Joan Mir topped the second day of the 2026 Sepang MotoGP official test for Honda, setting the fastest lap of the meeting with a 1:56.874 and pushing lap times into the 1:56s for the first time this pre-season. Franco Morbidelli was just 0.109 seconds behind in second for VR46, with Fabio Di Giannantonio completing the top three after an early benchmark run on his factory Ducati. Pedro Acosta and Maverick Viñales put KTM two-deep inside the top five, while Enea Bastianini added a third KTM inside the top 10; Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez, and Ai Ogura also finished within the top 10, and Francesco Bagnaia was the best of the factory Ducatis in eighth. Marc Márquez slipped to 15th after topping day one, and on-track incidents, including Alex Márquez’s crash at turn five, reduced meaningful running for some teams. The afternoon rain left only 17 riders classified on the official timesheets.

Yamaha sat out the bulk of Wednesday’s running after engineers found an unresolved engine issue following Fabio Quartararo’s stoppage on Tuesday, a problem compounded by Quartararo’s broken finger from a separate crash. The factory yard remained largely inactive as they investigated whether repairs could be made on-site and assessed the new V4 engine concept. The manufacturer said it would decide on Thursday whether to resume testing. That lost track time was notable given Yamaha’s switch to the V4 architecture for 2026 and the limited running available at Sepang.

A heavy rain shower around 4 pm local time curtailed late dry running and prevented many teams from improving on morning times, locking in Mir’s benchmark. Honda’s technical director, Romano Albesiano, described the squad as “moderately satisfied,” attributing Mir’s pace to a series of marginal gains across the engine, electronics, and chassis. He continued to say that the RC213V’s “real performance” should become clearer on the final day of testing. Taken together, the day produced a clear early-performance snapshot with competitive shows from Honda, VR46, KTM, Aprilia, and Ducati, while Yamaha’s interrupted program and the weather will shape preparations heading into the test’s last session.

At Sepang’s first preseason test, Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia reported an immediate improvement on the new GP26, citing notably better braking and corner-entry confidence after a difficult 2025 season. He ran a radical aerodynamic fairing that showed both advantages and drawbacks but produced lap times broadly similar to the older bodywork, giving the team useful comparative data for ongoing development. Bagnaia and Alex Márquez spent much of the day on long runs with used tires to assess race pace, and the squad planned a sprint simulation the next day, followed by a full race simulation on day three. The opening work built on an encouraging Valencia post-season test and left Bagnaia cautiously optimistic while warning against reading too much into a single day.

Marc Márquez set the early benchmark with a 1:57.018 while managing limits as he recovers from a right-shoulder issue, and Bagnaia ultimately placed eighth, roughly seven-tenths off that time. Ducati’s focus in Sepang was clearly on usable setup and tire feedback rather than outright sheet positions, with Bagnaia emphasizing that the team needs to better understand how new parts behave before converting test pace into race advantage. The broader test painted a mixed picture across the paddock. Yamaha’s V4 was reported to be short on power, turning, traction, and electronics, and Fabio Quartararo was later ruled out of part of the program with a finger injury. On the contrary, Alex Rins and Jack Miller struck a more positive tone about Yamaha development. Early signs from Aprilia, KTM, and Honda were encouraging through riders such as Lorenzo Savadori, Pedro Acosta, Luca Marini, and Joan Mir, even as rookies and regulars worked through setups and recoveries.

Off-track, the opening test intensified contract-year and transfer speculation. Bagnaia is in a 2027 contract year and acknowledged that impending regulation changes have helped create a lively market. Reports linked Ducati with interest in Pedro Acosta for a factory seat and indicated the factory is close to finalizing a new deal with Marc Márquez, developments that feed uncertainty around other riders’ futures. Several pieces of coverage noted that a strong return to consistent podium form by Bagnaia would complicate any premature assumptions about incoming stars, and Ducati will use the remainder of preseason testing to firm up the GP26’s setup and aerodynamic package. Overall, the Sepang opener left Ducati with encouraging technical signs and a clearer roadmap for evaluation, even as the paddock begins to reshuffle around the new rules.

Toprak Razgatlioglu, the 29-year-old three-time WorldSBK champion, began his MotoGP transition under a two-year Yamaha factory deal with Pramac and is scheduled to make his race debut on March 1 in Thailand. Yamaha has mobilized support to speed his learning, enlisting test rider Andrea Dovizioso and other resources at Sepang to smooth the switch from WorldSBK machinery and Pirelli rubber to MotoGP-spec bikes and Michelin tires. Team messages and Razgatlioglu’s own comments framed 2026 as a development year focused on setup work, track familiarization, and adapting his riding technique to the prototype environment.

During the Sepang shakedown, Razgatlioglu posted a 1:58.465 on Day 3 to finish 10th, ahead of teammate Jack Miller. The result came after he posted the slowest time on day one of testing, registering a gap of roughly 1.6–1.9 seconds to Marc Márquez and about 0.8–1.0 seconds to the fastest Yamaha ridden by Fabio Quartararo. He was within roughly half a second of Jack Miller and Alex Rins, establishing them as nearer-term benchmarks while the team focuses on data-gathering rather than outright lap times. Jack Miller publicly reacted to seeing Razgatlioglu on the Yamaha, noting visible differences in seating and aerodynamics tied to the Turkish rider’s height.

Technically, Razgatlioglu has been experimenting with a markedly different ergonomics package, including a lower seat, higher handlebars, and a rear tail that improved braking stability and rear control. The experiments gave Yamaha time to prepare an M1 set-up for his larger stature. His height (over six feet) limits the use of Yamaha’s seat aero without breaching MotoGP bike-height rules, a practical constraint that factors into fit and aero choices. On tires, he said Michelin rubber feels different to Pirelli. Braking is good, but acceleration requires a smoother approach, so his aggressive WorldSBK late-braking habits need modification to suit MotoGP-style corner entry and chassis behavior. The combined package of ergonomics, tire adaptation, and revised braking technique remains the immediate focus as he continues incremental adjustments ahead of the opening round.

KTM arrived at the Sepang test with a revised 2026 RC16 package, featuring a new chassis concept, updated aero parts, and a new swingarm. The team opted to split its factory program between development and consolidation. The strategy paid early dividends after the team completed the opening day as the second-fastest on the timesheets behind Ducati, with Tech3’s Maverick Viñales posting a late 1:57.295 that underlined early pace. KTM used the day to validate the new parts. The team ran a dual approach with Pedro Acosta concentrated on chassis and aerodynamic development, while Brad Binder followed a more conservative program aimed at regaining outright speed.

Acosta, 21, described the new shortened chassis as “promising” and said the configuration was “working,” but he also reported unusual vibrations from the very first lap and limited his opening-day running. He spent his morning exploring chassis setups, used more of his tire allocation than planned, completed an early medium-tire run before switching to softs, and finished 15th on the combined times. He left the day, planning further aero work to improve turning and front-end stability. Acosta’s program prioritized feel and component evaluation over time-attack laps, and KTM noted these early mechanical and stability signals while managing run plans.

Binder, 30, posted consistent lap times around 2:00.2–2:00.3 and initially rode the same chassis he used in Valencia, reporting little chattering as he worked on pace. He also compared the new swingarm against the older design to assess differences, while Acosta focused on aero and chassis feel. Both riders and the factory expected Wednesday to be the main day for further aerodynamic and component evaluations, and KTM said a more definitive assessment of tire behavior and the updated package should become clearer towards the end of the test. The opening session, therefore, underscored KTM’s two-track strategy and highlighted the specific areas, including front-end stability, vibrations, and tire behavior, that the team needs to address before the season.

Jorge Martín attended the Sepang test but did not ride as he continues to recover from surgery following the Valencia round. He said the pain after Valencia had been so severe he “couldn’t even hold a glass in my hand,” and that a second operation using bone grafts was needed to stabilise his collarbone. That procedure required four weeks of immobilisation rather than the two days after an earlier operation. Martín said he had six surgeries in 2025, including interventions on his hand and collarbone, and that he rejected doctors’ recommendations to postpone some procedures into the following year. He added that the experience taught him not to rush returns to the bike after a difficult campaign.

Martín reported he is “much better” than he was in Valencia, with improved strength in his collarbone and hand, though mobility still needs work. He said he can “see the light” toward full fitness and aims to get back on the bike for the season-opening Buriram tests if he passes a medical check scheduled for Monday. Aprilia confirmed he would not ride at Sepang because of late-year procedures.

He said part of his team is working on his future while he concentrates on rehabilitation, and he praised teammate Marco Bezzecchi’s contract renewal as a positive for the team environment.

Responding to reports linking him to Yamaha for 2027, Martín denied he had already signed and reiterated he wants to focus on Aprilia and this season, the final year of his deal. He acknowledged the rider market is moving quickly, and there is no fixed deadline on negotiations. Overall, his message at Sepang combined a medical update, a firm focus on the upcoming season with Aprilia, and a measured denial of transfer rumours, while allowing the behind‑the‑scenes planning for his next contract to continue.