Marc Marquez has topped the Friday practice session at the Malaysian Grand Prix despite surviving a crash, setting a formidable pace for the weekend. The factory Ducati rider recorded a time of exactly 1 minute 57.000 seconds, finishing ahead of his rival Alex Marquez, who placed second just 0.109 seconds behind on a Gresini Racing Ducati.
The session was marked by challenging track conditions at Sepang, with several riders experiencing nervous handling and falls. Jack Miller was an early faller during the first half of the session, which saw most riders focusing on soft rear tyres to prepare for the upcoming races. Fabio Di Giannantonio initially led the timesheets aboard his VR46 Ducati before Marquez took over.
Jorge Martin, a key contender for the MotoGP title, had a difficult day that ended prematurely. After saving a scary moment in a fast left-hander during his first run, the factory Aprilia rider returned to the garage and did not return to the track. His team confirmed he would focus on recovering from his broken wrist, meaning he must navigate Qualifying 1 (Q1) on Saturday if he is fit enough to compete.
Marc Marquez also encountered trouble early in the session, dropping his bike at the final corner seventeen minutes in. Although it was a low-speed incident, it highlighted the difficult grip levels. He quickly resumed riding on a second bike but remained cautious throughout the day. With twenty minutes remaining, riders switched to fresh soft tyres to secure spots in Q2. Marquez set his fastest time early and did not attempt another run with new rubber, instead using his final laps to test suspension settings.
Alex Marquez briefly threatened his brother's position with three red sectors but ultimately finished just over a tenth of a second slower. Yellow flags later in the session disrupted attempts by other riders to improve their times. Ai Ogura led the Aprilia charge into third place, while Marco Bezzecchi secured sixth. Pedro Acosta easily qualified for Q2 with the fourth-fastest time.
Both Tech3 KTM riders, Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales, made the cut for Q2 in seventh and eighth positions respectively. The VR46 Ducati pair of Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli also advanced, finishing fifth and ninth. Joan Mir produced a strong performance on his return from illness to claim the tenth and final spot in Q2.
The late yellow flags were triggered by Bastianini falling with four minutes remaining, followed by crashes involving Johann Zarco and Francesco Bagnaia as they attempted to scramble into the top ten. Both riders will now have to fight through Q1 on Saturday morning. Martin finished 21st overall after completing only three laps.
Sources: Autosport.