Alex Marquez emerged as the fastest rider on the final day of the MotoGP pre-season testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia on Thursday, as Yamaha returned to the track after missing Wednesday’s sessions. The Spanish rider, who claimed victory at the Malaysian MotoGP last year, set an impressive lap time of 1 minute 56.402 seconds early in the morning on his third flying lap.
Close Competition from Italian Riders and Ducati Team-Mates
April’s Marco Bezzecchi narrowly missed Marquez’s top time by just over a tenth of a second, completing a lap in 1 minute 56.526 seconds. He was closely followed by fellow Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio, who posted a time of 1 minute 56.786 seconds. Meanwhile, Ducati riders Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia also managed to record laps under the 1 minute 57 second mark, showcasing strong performances despite some setbacks.
Marc Marquez Shares Insights on His Crash at Sepang
Reigning world champion Marc Marquez, who was sidelined for the last four races of last season due to a collarbone injury sustained in Indonesia’s Mandalika circuit, experienced a crash during the morning session. Reflecting on the incident, he explained the challenges posed by attempting a new aerodynamic package.
“When you put on a new aero package, you need to change the bike’s balance. I was trying a different aero package when I crashed on Turn 1,” Marc Marquez said.
“With small modifications, the bike balance changed a lot. Luckily, it was in the middle of the corner and very slow.”
Alex Marquez Finds Improvement and Expresses Optimism About the Bike
Alex Marquez responded positively to his testing results, highlighting the enhancements made to the bike’s setup over the three days. The younger Marquez expressed satisfaction with the bike’s development and competitiveness so far.
“We tried to improve the setup that was missing on the first and second day, and to strike the potential from the bike.”
“I feel we are better than last year, more competitive. Quite happy about the test,” Alex Marquez said.
Next Steps: Riders Prepare for Upcoming Thailand Pre-Season Test
Following the conclusion of the Sepang sessions, the MotoGP field will move to Buriram, Thailand, for the second pre-season test scheduled in two weeks. This preparation aims to ready the riders and teams for the 2026 season opener at the Thailand Grand Prix in March. The progress shown by Alex Marquez and others during these tests could influence the competitive dynamics in the new season.
