The final day of official MotoGP testing at Sepang got underway under warm skies, and as is now his custom in Malaysia, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) was one of the riders to shine, setting the pace in the opening hours. However, it was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) who answered with his new GP25 before Alex Marquez replied with his proven GP24…
bagnaia first relegated Quarterly to second place with a time of 1'56.660s, before continuing to improve his performance to win in 1m 56.500s. Although this time is not considered an official record, it remains an indicator of his speed. Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) then showed better pace, placing his GP24 ahead of Bagnaia's with a time of 1m 56.493s. It should be remembered that the pole record of bagnaia is 1'56.337s, but whatever times are achieved during testing will not count as an "official" lap record.
However, Sepang testing is not just about lap times. Johann zarco (Pramac Ducati) also progressed, taking 7th place and becoming the best rider Honda with Joan Mir in 9th position. The drivers Honda continue to refine their settings to meet expectations and improve their competitiveness for the coming season.
The hot conditions of the day at Sepang made it difficult to improve lap times, but also allowed drivers to work on their race pace, which could prove crucial ahead of the first race of the season. Indeed, the intense midday heat created ideal testing conditions to simulate race performance, giving teams the opportunity to validate their set-ups for the season ahead.
Pedro Acosta and KTM stand out this Friday morning in Sepang with the best top speed
In terms of top speed, Peter Acosta (KTM) impressed with a speed of 342,8 km/h, followed closely by bagnaia (Ducati) at 340,6 km/h and Miguel Oliveira (Yamaha) at 340,6 km/h as well. However, top speed measurements should be taken with caution, as riders who exceed their braking point can reach higher speeds, which is not always representative of performance in normal racing conditions.
This day is marked by the absence of several drivers following injuries sustained on the first day of testing. George Martin (Aprilia), Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46) and Raul fernandez (TrackHouse Aprilia) are all out of the race for the remainder of testing following their crashes. However, there are still five days of official testing remaining, with two more days to go. Buriram, in Thailand, before the start of the 2025 MotoGP season, the 28 February.
The final days of testing will be crucial for teams and drivers looking to perfect their settings and prepare as best they can for the first race of the season.
MotoGP, Sepang D3 test: midday times
