With engine development largely locked except for Yamaha, MotoGP manufacturers face a critical decision this winter regarding their aerodynamic setups for the season’s start. Teams are limited to only one additional aero update during the season, placing intense pressure on making the optimal choice within the short pre-season testing period.
Marquez’s Approach to Simulating Various Tracks During Testing
Over five testing days split between Sepang and Buriram, reigning champion Marc Marquez shared how he replicates the corner sequences of other Grand Prix circuits while riding at the Malaysian track. Despite returning from shoulder surgery last October, Marquez led the timing sheets on the first day and finished the test fourth overall.
His top lap of 1 minute 56.789 seconds on the final morning featured mixed sector rankings: fifth in Sector 1, which includes the tricky Turn 1 braking zone; eighth in the flowing Sector 2; fourth in Sector 3; and fastest in Sector 4, a section dominated by long straights and the last hairpin.
Limitations of Testing Only Two Circuits Before Aero Decisions
When questioned about whether testing at only two tracks was sufficient to finalize an aerodynamic package, Marquez responded cautiously:
“No. But there’s no choice! So you need to be careful.
At this racetrack, you have a lot of different types of corners, so you need to imagine you are at other circuits.”
“In different parts of the track, you can imagine the corners are more-or-less like Qatar, or like Jerez – to have some vision of the future, of how each aerodynamic package will work over 22 races.”
?Marc Marquez, MotoGP rider
Final Testing and Homologation Set for Buriram
Marquez indicated a preference for retaining elements of the 2025 aero package following the Sepang test but emphasized ongoing evaluation at the next venue:
“Still I need to understand in Thailand.”
?Marc Marquez, MotoGP rider
The test in Buriram is scheduled for February 21-22, immediately preceding the official homologation of aerodynamic packages, which must be finalized just before the Thai MotoGP weekend.
Implications for Teams and Championship Outlook
The limited opportunities to test aero configurations and the constraint of only one mid-season update raise significant challenges for MotoGP teams, including Marc Marquez’s factory Ducati squad. Accurate simulation of other track conditions during focused tests is crucial for selecting a package that performs consistently across the diverse range of circuits on the calendar. How these choices will influence race outcomes and championship dynamics remains closely watched as the season approaches.
