Image: from Gerard Grouve Sport X@Grouve_Sport
By Open Chronicle Staff | February 3, 2026
SEPANG, Malaysia — The 2026 MotoGP season roared to life today at the Sepang International Circuit, but the opening day of testing delivered a bittersweet mix of clinical speed and physical setbacks. While Marc Márquez reminded the paddock of his relentless pace by topping the timing sheets, former champion Fabio Quartararo saw his testing program cut short following a high-speed crash.
ICYMI⏱️
Marc Márquez topped the times. There were 9 riders within a second and a few bumps along the way too.
Fabio Quartararo had a fast crash at T5 and has pulled out of the rest of the test due to a broken finger.
📸 Ducati Corse #VroomMagazine | #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/K7qTq31utd
— Vroom Magazine (@vroom_magazine) February 3, 2026
Márquez, piloting the Ducati, wasted no time asserting his dominance. Despite not turning a wheel at Sepang since the previous year’s test, the Spaniard systematically improved his lap times throughout the day. In the final stages of the session, he clocked a blistering 1:57.018, effectively silencing any lingering questions regarding his physical fitness heading into the new campaign.
The Ducati camp enjoyed a productive day overall. Fabio Di Giannantonio briefly held the top spot before finishing second, just 0.256 seconds adrift of Márquez. Meanwhile, defending expectations, Francesco Bagnaia ended the day in eighth, focusing on race simulations rather than outright qualifying laps.
Marc Márquez vuelve de su lesión… para seguir siendo PRIMERO 😎
"Estos años he entendido que si estoy bien físicamente, la velocidad está"#SepangTest #MotoGP 🏁 pic.twitter.com/OVcEjPmYqX
— DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) February 3, 2026
Drama for Yamaha
The day’s most significant headline, however, involved Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo. The Frenchman suffered a heavy fall at Turn 5. Although initially cleared by the circuit’s medical center, persistent pain in his arm and hand led to further evaluation, which confirmed a broken finger.
With his participation in the remainder of the test now over, the burden of development for the M1 falls onto the shoulders of Alex Rins and Jack Miller. Before his withdrawal, Quartararo had managed the ninth-fastest time, highlighting the potential he will now have to wait to explore.
Surprise Gains and New Faces
Honda provided one of the day’s biggest surprises, with Luca Marini and Joan Mir both breaking into the top seven. The results suggest a significant step forward for the Japanese manufacturer, which has struggled for consistency in recent seasons.
KTM also showed strength with Maverick Viñales securing the third-fastest time. Viñales praised the team’s progress on a new chassis and aerodynamic package. Further down the order, the spotlight was on Toprak Razgatlioglu, who continued his high-profile adaptation to MotoGP machinery, notably spending time on track shadowed by Márquez to study the Spaniard’s braking lines.
As the sun sets on day one in Malaysia, the hierarchy of the 2026 grid is beginning to take shape, with Ducati leading the charge and rivals scrambling to close the gap amidst the physical toll of the sport.