Marc Márquez ended Friday at the top of the timesheets as MotoGP returned to Sepang for the Malaysian GP. Marc recovered from an early crash in Practice and led a Ducati one-two, with brother Álex close behind on a Gresini Ducati. Ai Ogura was just +0.058 seconds behind Álex, rounding up the top three on his Trackhouse Aprilia.
However, it wasn’t a straightforward opening day for everyone. Jorge Martín’s return following his wrist fracture at Phillip Island proved more difficult than hoped. The Aprilia rider cut his afternoon session short in order to avoid aggravating the injury further. Meanwhile, Honda welcomed back both Joan Mir and Luca Marini. While Raúl Fernández withdrew from the weekend after a further medical assessment.
Marc Márquez leads the way in FP1
Marc Márquez made an early statement in Malaysia. Ducati rider setting the only 1:58 lap of FP1 to lead the opening session with a 1:58.912.
Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta finished second and third, respectively. Both recorded identical lap times and finished 0.474s behind the #93 rider. Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder completed the top five, giving KTM a strong start to the weekend. Morbidelli and Álex Márquez were the only other riders to finish within a second of the fastest time in FP1.
The session was briefly interrupted by a red flag. Disruption came after debris was scattered across the track when Iker Lecuona’s Gresini front fender broke. With pieces on the racing line, the session was stopped to allow marshals to clear the debris so the riders could return to the track. The interruption was short, but it added an unexpected pause to the opening session.
While Márquez had a strong start to the weekend, much of the attention was on Jorge Martín. The Aprilia rider arrived in Malaysia just six days after suffering a non-displaced fracture of the distal radius. Injury he sustained during the Phillip Island Sprint, where he crashed while fighting for the lead.
Martín was given the initial green light to take part in FP1, pending a further medical review. Aprilia rider completed 12 laps in FP1 and finished 1.8s off the pace. Aprilia Team Manager Paolo Bonora explained that the Spaniard had expected to feel worse. The plan for the weekend was always to manage his injury and avoid pushing too hard during FP1.
It was an encouraging start, particularly given the short turnaround since Australia. However, the real test would come during the afternoon’s longer Practice session.
Mir and Marini return to action in Malaysia
Honda HRC Castrol welcomed both of its riders back to the grid at Sepang, with Joan Mir and Luca Marini having been declared fit to take part of Malaysian GP.
Mir was absent from the grid since Misano. Riders like Somkiat Chantra, Takaaki Nakagami and Aleix Espargaro stepped in, allowing Joan time to investigate ongoing health issues. including vision problems and extreme fatigue. Honda rider had been undergoing treatment and focusing on his recovery before receiving the all-clear to return at Sepang.
Marini also missed the Australian GP after briefly taking part in FP1 at Phillip Island before withdrawing due to a virus.
Their returns mean Honda is back to its full factory rider line-up in Malaysia with Mir finishing tenth in Practice and securing a direct place in Q2.
Raúl Fernández ruled out of the Malaysian GP
Raúl Fernández’s weekend came to an early end after he was declared unfit following a medical review during FP1.
Fernández arrived to Malaysia still recovering from the fractured fingers he sustained during the Indonesian GP. Despite the injury, Fernández managed a podium finish at Mandalika. He subsequently withdrew from the Australian GP due to the soft tissue inflammation around the fracture.
The Superfile Trackhouse rider recieved the all-clear to participate in FP1 at Sepang. However, during FP1, Fernández cut his session short after being out on track for some laps. After further medical assessment, he was declared not fit to continue the Malaysian GP.
The Spaniard will now focus on making a full recovery rather than risk aggravating the injury further.
Marc Márquez recovers from crash to top afternoon Practice
The practice session brought another strong performance from Marc Márquez, although it wasn’t without its moments.
The Ducati rider crashed at Turn 15, losing the front of his bike and sliding into the gravel. He was quickly back on his feet and able to return to the garage before heading back out to continue the session.
Fabio Di Giannantonio had briefly led the way during the early running, with Álex Márquez and Johann Zarco also featuring towards the front. However, as the session moved into its final stages, the timesheets began to change.
With just over 15 minutes remaining, Márquez produced a 1:57.000 to take control of the session. Despite his earlier crash, nobody was able to match the Championship leader’s time.
Álex Márquez moved into second with a 1:57.109, securing a Ducati one-two, while Ai Ogura produced a late improvement to finish third with a 1:57.167.
Pedro Acosta and Di Giannantonio completed the top five, with Marco Bezzecchi finishing sixth. KTM continued showing their form, with Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales joining Acosta inside the top eight.
Martín’s injury cuts his Practice session short
While Márquez was able to recover from his crash, Martín’s afternoon took a different turn.
After completing 12 laps in FP1, the Aprilia rider managed just three laps in Practice before deciding to return to the garage. The Spaniard was given the green light for the rest of the weekend following the medical review after FP1. Regardless, his ability to continue was always going to depend on how the injury responded to the demands of riding.
With the title fight entering its final stages, Martín is just 10 points behind Márquez; every point is increasingly important. Martín aims to return to the track for FP2 on Saturday morning, and his condition will be re-evaluated. Having missed the opportunity to set a competitive Practice time, he will have to fight his way through Q1 if he continues for the rest of the weekend.
Crashes leave Zarco and Bagnaia facing Q1
There was plenty of movement in the closing stages of Practice, but not everyone managed to finish the session as planned.
Johann Zarco suffered a late crash, bringing out a yellow flag at Turns 7 and 8. Zarco lost the front of his Honda, bringing his attempt to secure a place in the top ten to an end. The Frenchman finished 11th, just 0.187s outside the cut-off.
Francesco Bagnaia also suffered a front-end crash, this time at Turn 1, which left the Ducati rider down in 12th. The result means both riders will need to fight through Q1 on Saturday if they are to secure a place in the second part of qualifying.
Diogo Moreira narrowly missed out on the top ten at practice, finishing 13th after a big front-end save at Turn 15 cost him the chance to improve his time. The Brazilian managed to keep the bike upright, but the moment left him unable to make the final push into the Q2 positions.
What can we expect from Saturday at Sepang?
Marc Márquez is heading into Saturday, having topped both sessions. Álex Márquez and Ogura also showed strong pace, while KTM could be one to watch during qualifying as they have three riders inside the top ten. Bezzecchi remains in a solid position in sixth, but there is plenty still to play for as the weekend develops.
For Martín, Saturday will be about seeing how much he can manage on the bike and whether he is fit enough to continue challenging for the Championship. Meanwhile, Bagnaia and Zarco will need to work their way through Q1 after missing out on direct progression.
Can Márquez carry Friday’s pace into qualifying, and will Martín be fit enough to challenge his Championship rival?
Saturday’s track action gets underway at 2:10 am UK time with FP2, followed by qualifying. The Malaysian GP Sprint takes place 7am in the morning UK time.