2026 Malaysian MotoGP, Sepang - Friday Practice Results
Friday practice results from the 2026 Malaysian MotoGP at Sepang, round 19 of 22.
MotoGP title leader Marc Marquez dominates opening practice for the 2026 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.
The factory Ducati star was comfortably clear of the field for most of the session, finishing with a 0.474s buffer over Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta, who set an identical time for best of the rest.
Injured title contender Jorge Martin, who fractured his wrist last Saturday at Phillip Island, completed 12 flying laps on his way to 20th place,1.8s from Marquez.
Martin will have his fitness officially reviewed after FP1, but looks set to continue.
Raul Fernandez out
However, fellow Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez is already out, finding the pain from his broken finger too much in FP1.
The session was briefly red flagged to clear debris after the front fender of Iker Lecuona's Gresini Ducati touched the front wheel as he hits the brakes at the end of the back straight.
Lecuona was able to continue back to the pits.
Tyres
Fernandez was the only rider to fit the favoured soft rear tyre, used by all riders in both of last year’s races, this morning. All other riders used the new medium or hard (last year’s medium), meaning big time improvements are likely on the soft this afternoon.
2026 Malaysian MotoGP, Sepang - Free Practice (1) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | 1'58.912s | 3/15 | 336k |
| 2 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.474s | 3/17 | 332k |
| 3 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.474s | 8/14 | 338k |
| 4 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.776s | 15/15 | 336k |
| 5 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.825s | 13/16 | 340k |
| 6 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) | +0.883s | 17/17 | 332k |
| 7 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | +0.989s | 7/16 | 335k |
| 8 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | +1.241s | 3/16 | 334k |
| 9 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | +1.325s | 5/17 | 333k |
| 10 | Diogo Moreira | BRA | Pro Honda LCR (RC213V)* | +1.348s | 2/17 | 336k |
| 11 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.358s | 11/14 | 331k |
| 12 | Jack Miller | AUS | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.412s | 10/17 | 329k |
| 13 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | +1.418s | 9/12 | 338k |
| 14 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +1.419s | 11/14 | 336k |
| 15 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.508s | 12/15 | 328k |
| 16 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +1.545s | 14/16 | 334k |
| 17 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +1.669s | 4/5 | 327k |
| 18 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +1.697s | 4/17 | 336k |
| 19 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +1.704s | 15/17 | 333k |
| 20 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +1.835s | 10/12 | 335k |
| 21 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) | +2.198s | 3/15 | 323k |
| 22 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | +2.764s | 11/15 | 325k |
* Rookie
Official Sepang MotoGP Records:
- Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati, 1m 56.337s (2024)
- Fastest race lap: Alex Marquez, Ducati, 1m 58.873s (2025)
Marc Marquez arrives at Sepang holding the world championship lead by ten points over injured rival Jorge Martin.
Martin lost the world championship lead and suffered a fracture to his wrist when he fell while battling Marquez for victory in last Saturday’s Phillip Island.
That ruled Martin out of Sunday’s grand prix, but he was saved any further loss of points when the race was cancelled due to a lack of visibility for the medical helicopter.
Martin has been passed fit to return in today's FP1, but - like Raul Fernandez - will be reviewed after the session.
Aprilia team-mate Marco Bezzecchi will start the Sepang event 50-points from the top, but the RS-GPs could face a tough challenge against the Ducatis this weekend.
Pecco Bagnaia (Sprint) and Alex Marquez (Grand Prix) won at Sepang last year, when the top Aprilia in the grand prix was Ai Ogura in tenth.
Bezzecchi was then the lone Aprilia in an all-Ducati top six at the end of this year’s pre-season test, with Alex Marquez again fastest and Marc in fourth behind Fabio di Giannantonio.
Marc had been riding for the first time since his Mandalika shoulder injuries, while Martin - injured at Sepang in early 2025 - was absent due to winter collarbone surgery.
Injuries and replacements
Luca Marini and Joan Mir return to action for HRC this weekend, Marini missing Phillip Island due to a virus while Mir has been undergoing treatment for fatigue issues since Misano.
Toprak Razgatlioglu is missing the remainder of the season after shoulder surgery and is replaced at Pramac by Yamaha test rider 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.
