1. Will Ducati repeat its Sepang domination?

Whether you looked at one-off lap times or average pace, Ducati riders dominated the opening෴ test of the year at Sepang in February.

Seven of the fastest nine riders wer🅠e on Desmosedicis, with only Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales (third)💫 and Aleix Espargaro (sixth) mixing up the pack.

“If you looked at the [average] pace, me, Martin, Pecco, Bez and Enea were the fastest,” confirmed VR46’s 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Luca Marini, who also set the quickest outright lap ti🍌me on last year’s GP22.

• Marini: MotoGP title ‘has to be won by a factory team', 🐬it's business
• Bezzec♔chi: Valentino Rossi still fast, ‘kicked my arseꦑ!'
• FIRST LOOK: Marini, Bezzecchi present new VR46 Ducati livery

2. How many Hondas will Marc Marquez have?

While Ducati and Aprilia appeared to have made light modifications to their well-rounded machines, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Marc Marquez whittled four different Hondas down to one preferred bike during a relentless run of data gathering tܫhat included riding𝕴 without wings.

But the eight-time world champion warned even the preferred bike, which he took to tenth place (just behind brother Alex on a year-old Gresini Ducati) was not good enough to win 🔥the title and Honda nꦉeeds to deliver more for Portimao.

3. Can Yamaha solve its qualifying ‘nightmare’?

After a scare at Valencia, Yamaha riders 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli were pleased with their 2023 e🐻ngine power and top speed in Malaysia, selecting a final version for the racing season.

But while Quartararo’s pace was competitive the bike ‘didn’t work’ in qualifying🌳 spec, with low fuel and newꦺ tyres, leaving the Frenchman 17th and Morbidelli 20th.

“With old tyres I'm feeling super happy,🎐” said 2021 world champion Quart🍃araro. “Then we put a new tyre, and it's a nightmare.”

Solving the qualifying issue, as well as a final decision on aero and chassis parts, will be among Yamaha’🅺s priorities in Portimao.

4. Home star Oliveira a dark horse?

Plenty of home attention will be on 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Miguel Oliveira, gearing up for his debut season at RNF Aprilia.

The Portuguese impressed with fourth on his RS-GP debut at Valencia in Novemb🐼er, but was only 15th fastest at Sepang.

However, the methodical multi-time MotoGP race winner was closer to the top ten for average pace and, having taken🔥 a runaway victory ꦛat his home track in 2020, could surprise this weekend.

5. Can KTM catch-up?

KTM/GASGAS struggled the most on paper at Sepang with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Pol Espargaro best of the RC16s in 13th place followed by Brad Binder (14th), Jack Miller (18th) and rookie Auguꦜsto Fernandez 🍨(22nd).

But having had several weeks to pour over the data from the range of new parts on offer, will the Austrian factory put the right pieces together and bounce baꦺck at Portimao?