"It's normal that we are faster": Alex Marquez on top during GP24 debut at Barcelona MotoGP Test

Alex Marquez emphasised that MotoGP World Championship leaders Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia ‘did an amazing year’ and were ‘super fast in all conditions’.

But after topping the timesheets on his debut with their former GP24 Ducati in Tuesday’s Barcelona test, the Gresini rider felt a clear step over the year-old bike he campaigned this season.

That wasn’t a surprise, with the GP24 designed around this year’s revised Michelin rear tyre, the extra grip from which caused front-end issues on the GP23.

“I did one run with the 23 bike in the morning to feel the grip level and track conditions, then we jumped to the 24,” Marquez said. “The first run felt quite strange, quite different, but the lap time was already the same with used tyres.

“Then, it was a bike that when I was trying to push more and more and more, every time it was better and better and better.

“The main difference I felt was corner entry, where we were suffering a lot with the 23. Also Pirro said he got used to the 24 and when he came back to the 23 here, he was a little bit loose.

“So especially the entry is quite a good step... It's a bike made for this rear tyre.

“It was a good day. Really, really solid all day with the lap times.”

Rather than a single headline-grabbing soft tyre time attack, Marquez led the timesheets on five different occasions.

The Spaniard eventually finished 0.396s clear of Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and 0.595s from Bagnaia. Bagnaia’s new team-mate, Alex's brother Marc, was fourth as the factory duo worked on next year’s GP25.

“It's just one day and it's a track that I love, so I will not say they won because of that [GP24 bike]! Pecco and Jorge did an amazing year also. They were super fast in all the conditions,” Alex said.

“So still too early to speak much, but it's a step compared to the [GP23]. I want to try it on a track that is not really good for me, riding style-wise. But next we will go to Malaysia, which is super good for me. And Thailand where I’m also fast.

“So we need to wait, also to see how much the other manufacturers improve, how much the 25 Ducati improves, and from that point, we will know better where we are exactly."

Alex added: “Also it's normal [that you are fast] when they give you a bike that is already ‘done’ Because you don’t need to get information for the manufacturer, just focus on small adjustments. 

"So it's normal that we are faster because we didn't have a lot of work to do.”

Alex’s new rookie team-mate Fermin Aldeguer was 20th on the timesheets.