How important is a ‘fast impression’ in Tuesday’s Barcelona MotoGP test?

The dust has barely settled on the 2024 MotoGP World Championship but 2025 begins at the same Barcelona circuit with Tuesday’s official post-race test.

Over half of the grid will either be changing teams or making their MotoGP debuts, headlined by new world champion Jorge Martin’s switch to Aprilia and Marc Marquez’s move to the factory Ducati Lenovo team:

During the latest edition of the Crash.net MotoGP podcast, host Jordan Moreland said:

“I think there’s 13 or 14 changes across the grid, with people going to test rider roles, moving teams, bikes or making their debuts. It’s a real change for Tuesday, it’s quite exciting.”

“Yeah, it is,” replied Crash.net MotoGP journalist Lewis Duncan, present at Barcelona this weekend. “Two years in a row now, we've had quite an exciting post-season. It's definitely one of the more intriguing tests. I'm not sure how much running we’re going to get with the cold here in Barcelona.

“Bu it can be cold in Valencia as well and the test day last year was especially cold. It was a good hour and a half, two hours before we saw anyone take to the track.

“So it could be a bit of an odd session but it’ll still be interesting.

“All eyes really are going to be on Martin on the Aprilia and Marc on the factory Ducati. As far as I understand, he's going to back-to-back the GP24 and the GP25, because, of course, Marquez has not done any laps in the GP24.

“So he needs to get a bit of a reference in terms of what the GP25 improves from the GP24. We've seen riders make a two year step in the past and it's quite a tricky thing.

“When Bastianini did it, I remember him saying it’s quite a big jump, ‘I didn't know the other bike, therefore I haven't got anything to compare it to’. So it'll be a busy day there for Marc, but an intriguing one.”

Crash.net MotoGP editor Pete McLaren added: “Marc has been riding the 23 bike that was designed, as Michele Pirro pointed out this weekend, around the older rear tyre. Now he’s going across to the factory bike, which is not only designed around the 24 tyre but now has a year’s worth of racing data with that tyre.

“So it’s looking good but let’s see how he gels with the new environment, given how much he’s enjoyed the family atmosphere at Gresini. Very different atmosphere at the factory Ducati team I think, all business there of course. He’ll also have a new crew chief. Let’s see how he adapts, but it’s all there for him on paper.”

Moreland replied: “And Pete, Jorge Martin changing brands, that’ll be fun as well. It feels like a new dawn for MotoGP almost.”

“It does, especially for Aprilia, with not only two new riders - Bezzecchi joining Martin - but Fabiano Sterlacchini stepping in as technical boss and new crew chiefs. It really is a complete change over there,” McLaren said.

“It's going to be interesting to see what Martin's initial feelings are with the bike. He’s only ever ridden a Ducati. And we know he's not somebody that likes to change the bike too much setting wise.

“Is he going to get on the Aprilia and say, ‘yeah, I like this', or 'I understand it’. Or is he going to be turning the bike upside-down setting wise to try and get comfortable? Then it could be a long winter for Aprilia...

“Everyone says first impressions are not that important in testing, but when we look back, guys that have jumped onto a different bike and gone well straight way, it’s proven a good sign for the future - and vice versa.”

Moreland: “That reminds me of Valentino Rossi at the 2010 Valencia test, when after the first flying laps I think he knew he had made a mistake by joining Ducati! He said that a couple of years later.

“We’ll also get to see Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales at KTM on Tuesday, plus of course the new Pramac Yamahas and the three 2025 rookies as well. So be sure to join us in a few days for all the reaction to that test.”