The MotoGP 2025 preseason test in Barcelona offered a fascinating glimpse into what’s ahead. With fresh faces, innovative prototypes, and surprising performances, this key event highlighted the ambitions and challenges of riders and manufacturers.
The day was action-packed, so let’s take a look at the key takeaways from this preseason test day in Barcelona.
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Alex Márquez shines in the spotlight
Alex Márquez, riding for the Gresini team, dominated the day with an impressive lap time of 1’38.803 set in the fourth hour. Despite a crash in the penultimate hour at Turn 7, his time remained unbeaten as the track cooled throughout the evening. This performance signals significant progress for Márquez, who seems ready to fight among the top contenders in 2025. Meanwhile, his older brother and World Champion, Marc Márquez, made a splash with his debut for Ducati’s factory team. Clocking a 1’39.454 lap time, he secured fourth place after just 49 laps on the Desmosedici GP25 prototype—a promising start for the upcoming season.
Sharing some 'loving' banter with Masini 😂@marcmarquez93 🤭#BarcelonaTest pic.twitter.com/xB4Ks28qo5
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 19, 2024
Ducati and Yamaha: various strategies
Former MotoGP Champion Francesco Bagnaia explored three Ducati configurations during the test: the GP24, GP25, and a hybrid of the two. His goal? To find the perfect balance to reclaim his title in 2025. He finished third, just behind French rider Fabio Quartararo, who restored hope for Yamaha with a solid second-place time. However, the overall performances of both teams revealed starkly different approaches. While Ducati continues to refine its technical dominance, Yamaha focuses on steady evolution to close the gap. Newly crowned champion Jorge Martin had his first experience with the Aprilia RS-GP 2025. Despite a minor crash, he completed 77 laps, showing encouraging signs and finishing 11th. This transition marks a crucial point in his career, with his adaptation playing a pivotal role in his title ambitions.
Rookies and dark horses to watch
The test also spotlighted newcomers and a few surprises. Fermin Aldeguer, the day’s top rookie, finished 20th, logging valuable mileage despite an early-session crash. At KTM, Pedro Acosta demonstrated promising potential, briefly leading the timesheets in the morning before ending the day in 9th. Enea Bastianini faced a tougher day, suffering a violent crash that heavily damaged a RC16. Maverick Viñales had a modest start with Tech3 KTM, finishing 12th, while expectations remain high for him. Aleix Espargaró, now retired as a racer but newly appointed as a test rider for Honda, had a productive day, finishing 14th and proving his experience remains a valuable asset for the Japanese manufacturer.
This article explores the highlights of the MotoGP 2025 preseason test in Barcelona. From Alex Márquez’s stellar performance to Marc Márquez’s Ducati debut, the event showcased promising rookies, evolving strategies from teams like Ducati and Yamaha, and the emergence of 2025’s key contenders. With prototypes under development and new faces adapting, this session set the stage for what could be one of MotoGP’s most thrilling seasons in recent memory.
Image: Red Bull Content pool
