MotoGp 2023, in Sepang Ducati and Aprilia the fastest

SEPANG – More Italian than that, it’s impossible. The season of MotoGP started again with the first day of official tests on the Malaysian circuit: a rainbow Ducati and Aprilia, which together place 9 bikes in the first 9 places. The first Japanese, one Yamahais only tithing: and guides it Morbidelli. The best chrono made him score Bezzecchi with the satellite Red Mooney Vr46 in front of the Noale RS-GP driven by Vinales. World champion Bagnaia is 5th, preceded by his new teammate Bastianini, 3rd. It’s only the first outing of a race that will finish in Valencia in November: but the competitiveness of the Italians is already evident, like the gap Honda which closes at almost a second with Marc Marquez (12th). How many new features on the track: the M1 engine that promises to be – finally! – more powerful, aerodynamic innovations to better manage ground effect such as the “ears” of Borgo Panigale or the “chest” of Aprilia. A whole series of experiments which, depending on the results, will or will not be taken into consideration during the championship. Even 4 different Hondas were seen in the Cannibal garage: with different windshields, wings and airbox intakes, even with a “step” in the fairing. Will these gadgets work?

Vinales: “New Aprilia, good sensations”

“The top speed has improved, I think we can take a big step forward,” says a Quartararo optimistic. “It was time to clarify the chassis, engine and aerodynamics: a real test. Now let’s see what happens over the next two days and then in Portimao, before choosing the most interesting options.” Vinales, who smiled: “Today we focused a lot on the comparison between the old bike and the new one, which seems decidedly more interesting to me: many positive things, none negative. From a braking point of view, they are similar: but the 2023 one seems to me much lighter and drivable when changing direction. I feel more natural, when driving. I can’t say yet about pure speed. But I’m happy”. AND Aleix Espargarò: “I immediately felt good: many small things have changed, the power seems a little higher, we’ll see how competitive we are but at the moment everything seems to be going well”.

The ‘Beast’ with a smile: “The base looks very good”

Bastianini, third time trial and a lot of optimism: “I’m very happy, we tried various innovations and we exchanged all the information with Pecco: the base seems decidedly good to me”, confirms the Rimini rider. “I couldn’t wait to get back on the saddle, get to know the new Ducati, work with the factory team: now we have more days here, then in Portimao: we’re positive, it’s nice to start off on the right foot”.

Marquez and Honda still late

One hundred and thirty thousandths separate Bezzecchi from Vinales, Bastianini is 262. Then Martin with the Ducati Pramac ahead of Bagnaia (-0″125 from the Beast), then Aleix Espargarò and Zarco with the other Gp23 of the Campinoti team. by Giannantonio, who races with a bike from Borgo Panigale for the Gresini team, is 8th over half a second and 15 thousandths ahead of his teammate Alex MarquezMarc’s brother. Morbidelli precedes the other official Yamaha rider, Quartararo (11th), by a good 3 tenths Luca Marini he is 13th at 999 thousandths from Bez, his box mate. Disappointing – for now – Ktm, which pays for a delay of one second and 356 thousandths with Miller.