Franco Morbidelli’s two-word answer on MotoGP win chances after impressive Sepang Test

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Franco Morbidelli was on form once again on the final day of MotoGP’s Sepang Test. And he wasn’t the only GP24 rider to shine.

The riders and teams started to show their hand on Friday morning with time-attack runs. Gresini’s Alex Marquez set the pace with a 1:56.493, a mere seven thousandths quicker than Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia.

Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha have been perhaps the standout performers of the test after their disappointing 2024. The Frenchman showed more promise with third place.

Morbidelli has also raised eyebrows. He’s retained the same bike this year as the number-two rider at VR46, with Fabio di Giannantonio receiving the GP25 machinery.

Di Giannantonio missed most of the test after injuring himself performing a wheelie. In his absence, Morbidelli shone, setting the quickest time on day two and rounding out the test in fourth.

It’s still early, of course, but it looks as if the GP24 may be the quicker bike in the early rounds of the season. Naturally, the GP25 should edge ahead when developments arrive.

Franco Morbidelli knows he has an opportunity to win at the start of MotoGP season

The MotoGP calendar kicks off with the Thailand Grand Prix at the end of the month. There are then stops in Argentina, Austin and Qatar.

The Spanish GP on 27 April should mark the start of a new phase as the teams return to their traditional European heartland. That’s when the Ducati factory squad may truly assert themselves.

Morbidelli has won three races in the premier class, all of them during the 2020 season. He senses a chance to end his five-year drought this spring.

Asked by MotoGP’s official website if he was aware that the early races presented a ‘good opportunity’, he replied: “Yes, I’m aware.”

And addressing whether a race win was realistic, he said: “Definitely, yes.”

Francesco Bagnaia’s verdict on Franco Morbidelli at MotoGP Sepang Test

VR46 have tried to motivate Di Giannantonio after the brutal blow of another injury. He spent the off-season recovering from shoulder surgery.

It’s unclear whether Diggia will be able to return for the next test in Buriram. But Morbidelli has ensured that the mood at Valentino Rossi’s team is positive as they pack up.

Fellow Rossi academy graduate Francesco Bagnaia called Morbidelli’s performance ‘great’. He’s impressed that he already looks comfortable in new surroundings.

It’s possible that Bagnaia and Morbidelli could be competing for victories in the opening races. The VR46 rider may exert an unexpectedly large influence on the 2024 title fight.