Bezzecchi: GP23 built to be fast, but I need to adapt

Like Marquez, Bezzecchi was completing his first laps on a GP23, which finished first and second in the standings with Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin.

The Italian, who turned down the chance of factory-spec ride at Pramac to remain at VR46 this year, got the better of Marquez by just 0.078s to set the third-fastest time at the test behind Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales and KTM’s Brad Binder.

But Bezzecchi also echoed the comments of last year’s GP23 factory riders in finding the machine ‘different’ on corner entry.

“It is different [to the GP22] for sure,” Bezzecchi said. “For me, the biggest problem was not the [new] engine, it was to adapt to the new characteristic of the bike in the entry with brakes.

“I struggled a bit to go into the corners as I was doing with the old one but step-by-step I adapted myself and understood many things. Still, I am not completely satisfied, but it was only half a day.”

Bezzecchi added: “I remember that Pecco struggled also in the beginning with the same [corner entry] problems. The way to keep the brakes is a bit different.

“So I don’t think it is a bike that was built for Pecco. It is built to be a fast bike. But for sure at the end of the year Pecco was riding the bike in a wonderful way, and also Jorge [Martin].

“Even though their riding styles are different, they could still adapt [to the GP23], so I hope I can also.”

Bagnaia meanwhile revealed that the new factory Ducati GP24 has gone back to the older corner-entry feel he preferred with the GP22.

Bezzecchi will restart his adaptation process to his new machine at the official Sepang test from February 6-8.

“In Sepang, the conditions will be the opposite to Valencia. The track is huge. The temperature is hot and the character is totally different," he said.

"I think it is better to stay calm, keep everything as ‘standard’ for now and start from that point to create a base that can hopefully be good for most tracks. Then move on from there.”