Ai Ogura tops Jerez MotoGP test as Ducati, Aprilia run intriguing updates
Ai Ogura led an Aprilia 1-2-3 at the end of the Jerez MotoGP test
Trackhouse MotoGP rider Ai Ogura led an Aprilia 1-2-3 at the end of the official Jerez test, with Marco Bezzecchi third despite a crash.
The first of four in-season tests this year, the post-Spanish Grand Prix outing on Monday represents one of the final opportunities to bring developments for the current 1000cc rules.
All eyes were on Ducati, as it unveiled numerous updates in a bid to strengthen its stuttering championship challenge a day on from its first win of the season.
The factory team duo of Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia were observed riding with various new aero parts, including an intriguing attachment to the GP26’s swingarm.
Marquez, who crashed on the second lap of Sunday’s grand prix at Jerez, was fourth overall with a 1m36.277s and was the leading non-Aprilia.
Aprilia also turned heads with its aero updates, as the RS-GP of Marco Bezzecchi sprouted new wings on the top of the front fairing.
The championship leader ended the day second overall, despite suffering a crash during the afternoon session.
Raul Fernandez set the outright pace in the test with a 1m35.949s set just ahead of the final hour of running, demoting Marc Marquez, who was then further pushed back to third by an improving Bezzecchi.
That looked like it would be the order until the chequered flag, before Ai Ogura began lighting up the timing screens.
The Japanese rider produced a 1m35.944s to edge ahead of his Trackhouse team-mate and lead the day outright.
Pedro Acosta was fifth overall with a 1m36.299s, as he tried various items in a bid to improve on his form after a difficult Spanish Grand Prix weekend on the KTM.
Spanish Grand Prix winner Alex Marquez topped the morning session with a 1m36.394s, which would remain the Gresini rider’s best time of the day, having set a 1m36.409s in the afternoon.
He was sixth ahead of Fabio Quartararo, who dragged his V4 Yamaha to a 1m36.439s a day on from a difficult Spanish Grand Prix.
He headed VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, while LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco was ninth by virtue of his 1m36.658s from the first session.
Pecco Bagnaia made a marginal gain on his session one time in the afternoon to complete the top 10 on the sister factory team Ducati with a 1m36.671s.
Aprilia’s Jorge Martin finished outside of the top 10, but was pleased with the gains he felt he made, having spent the day trialling items he hasn’t yet had a chance to due to missing the first pre-season test.
Pramac had a tricky day, with Jack Miller suffering a technical issue in the first session and then a crash in the afternoon, while Toprak Razgatlioglu also had a fall.
LCR Honda rookie Diogo Moreira crashed inside the second hour of running.
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