Fermin Aldeguer Identifies Key Drawbacks in His MotoGP Bike

Fermin Aldeguer Identifies Key Drawbacks in His MotoGP Bike

Aldeguer's Performance in the 2025 MotoGP Shakedown at Sepang

Fermin Aldeguer wrapped up the MotoGP Shakedown at Sepang, completing an impressive 121 laps totaling 670.70 km. His best lap time of 1:58.421 placed him sixth overall, demonstrating solid progress since signing with Ducati in January 2024. A year later, Aldeguer found himself behind the handlebars of the Desmosedici GP24 at Sepang, navigating a rigorous three-day testing session.

Day-by-Day Breakdown of Aldeguer's Testing Sessions

• Friday: Aldeguer completed 45 laps, with his best time recorded at 2:00.053.
• Saturday: The Gresini rookie pushed through 33 laps, clocking in at 1:58.930.
• Sunday: He wrapped up the weekend with 43 laps, achieving his fastest time of 1:58.421, placing him sixth overall for the day.

This extensive testing schedule follows his earlier session in Barcelona last November, where he completed 58 laps. Altogether, Aldeguer has logged 179 laps, covering 941.85 kilometers across both testing sessions.

Aldeguer's Reflections on His MotoGP Debut

"I am happy because we worked well," Aldeguer stated on Sunday afternoon in Sepang, just before heading back to the track for final adjustments to his times.

The 19-year-old rider, who debuted on the Ducati GP24 during the Barcelona tests, concluded his first preseason test with optimism. "We’ve improved something on the bike with every lap, both in setup and in my riding style," he remarked.

Aldeguer had previously recorded the 20th fastest time at the Montmelo test, over 1.7 seconds behind his teammate Alex Marquez. However, during the Sepang Shakedown, Aldeguer positioned himself among the quicker riders, even with the participation of Yamaha and Pramac MotoGP competitors.

Challenges Faced During Testing

"The first day was tough because the bike is incredibly fast," Aldeguer admitted. "After a long winter, riding a MotoGP bike felt overwhelming. But I think we did a great job, and we can remain calm."

Interestingly, Aldeguer never used fresh soft tires to chase lap times like other riders did toward the end of the day. "I’m not focusing on lap times right now because we still need to be two seconds faster to achieve the best times," he added, referencing Pecco Bagnaia’s top time of 1:56.337.

Despite this, Aldeguer’s improvement from 2:00.053 on Friday to 1:58.421 on Sunday highlights significant progress. "In every lap, I try to improve my riding style and feel a bit more aggressive with the bike. Ultimately, I think I just need more laps to understand where I can get better," he explained.

Identifying the Major Drawbacks

Aldeguer revealed that the biggest challenge he faces is adapting to the braking system of the MotoGP bike. "The hardest part for me is the braking points. We arrive at corners very fast, and it’s tough to brake effectively. I need to understand this better, especially with the different brake discs, but we’re working on it," he said.

Another significant challenge is adjusting to the Michelin tires, which differ greatly from the Pirelli tires used in Moto2. "I also need to understand the tires better. Right now, I’m using the rear well, but I need to get a better feel for the front to improve my braking," Aldeguer noted.

Support and Optimism from the Team

Aldeguer’s manager and former racer, Hector Faubel, was present at Sepang, providing guidance and support. "We are happy," Faubel commented. "The three days of testing went very well, meeting our step-by-step goals set by Frankie (Carchiedi, Aldeguer’s track engineer, inherited from Marc Marquez) and Ducati."

According to Faubel, Ducati and the team are very pleased with Aldeguer’s progress, even surpassing some of their initial expectations. "We’re working on assimilating all the information Aldeguer needs, focusing on rear brake issues and fine-tuning other details," he explained.

The Road Ahead

Faubel highlighted Aldeguer’s strong starts during testing, emphasizing the importance of quick launches in both sprint and Sunday races. "Starting well puts you in a good position to stay ahead, and Fermin values that greatly. He’s been testing himself on the bike to find the details that make him more comfortable," Faubel added.

Aldeguer’s next outing will be on Wednesday during the official three-day MotoGP test at Sepang, where he will join all the other riders on the 2025 MotoGP grid. With continued adjustments and focus on improving his braking and tire management, Aldeguer is optimistic about further refining his performance on the Ducati GP24.

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