Marc The Spanish driver from the official Ducati team completed his fastest lap in 1’57.018 and beat his direct competitors by more than two tenths of a second.
The session marked the official start of activities for the 2026 season and brought together all the starting drivers from the five manufacturers. Fabio Quartararo suffered a fall in the morning and was diagnosed with a broken finger, which led him to abandon the remaining tests scheduled for the next few days.
The teams focused their efforts on initial evaluations of new aerodynamic components and engine tuning. The day took place under stable track conditions, allowing drivers to complete long sequences of laps without significant interruptions.
Ducati’s dominant performance
Marc Marquez demonstrated immediate adaptation to the evolution of the Desmosedici GP26 from the first minutes of the session. The time set by the Spaniard came in a lap launched late in the afternoon, when track conditions were optimized.
Fabio The difference of just 0.256 seconds to the leader highlighted the consistency between the Ducati units available on the grid.
Other drivers from the Italian brand also appeared among the first placed. Alex Marquez, from Gresini Racing, and Francesco Bagnaia, Marquez’s teammate, completed competitive laps throughout the day.
Ktm surprise with vinales
Maverick Vinales placed the KTM in third place on the timesheets with 1’57.295. The Spanish driver recorded his best time during a fast lap simulation in the afternoon and was just 0.277 seconds behind the leader.
The performance represented a significant improvement compared to the previous year’s tests at the same circuit. The Austrian factory brought updates to the aerodynamic package that improved stability in high-speed corners.
Vinales completed more than 60 laps throughout the session and tested different suspension setups. The data collected will serve as a basis for adjustments in the next days of activity in Sepang.
Honda’s visible progress
Luca Marini and Joan Mir placed Honda among the top seven on the day. Marini recorded the sixth best time, while Mir appeared close behind in seventh place.
The Japanese factory introduced modifications to the engine and chassis that improved the RC213V’s behavior when exiting corners. Riders reported noticeable traction gains compared to the previous version of the bike.
The presence of two Honda in the top 7 indicated progress after a challenging season in 2025. The team focused much of the day on mapping the new set of tires provided by Michelin.
Complete top 10 of the first round
The combined times of the session revealed a balance between the manufacturers in the front group. The list of the ten fastest looked like this:
- Marc Marquez (Ducati) – 1’57.018
Pilots completed intensive data collection programs before the next rounds of testing.
Injury interrupts Yamaha’s plan
Fabio Quartararo suffered an accident at turn 9 during the morning session and was immediately treated by the circuit’s medical team. Exames later confirmed a fracture in a finger on the left hand, leading to the decision to immediately return to Europa for treatment.
Yamaha lost important reference in the remaining two days of testing on Sepang. The Japanese team was already facing an additional challenge with the Frenchman’s prolonged absence from development work.
Quartararo had recorded the ninth fastest time before the incident. The brand’s engineers focused their efforts on evaluating new chassis and engines to regain competitiveness.
Aprilia Renewal and Focus
Marco Bezzecchi appeared in fifth position and showed confidence in the new evolved RS-GP. The Italian driver renewed his contract with Aprilia until 2028 before testing began.
The Noale team brought an updated aerodynamic package that improved high-speed stability. Bezzecchi completed long sequences of laps to validate the durability of the new components.
The initial performance positioned Aprilia as a competitive candidate in the intermediate field. The data collected will help with final definitions before the start of the championship.
Preparation for intense season
The Sepang tests represent the first collective opportunity to evaluate the new machines of 2026. The teams prioritized direct comparisons between old and new configurations throughout the journey.
The presence of four different manufacturers in the top seven indicated greater balance than in the previous year. Ducati maintained time reference, but KTM and Honda reduced significant differences.
The next few days of activity on the Malaysian circuit will define technical directions for the rest of the preparation. The information collected will directly influence strategies for the opening of the championship scheduled for March.
General overview of manufacturers
Ducati placed five bikes in the top ten and confirmed its position as initial favorite. The evolution of the GP26 brought gains in power and torque delivery according to pilot reports.
KTM advanced with Vinales in third position and demonstrated consistent progress in the project started in 2025. Honda surprised by entering two units in the top 7 after internal technical restructuring.
Aprilia kept Bezzecchi competitive while Yamaha faced setback with the injury of its main rider. The time differences between the leaders were less than one second in the front group.
