MotoGP Test Mugello LIVE 2/2: a doom and gloom, but not for the transfer market!

This MotoGP test day at Mugello marks the second day of testing of the 2024 season. Less than 24 hours after the Italian Grand Prix, each team is already back on the track to fine-tune their machines and prepare for the next stage of the season. Honda and Yamaha, having already benefited from private testing at Mugello last month, hope to gain additional advantage from this session to accelerate their development.

The pilots Ducati, whether they are fighting for the championship with the GP24s or fighting with the GP23s, will seek to optimize their bikes. For Aprilia et KTM, these trials are a crucial opportunity to position ourselves as the main challengers of Ducati in the races to come.

Yesterday, Mugello vibrated with the spectacular double of Francis Bagnaia et Enea Bastianini. Today, however, it is already time to return to work. These tests are vital for teams and riders, giving them the chance to work on motorcycle settings and experiment with new technical solutions. Each team is on track with the goal of maximizing their competitive advantages, analyzing data, testing new components, and seeking the best possible settings.

The Mugello test is another opportunity for Honda and Yamaha to remember their past reputation

For Japanese manufacturers, Honda et Yamaha , this day is particularly important. Benefiting from the concessions, they have the opportunity to catch up and prepare for the next races with significant improvements. “ We must make the most of these tests to progress,” said an engineer from Yamaha . For their part, the pilots are also aware of the importance of this day. “ Every turn counts, every adjustment can make the difference,” emphasized a pilot Ducati.

With the competition heating up, today's testing is a key step in each team's quest to find the performance gains needed to dominate the season. Expectations are high, and the teams are ready to give everything to come out of Mugello with faster and better tuned bikes. The battle for supremacy in MotoGP continues, and these tests could well be decisive.

During the Grand Prix weekend, all the riders underlined the crucial importance of these official MotoGP tests at Mugello. However, the expected results are not there. A few drivers completed a few laps before the rain does not appear. During the first two hours of the testing day, only six pilots took to the track: Binder, Miller and Acosta for KTM, as well as Vinales and Savadori on theAprilia RS-GP. Joan mir was the only Honda driver present at 11 a.m. No significant time was recorded.

At 11:30 a.m., the weather disrupted all teams' plans. The sky quickly darkened and rain began to fall. Yamaha riders, alex rins et Fabio Quartararo, put on rain tires and went out shortly before noon. However, with the low precipitation and wind, it is likely that the tests MotoGP can resume in better conditions this afternoon.

Here are the times: 

Team VR 46 decided to end this test. Bezzecchi et Di Giannantonio tried to get back on track but returned to the pits without even completing their first lap. “ The weather doesn't helps " has explained Marco Bezzecchi. « It's always a shame I wanted to ride too because I should have tried something interesting. Now I'm going to go home and use the time to better analyze yesterday's race. During these tests we had a few ideas to try with a view to Assen but that's how it happenede ".

Davide Tardozzi (Ducati team manager) on Sky: “ Mugello has no secrets for us, even if we weren't able to test it this year. I believe that Bagnaia, Martin, Marquez and Bastianini will compete for the first 4 places in the World Championship this year. It's hard to know today how this will end."

Gigi Dall'Igna reveals what the program for this day should have been: “ we would have liked the pilots to test new parts on the GP23. This was not possible and we will have to do it during the race weekends. VSit would have been a very important test also for the official drivers because we are developing some pieces for the 2nd part of the season and we have some ideas. These weather conditions did not help us ».

Fabio DiGiannantonio returns home : " there was everything to lose and nothing to gain today. I should have tried two things for Ducati a fairing and something else which is a secret. Unfortunately we couldn't, but I know the fairing is good because it's the one Bagnaia and Martin used at the end of last season. So I will still use it in Assen, as well as the new features that I am not talking about... ».

Maverick Vinales takes stock of his day: “ for me it was important to ride in the wet because we had some problems in Jerez. We tried different electronic settings, particularly for the engine brake, and we better understood which ones to use. When the asphalt dried I was very competitive. Unfortunately today we weren't able to try many things even though it would have been important to take a step forward. Since our return to Europe the others have progressed and even if I do too, I am 8th behind them… I don't know if it's something random but it happened at Le Mans and Mugello. Yesterday I was 35 seconds faster than last year but I finished 8th. One of Ducati's strong points is being able to use soft tires while being very fast even at the end of the race. ».

Ducati celebrates the double Bagnaia-Bastianini yesterday on social networks. Pecco and Enea did not see each other on the track today and, given the track conditions, they will have difficulty leaving the pit lane.

Only Honda drivers Mir, Marini et zarco face the wet track of Mugello. Is this better for the Honda? Luca marini respond : " it was very important to do a few laps even in these conditions and it was particularly important to work with the rain tires because honestly our motorcycle does not work very well with this type of tire. It's very difficult to ride our motorcycle with these tires "...

Peter Acosta also finished his day: “ we were unable to follow the testing program for the new parts for the 2nd part of the season but I rode in the wet and it was useful I don’t have much to say about this day. ».

Chronos at 16:00 p.m.: 

George Martin did not take the track today: “ with the good weather we could have tried to improve the settings but because of the rain we decided not to take any risks for the moment. I am the championship leader and we think it would have been too risky to take to the track in these conditions ».

For Franco Morbidelli the summary is as follows: “ we should have tried some things with the settings to improve my sensations, particularly when accelerating. Unfortunately the rain changed our plans so we will try them in Assen. I only did a few laps but I'm happy to have had the opportunity to spend even more time with the team ».

And we end this session not with a timesheet but with this important news from the Mugello market: no official announcement in the coming days, but it seems that Ducati has chosen Marc Marquez as official rider from 2025 with a two-year contract. The scenarios at this stage: Bastianini could end up at KTM, while Jorge Martin is the favorite to take Espargaró's place at Aprilia... Have a good evening!!