Following three days of running in Malaysia earlier this month, the MotoGP pre-season ends in Qatar just two weeks before the 2024 campaign begins at the same venue.
After a fairly slow start to the day for most as track conditions proved suboptimal, more representative running was had as the sun set over the Losail International Circuit.
Ducati’s Bagnaia guided his GP24 to the best time of the day with a 1m52.040s, putting him just over four tenths away from the all-time lap record.
Bagnaia completed 51 laps and led a GP24 1-2 from Pramac’s Martin, further building on Ducati’s strong form with its new bike from the Sepang test.
Tech3 GasGas rookie Pedro Acosta set the early pace in the opening hour of running at a 1m58.141s as few ventured out onto the circuit.
At the end of hour two, Maverick Vinales had taken over as the rider to beat on his Aprilia with a 1m54.883s, which he bettered to a 1m54.067s come the end of hour three.
Hour four was also topped by Vinales, who admitted after the Sepang test that he felt like the 2024 Aprilia was “riding me” as he struggled to get to grips with it.
His 1m53.472s would be beaten by Raul Fernandez on the year-old Trackhouse Racing Aprilia, with the Spaniard edging ahead with a 1m52.814s come the end of the fifth hour of running.
Source: Autosport