Marc Marquez set the early pace at the Malaysian Grand Prix, breaking the 1’59” barrier during opening practice at Sepang Circuit as championship rival Jorge Martin returned from injury, Sky Sport reported. Track conditions featured an air temperature of 34°C with the asphalt reaching 48°C as riders headed out for the opening session, with Marc Marquez starting out on a soft front and medium rear tire choice while Marco Bezzecchi fitted a pair of soft tires.
Marc Marquez Tops Opening Practice at Sepang
Ducati rider Marc Marquez established the benchmark time in the opening practice session at the Sepang International Circuit. Motorsport.com reported that Marquez was the only rider to dip below the 1’59” mark, clocking a 1’58″912 to finish nearly half a second clear of the chasing pack. The championship leader managed to put pressure on his competitors early, though he later suffered a crash at Turn 15 without consequences, according to FormulaPassion.
👀 @marcmarquez93 is back on track but Turn 1 has not gone to plan #MalaysianGP 🇲🇾 pic.twitter.com/6WtNochSAy
Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta Match Laptimes
Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi secured the second-fastest time in the opening session with a lap of 1’59″386. FormulaPassion noted that Pedro Acosta recorded an identical time down to the exact millisecond, placing third for KTM after executing what Motorsport.com described as a remarkable save at Turn 15 near the end of the session. Bezzecchi later struggled with tire degradation as afternoon temperatures wore down the soft compound.
Jorge Martin Returns With 20th Place After Injury
Jorge Martin completed 12 laps in his first appearance since suffering a right radius fracture during the Sprint race at Phillip Island. Motorsport.com reported that the Spaniard posted a best time of 2’00″747, finishing 1.8 seconds off Marquez’s pace in 20th position. Team manager Paolo Bonora explained that Martin rode after receiving a pain-relieving injection and obtaining medical clearance, adding that the rider’s physical condition surpassed initial expectations before he opted to end his afternoon run early. Fabio Di Giannantonio positioned his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Ducati right among the LCR team’s two RC213V machines, while Alex Rins took 11th as the top Yamaha 1.3 seconds back, followed by teammate Jack Miller. Behind Jorge Martin sat Fabio Quartararo’s Yamaha, while returning teammate Luca Marini placed 18th following his absence at Phillip Island due to a severe flu attack, just ahead of Ai Ogura in 19th position for Trackhouse Racing.
Afternoon Crashes Shake Up the Timesheets
FormulaPassion recorded crashes for Francesco Bagnaia at Turn 1, Johann Zarco at the Turn 7-8 chicane, and Enea Bastianini at Turn 2. Bagnaia’s late-session tumble left him outside the top ten, forcing the Italian rider to contest the Q1 qualifying phase.
