Spaniard Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) set the best time in the MotoGP end-of-season tests in Valencia on Tuesday, while six-time world champion Marc Marquez took promising first steps aboard the Ducati-Gresini.
Four days after taking pole position at the Valencia Grand Prix, Vinales was once again the fastest on the Ricardo-Tormo circuit where the riders tested the prototypes of the bikes they will use next season.
The Catalan was just a hair ahead of the South African Brad Binder (KTM) and the Italian Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati-VR46), relegated to just 28 and 93 thousandths respectively.
Marc Marquez, who rode a Ducati for the first time after 11 years at Honda, finished in fourth place, ahead of Raul Fernandez, who rode an Aprilia but not RNF branded, since the team was excluded from the 2024 championship on Monday , and his brother Alex, whom he will now rub shoulders with at Gresini.
The Italian Luca Marini, who left his half-brother Valentino Rossi’s Ducati-VR46 team, quickly adapted to his new mount, an official Honda, taking tenth place, ahead of his compatriot Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati ), crowned world champion for the second time on Sunday. His Spanish runner-up Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac) is in 15th place.
The French Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and Johann Zarco, who was making his debut aboard a Honda-LCR, finished 12th and 17th respectively.
Test Ranking:
1. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Aprilia) 1:29.2532. Brad Binder (RSA/KTM) at 0.0283. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA/Ducati-VR46) 0.0934. Marc Marquez (ESP/Ducati-Gresini) 0.1715. Raul Fernandez (ESP/Aprilia) 0.2636. Alex Marquez (ESP/Ducati-Gresini) 0.3857. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA/Ducati-VR46) 0.4098. Enea Bastianini (ITA/Ducati) 0.5439. Jack Miller (AUS/KTM) 0.64810. Luca Marini (ITA/Honda) 0.70311. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 0.71712. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) 0.769…15. Jorge Martin (ESP/Ducati-Pramac) 0.89916. Franco Morbidelli (ITA/Ducati-Pramac) 0.95317. Johann Zarco (FRA/Honda-LCR) 1.030
