Alex Marquez Tops Sepang Test Finale as Ducati Impress

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Alex Marquez of BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP capped off the final day of the 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test on Thursday (5 February) at the top of the timesheets, holding a 0.124-second advantage over Marco Bezzecchi from Aprilia Racing, while Fabio Di Giannantonio of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team completed the top three.

Marquez also delivered the fastest Sprint simulation of the day, completing a 10-lap run with an average lap time of 1m58.027s, while his outright best lap of 1m56.402s stood as the quickest time of the entire three-day test. The result underlined Ducati’s strong technical baseline at Sepang, with riders from Ducati Lenovo Team, Gresini and VR46 consistently featuring at the sharp end across race simulations and single-lap pace.

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez spent the final day evaluating the 2025 front aerodynamic package alongside early elements of Ducati’s 2026 aero concept, before suffering his first crash of the season at Turn 1 during the morning session. Team-mate Francesco Bagnaia reported a significantly improved feeling compared to last year and identified his preferred aerodynamic configuration, notably posting a quicker 10-lap Sprint simulation than Marquez.

At Aprilia, Bezzecchi once again emerged as the benchmark rider for the Noale-based manufacturer, topping the afternoon session and becoming the first Aprilia rider to break into the 1m56s range at Sepang. Despite the absence of Jorge Martin, Aprilia showcased promising progress with new aerodynamic concepts, while Raul Fernandez impressed for Trackhouse MotoGP Team by finishing inside the top ten overall. Rookie Ai Ogura also continued his steady adaptation, ending the test 12th overall.

Conditions proved more challenging for Honda HRC Castrol on the final day following overnight rain, with reduced grip impacting performance. Nevertheless, Joan Mir and Luca Marini confirmed tangible progress with the RC213V 2026, including engine improvements that Honda plans to homologate this season under its current concession status. Honda LCR riders Johann Zarco and rookie Diogo Moreira also reported positive feedback, particularly in braking performance and baseline setup.

KTM concluded a busy but encouraging Sepang test, with just 0.010 seconds separating Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Maverick Vinales from Red Bull KTM Tech3. Meanwhile, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP returned to the track after resolving issues with its V4 engine, with Alex Rins leading Yamaha’s times as the Sepang test concluded.

With the three-day Sepang test complete, teams now shift focus to the MotoGP 2026 season launch in Kuala Lumpur before returning to the track for the Buriram Test, which will serve as the final competitive reference point ahead of the opening round of the new season.