Recapping a crash-strewn opening day of testing at Sepang - Notes/Quotes/Images/Times

MotoGP 2025

Sepang Test – Day One

Of course, little can be read into the times set by riders on the opening day of the three-day MotoGP Test session at Sepang, and that is predominantly due to the tyres being used by each rider. They all have an allotment for the test and generally use up the least favoured options first. Running the unloved, at Sepang, Medium option was likely the primary cause of Martin’s pre-season ending and bone-braking off-throttle high-side that sees the defending champion flying back to Spain today for surgery on his right hand and left foot. That was not the only hit to Aprilia’s pre-season preparation, read more here…

A closed fracture of the 5th metacarpal head of the right hand and a closed fracture of the 3rd, 4th and 5th metatarsals of the left foot for Jorge Martin.

A crash of a completely different and more embarassing king was suffered by Fabio Di Giannantonio. The 26-year-old Italian is on a GP25 this season, the holy grail as far as MotoGP bikes are concerned. He had a good day one too, until it wasn’t… DiGi performed a wheelie late in the session out of turn five which, to be frank, turned to shit.. He came down crossed up and pitched his pretty Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team GP25 down the road. Oops… Not only the bike was broken, but also his left collarbone. He will head back to Italy today to get it plated. Incidentally it is the same shoulder that DiGi missed the final rounds of the 2024 season to get fixed so he would start season 2025 fully fit and strong… On the upsde for the Valentino Rossi owned squad, Franco Morbidelli was fifth quickest on Tuesday.

Franco Morbidelli

“It was a great first day after the winter break. I started little by little, understanding my feelings with the new team. I had a lot of fun, trying to understand my feeling and what I need. The first day was positive, because I get along well with the team, and I was quick on track. The work is different when you don’t have the factory bike, but for sure we tried many things, it was an important day. I still have to understand many things, how I feel when I’m trying something, but to try is essential. I am sorry for Fabio, he was very fast from the start, I wish him a speed recovery, for sure he will come back stronger”.

On top and benefitting from already having a couple of days of testing at Sepang last week courtesy of the testing concessions afforded to Yamaha and Honda, Fabio Quartararo topped the time-sheets on Wednesday. It only took the Frenchman 20 laps to dip under the 58 mark and set the day’s benchmark of 1m57.555 on the 50th of his 54 laps.

Fabio Quartararo

“I think it was good to have ridden here for two days already and then have two days of rest, it was quite useful for us. We didn’t really focus on doing a time attack, so being slightly faster today than in qualifying in Sepang last year is positive. I was feeling quite good. We were trying many things and put a new tyre in at the end just to do a good lap time. I think we did a good job!”

Second on the time-sheets was Marc Marquez, displacing his brother from second place on the charts late in the day. Both Marc and Pecco Bagnaia spent Wednesday evaluating a new engine specification from Ducati. Early indications are positive, which I would suggest has the oppositon quaking in their boots. Bagnaia didn’t bother with putting in a better tyre late in the day to aim for a quick time, but steadily just worked through his testing schedule, keeping his powder dry and just going about business. At the Sepang Test last year Pecco topped a Ducati 1-2-3-4 with a 1m56.682, in qualifying last year he lowered the all-time Sepang lap record to 1m56.337. It will be a surprise if he is not on top before testing finishes up on Friday…

Fermin Aldeguer tested last week due to his rookie status and continued to build experience with the GP24 MotoGP machine that he will campaign this year for Gresini Racing. The Spaniard finishing day one fourth on the time-sheets ahead of fellow GP24 rider Franco Morbidelli on the VR46 machine.

Starting off on a Honda similar to the one he rode at Sepang during the race in November, Joan Mir spent Wednesday comparing and contrasting as he assessed a variety of new components for the Honda HRC Castrol machine. He seemed buoyant throughout the day before finishing with a best of 1m58.115 late on. Team-mate Luca Marini completed 60 new laps as he started to gel with some new staff on his side of the box and also ended the day optimistic.

Joan Mir

“Today we have been trying two different bikes, not fully one old and one new, and we got through a lot of work already in the morning. In the afternoon we focused more on short term gains and every exit I was able to improve and go faster, ending the day fast on new and used tyres. I am happy because we understood the direction we want to continue for this test, a setting and geometry that allowed me to ride how I want to ride and smile while doing it. Honda has brought a package that allows me to do what I want on the bike; that’s the key point. I was happy and smiling on every exit because I was enjoying riding it. We still need to improve things, but we are able to be closer and ride better. The next two days we will try to gain in those other areas, but a really good first day of testing.”

Luca Marini

“Overall it was a positive first day of the test, like always there is a lot of work to do. We mostly compared the new bike and the old bike to see where the positives of each are to try and find the best possible situation. Honda HRC has done a huge amount of work over the winter and Romano Albesiano’s presence is already being felt in the garage and I think everything will continue in this positive direction the more time we have together. How I am working with Christian Pupulin, my new crew chief, is also positive and we are collaborating well with the setup of the bike. Tomorrow our objective is to keep working through the big list of parts we have to try.”

Johann Zarco tried a range of new parts and settings that he also thought showed positive signs and was cautiously optimistic that gains have been made. Although we believe that a new engine specification from Honda will not debut until the test in Thailand next week.

Johann Zarco

“We are working so hard; it’s been a solid first day. I’m confident with the way HRC wants to prepare things. Overall, we’ve managed to control the situation and do a good job even with different tyres and this is important. I’m happy to see I can control the bike better, as I can feel my riding experience, and this will be helpful to keep improving“.

Thai rider Somkiat Chantra continued adapting to the bike and the category. At the end of the day, Chantra has admitted to noticing small improvements compared to the shakedown.

Somkiat Chantra

“It’s been an interesting day. I get along well with the team; they are helping me improve and understand all the new things. I’ve also had the chance to try and compare different settings that will be useful in the next days. We are working hard to build a solid base and keep growing“.

Jack Miller indicated that he is starting to find his groove on the Yamaha and is appreciating the opportunity to add to his seat-time in the YZR-M1. The Australian finished just ahead of new Prima Pramac Yamaha team-mate Miguel Oliveira.

Jack Miller

“Day by day I am getting more comfortable on the bike, that transition period when you are trying to make the bike yours is what is really important and in the afternoon I really started to feel at home on the M1. I feel comfortable on the bike, the set-up is there and so we were able to work during the day, test some things and try to move forward. I am enjoying my time, I am having a lot of fun. The Yamaha allows you to do something different than maybe other bikes I have ridden in the past, in terms of corner speed and so on. Once you feel the confidence that the bike gives you, of course your riding style changes, but fortunately for me I still feel that I can ride with the typical Jack Miller style in terms of how I enter the corner and braking hard, being able to slide the bike to help stop it. That was my biggest question mark and now that I can do that without compromising the strengths of the M1 I am happy.”

Miguel Oliveira

“It has been a solid day, and we end it feeling satisfied with the work we‘ve done and even more eager to keep working together to strengthen this relationship we‘ve just begun. I‘m adapting to the bike, part of the team is as well, and at the same time we‘re getting to know each other both personally and professionally. There‘s a great atmosphere in the garage —everyone is eager to give their best to keep improving. Ending the day with these feelings only increases the excitement for the next day. We know we can do more, and I‘m the first to admit that I still have to unlock the full potential of the bike, but I know the potential is there. We can feel it, and these first laps are making us even more motivated.”

Alex Rins

“The strong wind today changed our plans a bit. In the Shakedown we were able to test many things: some set-ups and new items. Today we were planning to try the new chassis again, which was modified a little bit, but because of this wind we couldn’t. We need to be precise trying important items, and that’s not easy in these conditions. So, instead we tried the three new front tyres that Michelin brought here for us. I didn’t put in a qualifying tyre to do a good lap time because this was not the right moment. Over the next two days we will test the chassis, and let’s see what data we get from that.”

KTM Tech3’s new line-up of Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini appreciated the time to get more acquainted with the RC16 and completed 110 laps between them on Wednesday as they reunited RC16 for the first time since the Barcelona Test back in November. While most riders stopped for lunch, Maverick did not, and he was one of the few to remain on track to continue gaining valuable track time, a bit worried that the afternoon raid that we so often around KL would appear. Vinales ended the day just behind the two Red Bull KTM Factory bikes of Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder, and under a second from the fastest lap of the day.

Maverick Viñales

“It feels nice to be back on the bike after such a long time! In Montmelo, I felt great on the bike, and I am really happy because the feeling was the same today, we really enjoyed the day. Our mentality for these next few days is to keep learning, make many laps without testing too many things, and trying to understand how far we can push. Today, the feeling was good when we tried to push a bit more, and it looks like I did quite well since we are close to the other KTM bikes, so I am happy. Let’s continue to take little steps one after the other!”

Enea Bastianini crashed at turn 4 in the afternoon which stunted his progress somewhat.

Enea Bastianini

“The start was a bit difficult this morning because it was first necessary for me to get more comfortable on the bike since it’s quite different to what I’ve been used to. I suffered a crash in the afternoon when I tried pushing a bit more, because the brakes were too cold, and I was down. Anyway, we returned on track, and I think that we made positive improvements. We still have plenty of track time to understand how to ride the bike, I am feeling confident that we will figure it out with the team.”