Starting grid for the 2026 Sepang MotoGP Sprint race
The full starting grid for Saturday’s 2026 Malaysian MotoGP Sprint race at Sepang.
Alex Marquez starts from only the third pole position of his MotoGP career at Sepang.
The Gresini Ducati rider, winner of the Malaysian round last season, edged out brother Marc Marquez by 0.070s in qualifying.
Marc, on course to extend his title lead this weekend after rival Jorge Martin withdrew on Saturday morning, towed future team-mate Pedro Acosta to third place for KTM.
With Martin and Raul Fernandez on the sidelines, the remaining Aprilias of Ai Ogura and Marco Bezzecchi start from row two, ahead of VR46 Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio.
Enea Bastianini, Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli will form row three.
Zarco and Pecco Bagnaia reached Qualifying 2 by leading Qualifying 1.
Bagnaia, on pole a year ago, smashed his screen in frustration after running wide at Turn 1 in Qualifying 2.
The Italian will start from tenth, two places behind Zarco.
The Sepang Sprint race starts at 3:00pm local time (7:00am UK)
Penalties/Withdraws
There are currently no penalties, but Martin and Fernandez join Fermin Aldeguer and Toprak Razgatlioglu in being absent due to injury.
HRC riders Joan Mir and Luca Marini start 11th and 13th on their return from illness.
The Sepang Sprint starts at 3pm local time (7am UK).
2026 Sepang MotoGP Sprint race: Full starting grid
Row 1: Alex Marquez (pole), Marc Marquez, Pedro Acosta
Row 2: Ai Ogura, Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Di Giannantonio
Row 3: Enea Bastianini, Johann Zarco, Franco Morbidelli
Row 4: Francesco Bagnaia, Joan Mir, Maverick Viñales
Row 5: Luca Marini, Diogo Moreira, Brad Binder
Row 6: Jack Miller, Alex Rins, Fabio Quartararo
Row 7: Iker Lecuona, Augusto Fernandez
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
