Fernandez Paces Aprilia to Top Spots in Valencia Test, Marking End of MotoGP Season

Valencia, Spain – Raul Fernandez spearheaded an Aprilia 1-2 finish at the post-season MotoGP test in Valencia, as the Noale-based manufacturer maintained its competitive edge from the final round of the championship. The one-day official test concluded the 2023 MotoGP calendar, offering teams and riders a crucial opportunity to evaluate new components and adjust to different machinery before the winter break.

The test session commenced under challenging conditions as an overnight shower left the Ricardo Tormo Circuit with damp patches, significantly reducing track grip. The unideal conditions resulted in a delayed start to meaningful testing, with riders like Jack Miller and Maverick Vinales completing only installation laps early in the morning. By midday, no competitive timed laps had been registered, compelling organizers to take action to improve track conditions.

Race direction deployed red flags, and track marshals employed leaf blowers and trucks to expedite the drying process. The scheduled mid-day break was cancelled, and the session was extended by 30 minutes until 5:30 PM local time (4:30 PM GMT) to compensate for the lost time and maximize the track time available to teams.

As the track improved, the session resumed with approximately four hours remaining. Valencia Grand Prix winner Marco Bezzecchi was the first to venture out, testing a heavily revised aero package on the factory Aprilia RS-GP.

Related News :

Fabio Quartararo, riding for Yamaha, initially set the benchmark with a time of 1 minute 30.020 seconds while testing the new V4-powered M1. Bezzecchi quickly responded, dipping under the 90-second mark with a lap time of 1 minute 29.949 seconds.

Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta briefly topped the timesheets for KTM before Fernandez reclaimed the lead for Aprilia with a lap time of 1 minute 29.501 seconds. Fernandez and Bezzecchi continued to exchange the lead during the penultimate hour, with Fernandez ultimately setting the fastest time of the day at 1 minute 29.397 seconds, a mere 0.027 seconds ahead of Bezzecchi.

Alex Marquez, riding for Gresini, secured third place with a lap time of 1 minute 29.457 seconds, just within a tenth of the leading Aprilia duo. Marquez was testing the factory-spec Ducati GP26 for the first time. His teammate, Fermin Aldeguer, also delivered a late improvement, finishing fourth despite a significant moment at Turn 14 as he adjusted to the GP25.

Pedro Acosta finished fifth, making him the fastest KTM rider, followed closely by Maverick Vinales on the Tech3-run RC16. Fabio di Giannantonio, representing VR46, finished seventh after experiencing a brief technical issue early in the session.

Nicolo Bulega, substituting for the injured Marc Marquez, continued his testing duties for the factory Ducati team, completing 45 laps and finishing eighth. Brad Binder finished ninth for KTM, while Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time MotoGP champion, rounded out the top ten, despite a crash at Turn 2 in the final hour while testing the GP26. Both factory Ducati riders featured special retro liveries, in contrast to many teams running unpainted bikes.

Joan Mir was the fastest Honda rider, finishing twelfth behind Ai Ogura from Trackhouse, with a time of 1 minute 29.872 seconds. Johann Zarco and Luca Marini, riding for LCR, followed in thirteenth and fourteenth, respectively.

Fabio Quartararo, who initially led the session, finished fifteenth, only half a second behind Fernandez, highlighting the competitiveness of the new Yamaha.

MotoGP rookies Toprak Razgatlioglu and Diogo Moreira completed their first official sessions on MotoGP bikes, representing Pramac and LCR, respectively. Razgatlioglu finished eighteenth with a best time of 1 minute 30.667 seconds, while Moreira concluded the day in twenty-first.

Moreira rode in HRC corporate colors, as LCR’s partnership with Idemitsu concluded following their split with Somkiat Chantra.

Celestino Vietti, a protégé of Valentino Rossi, made his MotoGP debut in the Valencia test for VR46, replacing Franco Morbidelli, who sustained a hand fracture in Sunday’s race. Vietti finished last, three seconds off the pace.

The Valencia test marked the end of the 2023 MotoGP season, providing teams and riders with valuable data and insights for the upcoming 2024 championship. Aprilia’s strong performance indicates their ongoing competitiveness, while other manufacturers, including Yamaha and Ducati, continue to develop and refine their machines. The test also offered rookies like Razgatlioglu and Moreira their first taste of MotoGP machinery, setting the stage for their transition to the premier class.

Test Results: