Jorge Martin got his 2024 MotoGP campaign underway in the best possible style as he claimed the scratch time in FP1 for the Qatar Grand Prix.
The 22 runners headed out on track at the Losail International Circuit on Friday afternoon as they looked to capture the feeling for their machines following a two-week layoff since the Qatar test. Most focussed on putting together some long runs to get back into the swing of things, though the times dropped gradually as the session progressed.
Rookie and reigning Moto2 world champion Pedro Acosta got his first taste of leading an official MotoGP race weekend session early on, the GasGas racer banging in a 1:53.992s. Ducati riders Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, and Enea Bastianini took turns leading the way as the times dropped towards the 1:52s mark.
As the test entered its final stages, the riders started to think more about getting their heads in the game for the late-time attack that would take place in FP2 on Friday evening. Just as Acosta looked like he might sneak the best time of the session, Martin threw down the gauntlet with a commanding 1:52.624s effort.
This would prove unbeatable for the rest of the pack, ensuring 2023 vice-champion Martin would start 2024 on the front foot. Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro managed a handy time just 0.047s adrift of the Spaniard to secure second in FP1, while Acosta held on to finish an impressive third, less than a tenth-of-a-second from the top spot.
Marc was fourth on his Gresini Ducati ahead of Brad Binder, the KTM pilot the first man to drop under the 1:53s mark en route to fifth. Johann Zarco was an encouraging sixth for LCR Honda, the Frenchman lapping just 0.303s away from Martin’s leading gambit.
Bastianini was seventh ahead of VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Gianantonio, while the other factory KTM of Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia completed the top ten. The reigning world champion seemingly suffered a mechanical drama early on that prevented him from heading out on his main bike, though it was soon sorted out.
Alex Rins came out the blocks fastest for Yamaha, albeit in a lowly 15th and nearly eight-tenths from the pacesetting times. World champion of 2021 Fabio Quartararo was 19th, just fractions clear of GasGas’ Augusto Fernandez and LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami.
The new Trackhouse Aprilia operation got into the swing of things as it started its first MotoGP race event, with Miguel Oliveira ending up the fastest of its riders on the 2024 RS-GP in 12th, while Raul Fernandez was just behind in 14th on his 2023-specification machine.
