05:56
No action on track at the moment, so here's a throwback image from Sepang testing many years ago. Who remembers this bike?
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Marc Marquez, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
2026 Official Sepang MotoGP Test: Day 1 - LIVE UPDATES
Live updates from the opening day of the Official 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test.
After a four-month recovery, reigning world champion Marc Marquez makes his return to MotoGP action as official 2026 testing gets underway at Sepang in Malaysia.
Marc Marquez suffered shoulder injuries when he was taken down by contact from Marco Bezzecchi at Mandalika, just a week after securing his ninth world title at Motegi.
The factory Ducati star not only missed the remaining four rounds, but Valencia post-race test.
But while Marquez makes his return, 2024 champion Jorge Martin will be watching from the sidelines as he continues to recover from follow-up surgery for last year’s wrist and collarbone injuries.
Also out of action is 2025 rookie race winner Fermin Aldeguer, who fractured his femur in a training accident last month.
But the rest of the 2026 grid, including star rookies Toprak Razgatlioglu and Diogo Moreira, are on track for three days of crucial testing with their 2026 machinery.
Last week’s Shakedown test - featuring the rookies, factory test riders and Yamaha race riders - saw Honda’s Aleix Espargaro on top with a 1m 57.173s, after Jack Miller turned heads by putting Yamaha’s new V4 on top the previous day.
Testing takes place from Tuesday to Thursday, between 10am and 6pm, plus practice start periods at lunchtime and the end of each day…
03 Feb 2026
05:52
Yamaha V4 aero in unpainted carbon fibre glory.
Yamaha aero, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
Yamaha aero, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
05:50
Jorge Martin watches on
Meanwhile, former champion Jorge Martin can only watch from the sidelines. It was on day one of the 2025 Sepang Test that a season full of injuries began for the Aprilia rider, who is hoping to return for the final test at Buriram.
05:45
Fabio Quartararo's crashed Yamaha V4
Fabio Quartararo's Yamaha V4 is returned to the Monster Yamaha garage...
Crashed Yamaha V4, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
Crashed Yamaha V4, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
05:41
A closer look at the rear aero on the RS-GP...
The rear seat aero on Marco Bezzecchi's RS-GP, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
Aprilia aero, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
05:36
Riders are now on their lunch break, although the track is technically still open.
05:27
Session 2 begins...
After a short pause, Session 2 begins. It'll run until today's action ends at 6pm, after which there will be another practice start period.
05:25
Razgatlioglu arrives for a practice start
05:18
1pm Lap Times - End of Session 1
2026 Official Sepang MotoGP Test: Results - 1pm
05:05
Alex Marquez leads Session 1
Session 1 ends with Alex Marquez fastest for Gresini Ducati with a 1m 57.487s followed by Luca Marini, Marco Bezzecchi, Jack Miller, Pedro Acosta and Alex Rins.
Reigning world champion Marc Marquez is currently 11th (+1.287s) on his return to a MotoGP bike.
Full times to follow...
Alex Marquez, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
Alex Marquez, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
04:58
Session 1 ends shortly
A reminder that 'Session 1' ends shortly, at 1pm, then there will be a practice start period before Session 2 starts at 1:20pm and runs until 6pm.
04:41
Luca Marini continues his charge and rises to second place, 0.358s behind Alex Marquez. Unfortunately, unlike at a grand prix weekend, there's no way info on if a rider is using new or used tyres.
04:39
Luca Marini shakes up that order with 7th, directly behind HRC team-mate Joan Mir, who is the top Honda (+0.880s).
04:38
The top ten just after 12:30pm: Alex Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Jack Miller, Pedro Acosta, Alex Rins, Joan Mir, Johann Zarco, Diogo Moreira, Fabio di Giannantonio, Marc Marquez.
04:28
Diogo Moreira crashes
Rookie Diogo Moreira has fallen at Turn 5. 'Rider OK'. Is that his first MotoGP crash?
The reigning Moto2 champion is currently 7th (+1.195s).
04:22
Alex Marquez fastest
... Alex Marquez goes to the top by 0.407s from Marco Bezzecchi with a 1m 57.487s on his 23rd lap of the day.
04:19
Seat wings or not, Alex Marquez closes Bezzecchi's advantage at the top to just 0.115s. The 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix winner continues to set red sectors and may improve again...
04:17
As well as the special helmet, check out the size of the seat wings on Marco Bezzecchi's RS-GP (plus the curved rear aero).
There was talk of banning seat wings for 2026, but they will now remain legal for at least another season. Honda also introduced seat wings last year.
Marco Bezzecchi, 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test (Gold&Goose).
04:14
Meanwhile, Pramac Yamaha team-mate Toprak Razgatlioglu improves for tenth place and is the final rider within one-second of Bezzecchi.
04:12
Jack Miller rejoins
Jack Miller, currently second to Marco Bezzecchi, has crashed from his Pramac Yamaha but was able to rejoin and continue.
04:08
The top Honda rider is now LCR's Johann Zarco, who splits Alex Rins and Diogo Moreira for fifth place with a 1m 58.571s.
That's still some way from test rider Aleix Espargaro's 1m 57.173s on the final day of the Shakedown.
04:06
12pm Results
2026 Official Sepang MotoGP Test: Results - 12pm
04:00
Bezzecchi stops
Moments after going fastest, Marco Bezzecchi stopped with a technical issue at Turn 9. He'd just set the fastest second sector of the day.
03:59
Marco Bezzecchi fastest
Marco Bezzecchi sets the first sub 1m 58s lap of the day to put Aprilia ahead by 0.358s from Jack Miller (Pramac Yamaha).
Sepang was one of Aprilia's toughest events of last season, so it's an especially promising start for the newly re-signed Italian, who is the only full-time factory Aprilia rider on track this week with Jorge Martin still recovering from follow-up surgery for last year's injuries.
03:55
Another Ducati rider is on the move, VR46's Fabio di Giannantonio, who dips under Marc Marquez's best to take over 4th (+0.518s behind Jack Miller).