Marquez Back on Top as Sepang Test Opens; Quartararo Forced to Sit Out After Crash
The 2026 MotoGP season is barely a day old, and already the Sepang Test has delivered its first major talking points. At one end of the spectrum, a familiar sight returned to the top of the timing screens as Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) wasted no time reminding the paddock of his pace. At the other, Yamaha suffered an early setback as Fabio Quartararo’s test came to an abrupt halt following a crash at Turn 5.
Marquez ended Day 1 fastest overall, setting the benchmark on his first official day of the new season. Meanwhile, Quartararo’s fall not only disrupted Yamaha’s testing programme but ultimately forced the 2021 World Champion to withdraw from the remainder of the Sepang Test to focus on recovery.
Behind Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) slotted into second place, with Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) completing the top three after a late-session improvement.
Ducati Hit the Ground Running Across All Camps
Ducati Lenovo Team, VR46 & Gresini
Any lingering doubts surrounding Marc Marquez’s physical condition after the end of his 2025 campaign were quickly erased. The #93 built his pace steadily throughout the day before unleashing a late push that vaulted him to the top with a best lap of 1’57.018. Considering Marquez hadn’t ridden at Sepang since last year’s test, the performance underlined just how quickly he has re-established rhythm with Ducati machinery.
Across the garage, Francesco Bagnaia’s day was quieter but no less significant. Team Manager Davide Tardozzi described it as the emergence of a “new Pecco,” and while Bagnaia finished eighth—0.702s behind his teammate—the double MotoGP World Champion ended the day upbeat. His focus was firmly on building a solid base, with a race simulation planned for Day 2.
Ducati’s strength extended well beyond the factory team. Fabio Di Giannantonio delivered one of the standout performances of the day, ending Day 1 in second place. A year removed from a testing crash that ruled him out early, the Italian enjoyed a smooth and productive return, briefly topping the charts during a late flurry of laps before settling 0.256s off Marquez.
Franco Morbidelli also made clear progress, slicing nearly eight tenths from his morning time to finish inside the top ten.
The lone BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP entry of Alex Marquez topped the opening session but was notably the only rider inside the top 13 who did not improve in the afternoon. Still, as the most recent Grand Prix winner in Malaysia, his baseline remains strong.
KTM Introduce Major Hardware Updates
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing & Red Bull KTM Tech3
Maverick Viñales once again demonstrated his trademark late-session punch. A final push lifted the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider into third overall, and his post-day debrief painted a positive picture. Viñales highlighted that, for the first time in a while, KTM has meaningful new options on the table—most notably a new chassis, swingarm, and aerodynamic package.
The Spaniard confirmed he would continue evaluating the new chassis on Wednesday, signalling KTM’s intent to push development aggressively during the test.
Enea Bastianini finished 12th on the sister Tech3 bike, opting not to chase a final time attack, while Brad Binder ended the day just behind him on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine. Pedro Acosta, meanwhile, rounded out the factory quartet in 15th, with KTM prioritising data collection over headline lap times.
Honda Show Encouraging Progress
Honda HRC Castrol & LCR Honda
One of the most encouraging stories of Day 1 came from the Honda camp. Luca Marini and Joan Mir continued to build on the momentum established during the Shakedown Test, placing both factory RC213Vs inside the top seven. Marini narrowly edged Mir, and both riders were over half a second quicker than Honda’s pace at the same test last year—a clear indication that winter development has moved the project forward.
At LCR Honda, Johann Zarco narrowly missed the top ten, finishing 11th just 0.072s shy of the cut. On the other side of the garage, Diogo Moreira endured a more challenging day. A crash at Turn 5 in the morning left him with just one bike, leading to extended time in the garage for repairs. He returned to the track but was unable to improve his time, completing 26 laps and hoping for a smoother Day 2.
Aprilia Evaluate New Components Despite Missing Martin
Aprilia Racing & Trackhouse MotoGP
Marco Bezzecchi led Aprilia’s charge, finishing fifth and just over half a second adrift of Marquez. The Italian described the day as positive, with Aprilia rolling out several new components, including a revised tail unit, larger seat wings, and a new swingarm.
With Jorge Martin sidelined, test rider Lorenzo Savadori took on expanded responsibilities, focusing on ergonomics, electronics, and general setup work to ensure Aprilia’s development schedule stayed on track.
In the Trackhouse camp, Raul Fernandez emerged in buoyant spirits after completing Day 1 cleanly—something he hasn’t managed at Sepang in the previous two seasons. The 2025 Australian GP winner confirmed his strong end-of-season feeling on last year’s RS-GP before switching to the 2026-spec bike, which delivered further positives.
Teammate Ai Ogura used the day primarily to rebuild confidence and rhythm, with more detailed testing of the 2026 RS-GP planned for Day 2.
Yamaha’s Test Complicated by Quartararo Injury
Monster Energy Yamaha & Prima Pramac Yamaha
Yamaha’s Sepang Test got off to a difficult start. As the manufacturer continues its intensive push to make the V4-powered M1 competitive, it lost a key development reference when Fabio Quartararo crashed at Turn 5.
Although initial checks ruled out fractures and Quartararo briefly returned to the track—finishing ninth—the Frenchman later reported continued pain and a broken finger. He has since withdrawn from the remainder of the test to prioritise recovery.
With Quartararo sidelined, responsibility shifts to Alex Rins, who ended Day 1 in 16th, 1.2s off the top.
At Prima Pramac Yamaha, Jack Miller finished 14th and logged heavy mileage, second only to new teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu among Yamaha riders. Miller’s prior experience with V4 machinery will now be critical as Yamaha presses forward.
Razgatlioglu continued his MotoGP adaptation quietly but purposefully. Saving fresh tyres, the reigning WorldSBK star experimented with seat options and rear aero, discovering a braking breakthrough late in the day. Notably, he also spent time following Marc Marquez on track—a learning opportunity he intends to repeat on Wednesday.
Day 1 at Sepang delivered a mix of reassurance, surprise, and setback. With Marquez already setting the pace and development projects unfolding across the grid, the stage is set for an intriguing continuation as testing resumes. More action awaits on Wednesday.
Images Official MotoGP
