Written and Updated by Owen Bradley
Credit: Diogo Cardoso
Vinales ends the 2024 first test in first position, as other riders like Marc Marquez have put on an excellent display with Ducati, Pedro Acosta has had a great first test as a rookie among many others. MotoGP will be back next February for testing, and we will see you in March for the start of the MotoGP 2024 World Championship.
Just 48 hours after the final round of the 2023 season, the 2024 MotoGP championship begins, with the Valencia tests where we will see the likes of Marc Marquez head out on a Ducati for the first time ever. LIVE updates on the Valencia test, right here. Scroll further past results for details and images of the test.
LIVE Timing
1st Maverick Vinales, Aprilia - 1:29.253s
2nd Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM +0.028s
3rd Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Ducati +0.093s
4th Marc Marquez, Gresini Ducati, +0.171s
5th Raul Fernandez, Aprilia +0.263s
6th Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati, +0.385s
7th Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Ducati, +0.409s
8th Enea Bastianini, Factory Ducati +0.543s
9th Jack Miller, Red Bull KTM, +0.648s
10th Luca Marini, Repsol Honda +0.703s
11th Francesco Bagnaia, Factory Ducati +0.717s
12th Fabio Quartararo, Monster Yamaha +0.769s
13th Joan Mir, Repsol Honda +0.798s
14th Augusto Fernandez, TECH3 KTM +0.824s
15th Jorge Martin, Pramac Ducati +0.899s
16th Franco Morbidelli, Pramac Ducati +0.953s
17th Johann Zarco, LCR Honda +1.030s
18th Pedro Acosta, TECH3 KTM +1.253s
19th Alex Rins, Monster Yamaha +1.311s
20th Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha +1.512s
21st Takaaki Nakagami, LCR Honda +1.723s
22nd Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia +3.059s
Valencia Test Major Updates
Brad Binder sets the second fastest lap time, before crashing out of the test with just 6 minutes remaining.
Marc Marquez finishes his 2023 season, leaving the Ricardo Tormo circuit with 20 minutes remaining in the session, and he has certainly began 2024's early tests in the best possible way.
Credit: Diogo Cardoso
Luca Marini aboard the Repsol Honda, builds momentum to put himself inside the Top 10 as Rookie Pedro Acosta crashes in Turn 2 with just half an hour remaining.
Credit: Diogo Cardoso
Marco Bezzecchi comes through to set a lightning quick lap time, less than a tenth from Vinales, as Bagnaia and other riders begin to come out in this final hour of testing.
Johann Zarco crashes at Turn 4, losing the front of his LCR Honda. He takes a scooter back to the paddock as the bike is beached in the gravel and is unliftable.
Maverick Vinales sets a fast lap, just seven thousandths of a second off Marc Marquez, who stays fastest with just over an hour remaining.
Marc Marquez goes fastest by a couple of tenths, after 46 laps on the bike and only a few hours of testing. Marco Bezzecchi, running the 2023 Championship-Winning Spec Ducati, ends up P5.
Marco Bezzecchi overcooks it into Turn One, running out wide and into the gravel as a tailwind begins to pick up on circuit.
Aleix Espargaro will be sitting out of the remainder of this test due to injuries. He picked up an injury during the Sprint round at Valencia last Saturday, and is flying home. Aprilia have confirmed however, that he will be attending their wind tunnel testing over the next few weeks.
Credit: Diogo Cardoso
Jorge Martin crashes for a second time on his Ducati, struggling with the conditions starting to hear up slightly. Meanwhile, Raul Fernandez goes quickest overall on his Aprilia. The Aprilia bikes looking strong in this test. Maverick Vinales goes one thousandth of a second faster than fellow Aprilia rider Fernandez a few minutes later.
Luca Marini joined Repsol Honda officially just yesterday, although rumours had been swirling about the Italian's decision to join Honda, for weeks prior to the finale at Valencia.
Credit: Steve Wobser
Marc Marquez has an exceptional first few runs on his new Ducati machine, ending up P2 in the morning session test and with a big smile on his face. A blisteringly quick time on the cold circuit of Valencia, put the Spaniard just a few tenths away from Maverick Vinales.
Do check out Divebomb Motorsport’s Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and of course, our YouTube Channel too. You can find the links to those social platforms, at the bottom of the screen.
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/projectdivebomb/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/projectdivebomb/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@projectdivebomb
Top 17 separated by 1 second in a post season test session, with a number of riders on new bikes. You'd have to say that's a competitive field ! It's looking like 2024 could be a classic with experienced riders on good machines and young riders also getting themselves onto good bikes, can definitely see a brilliant season shaping up.