One MotoGP rookie is pleasantly surprised by the speed of his adaptation

Fermin Aldeguer had been able to do a Sprint simulation during the Shakedown last weekend in which he showed impressive pace despite an early crash.

“On the simulation, I felt so good,” he said. “I did a little crash in the second lap, but after I pick up my bike I continued and the feeling was incredible.

“Tomorrow we will do another simulation to look at the difference [between] the Shakedown and [now]. We will see where we are.”

It’s true that Aldeguer is on one of the most dominant bikes in MotoGP history for his rookie season – the Ducati Desmosedici GP24 – and is working with the crew chief – Frankie Carchedi – who took Marc Marquez to three Grand Prix victories in 2024, as well as Joan Mir to the title in only his second season in the premier class.

But it is also true that after less than a handful of days as a MotoGP rider Aldeguer has asserted himself as one capable of running the pace of much more experienced riders on the same machinery.

By his own admission, Aldeguer has three more days on the Sepang circuit this year than most of his rivals, having ridden at the Shakedown last weekend, but the Spaniard nonetheless replied, “Yes, for sure,” when asked if his quick adaptation to the MotoGP bike had surprised him.

“At the end, we do three more days than [the other] riders,” he continued, “but the track is the same for all of us and we are there.

“We have to continue like this – don’t look at the position, don’t look at the time – only going with my feeling, with my adaptation, and the step is big all days.”

Pirelli similar to Michelin

As with all MotoGP rookies, part of Aldeguer’s adaptation to the class is about the tyres, with the Michelins of MotoGP providing different characteristics to the Dunlops and, more recently, Pirellis that Aldeguer has ridden with in Moto2.

“It’s different because I changed the tyres but also the bike, the bike is completely different,” Aldeguer said.

“With the Moto2 I do speed in the middle of the corner, and with this [MotoGP bike] I can do it but it’s not the style for going fast – you have to brake hard, and after use the electronics for the exit of the corner. I don’t feel the change in the tyre.”

Aldeguer did say, though, that the Pirelli offers similar characteristics in terms of wear to the Michelin, at least in comparison to the Dunlops that were used until the end of 2023 in Moto2.

“In this aspect the Pirelli is more similar to the Michelin because you feel more the drop, you have to use maybe the same mode but it’s completely different,” Aldeguer said.

“Now, I’m trying to understand this Michelin tyre, how to use on the brakes, how to use on the exit, and that’s it.”

Part of the complication of understanding the tyres during the test days in Sepang is the limited allocation of tyres, and the unsuitability of the medium-compound tyres to the conditions – leading most riders to prefer to manage their allocation of soft tyres instead of using a medium.

“I used only the soft [compound] tyre because the medium is not so good,” Aldeguer said.

“We saw yesterday the crashes, we saw all of this, and it’s not the moment to take a risk; it’s better to stay in the box, it’s better to not do these mistakes and start the season with a good foot and don’t lose the way.”