Reigning MotoGP world champion led VR46’s Luca Marini in a Ducati 1-2 on the opening day of the final pre-season test at the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal.
The Italian was quick to get on the gas as he led the way ahead of Marini by the end of the opening hour having posted a 1:40.551s around the 4.5 kilometre venue, the duo topping the standings between them pretty much all day after the latter went fastest in the fourth hour with a 1:39.568s.
Bagnaia ultimately won out the day with a 1:38.771s set during the final hour of Saturday’s running having completed a total of 78 laps, Marini ensuring Ducati’s ominous position at the top of the timing tree just 0.234s behind as the reigning three-time constructors champions continued to test the updated aero package it introduced for the previous test at Sepang.
Maverick Vinales showed well for Aprilia in third overall – shrugging off a crash early doors – with the marque making headlines as it tested a radical new aerodynamic package for its RS-GP throughout the day – the Spaniard completing the third-highest lap count with 88.
Alex Marquez continued his encouraging pre-season form with the fourth quickest time for Gresini Ducati ahead of RNF Aprilia duo Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira, with Marco Bezzecchi ending the day eighth on the sister VR46 machine.
Fabio Quartararo completed Saturday as the best of the rest for Yamaha in eighth, the 2021 MotoGP world champion lapping 0.843s slower than Bagnaia’s benchmark with the second-highest lap count of 90 to boot.
Fabio Di Gianantonio was ninth on the other Gresini entry despite a late crash for the Italian at Turn 7 during the final hour, with Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin completing the top ten.
Alex Rins enjoyed an encouraging Saturday as he ended up as the best-placed Honda rider in 11th, the three-time premier class race winner’s 1:39.646s gambit leaving him only 0.875s adrift of Bagnaia’s benchmark.
Fellow Honda rider Marc Marquez’s running – which included testing an updated chassis brought by the Japanese manufacturer to Portugal – was curtailed slightly with a crash in the afternoon session – though he was able to re-join the fray soon after en-route to 19th overall just behind Honda test rider Stefan Bradl.
Elsewhere KTM once again looked to be stuck in the doldrums, with Brad Binder ending the day as the highest-classified RC16 rider in 15th and over a second down on the ultimate pace, with team-mate Jack Miller snapping at his heels in 16th.
Franco Morbidelli racked up the highest lap count of the day for Yamaha, the 2020 premier class runner up completing 94 circulations of the Algarve circuit.
Keyword: MotoGP world champion Bagnaia leads Ducati 1-2 on opening day of Portimao test