Marc Marquez dominates Friday practice at Sepang ahead of a challenging weekend for Jorge Martin
Reigning champion Marc Marquez set a blistering 1:57.000 lap to lead Friday practice for the 2026 Malaysian MotoGP, recovering from a crash to finish nearly four tenths clear. Key rival Jorge Martin's session was cut short after just three laps due to an arm fracture, casting doubt on his weekend.
Marc Marquez set the fastest time of 1:57.000 at Sepang, leading Friday practice for the 2026 Malaysian MotoGP. The reigning world champion and current championship leader recovered from a crash at Turn 15 to finish nearly four tenths of a second ahead of the next rider. His performance establishes him as the rider to beat heading into the weekend.
Marc Marquez crashed at Turn 15, tucking the front and sliding through the gravel, but was soon back on his feet. He later set his representative flying lap of 1:57.000. The first yellow flag of the session was shown for his incident. He had been provisionally eighth with just over fifteen minutes remaining before moving up to second and then ultimately topping the timesheets.
Championship Contenders and Positions
While Marquez excelled, other title hopefuls faced setbacks. Francesco Bagnaia crashed at Turn 1, ending his chances of securing a direct spot in Q2. Johann Zarco also crashed, at Turns 7 and 8, and finished 13th. Both Bagnaia and Zarco missed automatic Q2 qualification by narrow margins. Bagnaia missed by 0.187 seconds, while Zarco was just 0.002 seconds off the pace.
Alex Rins was the fastest Yamaha rider, finishing 14th. The top ten saw significant changes in the final ten minutes. Ai Ogura moved to third, while Bagnaia and Zarco crashed out. Marco Bezzecchi moved into third during the time-attacks. KTM secured three direct Q2 places for the first time since the Hungarian Grand Prix last year, with Enea Bastianini, Maverick Viñales, and Pedro Acosta all finishing in the top positions. Bastianini received a late yellow flag between Turns 2 and 3 after a moment at the high-speed complex.
Diogo Moreira had a big front-end save at Turn 15, costing him any improvement and placing him in Q1. Franco Morbidelli and Joan Mir were welcomed back into the top ten, finishing tenth and eleventh respectively. The final practice standings for the top riders were as follows:
| Rider | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Marc Marquez | Ducati Lenovo Team | 1st |
| Alex Marquez | BK8 Gresini Racing | 2nd |
| Ai Ogura | Trackhouse MotoGP | 3rd |
| Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM | 5th |
| Fabio Di Giannantonio | VR46 | 6th |
| Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia | 7th |
| Enea Bastianini | KTM Tech3 | 8th |
| Maverick Vinales | KTM Tech3 | 9th |
| Franco Morbidelli | VR46 | 10th |
Injury Concerns and Sprint Race Impact
Major uncertainty surrounds Jorge Martin. The Aprilia rider completed only three laps before withdrawing due to a non-displaced fracture of the distal radius in his right arm, sustained at the previous Australian MotoGP. He recorded the 20th-fastest time and will reassess his condition in Saturday morning's FP2 session. His early withdrawal leaves him destined for Q1 if he continues, impacting his prospects for the Sprint race.
Another rider, Raul Fernandez, was withdrawn from the rest of the round due to a fractured finger. The injury list adds pressure to Saturday's compact schedule, which includes FP2, qualifying, and the Sprint race at the 3.444-mile Sepang International Circuit. Sprint Saturday commences from 09:00 local time.
Other incidents included Jack Miller having a scare at Turn 4 and riding back to the pits on an escape road. Fabio Di Giannantonio led after the first 15 minutes of track time. Marc Marquez, a previous winner at Sepang in both MotoGP formats, finished Friday with a commanding fastest time of 1:57.000, firmly positioning himself as the weekend's benchmark.
