Alex Marquez fends off Bezzecchi as sun sets on Sepang Test
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Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) remains top of the pile as action concludes at Sepang, with the #73 – who won the Grand Prix in Malaysia last year – having just enough in hand to edge out Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) in second after a late push. Completing the top three is Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) after three days of interesting testing, with plenty to talk about beyond one-lap pace.
BK8 GRESINI RACING MOTOGP, DUCATI LENOVO TEAM, PERTAMINA ENDURO VR46 RACING TEAM
The fastest Sprint simulation of the day went to 2025 silver medallist Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) who, upon completion of his 10-lap Sprint trial, had an average lap time of a 1’58.027. He ended the day fastest too with a 1’56.402; the #73 is very much in the groove at the track where he was victorious at last year.
Reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) ran the 2025 front aero on both bikes during the morning and sampled elements of the 2026 aero package. However, the #93 suffered his first crash of the year at Turn 1 but was perfectly OK. For teammate Francesco Bagnaia, he stated he felt more comfortable than at any point throughout the Grand Prix weekend in October whilst also declaring which aero package he preferred. Interestingly, over a 10-lap Sprint simulation, the #63 had the upper-hand over his teammate, leaving food for thought within the factory Ducati squad. It’s fourth for Marquez and sixth for Bagnaia across the three days, attention turns to Buriram’s test.
Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was another Ducati rider who fell, crashing at Turn 14. The Italian’s work focused mainly on adapting to the GP25 which he inherits for the new season and he ended the test in seventh across all days – with Diggia on the GP26 in that top three.
APRILIA RACING & TRACKHOUSE MOTOGP TEAM
Bezzecchi ends the test second and as top Aprilia after a busy few days, topping the final session of Thursday. We’ve seen new aero options for the seat unit – call it what you want but it is certainly innovative – and despite being a full-time rider down with Jorge Martin’s (Aprilia Racing) absence, the Noale factory can leave buoyed by their breakthroughs. The final day saw the #72’s Sprint simulation end in the high 1’58s but at a circuit they’ve historically struggled at, they can say they’re back in BEZness.
In the Trackhouse camp, Raul Fernandez was their shining light as he finished seventh on the final day and P10 overall in what was a complete contrast to his 2025 testing struggles and subsequent day one crash. On the other side, Ai Ogura’s incremental improvements saw him finish P12 overall with a focus shifting to the place where the Japanese rider got his best result of 2025: Buriram.
HONDA HRC CASTROL & HONDA LCR
After Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) topped Day 2’s timesheets, the final day of testing in Sepang was a little trickier for HRC in general, with both the 2020 World Champion and teammate Luca Marini saying the lower grip conditions after Wednesday’s rain caused them to run into a few more issues. Still, the vibes are positive and a stride forward has been made in all areas with the 2026 RC213V. And, importantly, they’ve found gains with the engine that needs to be homologated for the season now HRC are in Rank C of the concessions. At the end of the three days, Mir finished P5 overall after his 1:56.8 and Marini P13.
For Castrol Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco and Pro Honda LCR’s Diogo Moreira there was plenty to talk about too. Speaking at the end of six days of testing in Malaysia, including the three-day Shakedown, it’s safe to say the Brazilian rookie was tired. However, the #11 was very happy with his progress. The braking area is somewhere Moreira is particularly pleased with, and the reigning Moto2 World Champion also mentioned that he and the team are happy with the base set up they’ve found.
On the other side of the box, Zarco – like the factory duo – has been feeding us positivity about the new package for the entire test. He was P16 overall on the standings.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING & RED BULL KTM TECH3
It’s just 0.010 between Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) on the combined timesheets from the whole test as they slot into P8 and P9. It’s been a busy test and seemingly a positive one, with Viñales still saying that after trying out lots of different directions on Day 3, it’s the first setup he tried that he’d want to stay with – and he’d be happy to roll out for the GP in Buriram with it. He crashed near the end of play but rider ok.
Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) ends the test in P11, less than half a second off Raul Fernandez ahead of him, who split him from Acosta and Viñales. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory) also said it was coming together and was P15 on the combined times, saying he didn’t put a lap together at full push.
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP & PRIMA PRAMAC YAMAHA MOTOGP
There was great news from the off on Day 3: yes, the Iwata marque were going to run. They sat out Day 2 until they could diagnose the cause – knowing, according to Technical Director Max Bartolini, what the issue was at least. Having got Japan on the task from Asian time on Day 2 joined by their base in Italy as Europe woke up later in the day by the time action began on Thursday.
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was top Yamaha in P14 over all, Fabio Quartararo actually 17th on the timesheets from Day 1. Prima Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller and rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu were a little further back in P18 and P19 overall.
credit: MotoGP
