7 riders, new beginnings: how did they fare in Sepang?

2023 sees seven premier class stars switching producers from what they rode in 2022. We acquired a primary glimpse of these riders on their new machines on the Valencia Take a look at again in November, however the Sepang Take a look at is the place we actually noticed these MotoGP™ stars familiarize yourself with the instruments they’ll be racing with this yr.

Let’s have a better take a look at how they acquired on throughout the three days in Malaysia, earlier than pre-season testing resumes on the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve on the eleventh and twelfth of March. 

One of many darkish horses for 2023? There’s lots who suppose so. After three years on a Honda – one in Repsol colors and two in LCR Castrol colors – the two-time World Champion hyperlinks up with Ducati for 2023, as Alex Marquez will get set to compete on the GP22 – the bike that helped Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Crew) to win the title and Ducati declare the coveted Triple Crown.

And it’s been a really promising begin to life as a Ducati rider for the quantity 73. Marquez was the quickest new bike debutant in Sepang after setting a 1:58.385, a time simply 0.496s off Luca Marini’s (Mooney VR46 Racing Crew) fast 1:57.889 lap. That effort was additionally over one and a half seconds faster than Marquez managed in Q1 on the 2022 Malaysian GP.

“Fairly comfy, actually constructive, actually comfortable” had been a few of the phrases popping out of the Spaniard’s mouth in Sepang, however there’s nonetheless huge room for enchancment – particularly within the braking zones: “We’re lacking some issues within the braking level to attempt to make one thing extra.” Alex Marquez and Ducati is a really thrilling prospect. 

After taking the world by storm in his rookie Moto2™ marketing campaign in 2021, Raul Fernandez moved as much as the premier class as one of the crucial tantalising prospects we’ve seen lately. Nonetheless, his 2022 MotoGP™ debut marketing campaign was a tricky one on the Tech3 KTM, however Fernandez begins a brand new journey with Aprilia for his sophomore premier class yr.

In Sepang, Fernandez admitted it was the primary time he’s loved driving a motorbike since stepping off his Pink Bull KTM-donned Kalex Moto2™ motorbike, and an eleventh place on the mixed timesheets proved it was a constructive check. Fernandez’s 1:58.710 was lower than half a second shy of Aprilia Racing stalwart Aleix Espargaro, and it’s protected to say the quantity 25 rider was comfortable about his three-day outing.

“The Take a look at was actually constructive, I labored to all the time attempt to perceive every thing very clearly, and I believe we did this job rather well.” There might be extra to come back from Fernandez in Portimao.

Mir’s transfer to Repsol Honda to accomplice Marc Marquez is without doubt one of the most extremely anticipated MotoGP™ strikes for some time. The 2020 MotoGP™ World Champion has to adapt to a brand new type of motorcycle for this season, so his 1:58.784 time assault lap that put him simply over a tenth off Marquez’s tempo was fairly spectacular.

Mir and Honda are conscious that substantial enhancements have to be made to the RC213V forward of 2023 kicking off in Portimao on the finish of March, so the upcoming Portimao Take a look at might be two essential days.

“For positive we’re nonetheless a bit far, however daily we’re nearer. So this is essential, daily we really feel higher on the bike.” These had been the optimistic notes from Mir, who admits that he’s now driving in a “utterly completely different” method from how he piloted the Suzuki for 4 years. It’s a giant problem forward for the two-time World Champion, with he and HRC ones to look at on the Portimao Take a look at.

After two years within the Repsol Honda Crew camp, Pol Espargaro is reunited with an outdated buddy in 2023. A part of the brand new premier class GASGAS Manufacturing facility Racing Tech3 undertaking, the Spaniard is the one rider of the brand new bike debutants to be again on a motorbike that’s even remotely acquainted. That doesn’t imply his job is far simpler although, as two years is a very long time in MotoGP™. The RC16 has modified quite a bit in that point.

A 1:58.797 positioned Espargaro in thirteenth place on the Sepang Take a look at, 0.9s from high spot, because the quantity 44 rider admitted that there are some small issues to iron out earlier than he’s completely comfy. “I nonetheless really feel I would like some extra laps to make clear some small issues however general I’m fairly comfortable,” stated the Spaniard.

An enormous constructive for Espargaro is he’s aware of many of the personnel he’s working with in 2023, in order that aspect of issues is one thing he’s not needed to fear about when embarking on his GASGAS journey. “I do know many of the guys within the manufacturing unit and within the crew and I really feel comfy with all of them. Private and human relationships are so vital and I believe that is all below management.”

After 5 profitable years on a Ducati, 2023 brings a brand new problem to Miller’s desk. 21 podiums in 4 seasons – together with three wins – is the expertise and expertise Miller presents KTM, because the Austrian producer look to show their RC16 right into a title-challenging weapon. The mix of Brad Binder and Miller makes their line-up an extremely robust one.

It’s not been a completely easy transition for Miller to this point although, with the Australian admitting he hit a “little bit of a wall” together with his seek for an optimum set-up on Day 3 in Sepang. “The bike appears to be at some extent now the place we’re simply altering a few issues to actually get myself comfy on it,” stated Miller.

“I’ve type of hit a wall I suppose you would say by way of my set-up, simply enjoying round with the geometry a bit of bit. Simply earlier than we stopped for lunch we made an enchancment on the used tyres so the primary focus is getting that comfy earlier than we end this Take a look at.”

Miller ended the Take a look at in P16 with a 1:58.901, lower than a tenth shy of teammate Binder. KTM Crew Supervisor Francesco Guidotti admitted that “expectations had been fairly excessive” they usually “miss one thing” by way of outright efficiency, so Miller and KTM are ones to actually hold tabs on on the Portimao Take a look at.

The rider Miller changed at KTM raised loads of eyebrows on the Valencia Take a look at after ending P4. Oliveira’s transition from RC16 to RS-GP was as easy as butter – from the surface – again in November, however in Sepang was the place the true work began.

The Portuguese star is having to closely adapt his type to Aprilia’s RS-GP, and Oliveira admitted that he didn’t have “the perfect feeling” with new tyres on the ultimate day. That’s a topic we additionally heard Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) bemoan, and it’s one thing that turns into extra essential in 2023 with the introduction of MotoGP™ Dash.

On the entire although, Oliveira seems like he’s in an excellent place forward of the Portimao Take a look at. “With the brand new tyres immediately I didn’t have the perfect feeling like I had yesterday. Yesterday every thing was fairly straightforward to do however immediately being quicker nearly in every single place apart from just a few corners, issues had been difficult a bit extra,” acknowledged the two-time 2022 race winner.

“I’ve to positively do away with loads of issues I did on one other bike for 4 years and it’s not straightforward to do in three days, however for positive I’m in an excellent method.”

Rins is on the identical voyage as former teammate Mir. The Spaniard is having to utterly change his driving type to squeeze each ounce of potential from his new RC213V, and general he and the crew are “fairly comfortable” with how the Sepang Take a look at performed out.

Rins gave us an early indication of the place he and Honda sit in comparison with Marini and Ducati. The Valencia GP race winner was round 0.5s off Marini’s tempo of their respective Dash simulations, which given it was Rins’ first time right here on a Honda, is way from a catastrophe.

Rins – who ended the Take a look at in 18th – additionally stated that he doesn’t but have a “good base” on the bike, as he and the crew work by completely different settings and set-ups to attempt to get Rins comfy. The identical goes for everybody, however the two-day Portimao Take a look at might be such an vital weekend for Rins forward of the opening spherical of the season.