The MotoGP™ preseason is officially OVER, and the next thing we will do is go RACING! FI-NAL-LY! Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini completed their Buriram Test two day-program on Thursday under a scorching sun beating down the Chang International Circuit. The two new recruits of the South of France-based racing team will now be looking forward to the opening round of what is set to be a memorable 2025 season, at the Grand Prix of Thailand in just two weeks.
Thailand MotoGP™ Test
That’s six full days on track on his new KTM RC16 complete for Maverick Viñales who has done the painstaking background work, but necessary, during the allocated days on track ahead of the new season. Five days are never enough to fully understand a new machine, but ‘Top Gun’ has been becoming more and more acquainted with the KTM machinery, with significant progress made day after day. On Thursday morning for day 2, Maverick was out quick with already 20 laps completed in just one hour. The #12 worked on his time attacks, reaching a best in 1’30.258 after 11 laps, before he did a sprint simulation. 48 laps later, it was time for a lunch break as riders waited for the heat to smooth down. 16:00 was the time to return on track for the final two hours of preseason testing. Time to put all the learnings into application. Maverick continued to push until the very last minutes, as he ended the day with a final time-attack shootout. Feeling finally unlocked for Top Gun as he managed to push his RC16 to finally go below the 1’30, to end this Buriram Test with a fastest in 1’29.606 in his final effort. After 83 laps, the Spaniard ended the day 9th of the timesheets, an extremely positive feeling heading to the season opener.
Enea Bastianini also returned on track early this morning for day number 2 to continue his preparation work on the RC16 ahead of the first race of the season. The search for the right bike setting continued for Bestia, who was able to find a 1’30.516 on his 11th lap of the day. More laps were done to continue collecting data until lunch break, after the practice starts. The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider also returned on track at around 16:00 as track temperatures started to become milder. As he seemed to have found a direction and a potential set up to work from, the Italian continued to try his ideas on track for the final two hours. Just like his teammate, Bestia managed to go below the 1’30, with a 1’29.837 placing his KTM 15th of the timesheets at end of play.
That’s it for the preseason, we are finally done with all of that. Riders and team are more than ever ready to get an exciting season of 22 rounds all over the world started. We will all go home to get some rest, before we return to Buriram in just two weeks for the Grand Prix of Thailand, on February 28-March 2.
ENEA BASTIANINI: "The process is not easy, but we need to trust it. Everyday during the preseason, we have gotten closer to the KTMs of Binder and Acosta, as we have been feeling better and better. Today, we worked on long sprint simulations, and in the afternoon, I completed many laps to continue understanding and learning the behaviour of this machine. I obviously feel more satisfied after this test in Buriram than I was at the end of Sepang, because we had enough time to dig deeper, whereas in Sepang, everything was about discovery. Heading to the first round, I feel really motivated, I feel the motivation of the team too which is good, so I am excited. Things will be different of course during the first race, we will continue learning, so the goal will be to continue making a step forward, as it would not be realistic to aim for more."
MAVERICK VIÑALES: "We put in a lot of work during these five days in Malaysia and Thailand, and I have to be honest, it was very complicated. We struggled a bit to find which directions to take, we tried many things, but I also understood that I will have to adapt my style to the RC16. We are closely watching the data from Pedro Acosta who is clearly the best rider of KTM, and if we want to be close to him, I need to change some things on my end, which is very difficult. Anyway, we ended the day with positive lap times, with improvement made, but I don't feel ready to fight for the positions I want for now. We will need more work, more time, and we will have to take the rounds one after another."
NICOLAS GOYON, Team Manager: "We completed the 2025 preseason today after an intensive winter work in both Sepang and here in Buriram. After almost 300 laps between Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini, we have put in a lot of work to give Maverick and Enea the most efficient preparation possible. The target for us was clearly to define the bikes for the race, which we have done, so we feel more or less ready. Both riders are feeling more comfortable on the RC16, and they have started to understand how to dance with it, but the learning will continue when we head to the race weekend and everything that comes with it. This is just the beginning of our story, and let's write the first page in two weeks, as we will return to Buriram for the first race of the season."
DAY 2 COMBINED SESSION RESULTS
1. Marc Marquez (SPA), Ducati Lenovo Team, 1'28.855
2. Alex Marquez (SPA), Gresini Racing MotoGP, + 0.179
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA), Aprilia Racing, + 0.205
9. Maverick Viñales (SPA), Red Bull KTM Tech3, + 0.751
15. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Red Bull KTM Tech3, + 0.982
TRACK RECORDS
All Time Record: 2024 - F. Bagnaia (ITA) - 1'28.700, 184.8 km/h
Best Race Lap: 2023 - M. Bezzecchi (ITA) - 1'30.896, 180.3 km/h
Best Pole: 2024 - F. Bagnaia (ITA) - 1'28.700, 184.8 km/h
Top Speed: 2024 - P. Acosta (SPA) - 340.6 km/h
