Indonesian Moto2 rider Mario Aji secured a direct spot in the Q2 qualifying session after finishing the Practice period at the 2026 Malaysian Grand Prix in 13th place. Held at the Sepang International Circuit on Friday, October 30, 2026, the session tested the grid under tense competitive conditions where only the top 14 riders earned automatic progression.
Driving for the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, Aji navigated a crowded and incident-strewn track to maintain his position in the critical top tier, according to reports from Kompas. The performance marks a vital step forward for the rider from Magetan, who entered the Sepang weekend looking to build on previous momentum.
Sepang Practice Progression and Early Incidents
The practice session began with immediate disruption when Deniz Oncu crashed at the seventh turn, forcing competitors to adjust their lines early on. While marshals cleared the track, Manuel Gonzalez established an early benchmark, setting a blistering pace of 2 minutes 03.737 seconds that kept him at the top of the timesheets for the majority of the day.
Aji opened his account with an initial lap of 2 minutes 08.027 seconds, a time that initially left him outside the crucial top-14 cutoff. However, the Indonesian youngster responded quickly on his second major run, slashing his time down to 2 minutes 5.216 seconds to leap into ninth place. As teams cycled through pit stops for adjustments, the leaderboard tightened significantly.
Navigating the Danger Zone in the Final Minutes
With ten minutes remaining on the clock, Aji slipped down to 14th place, resting on the absolute edge of the Q2 qualification boundary. Recognizing the danger, he returned to the track and produced a flying lap of 2 minutes 4.686 seconds, which briefly elevated him to seventh.
Although subsequent late charges from rivals pushed him back down to 13th in the final three minutes, that lap proved robust enough to withstand the checkered flag. Sepang’s intense heat and high humidity tested machine setups throughout the field, but Aji’s margin held firm against late pressure.
Top Times and Weekend Outlook
At the head of the classification, Manuel Gonzalez retained his dominance to finish the day fastest, followed closely by Alonso Lopez in second and Daniel Holgado rounding out the top three, as detailed by Kompas. Meanwhile, separate practice action in the Moto3 category saw Veda Pratama claim a strong third-place finish in his respective session.
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The successful Friday run contrasts with the abrupt cancellation of the previous weekend’s main races in Australia due to severe weather, an event that forced riders to pivot quickly toward the Malaysian round. With his direct Q2 ticket now confirmed, Aji prepares for Saturday’s qualifying sessions at Sepang as the 2026 championship enters its final stretch.
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