The three days of testing in Sepang ended under capricious skies and the domination of Alex Marquez on a Ducati GP24. Other brands such as Honda and Aprilia also showed progress. However, uncertainties persist, particularly at Ducati regarding the choice between the GP24 and GP25 engine. All marking the end of an intense session of preparation for the 2025 MotoGP season. Here are the latest considerations and the final classification.
The three-day test at Sepang concluded with several teams highlighting their development plans for the 2025 MotoGP season. Here's a recap of the key takeaways from the end of the test and some of the riders' performances.
I wish the entire Honda, Including Joan Mir, focused on improving the engine. Mir was positive after testing a new engine, noting that Honda had gained speed on the straights, but only by 1 km/h. I think more is needed, but it's a step in the right direction. " said the Spanish driver. Although progress has been made, Honda therefore still remains in search of substantial gains to compete with other factories.
At Ducati, the big question is whether they should continue to use the engine GP24 or move on to GP25 engineThe new engine still has weaknesses, especially in the start-up phase. braking , as explained Francis Bagnaia. However, Ducati continues to make progress, with several drivers, including bagnaia, Alex Marquez et Morbidely, achieving laps in 1'56. Ducati The GP25 engine will still need to be tested to maximise its potential, but for now the GP24 still seems to be the benchmark in terms of performance.
At Sepang, Fabio Quartararo improved his time on his Yamaha by almost eight tenths compared to last year's qualifying.
A club that is part of fabio quartararo. This time is particularly impressive for the pilot. Yamaha , who improved his time by almost eight-tenths compared to last year's qualifying, signalling significant progress for the M1.
The Frenchman recorded solid performances, finishing among the best and giving Yamaha a hope of competitiveness for the coming season. The progression of the engine and the settings of the bike is evident, and the team seems well prepared to attack the season.
Aprilia continued to test its new aerodynamic configurations, including the famous " Asterix wings » mounted on the rear of the motorcycle Marco BezzecchiThese adjustments show that the Italian team is looking to improve aerodynamic efficiency, while reducing tire wear. Bezzecchi has also experimented with these modifications and looks set to approach the next tests in good shape.
Time to Marc Marquez was solid, with long runs where he stayed in the 1'57 minutes range, which indicates good consistency in his performances. In comparison, Francis Bagnaia completed several laps in 1'58, while Peter Acosta maintained an average of 1'58.5 in his sprint simulation. Alex Marquez was slightly faster than his older brother in the race simulation, with an average of 1'57.901s compared to 1'57.930s for Marc, highlighting the competitiveness of the Gresini GP24 compared to the GP25 of the official Ducati team.
The conditions to Sepang were tough, with high temperatures and a light rain that appeared, but the track dried quickly. There were some falls, with Luca marini who fell at turn 9 and Jack Miller who crashed at turn 4, but fortunately both drivers were unharmed.
Before going next week to Buriram and the two days of testing, the teams still have work to do to refine their settings and optimize performance. Ducati remains a reference, but significant progress has been made by Yamaha , While Honda et Aprilia continue to adjust their setups to get closer to the front of the race. These last days of testing will be crucial to prepare for the first race of the season and put in place a solid competition strategy.
MotoGP, Sepang J3 Test, Final: times
