Following two pre-season tests in February, the 21-round 2024 MotoGP campaign begins this weekend in Qatar.
Last year’s championship runner-up Jorge Martin topped the times by 0.047 seconds in a largely unrepresentative opening session from Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.
But it was Tech3 GasGas rookie Acosta who stole the show, topping the session on several occasions and ending up third on just his 11th day on the KTM MotoGP bike since last November’s Valencia test.
Run under sunnier conditions than either the sprint or grand prix will be staged, the 45-minute FP1 in Qatar was largely about brushing away the cobwebs for the 22-rider field.
Factory KTM rider Jack Miller set the early pace with a 1m55.258s, before Honda’s Joan Mir edged ahead with a 1m54.221s.
Acosta took to the top of the order for the first time with 38 minutes to go with a 1m53.992s to turn heads, before Marc Marquez on the Gresini Ducati took over with a 1m53.408s.
Source: Autosport