Mark Marquez’s lap times at the Balaton Park test are improving steadily, catching the attention of his competitors. Sharp-eyed MotoGP enthusiasts noticed a “1.41” time displayed on a Ducati dashboard in onboard footage from this week’s session. Ducati, focusing on the upcoming Hungarian MotoGP venue, brought riders including Marquez, Pecco Bagnaia, Alex Marquez, Fermin Ardegea, Franco Morbidelli, and Fabio di Giannantonio, supported by test rider Michele Piro, who had prior experience at Balaton Park.
Marquez’s lap times stood out, reportedly hitting the 1’41” 5s, according to Motorsport.com. Interestingly, Bagnaia, his teammate who has struggled to keep pace with Marquez throughout the season, recorded a faster time during the test. Aldeguer ranked third fastest, closely followed by Morbidelli and Alex Marquez, with Di Giannantonio trailing half a second behind Bagnaia.
The World Superbike Championship was the first to race at Balaton Park last month, with Toprak Razgatlioglu dominating by winning all three races. Razgatlioglu’s best Friday practice lap was 1’39″743, while Alvaro Bautista posted the fastest Ducati time of 1’40″551. Razgatlioglu’s pole position time was 1’38″357. Although it’s challenging to compare these times due to differing conditions, tires, and motivation, it’s intriguing to speculate how Marquez and Bagnaia might challenge Razgatlioglu’s records.
Razgatlioglu praised Balaton Park’s challenging hard brake zones, while Marquez seemed excited by the track’s emphasis on left-hand corners. The Hungarian MotoGP race is scheduled for August 22-24, with the riders set to compete in Austria before then.
Fan Take: This development signals a thrilling new chapter in MotoGP as Marquez and Ducati gear up to challenge established lap records, promising fierce competition at Balaton Park. Racing fans should brace for intensified battles that could redefine performance benchmarks and elevate the sport’s excitement.
