The sun welcomed the MotoGP riders to Sepang for the first free practice session of the Malaysian Grand Prix, which ended with three Ducatis ahead of everyone and with the two title contenders continuing to approach Friday in diametrically opposite way.
Jorge Martin picked up where he left off, as he immediately set the best time. To print his 1’59″513, however, the Prima Pramac Racing rider fitted his Ducati with a new medium rear tyre, which this weekend is the softest solution available.
The leader Pecco Bagnaia, on the other hand, finished 15th fastest, 1.3 seconds behind, but he contested the entire session with the same hard rear tire on his Desmosedici GP. At the moment, therefore, it is not possible to make a direct comparison between the two, also because before the dance of new tires began the Piedmontese had shown a pace that was anything but negative.
As mentioned, there are three Ducatis in front of everyone and the one in the Gresini Racing colors entrusted to Alex Marquez was especially impressive, because the Spaniard is only 49 thousandths behind Martin, but his 1’59″562 came with the hard tire on the rear. Below the two minute barrier we also find Johann Zarco, third with the second Prima Pramac Racing bike.
The revelation of this inaugural round, however, was without a shadow of a doubt the Yamahas, with Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo who climbed into fourth and fifth position, just under half a second behind the performance with which Martin commanded. Among other things, the two M1s were in the top two positions for several minutes, so it was definitely a great start.
Also in the top positions are the two Desmosedici GPs of Mooney VR46, whose riders are finally almost at 100% after their collarbone injuries. Luca Marini, targeted by Honda for 2024, occupies sixth position, while his teammate Marco Bezzecchi, also the author of a straight shot in the gravel of the last corner, is eighth.
Aleix Espargaro’s Aprilia slipped between them, and at the same point he was the protagonist of a fairly harmless crash, which however ended with the start of a fire on his RS-GP. Among other things, the Noale company was forced to withdraw its new starting system due to a complaint lodged by a rival brand.
Following there is a trio of KTMs and it is curious that the two RC16s with the GasGas Tech3 colors lead the way, led by Pol Espargaro’s in ninth position ahead of his teammate Augusto Fernandez. Then in 11th position is Jack Miller, while we have to go down to 18th place to find Brad Binder, who brought forward a used tire like Bagnaia.
The two Aprilias of RNF Racing then slipped in front of Pecco, with Miguel Oliveira ahead of Raul Fernandez, and the Ducati of Fabio Di Giannantonio, who was also still waiting for a response from Honda with a view to 2024. Immediately behind Pecco instead was It’s garage neighbor Enea Bastianini, who finished just 14 thousandths behind his sister bike.
So it wasn’t an easy session for the Hondas, because the best of the RC213Vs was actually 17th with Marc Marquez and found itself over half a second from the top. The second bike in Repsol colours, that of Joan Mir, is instead two positions further back, ahead of a Maverick Vinales who had a very soft approach to this weekend with the Aprilia.
Just as the wild card of the reigning Superbike world champion, the Spaniard Alvaro Bautista, began with great calm, who with his Ducati with Aruba colors occupies the 22nd position just over 3″ behind. The Spanish veteran however he at least managed to get behind the Honda of compatriot Iker Lecuona, who closes the group.
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