Marco Bezzecchi finished the Qatar test with the tenth fastest time, 0.726s behind the leader, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati). Yesterday, on the final day of MotoGP pre-season testing, he completed a total of 49 laps, confirming progress compared to the Malaysia test.
These improvements were highlighted by the Italian from the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, who feels relatively close to much of the field: ‘I can’t complain. I’m satisfied with this test. Still I wanted to do a bit more on the time attack, but compared to Malaysia I’m really, really happy. I felt a lot more comfortable on the bike and I enjoyed the riding a lot more. My pace was not too bad. I think that apart from the two factory Ducatis that were really fast, but also Aleix [Espargaró] who was really fast – also [Jorge] Martín – all the other riders are quite similar and I’m happy to be there as well because in Malaysia I was much further away. It wasn’t too bad’.
Regarding the area where he made the most progress compared to the Sepang tests, Bezzecchi explained: ‘Stopping. I finally found a way to stop the bike much, much better. Still I’m missing something on the angle in the last part of the braking – but also in the initial part of opening. This bike has more grip, so I’m struggling to make the bike turning in that area. But comparing to Malaysia finally I stop, so I don’t suffer anymore also in traction. In the part with the difference of the engine I was struggling a bit’.