Marc Marquez set the fastest time twice – Jorge Martin has his back against the wall

Jorge Martin’s crash in the sprint race in Australia could prove decisive in the 2026 title race. A two-point lead heading into Phillip Island has turned into a ten-point deficit. And now the races in Malaysia and Qatar are coming thick and fast, one after the other.

Whilst Martin ended Friday afternoon’s free practice after just seven minutes following a near-crash, chose to take it easy and intends to try again on Saturday with a broken right arm, Marc Marquez topped the timesheets in both sessions. In FP1, the Ducati star was almost half a second faster than Aprilia ace Marco Bezzecchi in second place; in qualifying, ‘MM93’ was just over a tenth of a second faster than his brother Alex (Gresini Ducati) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia).

“Sepang is a bit of a strange one for me,” Marc Marquez explained during a small media session in Malaysia. “One year I struggle right from the start, the next I’m quick straight away. This time I had a good feeling from the very first lap. In the afternoon I took a bit more of a risk and had that little slip in Turn 15, but the rest was perfect.”

Ahead of Mandalika, Marc Marquez changed his approach

Marquez emphasised that now was the time to ride more aggressively. On top of that, he said he was feeling better physically. “If you’re not feeling physically well in the middle of the season, you’re more likely to have a serious crash. I had some heavy crashes in Austin, Jerez and Le Mans and had to take it easier. Before Indonesia, I decided to give it my all from now on. I’ve got the championship in my own hands and will try to score as many of the 37 points as possible at Sepang. The Ducati performs well here, as we can see from Alex and Diggia’s results. But one thing is clear: we’ve only got Friday behind us. A lot can change over the course of a weekend.”

If the doctors say he’s fit, then I believe them.

Marc Márquez on Jorge Martín

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Most people in the paddock understand that Jorge Martin is racing at Sepang despite his arm injury, including Marc Marquez, who has himself often raced under questionable circumstances. “As I don’t know exactly what’s wrong with him, I don’t want to pass judgement,” the 33-year-old noted. “I don’t know whether his radius is completely broken or if it’s just a minor fracture. We have a medical protocol. If the doctors say he’s fit, then I believe them. He’s in pain, so the risk has to be acceptable. Martin’s a tough guy, but he had to back off today.”

How does the multiple world champion rate the track surface at Sepang, which some rivals have spoken disparagingly about? “It’s time for a new one; we said that last year too,” said Márquez. “But it’s no worse than it was during the winter tests.”