MotoGP starlets have “a thousand things to improve” - can they cope?

Three MotoGP rookies are now well on their way to learning the ropes of their new machinery.

Trackhouse Aprilia’s Ai Ogura, Gresini Ducati’s Fermin Aldeguer and LCR Honda’s Somkiat Chantra are the trio of new faces in the premier class for 2025.

They completed the three-day shakedown test in Sepang, before the majority of their rivals return to the track this week for the official test.

The pressure on the rookies to hit the ground running will soon ramp up.

Trackhouse’s Ogura said: "It was a good start for the season. We did a good job, all three days.

“For the moment, whatever comes is positive.”

Ogura said about the official test this week: “I still haven’t had much time on a MotoGP bike. There are a thousand things to improve!

“I don’t have, at this point, [anywhere in particular] to improve.

“Lap by lap, session by session, I try to improve the bike. We hope to get to the top.”

Aldeguer, Marc Marquez’s replacement at Gresini, said: “During the shakedown test, I felt good. The first day was difficult.

“Physically, it was crazy!

“We worked in a good way, lap by lap. We improved a lot. We are arriving with a good time. This is important, we haven’t stopped, and we are already getting better.

“I have improved by two seconds. But it’s not about the time. We have to continue with this calm, and to improve with the top riders and better conditions.

“MotoGP bikes are harder than Moto2. But also the race is longer.

I have to continue working on my physical condition, and to arrive in Thailand.”

Chantra, who is entering MotoGP on the worst bike available, said: “I had two days at the shakedown. The first day we tried to understand how the bike was working. It was a good day for me, to try the new bike.

“I tried to know how the bike goes, and the electronics. It was different to the Barcelona test.

“On the second day, we did a different test and we improved our lap time.

“But I am still far. “

Chantra said about how to improve: “When I check the data of my teammate, or Taka, I was losing a lot on Sector 1, 2 and 3. I was good at Sector 4.

“I lost a lot of corner speed. At the stop and go corner, it was similar.”

The three rookies will join the remainder of MotoGP’s riders at the three-day Sepang test on February 5-7 this week.