2025 MotoGP Race Winner’s Cautionary Tale: Navigating the ‘Fake’ Grip After a Successful Valencia Test
MotoGP’s rising star, Fermin Aldeguer, reflects on his impressive rookie season, highlighting his victory at the Indonesian Grand Prix. As he transitions to the GP25 for the upcoming year, Aldeguer’s recent post-season test at Valencia has raised some intriguing questions about the reliability of track conditions.
During the test, Aldeguer’s Gresini team focused on enhancing the bike’s performance in low-grip scenarios. However, he cautioned that the team’s findings might be misleading due to the residual grip from the previous race weekend.
“A little bit different in the aero part, and some other things in the electronics,” Aldeguer explained when discussing his test program. Despite the minor adjustments, he emphasized that the overall setup remained consistent with the GP24.
“The feeling was very good,” he added. “We tried some things for the pace, especially when grip is limited.”
But here’s the catch: Aldeguer’s test almost ended in disaster. In a thrilling display of skill, he narrowly avoided a crash at the final corner, crediting his front-end save to a combination of braking technique and the new rear tire’s temperature.
“I braked in the same part, but the temperature was dropping in that section,” he noted. “The sun wasn’t there, and I arrived with more speed for the new rear tire.”
Despite the close call, Aldeguer remains optimistic about the team’s progress. He believes that if they maintain this momentum, they’ll be in a strong position for the season ahead.
As Peter, a seasoned paddock observer, reflects on Aldeguer’s journey, he highlights the challenges of navigating the fine line between genuine performance gains and the ‘fake’ grip conditions that can mislead even the most seasoned riders.