VALENCIA POST-SEASON / NOVEMBER 28, 2023
RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT / VALENCIA, SPAIN
MOTOGP I WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEST
P58
Miller was the busier of the two after 62
laps of Valencia, noting, "The weather condi-
tions were not ideal, but I'm happy enough.
We
tested a lot, and we already have a clear
direction for where we want to improve. We are
working hard to make a broader power range.
We tried some aero, and we made a step with
grip today, so I'm happy with that. I'm pleased
to have reached the end of the season. It's been
a hectic year!"
GRESINI RACING MOTOGP
Without question, the most anticipated moment
of the test came when Marc Marquez swung a
leg over the Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici
GP23 for the first time. Banned from talking to
the media until January 1, 2024, due to a clause
in his old Repsol Honda contract, all anyone could
do to gauge his feeling was look at his beaming
smile after his first run and the fact that on his
but trying the new engine and chassis late in
the day.
"It was my first day with the Yamaha team, and
I'm so happy because it was a really good day,"
Rins said. "We tested many things: small things re-
garding setup. We only worked on the aerodynam-
ics. I'm quite happy because I adapted well to the
bike so
early on. The last hours, from midday to
the end of the session, we were trying fairings, and
they made a step forward compared to the fairing I
used in the morning, which was the race fairing."
Test rider Cal Crutchlow was also in atten
-
dance as he took on the lion's share of devel-
opment work with the new aero package. He
completed 74
laps to go 20th fastest.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
Two bikes in the top 10 was a good result for
KTM, with Brad Binder going second fastest,
only 0.028 seconds off Vinales, after 51 laps.
Teammate Jack Miller, using a striking zebra-
style paint scheme to hide some of the new aero
developments of the RC16, clocked the ninth-
fastest time.
"Today we tried a few different things with
aero, some exhausts," Binder said. "We didn't
have anything big or radical, but we learned a
lot about what we did use, and that's the most
important thing."
Jack Miller with the zebra KTM. It'll be back to the
regular orange for 2024. Shame.
Marc Marquez, to no one's surprise, was immediately
fast on the Ducati.
