Jorge Lorenzo is convinced that Marc Marquez will find the 2026 MotoGP riders’ championship straightforward after observing the Ducati GP26’s performance at the Sepang International Circuit during the pre-season test. The test, held this week in Malaysia, showcased the Ducati team’s dominance, with their riders achieving the fastest lap times and impressing in Sprint Race simulations.
Ducati Riders Lead at Sepang Test with Alex Marquez Posting Fastest Times
The 2026 MotoGP season’s first pre-season test brought the full field together at Sepang, where Ducati once again demonstrated strong pace. Alex Marquez of the Gresini team stood out as the fastest overall, setting a best lap time of 1:56.402 on the third day. He also posted the top average time in a 10-lap Sprint Race simulation, clocking an impressive 1:58.027 on Thursday.
Meanwhile, works Ducati teammate Marc Marquez delivered the fourth-fastest single lap with a 1:56.789 and the third-best Sprint simulation average at 1:58.289. Francesco Bagnaia, Marquez’s Ducati teammate, posted the second-best average Sprint sim lap at 1:58.166 but only managed the sixth-best single lap at 1:56.929.
Jorge Lorenzo Amazed by Marc Marquez’s Pace Despite Injury
Lorenzo expressed astonishment at the stability and smoothness of the Ducati GP26, particularly praising its cornering precision at the apex and throughout acceleration phases in comparison to rival motorcycles. He singled out Marc Marquez’s performance as unexpectedly impressive, especially given that Marquez was recovering from a shoulder injury.
Despite Alex Marquez’s headline lap times, Lorenzo identified Marc Marquez as the standout rider at Sepang, predicting an easy path to the title for him in 2026. Marquez’s speed was notable considering his right shoulder was still healing from surgery after an accident in last year’s Indonesian GP.
“The three Ducatis – Alex, Pecco and Marc – were very, very evenly matched, and were the only ones in the Sprint simulation to have a good time.
“Three or four laps in the 57s, which are qualifying times for Aprilia, KTM and Honda, 58 low and then they went up to 59 or even two minutes. So, Ducati, the truth is that the bike is a rocket and it seems very easy for the pilots…
“The one who surprised everyone quite a bit was Marc, in truth, because his arm wasn’t fine and on the first day, he beat the second-place finisher by two or three tenths of a second. And Sepang is not one of his preferred circuits, because it’s right-handed.
So, that was a big surprise. But, of course, Marc is so well-rounded with a bike as powerful as the Ducati. [So], 2026, well, that’s a piece of cake for Marc. And quickly, I suppose.”
– Jorge Lorenzo, Three-time MotoGP Champion
Recovery and Future Prospects for Marquez Following Injury
This Sepang pre-season test marked Marc Marquez’s return to the Ducati MotoGP bike after suffering a coracoid fracture and ligament damage to his right shoulder during the Indonesian GP last October. That injury forced him to miss the final four rounds of the 2025 season, even though he had already secured that year’s riders’ title with an impressive five rounds remaining.
Marquez, originally from Cervera, clinched the 2025 championship in record fashion, winning 11 out of 18 races he entered throughout the 22-round season and accumulating a 201-point lead by the Japan round. Now, Jorge Lorenzo expects Marquez to follow up with a similar dominant campaign in 2026, which could see him match Giacomo Agostini’s all-time record of seven 500cc/MotoGP titles.
Implications of Sepang Test Results Ahead of Buriram
While Alex Marquez finished the Sepang test fastest, the question remains whether this order will shift at the upcoming Buriram test. The early data suggests Ducati’s riders remain finely balanced, but Lorenzo’s view highlights Marc Marquez as the rider to beat next season.
The intense competition and Marquez’s quick recovery add an additional layer of intrigue ahead of the 2026 MotoGP season, setting the stage for what could be a highly competitive and historic year in the sport.
