Marc Marquez Returns to Sepang, Sprint Pace Shapes Ducati Direction

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez returned to the Sepang International Circuit for the first time in a year during this week’s official MotoGP test, having missed last season’s Malaysian Grand Prix due to injury.

The Sepang test also marked Marquez’s first time back on a MotoGP bike in four months, yet the Ducati Lenovo Team rider immediately re-established his competitiveness by topping the timesheets on day one. He ultimately concluded the three-day test fourth overall, finishing 0.387 seconds behind the fastest rider, his younger brother and reigning championship runner-up Alex Marquez.

While direct testing comparisons remain complex due to differing tyre allocations and fuel loads, Thursday’s Sprint race simulations provided a clearer performance reference. Over the ten-lap run, Marc Marquez posted the third-fastest cumulative time, trailing Alex Marquez and the other GP26 machine of team-mate Francesco Bagnaia.

Aggregated lap times showed Alex completing the Sprint simulation 1.385 seconds faster than Bagnaia and 2.613 seconds clear of Marc, despite Alex admitting his own run was not fully optimised. Marquez acknowledged the gap but viewed the exercise as productive within Ducati’s broader testing objectives.

“It was not bad – but three seconds slower than Alex, so…!” Marquez said.
“It was a good Sprint race simulation and, as we already predicted, it was not extremely fast. But we finished in a good way.”

“I was riding in a good way. So we can say it was a busy day, but we did all the things that were in the plan.”

After evaluating Ducati’s latest developments across the opening days, Marquez selected what he considered the most balanced combination for the Sprint simulation. However, he stressed that further understanding is required, particularly regarding aerodynamics, ahead of the final pre-season test.

“The ones I felt better with during the three days are the ones that I did the Sprint with,” he explained.
“But I still need to understand more in Thailand, especially on the aerodynamic side.”

Marquez also reflected on the similarities between Ducati’s current package and previous versions, amid paddock discussion that the manufacturer could ultimately lean towards a more user-friendly base concept for the final 1000cc-era bike.

“I feel very similar, honestly speaking,” he said of the latest GP26.
“We improved in some areas, but it’s true that the grip we have at this track is unreal, so we need to understand a bit more during the races.”

Aerodynamics remains a decisive focus, with Ducati required to soon homologate its start-of-season fairing, despite engine specifications having been frozen since the start of 2025.

“When you put a new aero package on, the bike balance changes,” Marquez explained.
“In the morning I tried a different aero package and I crashed in Turn 1 because the balance changed a lot.”

“When you know something and you are competitive and fast, it is difficult to adapt to another part. But you need to be open-minded and always try other things.”

The final pre-season MotoGP test will take place at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram on 21–22 February, where Ducati and Marquez are expected to finalise key technical decisions ahead of the season-opening round.