VOLUME ISSUE DECEMBER , P59
bidelli 16th after 69 laps.
"It was good first day," Morbidelli said. "We did
many laps, just to get to know the bike and under-
stand as much as possible how it works. I started
straight away with the new bike (GP24). I'm pretty
happy. There are things I need to improve and
things I need to change on the bike to help it
follow me, but we didn't work on anything—just
enjoyed the bike and savored the new package."
GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3
Although Marc Marquez may have stolen the
limelight, there was plenty of expectation
placed on the young shoulders of Pedro Acosta
as the two-time World Champion made his
MotoGP debut.
Despite a small crash late in the afternoon,
Acosta's adaptation to MotoGP couldn't have
gone much better. Working alongside Pol Espar
-
garo's former crew chief Paul Trevathan, Acosta
put in a solid 70-lap session to go 18th fastest,
an impressive 1.223 seconds off Vinales' pace.
"It was a really good experience and nice to
have that step of feeling improvement during the
day," Acosta said of his first MotoGP experience.
"In the first run we didn't touch any button or
device. I just tried to understand what a MotoGP
46th lap, the eight-time World Champion slotted
into P1.
Marquez's adaption to the Ducati was near
seamless, and he eventually finished the test
in fourth place after 49 laps, 0.171 seconds
off Vinales.
"About Marc, I cannot speak, but the lap time
you can see," Gresini Team Manager Michele Ma
-
sini coyly said at the end of the test. "We are a bit
tired after this long season, but now we can't wait
to start the new season."
Marquez's teammate and younger brother Alex
was also on pace and finished sixth, 0.385 sec
-
onds from Vinales after 56 laps.
"We did one run with the '22 bike and then
changed to the '23," Alex said. "I need to adapt
the riding style because power delivery is a little
bit different. But apart from that, the new aerody
-
namics and everything were better for my front
feeling and it's something positive for the future."
PRIMA PRAMAC RACING DUCATI
2023 title runner-up Jorge Martin and new team-
mate Franco Morbidelli both had Ducati's new
GP24 Desmosedici at their disposal in Valencia,
with Martin taking 15th after 51 laps and Mor
-
Jorge Martin had the new GP24 but didn't love the new
motor's power delivery, which is exactly the opposite to
Bagnaia's reaction.
He doesn't look like a rookie, does he? Pedro Acosta
was ultra-impressive in his MotoGP debut.
