Sepang MotoGP Test 2025: Fabio Quartararo tops Day 1, crashes for Martin and Fernandez

The Official Sepang MotoGP Test 2025 kicked off on Wednesday in Malaysia with Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo setting the pace on Day 1.

The Frenchman who had already topped the timesheets during the recent Shakedown test continued his strong form by clocking the fastest lap of the day which was also marked by significant incidents, including crashes for Aprilia’s Jorge Martin and Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez.

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo spent much of the first day of Sepang MotoGP Test 2025 evaluating three M1s and eventually posted the fastest time of 1m57.555s which is just over a second away from the outright lap record at Sepang.

The benchmark which was set in the final hour of the session, surpassed his own leading lap from the preceding shakedown at the same venue by more than two-tenths of a second underscoring Yamaha’s strong performance in pre-season testing.

Meanwhile, new factory Ducati recruit Marc Marquez made an impressive debut with the Italian team securing second place – only 0.051s behind Quartararo – after completing 54 laps on the works GP25.

The eight-time world champion secured his fastest lap in the closing moments of the session to edge out his brother Alex Marquez who came in third place on his Gresini Racing Ducati GP24 with a time of 1m57.738s.

However, Sepang MotoGP Test 2025 Day 1 would not go down without claiming victims starting with reigning champion Jorge Martin who suffered a huge crash at Turn 2, resulting in a premature end to his day.

Martin who joined Aprilia for 2025 MotoGP was reported to have suffered fractures on his left foot and right hand and was transported to Aurelius Hospital in Nilai for further evaluation. His crash happened after completing only 13 laps, leaving him at the bottom of the timesheet in 21st place.

Adding to Aprilia’s troubles, Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez was also forced to withdraw from the test due to a fractured metacarpal bone in his left hand sustained in a similar incident. Fernandez will be traveling to Barcelona for an operation, missing crucial track time ahead of the new season.

Meanwhile, Fernandez’s teammate Ai Ogura also crashed but continued to finish the day with the 16th fastest time.

Despite the setbacks for Martin and Fernandez, other riders showed promising performances. Gresini recruit Fermin Aldeguer finished fourth marking the fastest of the rookies. Franco Morbidelli of VR46 secured fifth place, while Joan Mir had a positive outing with Honda, finishing sixth.

Fabio di Giannantonio also with VR46 was seventh in his first appearance on the Ducati GP25, while Pramac Yamaha duo Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira finished eighth and tenth respectively. LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco split the pair in ninth, making him Honda’s top performer.

KTM experienced a relatively quiet start to the Sepang MotoGP Test 2025 with Pedro Acosta leading teammate Brad Binder in 11th and 12th respectively. Double MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia completed only 23 laps to finish 17th.

The first day of the Sepang test provided valuable insights into the performance of different teams and riders as they prepare for the 2025 MotoGP season.

Yamaha’s strong showing with Quartararo at the top, combined with promising performances from Ducati and Honda, sets the stage for an exciting season. However, the crashes and injuries to key riders like Martin and Fernandez risks their participation in the crucial pre-season testing.

Sepang MotoGP Test 2025 continues with further sessions, offering teams and riders more opportunities to fine-tune their bikes and strategies ahead of the season opener. With a mix of experienced riders and promising rookies, the 2025 MotoGP season is shaping up to be highly competitive.

Sepang MotoGP Test 2025 Day 1 Results