MotoGP 2026 pre-season testing results: Alex Marquez sets the pace at Sepang
06 February 2026The MotoGP 2026 pre-season testing results from Sepang have delivered the first meaningful clues of the competitive order ahead of the new campaign and it was Alex Marquez who emerged as the benchmark on the final day in Malaysia.
The Gresini Ducati rider topped the timesheets with a lap time of 1:56.402, set during Thursday morning’s ideal track conditions. Then, he duly backed it up with the fastest Sprint simulation pace of the entire test.
As the paddock now turns its attention to Buriram, Marquez leaves Sepang not just quickest over a single lap, but showing consistent pace across the board.
2026 Sepang MotoGP pre-season testing results (combined times)
Pos | Rider | Team | Lap time |
1 | Alex Marquez | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | 1:56.402 |
2 | Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP) | 1:56.526 |
3 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | 1:56.785 |
4 | Marc Marquez | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | 1:56.789 |
5 | Joan Mir | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | 1:56.874 |
6 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | 1:56.929 |
7 | Franco Morbidelli | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) | 1:56.983 |
8 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1:57.116 |
9 | Maverick Viñales | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | 1:57.126 |
10 | Raul Fernandez | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP) | 1:57.245 |
11 | Enea Bastianini | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | 1:57.290 |
12 | Ai Ogura | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP) | 1:57.326 |
13 | Luca Marini | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | 1:57.565 |
14 | Alex Rins | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1:57.580 |
15 | Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1:57.590 |
16 | Johann Zarco | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | 1:57.601 |
17 | Fabio Quartararo | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1:57.869 |
18 | Jack Miller | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1:58.156 |
19 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1:58.326 |
20 | Diogo Moreira | Pro Honda LCR (RC213V) | 1:58.476 |
21 | Lorenzo Savadori | Aprilia Test Rider (RS-GP) | 1:58.566 |
22 | Augusto Fernandez | Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1) | 1:59.278 |
23 | Andrea Dovizioso | Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1) | 2:00.681 |
Alex Marquez leads MotoGP 2026 testing at Sepang
Fresh from his victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix late last year, Marquez looked immediately at home aboard the factory-spec Ducati GP26, quickly surpassing early pacesetter Joan Mir in a rain-affected Day 2.
Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Di Giannantonio both managed to get close to his time, but neither rider could overhaul Marquez’s early flyer. Bezzecchi came closest, jumping to second with just 15 minutes remaining, but still finished just over a tenth adrift.
More telling still was Marquez’s performance once attention shifted away from outright pace. As teams turned to longer runs, the 29-year-old delivered the fastest average Sprint simulation of the test, beating both Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez on factory Ducatis.
Ducati start strong, but Aprilia spoils the lockout
Ducati looked poised to dominate the top four positions on the final day of the Sepang MotoGP test, with Di Giannantonio, Marc Marquez and Bagnaia lining up behind the younger Marquez. But it was Bezzecchi aboard the Aprilia – who won the final two Grand Prix of 2025 – who snuck in a competitive time late on to secure second overall.
Di Giannantonio ended the test third for VR46, while Marc Marquez, despite an early crash at Turn 1, recovered to place fourth. Notably, his time came later in the morning session in slower, hotter conditions.
Yamaha falter at the first hurdle
One of the major talking points from the MotoGP 2026 pre-season testing was Yamaha’s precautionary withdrawal from Wednesday’s running.
After a technical investigation forced Fabio Quartararo to stop on track on Tuesday, the Japanese manufacturer’s new V4 engine was once again cleared to run again on Thursday.
While Yamaha logged valuable mileage, it did so without its lead rider, as Quartararo joined Jorge Martin and Fermin Aldeguer on the sidelines due to injury.
In Quartararo’s absence, Alex Rins led Yamaha’s charge, finishing 12th and over a second off the outright pace.
Pramac newcomer and WorldSBK superstar Toprak Razgatlioglu ended the test 19th overall, just ahead of fellow rookie Diogo Moreira.
KTM, Honda and the midfield picture
Behind the headline names, the Sepang test offered plenty of intrigue across the midfield. Pedro Acosta once again spearheaded KTM’s efforts in eighth, while Raul Fernandez impressed in 10th aboard the Trackhouse Aprilia.
Honda showed incremental progress, with Joan Mir a strong fifth overall and the fastest RC213V across the three days.
What’s next after Sepang MotoGP testing?
With Sepang now in the books, the MotoGP paddock heads to Thailand for the final pre-season test at Buriram on February 21–22, just one week before the 2026 season opener at the same venue.
While lap times will always dominate headlines, Sepang’s data suggests Alex Marquez leaves Malaysia with more than just bragging rights. On pure pace, consistency and Sprint simulations, the Gresini Ducati rider looks to be a genuine early-season title threat.
