Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia) was today 15th in the first day of pre-season testing of the MotoGP World Championship, taking place in Sepang, Malaysia. Oliveira set his best time of 1m58.750s, finishing 0.799 seconds behind the fastest, Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati), who left compatriot Pedro Acosta (GasGas) in second, 0.269 seconds, with Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha ) in third, at 0.277.
The Portuguese driver, who this year races with an updated 2024 Aprilia, set his best time in the 23rd of the 54 laps completed. The time achieved now was better than any achieved in the 2023 tests, in which the best record was 1m58.839s.
The pilot still rode, however, with a rear appendage with sensors to better study the aerodynamics of his bike. Miguel Oliveira’s teammate, Spaniard Raul Fernandez, who races a 2023 Aprilia, suffered a crash and misses the rest of this week’s tests.
On this first day, highlights include the performance of Jorge Martin, runner-up in 2023, and the second place of Pedro Acosta, the debutant who generates the most expectations since Marc Márquez’s debut in 2013. Acosta was second fastest with the GasGas which, in practice, is a KTM with a different name.
Pre-season rehearsals continue this Wednesday.