Marc Marquez topped the practice session for the Malaysian MotoGP at the Sepang International Circuit on Friday, according to detikSport, despite a crash in the middle of the session. The Ducati Lenovo rider stopped the clock at 1 minute 57.000 seconds. Jorge Martin, who had been declared fit to ride despite a recent injury, withdrew partway through and ended the session in 20th place.
The session ran in the midday hours, Jakarta time. Martin, on the Aprilia, had been cleared to compete but his outing was short-lived. According to detikSport, he lost his balance at the 12th corner and came close to falling, then rode straight back to the pits after completing only two laps. The Aprilia team later confirmed that he would not continue, per detikSport.
Why it matters
Marquez's time came after he had already hit the ground, which makes the result more notable than a routine fastest lap. He went down at turn 15 when the front tyre lost grip, sliding into the gravel with his left hand striking the asphalt before he was thrown clear. detikSport reported that he appeared unharmed. He returned to the track and later displaced Diogo Moreira at the top of the timesheets.
The session also shaped the qualifying picture. The top ten riders move directly into Q2, while the rest must fight through Q1. Martin's early exit leaves him among those facing the longer route.
How the session unfolded
Fabio Di Giannantonio, on the Pertamina VR46 Ducati, held the early benchmark with a 1:57.982. Alex Marquez came close to beating that mark but did not manage it at that stage. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, was not pushing at full pace in the opening phase, according to detikSport.
With roughly fifteen minutes remaining, Moreira briefly went quickest before Marc Marquez moved ahead with his 1:57.000. In the final two minutes, Enea Bastianini and Francesco Bagnaia both fell, and Moreira nearly did as well, per detikSport. None of those incidents prevented the leading time from standing.
Alex Marquez finished second, 0.109 seconds back, with Ai Ogura third at 0.167 seconds off the pace. Pedro Acosta was fourth, followed by Di Giannantonio, Marco Bezzecchi, Bastianini, Maverick Viñales, Franco Morbidelli and Joan Mir, who completed the ten riders going straight to Q2.
Bagnaia, who crashed late, ended the session 12th and will have to go through Q1. Johann Zarco was 11th, with Moreira 13th, Alex Rins 14th and Iker Lecuona 15th. Jack Miller, Luca Marini, Brad Binder, Fabio Quartararo and Augusto Fernandez filled positions 16 to 20, and Martin was 21st, 2.670 seconds off the leading time.
Martin's fitness question
Martin's withdrawal puts attention back on his physical condition. detikSport reported that he had been declared fit to take part despite carrying an injury, and his near-miss at turn 12 came before he chose to stop. The Aprilia rider had been expected to test himself over the session, but his time on the bike amounted to two laps.
The gap between his best effort and Marquez's benchmark reflects how little running he completed rather than a lack of pace. Whether he takes part in the next session is the immediate question for Aprilia.
What to watch
Qualifying follows, with the ten riders who secured direct Q2 places — led by Marc Marquez — waiting for the outcome of Q1. Martin's participation and Bagnaia's recovery from his late fall are the two situations to track.
