Alex Marquez topped the timesheets on the final day of MotoGP pre-season testing in Malaysia on Thursday as Italian-Japanese factory team Yamaha returned to the tracks after missing out on Wednesday.
Spaniard Marquez, who won the Malaysian MotoGP last year, blitzed through the Sepang circuit early in the morning session to secure a lap time of 1 min 56.402 sec on his third lap outing.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi was a fraction off Marquez, turning in 1 min 56.526 sec to be just ahead of his Italian compatriot Fabio Di Giannantonio, who clocked 1 min 56.786 sec.
Ducati teammates Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia were the other two riders who dipped under the 1 min 57 mark, despite the Spanish reigning world champion crashing in the morning session.
Marc Marquez, who missed the final four races of last season after suffering a collarbone injury at Indonesia’s Mandalika circuit, explained his crash.
"When you put (on) a new aero package, you need to change the bike's balance. I was trying a different aero package when I crashed on Turn 1," he said
"With small modifications, the bike balance changed a lot. Lucky it was in the middle of the corner and very slow."
His younger brother Alex Marquez, was pleased with the outcome from his Ducati on a largely bright and clear day in Sepang.
"We tried to improve the setup that was missing on the first and second day, and to strike the potential from the bike."
"I feel we are better than last year, more competitive. Quite happy about the test," he said.
The MotoGP competitors will next head to Buriram, Thailand, for the second pre-season test in a fortnight, ahead of the 2026 March curtain raiser at the Thailand GP.
Pre-season test times:
1. Alex Marquez (ESP/Ducati) 1min 56.402 sec
2. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA/Aprilia) 1min 56.526 sec
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA/VR46 Ducati) 1min 56.785 sec
4. Marc Marquez (ESP/Ducati) 1min 56.789 sec
5. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 1min 56.929 sec
6. Franco Morbidelli (ITA/VR46 Ducati) 1min 57.130 sec
7. Raul Fernandez (ESP/Aprilia) 1 min 57.245 sec
8. Pedro Acosta (ESP/Red Bull KTM) 1 min 57.253 sec
9. Joan Mir (ESP/Honda) 1 min 57.268 sec
10. Enea Bastianini (ITA/Redbull KTM) 1 min 57.290 sec