Sepang, Malaysia, October 30, 2026: Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) made a strong statement in Friday’s MotoGP Practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix, recovering from an early crash to set the fastest time of 1:57.000 at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.

The Spaniard edged out younger brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by just 0.109 seconds to secure the top spot, while Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) produced a late improvement to finish third.

Marc Marquez’s session was not without drama. The Ducati rider crashed at Turn 15 early in Practice, tucking the front and sliding into the gravel. However, he was able to get back on his feet and return to the track.

After spending much of the session outside the top positions, the championship leader delivered a stunning time attack with just over 15 minutes remaining. His 1:57.000 lap put him nearly four-tenths of a second clear at the time and ultimately proved unbeatable.

The performance also highlighted his race pace, suggesting that the Ducati rider could be a strong contender as the Malaysian GP weekend progresses.

Jorge Martin limits running as injury concerns continue

Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) had a relatively short Friday session as he continued to manage his physical condition following his injury.

The 2024 MotoGP World Champion completed just three laps before deciding to return to the garage and conserve energy for Saturday’s packed schedule. Martin is expected to assess his condition during Saturday morning’s FP2 before deciding whether he can continue competing through the weekend.

Having missed the remainder of Friday’s Practice, Martin will have to go through Q1 if he participates in the rest of the Malaysian GP weekend.

Ai Ogura shines as Bagnaia and Zarco crash

The battle for the top ten intensified in the closing stages, with several riders making significant improvements.

Fabio Di Giannantonio initially led the session ahead of Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR). However, Pedro Acosta, Marco Bezzecchi and Enea Bastianini subsequently moved into the leading positions.

Ogura produced one of the strongest late performances, improving to third with just three minutes remaining. His lap ensured a place among the leading riders and underlined Trackhouse’s promising start to the weekend.

There was further drama towards the end, with Zarco crashing at Turns 7 and 8 while Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) suffered a front-end crash at Turn 1.

Both riders consequently missed out on a direct place in Q2 and will have to negotiate Q1 on Saturday.

MotoGP Malaysian GP Practice: Top 10 results

Marc Marquez led a Ducati 1-2, with Alex Marquez finishing second. Ogura secured third ahead of Acosta and Di Giannantonio.

Bezzecchi completed the top six, followed by Red Bull KTM Tech3 riders Bastianini and Maverick Viñales in seventh and eighth respectively.

Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) finished ninth, while Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) marked his return to action with a top-ten finish.

The result was particularly encouraging for KTM, with three of its riders securing direct entry into Q2 for the first time since the Hungarian Grand Prix last year.

Bagnaia and Martin face Q1 challenge

Johann Zarco narrowly missed the top ten after his late crash, finishing 11th, just 0.187 seconds outside the direct Q2 positions.

Bagnaia ended the session 12th, only 0.002 seconds behind Zarco, meaning the two-time MotoGP World Champion will have to fight through Q1.

Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) finished ahead of the leading Yamaha rider Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who ended the session 14th.

Martin’s limited running also left him outside the top ten, adding another challenge to his return to action.

With Marc Marquez setting the pace and Alex Marquez close behind, Ducati has made an impressive start to the Malaysian GP weekend. However, Saturday’s qualifying and Sprint will bring fresh challenges, particularly for Bagnaia, Zarco and Martin as they look to secure competitive grid positions.