Winners
Ducati’s rivals
Ducati has opted towards putting in the vast majority of its winter updates
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
The information about Ducati abandoning its 2025 engine in favour of its proven 2024 unit should have come as music to the ears of its rivals. Actually, Ducati can be set to undertake the identical chassis as final yr, whereas there’s a “actual risk” that the aero will probably be carried over from 2024 as nicely. This implies electronics and suspension would be the solely areas the place Ducati will introduce any upgrades to its title-winning GP24.
Make no mistake, the GP24 was such a near-perfect bike that it remained a category aside from the sector even when Ducati stopped introducing any updates within the second half of 2024. By all likelihood, Ducati will nonetheless have a sizeable benefit when the brand new season kicks off at Buriram in two weeks. Nonetheless, the truth that Ducati has did not deliver a significant improve to its engine, chassis and engine a minimum of leaves the door open for rivals to shut the hole.
Ducati was so dominant final yr that it gained 19 out of 20 grands prix. Whereas wins should be out of attain until we see a repeat of Austin, the opposite producers now have a greater likelihood of ending on the rostrum on a semi-regular foundation. The truth that there are two fewer Desmosedicis on the grid will solely enhance the reason for Aprilia, KTM and the remainder.
Even when issues don’t change a lot this yr, it have to be famous that Ducati must preserve the identical engine for the 2026 season as a part of the engine freeze. Which means probably the most dominant marque in MotoGP will successfully be operating a three-year-old engine, whereas Honda and Yamaha – offered they proceed to maintain concessions – will probably be allowed to develop their motors proper till the top of the present guidelines cycle.
GP24 runners
This yr being on a year-old Ducati won’t be a drawback
Photograph by: MotoGP
Whereas it stays to be seen if rivals will be capable to capitalise on the misstep Ducati took over the winter, the GP24 riders are definitely in for a powerful yr.
After a season during which there was a transparent disparity between the 2 variations of the Desmosedicis, 2025 ought to supply a extra equitable battle between the Ducati sextet.
When Ducati final fumbled with a brand new engine in 2022, the manufacturing unit workforce switched to what was described as a hybrid bike, whereas different GP22 riders continued with the brand new however seemingly inferior motor. This time, nonetheless, all six bikes will carry the identical engine, eradicating an essential variable from the equation.
From what we noticed in testing, Franco Morbidelli and Alex Marquez have been already among the many quickest riders over a single lap, whereas Fermin Aldeguer was the quickest rookie till the ultimate day of testing.
Morbidelli already is aware of the GP24 nicely from his time at Pramac, whereas the youthful Marquez was capable of rapidly adapt to the brand new bike, having topped the occasions in each the Barcelona take a look at in November and the Sepang take a look at in early February.
This additional backs the suggestion that this season will probably be extra akin to 2022-23, when riders with year-old Ducati bikes have been capable of win races and emerge as exterior contenders for the championship.
Marquez brothers
Each Marquez brothers gave a powerful displaying in testing
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Marc Marquez had already begun to seize headlines at Sepang, however it was at Buriram the place he stole the highlight from everybody else. Fastest overall with a time that was just 0.15s off the outright lap record, the Spaniard’s tempo made him the overwhelming favorite for the beginning of the season – even when he wasn’t keen to confess that on the document.
Marquez was additionally amongst half a dozen riders to finish a race simulation on Thursday, with a 23-lap stint within the afternoon session elevating fairly a number of eyebrows within the paddock. Admittedly, there isn’t a number of knowledge to match Marquez’s future with, however the numbers have been nonetheless too spectacular to depart others anxious.
The tempo he confirmed in pre-season testing will definitely function a confidence booster for him, given the lingering doubts he has had after his career-altering 2020 damage. Whereas Marquez might be proper when he says he would by no means be capable to replicate his type from the 2010s, even in his present bodily state he has the potential to annihilate the competitors.
Marquez can be prone to see his brother Alex far more usually on the sharp finish of the pack. The 31-year-old described him as the largest shock of pre-season, warning in regards to the 2019 Moto2 champion’s potential now that he has a motorbike to his liking.
Alex Marquez had already been fairly constant in 2024, ending a career-best eighth within the standings, however his outcomes have been largely missed by that of Marc.
The youthful Marquez’s premier class profession hasn’t turned out precisely his manner, and he’s nonetheless awaiting a maiden win that escaped him a number of occasions throughout his rookie season with Repsol Honda in 2020. But when he can construct on the tempo he confirmed final yr, he may begin lastly delivering on the lofty expectations individuals had from him in his early years in Moto3.
Yamaha
Quartararo caught the attention for Yamaha in testing
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Ducati might have exaggerated when it described Fabio Quartararo as its foremost “opponent”, however it’s clear that Yamaha has made a serious step ahead this yr.
Yamaha received a headstart over its rivals by bringing in its race riders for the Sepang shakedown, after which was among the many quickest groups when the remainder of the sector arrived in Malaysia for the principle take a look at. Enhancements have been seen in each one lap and future tempo, pushed by improved braking efficiency and better high velocity, and issues ought to solely get higher as Yamaha’s new technical construction begins to bear fruit.
On the identical time, there are nonetheless some long-running weaknesses that it’s struggling to resolve. The M1 has been notably sluggish in low-grip situations and there was little progress on that entrance throughout the Buriram take a look at. Quartararo additionally struggled with the entrance finish of the bike in Thailand and it partly contributed to him virtually a second off Marquez’s tempo.
On the plus facet, issues are going nicely at Pramac, which has joined Yamaha as its new satellite tv for pc accomplice. Pramac has additionally given a brand new lease of life to Jack Miller, who’s having fun with the brand new setting and has rapidly tailored to the M1. The Australian has the potential to play a key function in Yamaha’s revival.
Honda
Honda additionally made positive aspects, with lead rider Mir stamping his approval on the upgrades
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
One can query Honda’s determination to not utilise its race riders within the Sepang shakedown, however by the top of testing at Buriram on Thursday, it was firmly inside the highest 10 on the timesheets.
Like Yamaha, Honda is but to repair some inherent weaknesses of the RC213V, with a scarcity of high velocity and grip nonetheless holding it again. However the general temper at Honda is extremely constructive.
Maybe the largest enhance Honda acquired is that its manufacturing unit riders Luca Marini and Joan Mir are lastly pleased with the upgrades it introduced and are gelling with the upgraded bike. This can be a drastic change from 2024, when each the marque’s supposed chief Mir and newcomer Marini have been outscored by LCR duo Johann Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami.
Mir has authorized the course Honda has taken after two disastrous seasons that made him contemplate his retirement, whereas Marini is now in his second season with the Japanese curve and doesn’t must face the identical difficulties he did when he first jumped on a Honda in 2024 after three years with Ducati.
The Yamaha vs Honda battle can be anticipated to get hotter, with Mir having matched Quartararo’s tempo throughout a dash simulation at Buriram.
Marco Bezzecchi
With Jorge Martin dominated out by damage, Bezzecchi has picked up the items at his new Aprilia environment
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Aprilia needed to dodge a number of questions when it signed Marco Bezzecchi in June final yr, because the Italian was going by a tough patch at VR46 on the time of the announcement. However primarily based on how he has stepped as much as the function in pre-season testing after Jorge Martin’s damage, Aprilia’s religion in Bezzecchi has already been repaid.
The Noale-based model was very happy with Bezzecchi’s suggestions from day one, which meant it was straightforward for it to lean on him when Martin grew to become unavailable.
Furthermore, the 1m29.244s time he managed on the ultimate day of testing was the fastest-ever lap set by an Aprilia rider at Buriram. This was notably spectacular because the Chang Worldwide Circuit has by no means been a powerful observe for Aprilia, with its lengthy braking zones not suiting the RS-GP.
Braking remains to be an space the place Bezzecchi feels Aprilia wants to enhance on, however the progress it has made thus far is already sufficient to combine with the Ducatis. That rookie Ai Ogura completed simply three spots behind in seventh confirmed that the work Aprilia put in throughout the winter in anticipation of Martin is bearing fruit. And whereas it’s unclear how lengthy Martin will take to familiarize yourself with the bike when he returns to motion, Bezzecchi will be capable to take full benefit of the enhancements as quickly because the season will get underway in Thailand later this month.
Losers
Jorge Martin
Martin faces a race towards time to be match for the 2025 opener after lacking the vast majority of pre-season testing
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Martin had managed simply 13 laps within the Sepang take a look at when he high-sided at Flip 2 and ended up within the hospital. Lacking virtually the whole lot of pre-season is all the time going to place a rider on the again foot, however to get so little operating on a radically totally different bike is a big setback that would put somebody months delayed. Simply ask Morbidelli.
No matter the reason for the accident could also be, the implications are clear for Martin who now faces a race towards time to recuperate from his Sepang accidents. Aprilia has a long-term purpose with Martin, so could be glad to let the Spaniard take his time in adapting to the RS-GP, however there isn’t any denying that it’s a disastrous begin to his title defence.
It’s essential to notice that that is the primary time Martin has switched producers in his MotoGP profession, so the training curve that he’s going to face when he returns to motion will probably be extremely steep. Even Bezzecchi hasn’t shied from admitting that he hasn’t totally tailored to the RS-GP after six full days of testing (together with Barcelona), so one can think about how lengthy Martin would take to acclimatise to the bike when he has to know its quirks throughout race weekends.
KTM (and Tech3)
KTM’s off-track worries have began to bleed into its on-track efficiency
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
The monetary disaster at KTM’s headquarters was all the time going to have an effect on the efficiency of its racing workforce. Whereas it is unclear the place precisely KTM stands within the pecking order, early indicators recommend it has fallen behind fellow European rival Aprilia.
Pedro Acosta was nonetheless doing his greatest on his manufacturing unit commencement, whereas its stalwart Brad Binder will also be anticipated to drag one thing out of the bag when the season begins. However the actual fear is the 2 Tech3 signings, who’ve largely been nameless in pre-season testing.
The choice to drop each Jack Miller and Augusto Fernandez was motivated by a need to do away with the weak hyperlinks in its line-ups. However the riders KTM has signed to interchange them have confronted a tricky time on the RC16 thus far.
Maverick Vinales nonetheless appeared to make a step ahead on the ultimate day of the operating, buoyed by an improved understanding of the KTM’s braking, however testing ended a bit too quickly for Enea Bastianini. The Italian defined that he’s nonetheless using the KTM as if it have been a Ducati, unable to know its behaviour when he engages the rear brakes. His using type can be stopping him from taking full benefit of the RC16 at nook entry, which is taken into account a very sturdy level of the bike.
Francesco Bagnaia
Bagnaia did not take pleasure in a clean pre-season testing and seems to be a step behind Marquez
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
Francesco Bagnaia has taken Marquez’s arrival at Ducati as a brand new problem in his profession. Having misplaced the 2024 title battle to Martin, Bagnaia feels beating Marquez would assist him reclaim his crown as MotoGP’s high canine. But when pre-season testing was something to go by, Bagnaia must deliver his A-game to win a 3rd title within the premier class.
Whether or not Bagnaia can beat Marquez to the title is a distinct query. What’s clear is that Marquez had a superb pre-season and Bagnaia is compelled to play catch-up to him.
The distinction between the 2 riders was notably evident at Buriram; whereas Marquez rose to the highest of the timesheets, Bagnaia was compelled to jot down off a complete day with a collection of issues and “begin from zero” once more. The ultimate day of the operating did go easily for him, however by then Marquez had moved additional forward together with his programme, widening the hole between the 2. Bagnaia did get to finish some lengthy runs, however not a full race simulation like Marquez managed.
Whereas one ought to rule out Bagnaia at their very own peril, his preparations for the brand new season have not precisely gone to plan.
MotoGP takes a fast breather earlier than the season begins in Thailand in two weeks
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
On this article
Be the primary to know and subscribe for real-time information e-mail updates on these matters
Subscribe to news alerts