sensors to collect data on airflow behind the rider.
The benefits of aero were readily apparent during the three days of Winter Test with the SIC MotoGP lap record now standing at the 1″56″ mark. Ducati stamped their superiority over proceedings, with Jorge Martin of Ducati satellite team Prima Pramac Racing showing his hand early with a 1:56.854 lap time.
Not to be outdone, incumbent MotoGP world champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia of the works Ducati Lenovo Team turned in a 1:56.682 on the final day of testing, giving him the accolade of fastest rider at Sepang Winter Test. Not to be outdone, Bagnaia’s team mate, Enea “The Beast” Bastianini clocked a 1:56.915, for third at the conclusion of the test.
It was all smiles in the Ducati camp with three of the 2024 Desmosedicis occupying the top three places, and six of their seven full-time riders sitting in the top eight. Rounding the list of riders in the 1:56 club was Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing MotoGP with a time of 1:56.938.
Meanwhile, Brad Binder of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Fabio Di Giannantonio of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team and Pedro Acosta of Red Bull GasGas Tech 3 came in the top 10. The sole Japanese factory team entry into the top10 was Repsol Honda Team’s Joan Mir, with a 1:57.374.
As for multiple world champion Marc Marquez, now with Gresini Racing MotoGP after leaving Repsol Honda with 10 years under his belt, the Spaniard found the Ducati Desmosedici GP23 quite agreeable. This was shown with his 1:57.270, giving him a competitive time compared to his previous stints with the HRC RC213V post 2020 crash.
The other Japanese factory representative on the grid, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP with ex-world champion Fabio Quartararo, managed 11th place with a time of 1:57.525. This time would have been enough to give Quartararo pole position at SIC in 2020 but three years and despite a testing moratorium during the Covid years, time has marched on and Yamaha has its work cut out for them on the YZR-M1.
New team on the block, Trackhouse Racing from the US, taking over from Datuk Razlan Razali’s RNF Racing after the team spectacularly imploded at the end of the 2023 MotoGP season, complaints about rear tyre grip from the Michelin were heard. Maverick Vinales managed a best Winter Test position of 12th on the Aprilia RS-GP, while Miguel Oliveira managed a best of 18th.
