It was only a test session, the spirit of which is to adjust the bike before serious things. But Francesco Bagnaia was already in competition mode on Wednesday at the Lusail circuit in Qatar, where the first Grand Prix of the MotoGP season will take place in two and a half weeks. Already at ease on Tuesday, the Italian from Ducati this time achieved a monumental time: a lap in 1’50”952 which debunked the track record established in November by Luca Marini to take pole position ( 1’51”762).
The reigning double world champion already seems to have everything under control. This is in fact the case of almost all Italian motorcycles, which occupy the first nine places in the results of the last winter tests. In this circle, we obviously find the Ducatis, starting with the factory machines, those of Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini (2nd, +0”120), or the Desmosedici of Jorge Martin (Pramac), the vice -world champion (7th, +0”514).
But the Aprilias were also there: Aleix Espargaro took 3rd place (+0”308), Raul Fernandez 5th (Trackhouse, +0”389) and Maverick Vinales 6th (+0”435) . Progress which now needs to be confirmed in racing conditions.
Quartararo and Zarco more than a second behind
On their Japanese motorcycles, the two French people found themselves fatally left behind. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) returned to the garage with the 14th time (+1”013) and Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) ranked 17th (+1”738). The results must be put into perspective, because the teams and manufacturers do not adopt the same running strategies and the program of parts to be tested can differ significantly. But the performance gain is not there yet.
Amid its progress, the Yamaha thus displayed a persistent weakness in the fast lap, a problem that Quartararo already faced last year. “I was happy to see us get into the 1’51s,” commented the Frenchman on the MotoGP channel. But we are still one second from the lead. We still have a lot of work to do, I hope we will find solutions during the season. » Just behind, the four Hondas made a group shot between the 17th and 20th positions.
Marc Marquez 4th time
Most of the drivers tried to set a time at the end of the session, when the test work had come to an end, and several of them went to test the gravel trap, like Jack Miller, Joan Mir or Johann Zarco . It was also at this time that Marc Marquez experienced his first crash with the Ducati. But the Spaniard from Gresini could be satisfied with his day, much better than the previous one: the eight-time world champion set the 4th time (+0”383).
