Due to the difficulties facing the Japanese manufacturers in MotoGP this season and the knock-on effect this has had on the rider market, with Marquez and Fabio Quartararo’s futures uncertain, Monday’s Misano test has been seen as a crucial outing.
The main stories from Monday revolved around Honda’s 2024 prototype and the new parts tested by Yamaha with a view to next year.
Marquez ended the day down in 14th, 0.973 seconds off the pace, having been left less than impressed with the 2024 prototype he tested.
He told the media at lunchtime between the two test sessions on Monday that the problems of rear grip of the current Honda remained on the 2024 prototype chassis he tried today.
Having topped the morning session on his 2022-spec Ducati, VR46’s Luca Marini completed a clean sweep in the afternoon after going fastest of all with a 1m30.602s set in the final hour.
He was part of a depleted Ducati stable for the test, with the injured Francesco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi – both of whom were on the podium on Sunday at Misano - sitting out, along with Gresini’s Fabio Di Giannantonio and Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.
Marini headed Maverick Vinales, who tested a new Aprilia chassis among other things on Monday, with Brad Binder completing the top three with a 1m31.154s on KTM’s new carbon fibre chassis.