ASRA celebrated its annual season-ending trip to the Daytona International Speedway with a 2.5-hour Team Challenge/Endurance race and 36 additional races throughout last weekend.
Gabriel da Silva (74) and Wristin Grigg (272). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Gabriel da Silva, who had several MotoAmerica Supersport outings in 2025 on a Cano Jarritos Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R750, won the Team Challenge GTU event. Da Silva covered 44 laps in 1:30:21.993 in the red flag-interrupted event, with a best lap of 1:51.799. Da Silva was running strongly but found himself in the right place when the first red flag dropped, and as a result took the restart with a one-lap lead on the field. MotoAmerica Supersport racer Tyler Scott from Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki was scored as second, one lap down, with a best lap of 1:49.992. Teammate and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly rode a stint for the team, which used the event to test and practice pit stops in preparation for next year’s Daytona 200. MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Matthew Chapin and Talent Cup competitor Solly Mervis were classified as third overall on a GSX-R600.
Matthew Chapin (95). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Solly Mervis (95). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Wristin Grigg on a Ducati Panigale V2, Dominic Doyle on a Yamaha YZF-R9 and Ryder Davis on a Yamaha YZF-R6 were scored as the top three finishers in the Endurance GTU class.
ASRA’s Team Challenge races are “Pony Express”-style races where teams use multiple motorcycles and swap transponders during pit stops, while in the Endurance races teams use a single motorcycle and swap riders, refuel and change tires as needed during the stops. Many riders did the entire race on their own.
In his first trip to Daytona, MotoAmerica Talent Cup competitor Bodie Paige took a Team Hammer GSX-R750 to the win in the Heavyweight Supersport Expert sprint race, his first race on a 750cc-class machine. Shane Narbonne, listed as racing on a Yamaha YZF-R6, and Eric Wood on a Ducati Panigale V2 were second and third. Later in the day, Paige, on a GSX-R750, finished third in the Unlimited Supersport race, behind Tony Storniolo on a Kawasaki ZX-10R and Frank Babuska on a BMW M 1000 RR. Paige had shown up at Daytona to ride a Suzuki GSX-8R racebike. But Team Hammer had on hand the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR GSX-R750 that former Supersport National Champion Martin Cardenas had ridden at Circuit of The Americas earlier this year. The team re-sprung the machine for Paige and let him try it out, then entered him in several races over the weekend. On his first weekend on a 750, in the red-flagged AMA 1000 Superstock sprint, Paige ran a 1:49.385 chasing Storniolo. That time would have put him sixth on the Daytona 200 grid.
Bodie Paige (36). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Tony Storniolo (79). Photo by Michael Gougis.
On Saturday, Scott won the Supersport Expert race, with Joseph LiMandri Jr. second on a Yamaha YZF-R6 and Paige third. Babuska won the Superstock 1000 race over Storniolo and Ian Graham on a Yamaha YZF-R1. Chapin won the Thunderbike race over Isaac Woodworth and Levi Badie, all on GSX-8R machines, and Doyle won the GTU race over LiMandri Jr. and Paige. Danny Webb won the Middleweight GP race on a Suzuki GSX-R750 ahead of Doyle and da Silva, and Storniolo won the Unlimited GP race over Babusak and David Loikits on a Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Dominic Doyle (251). Photo by Michael Gougis.
On Sunday, Davis won the AMA 600 Supersport race over da Silva and Paige, Storniolo won the AMA 1000 Superstock race ahead of Bryan Peine and Antal Halasz, both on Yamaha YZF-R1s, and Robertino Pietri won the AMA Thunderbike race on a Yamaha YZF-R9 over Jaden McKellar on a Kawasaki Ninja 400R and Edward Sullivan on a Yamaha YZF-R7. Da Silva won Supersport Race Two ahead of Davis and Doyle, Storniolo took the Superstock 1000 Race Two win over Babuska and Bryan Peine, and the trio took the same three spots in the Unlimited Superbike race.
Pedro Acosta led MotoGP World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 on spec Michelin tires, the Spaniard turned a lap time of 1:57.559 to lead the field of 23 riders.
Johann Zarco was the best of the rest on his CASTROL Honda LCR RC213V with a lap time of 1:57.578.
Jack Miller was third at 1:57.840 on his Prima Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1.
Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 1:57.854 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Fabio Quartararo crossed the finish line fifth with a lap time of 1:57.868 on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1.
Acosta fronts surprise Sepang pecking order as big hitters face Q1. The KTM star leads Zarco and Miller in an unpredictable MotoGP Practice as Bagnaia, Aldeguer, Bezzecchi, Fernandez and more find themselves outside the top 10.
How about that for a MotoGP Practice outing? Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) delivered the goods on Friday to set the pace with a 1:57.559 as the #37 beat Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) by 0.019s, while Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top three in an unpredictable session. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) squeezes into Q2 despite a second crash of the day, but our last three Grand Prix winners – Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) – face Q1. Oh, and so does Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing).
Acosta crashes early
Acosta was an early faller in the session at Turn 10, seeing the #37 not get a lap time on the board for the first 20 minutes. Meanwhile, compatriot Aldeguer quickly climbed to the top of the timesheets with a 1:58.279, the rookie led Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Bagnaia early doors.
A frantic final 30 minutes unfold
Heading into the final 30 minutes, the top three remained the same, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) operating inside the top five. Alex Marquez was sixth ahead of Bezzecchi, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Zarco, and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), with those riders the other provisional automatic Q2 attendees as things stood.
Then, rain flags were being waved. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) promoted himself to P5 just after we saw the white and red flags out, that shoved Zarco into P11. However, that didn’t last long, because the Frenchman soared to P1 on his next time attack to demote countryman Quartararo out of the top 10 – but the Yamaha star was setting red sectors. And sure enough, the #20 rose to top spot with a 1:58.113, as Alex Marquez suffered his second crash of the day – this time Turn 2 bit the #73.
Practice ramped up quickly with the threat of rain looming, and very soon after he’d crashed, Marquez found himself outside the top 10. And then, the rain really did start to fall on some parts of the circuit.
Acosta landed a lap good enough for P6 in the nick of time, that lap shoved Di Giannantonio into the Q1 places, as every rider peeled back into pitlane with 12 minutes to go. Would there be a chance for anyone to improve? Marquez was certainly hoping so, because the rider gunning for P2 in the championship was now P14, with Bezzecchi and Bagnaia sitting P5 and P10.
It looked like there would be a chance. With seven minutes to go, the MotoGP field ventured out for one final throw at the top 10 dice, and it was a great first throw from Marquez. The #73 grabbed P3, meaning Bagnaia was now P11, as Acosta set a 1:57.559 to go half a second clear of the pack.
What did Pecco have in response? Not enough to begin with. The Italian improved but the lap was 0.048s away from the top 10, as Zarco and Miller jumped into the top three.
Pecco, meanwhile, was on a good lap three-quarters of the way round his last flying lap. However, four tenths went missing in the last split, and with that, it was Q1 for the 2024 Malaysian GP winner. Then, the focus turned to Aldeguer. Could the rookie find time on his last lap to gain Q2 promotion? The answer was no. And the same could be said for Bezzecchi and Australian GP winner Fernandez.
All that meant the last three Grands Prix winners will be in Q1 on Saturday morning. MotoGP’s unpredictability shining through once more.
Your Friday top 10
Mir heads into Saturday in P4 behind those above top three, with Quartararo rounding out the top five. Di Giannantonio improved late to finish P6 ahead of teammate Franco Morbidelli, as Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) once again impresses by gaining automatic Q2 entry in P8. Ninth went to Marquez, who delivered when the pressure was on, as Rins held onto P10 despite a late crash.
Coming up: quali and the Tissot Sprint
Simply put, don’t miss out on the Q1 and Q2 fights on Saturday morning. That’s one breathless Friday that delivered some surprising results, setting us up nicely for qualifying and the Tissot Sprint.
Manuel Gonzalez led Moto2 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard lapped the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) road course in 2:04.166 topping the field of 30 riders.
Jake Dixon was second-best with a time of 2:04.218 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro.
Albert Arenas did a third-fastest 2:04.282 on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Friday afternoon’s practice session 25th with a best time of 2:05.240 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Gonzalez comes out fighting with P1 on Friday at Sepang. Seeking an extension to his slender Championship advantage, the #18 started on the right foot.
With the sun coming out for Moto2™ Practice, it was Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) who ended Friday on top. Moving top with less than five minutes to go, ‘Manugas’ will hope it’s the start of a strong weekend, where he aims to extend his Championship lead after it’s been whittled down in recent rounds by Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team); the Brazilian joins his title rival in Q2 directly, finishing in P10.
Gonzalez had a big front-end moment at the final corner halfway through Practice; thankfully, the Championship leader managed to save it and stay upright en route to P1 at the end of the session. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was a strong second and the top Boscoscuro rider whilst Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) rounded out the top three, moving up in the closing stages. Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing) was a solid fourth as the Belgian’s hunt for a first victory continues whilst moving up from outside the top 14 to set back-to-back fastest laps, Holgado was rapid on day one before taking the chequered flag in fifth ahead of his teammate David Alonso.
There was a late moment for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) as he got a bit too close to Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) at Turn 1, both nearly colliding after the #44 checked the big TV screen to see where he was. The answer was seventh, one place ahead of Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team) who was strong in P8. Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) was next up in ninth whilst title contender Moreira took P10.
Big names not through into Q2 directly include Australian GP winner Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) who was only 15th, one place ahead of Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) whilst Sync SpeedRS Team duo Alonso Lopez and Celestino Vietti also find themselves in the Q1 shootout.
Jose Antonio Rueda led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. The 2025 Moto3 World Champion used his Pirelli-shod Red Bull KTM Ajo to lap the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track in 2:11.152 to lead the field of 27 riders.
His teammate, Alvaro Carpe was second-best with a time of 2:11.187.
Brian Uriarte , piloting his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2.11.202.
Rueda sets Sepang pace as Quiles faces Q1. The World Champion and teammate Carpe top the Moto3 timesheets on Friday, while big hitters miss the top 14.
World Champion Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) heads into the weekend as the rider to beat in Moto3 after the #99 topped a delayed Practice on Friday afternoon. Rueda’s 2:11.152 was 0.035s quicker than second fastest Alvaro Carpe, as Red Bull KTM Ajo enjoy a perfect start to the Malaysian GP. Third place went the way of Brian Uriarte (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), the reigning Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup champion impressing on Day 1.
Following a lengthy delay due to an oil spillage on circuit before the session, Moto3 Practice was a frantic one that ended with Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) missing out on an automatic Q2 spot. The same goes for Indonesian GP podium finisher Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), the Italian far from impressed with Carpe after they got into a battle at the end of Practice, as the likes of Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) find themselves in Q1 too.
Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and David Almansa (Leopard Racing) had no such troubles; the Spaniards completed the top five, with Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) and Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rounding out the fastest eight riders. Roulstone – like teammate Perrone – crashed late on at Turn 4, but that didn’t stop the Australian from gaining Q2 entry.
Fermin Aldeguer topped MotoGP World Championship rainy Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Michelin-shod BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, the Spaniard turned a lap of 2:00.199 around the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track and led the 23-rider field.
Francesco Bagnaia was second-best with a 2:00.455 on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Joan Mir was third with a lap of 2:00.548 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Aldeguer heads Bagnaia in rainy Sepang FP1. It started out dry before the heavens really did open in a big way with just under a quarter of an hour remaining.
Sepang always brings four seasons in one day but in the case of MotoGP FP1, it was in one session. Sunshine at the start before cloud cover and a rain shower with 15 minutes to go meant that all the fastest times were set long before the chequered flag. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) took top honours, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Aldeguer’s 2’00.199 came on his sixth lap of ten in the session, putting him a quarter of a second clear of Bagnaia in second. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) secured third place and was just 0.033s ahead of KTM super-sub Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), who continues to deputise for fellow countryman Maverick Viñales. Winner of the last two Sprints, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) rounded out the top five.
Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) made it two Hondas in the top six ahead of Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), who crashed at Turn 7. The runner-up elect lost the front but was able to get back up and ride back to pitlane. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the top ten. Acosta had a crash at Turn 2 in the dry conditions but was able to remount and get back to the pits.
Track action continued as usual and a flurry of riders went out at the end of the session. Quartararo and Australian Grand Prix winner Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) had big moments at Turn 12 whilst Espargaro had had a front-end twitch into Turn 9. All riders who ventured out managed to stay upright as they got their first look of Sepang in the wet, crucial in the event of continued unpredictable conditions this weekend.
Jake Dixon was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Pirelli-shod ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro on the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track, the Brit recorded a 2:04.131 to lead the field of 30 riders.
Albert Arenas was the best of the rest with a 2:04.292 on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex.
David Alonso was third-fastest with a 2:04.429 on his CFMOTO RCB Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished the opening session in 19th with a 2:05.507 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Angel Piqueras was quickest during Moto3 World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Frinsa – MT Helmets – MSI KTM on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard covered the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) road course in 2:10.979, topping the field of 27 riders.
Jacob Roulstone was the best of the rest with a 2:11.031 on his Red Bull Tech3 KTM.
Joel Kelso was third with a lap time of 2:11.085 on his LevelUP MTA KTM.
Delivering the Best Grip in the History of Bridgestone’s BATTLAX Series, Powered by Technologies Refined Through Years of Elite Motorcycle Racing
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 23, 2025) — Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) will launch its track-only premium motorcycle tire, the RACING BATTLAX V03, to the European and North American markets in 2026. The new Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 is designed for both professional and amateur riders who pursue speed and the highest levels of grip.
The latest addition to Bridgestone’s motorcycle tire range incorporates technologies refined through years of success in the world’s most prestigious racing events, to deliver excellent grip. And, for the first time, Bridgestone introduces a rear ‘SPRINT spec’, providing a wide range of options according to race type and track conditions.
Unrivalled Grip in BATTLAX History
The new Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 is equipped with newly-developed compounds based on technology that has continuously triumphed in the world’s top-tier races – including the FIM Endurance World Championship, which has been won by a Bridgestone-supplied team for five consecutive years.
The tire applies a completely redesigned profile for both the front and rear tires, resulting in an increased contact area. In particular, the rear tire adopts advanced production techniques, achieving an optimal profile that significantly improves lap times.
Thanks to these innovations, the Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 delivers overwhelming grip, significantly reducing lap times when compared to its predecessor, the RACING BATTLAX V02. Comparing the SOFT compound performances of both tires, the RACING BATTLAX V03 reduces lap times by 1.3% per lap – while still maintaining the typical Bridgestone DNA of high grip even after multiple laps.
Newly Developed Rear ‘SPRINT spec’ for Maximum Performance in Sprint Races
With this new release, Bridgestone is launching its first-ever rear ‘SPRINT spec’ tire, providing the RACING BATTLAX V03’s highest grip levels.
By focusing on maximizing peak grip performance through advanced compound design, the new Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 SPRINT achieves a 1.9% reduction in lap times per circuit compared to the RACING BATTLAX V02 SOFT. This provides an optimal choice for riders looking for the highest grip levels or those competing in sprint races.
Bridgestone, guided by its fundamental principle ‘tires carry life’, positions its motorsports activities as a ‘mobile laboratory’ that represents a ‘challenge for excellence’. For its next generation of RACING BATTLAX tires, the company incorporates Bridgestone’s absolute best compounding and manufacturing technologies developed through track tire development into commercial tires. The new RACING BATTLAX V03 serves as the premium flagship model that symbolizes this new era of Bridgestone’s motorcycle racing tires.
Bridgestone is committed to supporting the development of a safe and enjoyable motorcycling culture offering peace of mind through products like its BATTLAX brand premium motorcycle tires. Through these efforts, the company strives to achieve the corporate commitment of ‘Emotion: Committed to inspiring excitement and spreading joy to the world of mobility’ described in the ‘Bridgestone E8 Commitment’.
Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 Slick Motorcycle Front Tire.Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 Slick Motorcycle Rear Tire.
RACING BATTLAX V03
Front 120/70R17 (Soft, Soft-Medium Compounds, 2026)
Rear 190/60R17 (Two Compounds To Be Confirmed From 2027)
Rear 200/60R17 (Soft, Medium Compounds, SPRINT, 2026)
The Bridgestone Group established its corporate commitment, the ‘Bridgestone E8 Commitment’, to help it realize its vision: ‘Toward 2050, Bridgestone continues to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company’. This commitment will serve as the Group’s axis to drive management while earning the trust of future generations. The ‘Bridgestone E8 Commitment’ consists of eight uniquely Bridgestone values starting with the letter ‘E’ (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, and Empowerment) that the Group will commit to creating through distinctly Bridgestone purposes and processes, together with employees, society, partners, and customers to help realize a sustainable society.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber, building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Americas employs more than 45,000 people across its worldwide operations. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continued its 2026 preparations with the second day of winter testing at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto.
Day 2 Highlights
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) continued his strong form, dominating Day 2 with a 1’37.587, the fastest lap of the test and the only rider to consistently lap in the 1’37s.
Iker Lecuona made major strides in just his second outing with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team. The Spaniard improved steadily throughout the day, eventually clocking a 1’38.444 on his 70th lap to secure second overall, 0.857s off Bulega’s pace.
Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) showed competitive speed, setting a 1’38.756 on his 44th lap, ending the day third fastest and the top bimota rider.
Michael van der Mark (BMW) made late improvements in the final hour, breaking into the 1’38s with a 1’38.998 to finish fourth. The Dutchman completed 75 laps in total, as BMW continued its winter development programme.
Axel Bassani, riding for bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team,rounded out the top five with a 1’39.050, just 0.052s behind van der Mark. The Italian led the early morning sessions and completed over 50 laps, contributing valuable feedback to the bimota project.
Honda’s testing effort continued with Corentin Perolari (1’39.607), Ryan Vickers (1’39.659) and Alan Techer (1’40.323) all in action aboard the CBR1000RR-R. The trio focused on development work throughout the day, with Perolari the fastest of the group
Coming Next
The winter test action will continue on 26 and 27 November at Jerez, as the championship’s teams work toward the start of the 2026 campaign.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “It was quite a good day, even if only a half day of work. I think we improved a bit from yesterday, with one more night of experience to analyse everything. I felt good straight away, and we managed to make some small steps with the turning — not perfect yet, but better. I lost a little in braking compared to yesterday, but overall we’ve made progress. We have good data for the winter, and I’m sure the team will work a lot to prepare for next year.”
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Dorna
Iker Lecuona continues his adaptation to the Ducati Panigale V4 R, completing his second day on track with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) continued to show notable speed as well, with his times descending lower and lower into the 1’39s as the day went on. His fastest time of 1’38.444s placed him P2, nine tenths behind his teammate, Nicolo Bulega.
Alex Lowes on his bimota by Kawasaki. Photo courtesy Dorna
Axel Bassani on his Bimota by Kawasaki. Photo courtesy Dorna
Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani were on track with bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, continuing development of the KB998 Rimini. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) returned to the Andalucian circuit after not participating in Day 1 of the test. Day 2 saw the riders make up for lost time, laying down the most laps of any manufacturer on the day for a total of 101. The team were reportedly testing new items on the suspension and engine which they will hope can improve the bike’s straight-line speed. Lowes’s 1’38.756s time sat him third-fastest on the day, ahead of Bassani who finished fifth on the order thanks to his 1’39.050s time. The pair were supported by Xavi Fores who participated as a test rider for Bimota, logging a modest 9 laps after his 58 laps on Day 1.
Michael van der Mark (60) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna
Michael van der Mark focused on development work for BMW, representing the team in the absence of their new 2026 riders. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team) kept the irons hot on Day 2 recording an additional 79 laps for a total of 136 in his new role with the team as a test rider. The fastest of his laps came in Day 2 when he laid down a 1’38.998s time to seat the rider from the Netherlands P4 on the combined timesheet.
The combined top ten from the two days of testing at Jerez!
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’37.587s
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.857s
3. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +1.169s
4. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team) +1.411s
5. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +1.463s
More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Aprilia Racing heads to Sepang for the final GP of the extra-European tour.
The extra-European tour will wrap up with the Malaysian round at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit ahead of the return to Europe for the last two races of the 2025 season, with Marco Bezzecchi and Lorenzo Savadori ready to tackle the twentieth GP of the year.
Bezzecchi will be highly motivated as he arrives in Sepang and his goal will be to finish out the extra-European tour with another significant result. The Italian rider is fresh from an extraordinary weekend on Phillip Island, where he took victory in the sprint race and third place in the long race. These are results which catapulted him into third place in the overall rider standings with 282 points.
Completing the line-up will be Lorenzo Savadori, subbing for Jorge Martín who will miss the Sepang race as well as he recovers from the right collarbone injury he suffered in Motegi. The Italian rider will take advantage of the weekend to continue his work developing the RS-GP25 in a race setting.
The Petronas Sepang International Circuit, located about 50 km from Kuala Lumpur, is one of the historic FIM World Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing rounds, on the calendar since 1999. At 5,540 metres long, it is the second longest track of the championship and has 15 turns – 10 right-handers and 5 left-handers. It is known for its demanding braking sections, particularly the first and the last, characterised by abrupt deceleration with a difference of more than 200 km/h between the initial and final speed.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Marco Bezzecchi: “I’m extremely happy to be returning to Sepang. It is a track where I’ve already ridden with my bike during the pre-season tests, so we have some references and I’m curious to see how it will go after all the work we’ve done this year. We did an outstanding job on Phillip Island, and the goal is to continue along the same lines in Malaysia. I can’t wait to get out on the track.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Lorenzo Savadori: “Malaysia is rather a different track from Phillip Island, with conditions that are undoubtedly hotter and more demanding. We’ll continue working on developing the RS-GP25, following up with the experiments we began in Australia with the goal of improving the bike even more. I can’t wait to get this weekend started and, as always, I’ll be giving it my all.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Serious in Sepang – three to go in 2025 for Honda HRC Castrol.
The circle of 2025 is almost closed as Honda HRC Castrol return to where the year started: the Sepang International Circuit. Luca Marini and Joan Mir prepared and ready to demonstrate a year of incredible gains from the Honda RC213V.
On February 05, 2025, the season officially began with the first test of the year at the Sepang International Circuit, now 258 days later the very same venue will host the Malaysian Grand Prix. Already collecting almost six times the points total from 2024 as a team, Honda HRC Castrol’s resurgence has been a welcome reward for all involved in the project.
Luca Marini’s steady hand, only suffering one DNF due to a technical issue, has not only benefited development of the Honda but also sees the #10 13th in the championship standings and only eight points behind leading Honda Johann Zarco. The top three still remains the ultimate goal of Marini and his recent run of top five challenges certainly confirms it as a realistic target. Consistency and adaptability will be key during the Malaysian GP, a weekend always characterised by high temperature, heavy rain and changeable conditions.
Throughout 2025, Joan Mir has shown incredible raw speed with a number of hard charging rides through the pack. When qualifying further forward, the #36 has been able to battle for, and take, the podium and repeating this remains the target in the closing trio of races. Arriving to Sepang in 2025, Mir is also looking to break a run of DNFs at the track.
Temperatures creeping into the 30s are predicted for much of the weekend with the 20-lap Grand Prix of Malaysia scheduled to start at 15:00 Local Time on Sunday, October 26.
Luca Marini (10) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castol.
Luca Marini:“Ready for another race in what I am sure will be an interesting weekend. Sepang is a very particular track and having tested there, you always get a chance to compare what you’ve worked on through the year. It’s a circuit with a big variety of braking, corners and straights and I think this will suit us a little more than in Phillip Island. Three races to achieve our targets and we will keep working until the very end, we are close.”
Joan Mir (36) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castrol
Joan Mir:“This weekend we need to start well and be inside the top ten from Friday, like this we can have some more margin during the rest of the weekend. It’s clear that the bike has a lot of potential and I know that we can be there fighting with Luca and the other riders at the front. We’ve seen the last couple of races that these overseas ones are quite unpredictable, but I think our package has improved a lot to be quite consistent.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Augusto Fernández Returns to Action for Malaysian GP Wild-Card Entry with the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team.
This weekend Augusto Fernández will spearhead the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team as a wild-card rider at Round 20 of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, held at the Sepang International Circuit. His main aim for this weekend is to continue collecting data on the V4-powered prototype in a premier-class race-weekend setting.
Yamaha is pleased to confirm that Augusto Fernández and the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team will take part in the Grand Prix of Malaysia weekend as a wild-card entry. They will use the available track time to gather further data to boost the V4-powered prototype development, building upon their work done in Misano in September.
Fernández, who is the 2022 Moto2 World Champion and a former premier-class rider (2023-2024), already joined the full-time Yamaha teams as a wild-card rider three times before this year, in Aragon, Brno, and Misano, testing the V4-powered prototype at the latter occasion. The Spaniard is highly motivated to continue his endeavours this weekend with the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team at the track where he scored a best result of fourth place in Moto2 in 2022. His best premier-class result in Malaysia was last year’s 10th position.
The Sepang International Circuit staged its first Grand Prix in 1999 and has been on the MotoGP calendar ever since. The 5.5km track has a reputation for providing very exciting racing thanks to a mixture of slow and medium-to-high-speed corners (five left and ten right) and two long straights, the longest measuring 920m. The circuit is also one of the longest tracks of the MotoGP season, and the riders have to negotiate it in extremely hot and humid conditions, making this GP extra challenging.
The Grand Prix of Malaysia is held in the GMT+8 time zone. FP1 will take place on Friday from 10:45-11:30 local track time and Practice will be held from 15:00-16:00. On Saturday, FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40, and the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, followed by the 10-lap Sprint that starts at 15:00. On Sunday*, Warm Up is held from 10:40-10:50 and the 20-lap Race starts at 15:00.
*On Sunday, October 26th, daylight saving time will start in Europe. The clocks in Malaysia do not change, increasing the time difference between Malaysia and Europe by one hour for the Sunday.
Augusto Fernández. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
AUGUSTO FERNÁNDEZ – Yamaha Factory Racing Test Rider:“I’m happy to be back racing. After the GP in Misano, it has been a long time, but I’m very excited about the upcoming weekend. We will keep improving the package of our V4-powered prototype. We’re back on track and racing again. I missed riding the V4-powered prototype so much, and I can’t wait to start the weekend and see what’s possible. But, of course, it’s going to be another weekend of developing the prototype bike, so the main target is to be ready for the next season.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
It does not feel like so long ago that Red Bull KTM Tech3 was in Malaysia for the traditional opening winter test of the season with a brand new exciting line up, Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales, both ready to embark into a new adventure in orange. Yet, nine months have gone by, and the team is back at the Sepang International Circuit, with a slightly different line up though, as Pol Espargaro continues to put the work in while Viñales focuses on recovery. The Grand Prix of Malaysia will be the final leg of the fly aways, before MotoGP™ heads back to Europe for the two final rounds of 2025, in Portimao and Valencia.
Both Enea Bastianini and Pol Espargaro will be heading to Malaysia after showing good form in Phillip Island last week. If the weekend had not started right, Enea sorted things out during the course of the weekend, after turning his P20 on the grid into a top 10 in the sprint, and a 9th place on the Sunday. Meanwhile, teammate Pol Espargaro, filling in for Maverick Viñales, impressed with a direct Q2 ticket in Practice to qualify in 8th, before scoring a point in the sprint, and finishing Australia on a high with a top 10 on Sunday. Both Red Bull KTM Tech3 riders will be eager to keep the momentum going at the Sepang International Circuit, a track they both know very well, as the majority of the championship, with Malaysia being a key testing destination. As we expect the KTM package to be competitive, both riders will have to face the tough conditions of Malaysia, hot temperature and high level of humidity, as they look to bring valuable points for the team before heading home.
As the Grand Prix of Malaysia marks the end of the overseas tour, you don’t want to miss this one! The action will start on Friday at 10:45 local time (UTC+8) with Free Practice 1, followed by Practice in the afternoon at 15:00, as both Enea Bastianini and Pol Espargaro will try to make their way to the top 10 for those precious direct Q2 tickets. The first highlights of the weekend will be on Saturday with qualifying kicking off at 10:50 LT, shortly after Free Practice 2. It will then be time for the Tissot Sprint, with lights going out at 15:00 local time for ten laps. Finally, the main show will be on Sunday with the MotoGP™ main race, as riders will line up on the grid for a start at 15:00 (UTC+8). Here we come, Malaysia!
Enea Bastianini (23) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “We are arriving in Malaysia, a track where we have reference from the pre-season with the KTM, which is already a positive. However, many things have changed since February, the bike is quite different, and the way I have adapted to the KTM and how I ride it, is different too. We are coming from a positive race in Australia, so I think that we can be competitive this week in Malaysia, and get closer to our rivals.”
Pol Espargaro (44) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Pol Espargaro: “Sepang is a track where I have spent a lot of time, done many laps, so I know the circuit very well. However, the temperatures are so high with a lot of humidity, which makes it very difficult physically. Anyway, after our good weekend in Australia, I am looking forward to a new full race weekend with the team, to try helping everyone and gather important information for the factory heading to the off season. Our package should work well in Malaysia, so let’s see if we can be competitive, and battle against Aprilia, since they have shown excellent form lately.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We are ready for the last round of the Asian tour with the Grand Prix of Malaysia at the very well known Sepang International Circuit, a test destination as we come every year during the pre-season. We are expecting an interesting weekend for Enea Bastianini, as it is a track which he enjoys, having won there back in 2023. It is going to be the first time that he races on a track where he already have data with the KTM, so we think it will be a big help for him, and he is is arriving from a solid race in Phillip Island, so hopefully we can keep the momentum going as we hope a comeback close to the top 5. Pol Espargaro has done an incredible job so far with us, scoring 3 top 10 results in 3 rounds, and if there would be one, we would give him the award of the fastest test rider this season! Sepang is not his favorite track, but he will approach this weekend with calm and no pressure, which has paid off this year for him, so let’s see what he is capable of achieving here.”
ABOUT THE TRACK:
Specifically built for speed and exciting racing, the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia is one of the world’s best. The 2,300 acre complex which also houses a hotel, shopping centre, golf course and other sports facilities cost around £50m to construct and was built in just 14 months, holding its first Grand Prix in April 1999 and setting the standard for race circuits worldwide. With four slow corners following two long straights and ten medium to high-speed corners, the wide track is particularly favourable to overtaking manoeuvres and plenty of open throttle. One of the longest laps in MotoGP is made all the more gruelling for riders by intense heat and humidity. Sepang is located around 50km south of Kuala Lumpur city.
RACK RECORDS
All Time Record: 2024 – F. Bagnaia (ITA) – 1’56.337 – 171.5 km/h
Best Race Lap: 2023 – A. Marquez (SPA) – 1’58.979 – 167.7 km/h
Best Pole: : 2024 – F. Bagnaia (ITA) – 1’56.337 – 171.5 km/h
Top Speed: 2015 – A. Iannone (ITA) – 339.6 km/h
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Miller and Oliveira Target Points as MotoGP Lands in Sepang for the Malaysian GP.
With the return to Europe approaching, the MotoGP World Championship leaves Australia behind and prepares for this weekend‘s round at the Sepang International Circuit, home of the Malaysian GP — the 20th race of the season. A weekend where Jack Miller, Miguel Oliveira, and the entire Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team aim to fight for important points right from the opening sessions.
After an Australian GP that mixed joy and disappointment — from Jack Miller‘s impressive third place in qualifying and fourth in Saturday‘s Sprint Race, to the unfortunate crash early in Sunday‘s race while battling among the front runners — the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team leaves Phillip Island and heads to Sepang for the 20th round of the championship.
Malaysia marks the final stop in the four-race overseas stretch before the season returns to Europe for the closing rounds. For both Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira, it‘s a return to the track where, at the end of January, they first began their journey with the Yamaha YZR-M1. Since then, the bike has made significant progress, and this weekend will be a good opportunity to see what the Australian and Portuguese riders can achieve.
The Sepang International Circuit is one of the tracks where Miguel has achieved some of his greatest successes, with two victories — in 2015 in Moto3 and in 2017 in Moto2 — a second place the following year, and a third place in 2013 in Moto3, along with two front-row starts. Jack‘s best result here is a second place in 2014 in Moto3, starting from pole position. Last year, he was involved in a heavy crash at the start of the race, fortunately escaping without injury.
After 19 rounds, Miller sits 18th in the championship with 66 points, while Oliveira is 20th with 36. The Prima Pramac Yamaha team currently holds 11th place in the team standings with 105 points.
Malaysia GP schedule:
Friday 10:45 (4:45 CET) Free Practice 1; 15:00 (9:00 CET) Practice
Saturday: 10:10 (4:10 CET) Free Practice 2; 10:50 (4:50 CET) Qualifying; 15:00 (9:00 CET) Sprint Race (10 laps – 55,43 km)
Sunday: 10:40 (3:40 CET) Warm-up; 15:00 (8:00 CET) Race (20 laps – 110,86 km)
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
“We‘re returning to Malaysia after the pre-season tests, where we went quite well. We know it won‘t be an easy track for us, as there are some sections where we might struggle a bit, but since those early tests the bike has improved a lot. If we start off on the right foot from the very first sessions, we can have a really good weekend.”
Jack Miller (43) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Jack Miller:“The home GP was an intense one — a real rollercoaster of emotions. Even though it didn‘t end the way we had all hoped, it was amazing to feel the love and support from so many fans who came from all over Australia to cheer for us. With that same energy, we‘re now focusing on the next challenge — one of the most technically complete circuits on the calendar, where we hope to showcase the strengths of the YZR-M1.”
Miguel Oliveira during the MotoGP Pre-event at Kuala Lumpur. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Miguel Oliveira:“I am really motivated for the Malaysian GP, especially after the strong pace we showed in the second part of last race. We believe the bike setup we found in Australia can work well here too. The goal is to have a solid weekend, finding the right feeling with my Yamaha straight from the first session.”
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More from a press release issued by Lenovo Ducati:
Round 20 in Malaysia for the Ducati Lenovo Team.
The Ducati Lenovo Team’s final oversea round of the 2025 season will be at the Sepang International Circuit, once again featuring the Bagnaia-Pirro duo. As announced, Marc Márquez, the current World Champion, is continuing his recovery from surgery and will not attend the event.
Sepang, a track just outside the city of Kuala Lumpur, has hosted regular races since 1999. Ducati has won here eight times: Loris Capirossi achieved the feat in 2005, followed by Stoner’s double win between 2007 and 2009, before a seven-year drought. Andrea Dovizioso brought the Desmosedici GP back to the top step of the podium in 2016 and 2017. The Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s roll of honor at this track concludes with the wins of the last three editions: Pecco Bagnaia won in 2022, then Enea Bastianini in 2023, and Pecco again last year.
It was anything but an easy weekend for Pecco, with a double crash and a huge amount of data to analyze. The entire Team is working meticulously to close the gap and get back to fighting for the top places on a challenging track, with very particular weather conditions but a layout that certainly is suitable to the power of the Desmosedici GP.
Michele, who, as a test rider, regularly visits Sepang in the early months of the year, is back racing on a decidedly more familiar track. The appointment for both riders is Friday, October 24th, at 10:45 a.m. local time, for the first free practice session.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Lenovo Ducati Team.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd (274 points) “I’m leaving behind another difficult weekend, with two crashes between the Sprint and the race. I’m not satisfied, but I know that, at least for Sunday’s race, I did everything I could to stay with the group and recover positions. It’s not an easy situation, but the whole Team and I are doing everything we can to fully understand the bike’s behavior and get back to being competitive. Furthermore, on this track, we have all the data from the early February test to be able to make a real comparison”.
Michele Pirro (51) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo Team
Michele Pirro (#51 Ducati Lenovo Team) “The first race weekend was challenging: Phillip Island is tough, both physically and in terms of riding. I hadn’t raced there since years. In Sepang, however, I feel more comfortable; I’ve already ridden here with this bike, and we definitely have more reference points. We’re continuing to work and gather information”.
2024 Results:
GP Podium: 1° Bagnaia (Ducati); 2° Martin (Ducati), 3° Bastianini (Ducati)
Pole Position: Bagnaia (Ducati), 01:56.337
Fastest Lap: Bagnaia (Ducati), 01:59.118
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP to Give Final Push in Malaysian Fly-Away-Rounds Wrap-Up.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins are determined to push to the limit at the Sepang International Circuit during this weekend’s Grand Prix of Malaysia, Round 20 of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team have travelled from Phillip Island, Australia, to Sepang, Malaysia, for Round 20 of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, the final fly-away round on the calendar.
Despite challenges in the Australian GP Race, Fabio Quartararo holds on to 9th place in the championship standings, and he will be on the attack again this weekend. He has raced at the Sepang circuit seven times (in the Moto3 class in 2016, in Moto2 in 2017 and 2018, and in MotoGP in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024) and never finished a full-length race outside the top 7. He came close to a podium in 2016, finishing fourth, and in 2018 and 2023, when he finished fifth. He had his first and only podium finish on Malaysian soil in 2022, when he secured third place despite riding with a hand injury sustained in a crash earlier that weekend.
Álex Rins thoroughly enjoyed battling in the Phillip Island Race and is feeling eager to step aboard his M1 again to continue the progress he and his crew have been making at the recent GPs. He arrives at the final overseas round holding 19th place in the rankings and fully motivated. The Spaniard is looking forward to the Malaysian GP, as Sepang historically is a good track for him. He secured second place there in 2013 and third place in 2014 in the Moto3 class, and in the premier class he rode to second place in 2018. Moreover, last year he scored his best 2024 full-length race result on Malaysian soil with an eighth place, and he is keen to repeat the feat this year.
The Sepang International Circuit staged its first Grand Prix in 1999 and has been on the MotoGP calendar ever since. The 5.5km track has a reputation for providing very exciting racing thanks to a mixture of slow and medium-to-high-speed corners (five left and ten right) and two long straights, the longest measuring 920m. The circuit is also one of the longest tracks of the MotoGP season, and the riders have to negotiate it in extremely hot and humid conditions, making this GP extra challenging.
The Grand Prix of Malaysia is held in the GMT+8 time zone. FP1 will take place on Friday from 10:45-11:30 local track time and Practice will be held from 15:00-16:00. On Saturday, FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40, and the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, followed by the 10-lap Sprint that starts at 15:00. On Sunday*, Warm Up is held from 10:40-10:50 and the 20-lap Race starts at 15:00.
*On Sunday, October 26th, daylight saving time will start in Europe. The clocks in Malaysia do not change, increasing the time difference between Malaysia and Europe by one hour for the Sunday.
However, before firing up their engines on Friday at the Sepang track, Quartararo and Rins took the opportunity to visit the Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn. Bhd. (HLYM) headquarters, joined by Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP’s Miguel Oliveira as well as BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara and Tony Arbolino. The five riders enjoyed a warm reception, giving them an extra boost for the Malaysian GP weekend.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“The previous round didn’t quite turn out as we had hoped. Fabio had another pole position and even set a new all-time lap record, but we need to learn from what happened during the Sprint and the Race and do better this time round. Álex, on the other hand, had a good Race and is growing in confidence. Historically, Sepang is usually a good track for us. Last year, Fabio and Álex also got decent results here. Moreover, we had a good winter test here at the start of this year during the off-season, which created high expectations, so we are keen to keep that trend going this weekend.”
Alex Rins on the left and Fabio Quartararo on the right during the Motogp Pre-event at Kuala Lumpur. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Fabio Quartararo:“I took a couple of days of rest to recharge before coming to Malaysia. Now we’re here in Sepang for the last fly-away round, and let’s see what we can do. We did some testing here earlier in the year, but since then the bike has changed a lot. Hopefully we can get some good results and finish this overseas trip on a positive note. For sure, the Malaysian fans will be cheering us on, which is always really nice.”
Alex Rins: “The Race in Phillip Island felt amazing. Finishing P7 is a strong result, so I’m eager to see what we can do in Sepang. We’re making good steps forward, and that’s what matters most. We’ll keep this set-up for this weekend. Hopefully we get mostly dry track time so we can collect solid data, and then let’s see what’s possible.”
Tyler Scott (70) leads Gabriel da Silva (74) and Danny Webb (99) at the start of Friday's ASRA Team Challenge/Endurance race at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Michael Gougis.
ASRA celebrated its annual season-ending trip to the Daytona International Speedway with a 2.5-hour Team Challenge/Endurance race and 36 additional races throughout last weekend.
Gabriel da Silva (74) and Wristin Grigg (272). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Gabriel da Silva, who had several MotoAmerica Supersport outings in 2025 on a Cano Jarritos Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R750, won the Team Challenge GTU event. Da Silva covered 44 laps in 1:30:21.993 in the red flag-interrupted event, with a best lap of 1:51.799. Da Silva was running strongly but found himself in the right place when the first red flag dropped, and as a result took the restart with a one-lap lead on the field. MotoAmerica Supersport racer Tyler Scott from Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki was scored as second, one lap down, with a best lap of 1:49.992. Teammate and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly rode a stint for the team, which used the event to test and practice pit stops in preparation for next year’s Daytona 200. MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Matthew Chapin and Talent Cup competitor Solly Mervis were classified as third overall on a GSX-R600.
Matthew Chapin (95). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Solly Mervis (95). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Wristin Grigg on a Ducati Panigale V2, Dominic Doyle on a Yamaha YZF-R9 and Ryder Davis on a Yamaha YZF-R6 were scored as the top three finishers in the Endurance GTU class.
ASRA’s Team Challenge races are “Pony Express”-style races where teams use multiple motorcycles and swap transponders during pit stops, while in the Endurance races teams use a single motorcycle and swap riders, refuel and change tires as needed during the stops. Many riders did the entire race on their own.
In his first trip to Daytona, MotoAmerica Talent Cup competitor Bodie Paige took a Team Hammer GSX-R750 to the win in the Heavyweight Supersport Expert sprint race, his first race on a 750cc-class machine. Shane Narbonne, listed as racing on a Yamaha YZF-R6, and Eric Wood on a Ducati Panigale V2 were second and third. Later in the day, Paige, on a GSX-R750, finished third in the Unlimited Supersport race, behind Tony Storniolo on a Kawasaki ZX-10R and Frank Babuska on a BMW M 1000 RR. Paige had shown up at Daytona to ride a Suzuki GSX-8R racebike. But Team Hammer had on hand the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR GSX-R750 that former Supersport National Champion Martin Cardenas had ridden at Circuit of The Americas earlier this year. The team re-sprung the machine for Paige and let him try it out, then entered him in several races over the weekend. On his first weekend on a 750, in the red-flagged AMA 1000 Superstock sprint, Paige ran a 1:49.385 chasing Storniolo. That time would have put him sixth on the Daytona 200 grid.
Bodie Paige (36). Photo by Michael Gougis.
Tony Storniolo (79). Photo by Michael Gougis.
On Saturday, Scott won the Supersport Expert race, with Joseph LiMandri Jr. second on a Yamaha YZF-R6 and Paige third. Babuska won the Superstock 1000 race over Storniolo and Ian Graham on a Yamaha YZF-R1. Chapin won the Thunderbike race over Isaac Woodworth and Levi Badie, all on GSX-8R machines, and Doyle won the GTU race over LiMandri Jr. and Paige. Danny Webb won the Middleweight GP race on a Suzuki GSX-R750 ahead of Doyle and da Silva, and Storniolo won the Unlimited GP race over Babusak and David Loikits on a Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Dominic Doyle (251). Photo by Michael Gougis.
On Sunday, Davis won the AMA 600 Supersport race over da Silva and Paige, Storniolo won the AMA 1000 Superstock race ahead of Bryan Peine and Antal Halasz, both on Yamaha YZF-R1s, and Robertino Pietri won the AMA Thunderbike race on a Yamaha YZF-R9 over Jaden McKellar on a Kawasaki Ninja 400R and Edward Sullivan on a Yamaha YZF-R7. Da Silva won Supersport Race Two ahead of Davis and Doyle, Storniolo took the Superstock 1000 Race Two win over Babuska and Bryan Peine, and the trio took the same three spots in the Unlimited Superbike race.
Pedro Acosta led MotoGP World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 on spec Michelin tires, the Spaniard turned a lap time of 1:57.559 to lead the field of 23 riders.
Johann Zarco was the best of the rest on his CASTROL Honda LCR RC213V with a lap time of 1:57.578.
Jack Miller was third at 1:57.840 on his Prima Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1.
Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 1:57.854 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Fabio Quartararo crossed the finish line fifth with a lap time of 1:57.868 on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1.
Acosta fronts surprise Sepang pecking order as big hitters face Q1. The KTM star leads Zarco and Miller in an unpredictable MotoGP Practice as Bagnaia, Aldeguer, Bezzecchi, Fernandez and more find themselves outside the top 10.
How about that for a MotoGP Practice outing? Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) delivered the goods on Friday to set the pace with a 1:57.559 as the #37 beat Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) by 0.019s, while Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top three in an unpredictable session. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) squeezes into Q2 despite a second crash of the day, but our last three Grand Prix winners – Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) – face Q1. Oh, and so does Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing).
Acosta crashes early
Acosta was an early faller in the session at Turn 10, seeing the #37 not get a lap time on the board for the first 20 minutes. Meanwhile, compatriot Aldeguer quickly climbed to the top of the timesheets with a 1:58.279, the rookie led Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Bagnaia early doors.
A frantic final 30 minutes unfold
Heading into the final 30 minutes, the top three remained the same, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) operating inside the top five. Alex Marquez was sixth ahead of Bezzecchi, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Zarco, and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), with those riders the other provisional automatic Q2 attendees as things stood.
Then, rain flags were being waved. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) promoted himself to P5 just after we saw the white and red flags out, that shoved Zarco into P11. However, that didn’t last long, because the Frenchman soared to P1 on his next time attack to demote countryman Quartararo out of the top 10 – but the Yamaha star was setting red sectors. And sure enough, the #20 rose to top spot with a 1:58.113, as Alex Marquez suffered his second crash of the day – this time Turn 2 bit the #73.
Practice ramped up quickly with the threat of rain looming, and very soon after he’d crashed, Marquez found himself outside the top 10. And then, the rain really did start to fall on some parts of the circuit.
Acosta landed a lap good enough for P6 in the nick of time, that lap shoved Di Giannantonio into the Q1 places, as every rider peeled back into pitlane with 12 minutes to go. Would there be a chance for anyone to improve? Marquez was certainly hoping so, because the rider gunning for P2 in the championship was now P14, with Bezzecchi and Bagnaia sitting P5 and P10.
It looked like there would be a chance. With seven minutes to go, the MotoGP field ventured out for one final throw at the top 10 dice, and it was a great first throw from Marquez. The #73 grabbed P3, meaning Bagnaia was now P11, as Acosta set a 1:57.559 to go half a second clear of the pack.
What did Pecco have in response? Not enough to begin with. The Italian improved but the lap was 0.048s away from the top 10, as Zarco and Miller jumped into the top three.
Pecco, meanwhile, was on a good lap three-quarters of the way round his last flying lap. However, four tenths went missing in the last split, and with that, it was Q1 for the 2024 Malaysian GP winner. Then, the focus turned to Aldeguer. Could the rookie find time on his last lap to gain Q2 promotion? The answer was no. And the same could be said for Bezzecchi and Australian GP winner Fernandez.
All that meant the last three Grands Prix winners will be in Q1 on Saturday morning. MotoGP’s unpredictability shining through once more.
Your Friday top 10
Mir heads into Saturday in P4 behind those above top three, with Quartararo rounding out the top five. Di Giannantonio improved late to finish P6 ahead of teammate Franco Morbidelli, as Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) once again impresses by gaining automatic Q2 entry in P8. Ninth went to Marquez, who delivered when the pressure was on, as Rins held onto P10 despite a late crash.
Coming up: quali and the Tissot Sprint
Simply put, don’t miss out on the Q1 and Q2 fights on Saturday morning. That’s one breathless Friday that delivered some surprising results, setting us up nicely for qualifying and the Tissot Sprint.
Manuel Gonzalez (18) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Manuel Gonzalez led Moto2 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard lapped the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) road course in 2:04.166 topping the field of 30 riders.
Jake Dixon was second-best with a time of 2:04.218 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro.
Albert Arenas did a third-fastest 2:04.282 on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Friday afternoon’s practice session 25th with a best time of 2:05.240 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Gonzalez comes out fighting with P1 on Friday at Sepang. Seeking an extension to his slender Championship advantage, the #18 started on the right foot.
With the sun coming out for Moto2™ Practice, it was Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) who ended Friday on top. Moving top with less than five minutes to go, ‘Manugas’ will hope it’s the start of a strong weekend, where he aims to extend his Championship lead after it’s been whittled down in recent rounds by Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team); the Brazilian joins his title rival in Q2 directly, finishing in P10.
Gonzalez had a big front-end moment at the final corner halfway through Practice; thankfully, the Championship leader managed to save it and stay upright en route to P1 at the end of the session. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was a strong second and the top Boscoscuro rider whilst Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) rounded out the top three, moving up in the closing stages. Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing) was a solid fourth as the Belgian’s hunt for a first victory continues whilst moving up from outside the top 14 to set back-to-back fastest laps, Holgado was rapid on day one before taking the chequered flag in fifth ahead of his teammate David Alonso.
There was a late moment for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) as he got a bit too close to Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) at Turn 1, both nearly colliding after the #44 checked the big TV screen to see where he was. The answer was seventh, one place ahead of Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team) who was strong in P8. Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) was next up in ninth whilst title contender Moreira took P10.
Big names not through into Q2 directly include Australian GP winner Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) who was only 15th, one place ahead of Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) whilst Sync SpeedRS Team duo Alonso Lopez and Celestino Vietti also find themselves in the Q1 shootout.
Jose Antonio Rueda (99) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Dorna
Jose Antonio Rueda led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. The 2025 Moto3 World Champion used his Pirelli-shod Red Bull KTM Ajo to lap the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track in 2:11.152 to lead the field of 27 riders.
His teammate, Alvaro Carpe was second-best with a time of 2:11.187.
Brian Uriarte , piloting his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2.11.202.
Rueda sets Sepang pace as Quiles faces Q1. The World Champion and teammate Carpe top the Moto3 timesheets on Friday, while big hitters miss the top 14.
World Champion Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) heads into the weekend as the rider to beat in Moto3 after the #99 topped a delayed Practice on Friday afternoon. Rueda’s 2:11.152 was 0.035s quicker than second fastest Alvaro Carpe, as Red Bull KTM Ajo enjoy a perfect start to the Malaysian GP. Third place went the way of Brian Uriarte (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), the reigning Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup champion impressing on Day 1.
Following a lengthy delay due to an oil spillage on circuit before the session, Moto3 Practice was a frantic one that ended with Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) missing out on an automatic Q2 spot. The same goes for Indonesian GP podium finisher Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), the Italian far from impressed with Carpe after they got into a battle at the end of Practice, as the likes of Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) find themselves in Q1 too.
Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and David Almansa (Leopard Racing) had no such troubles; the Spaniards completed the top five, with Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) and Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rounding out the fastest eight riders. Roulstone – like teammate Perrone – crashed late on at Turn 4, but that didn’t stop the Australian from gaining Q2 entry.
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.
Fermin Aldeguer topped MotoGP World Championship rainy Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Michelin-shod BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, the Spaniard turned a lap of 2:00.199 around the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track and led the 23-rider field.
Francesco Bagnaia was second-best with a 2:00.455 on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Joan Mir was third with a lap of 2:00.548 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Aldeguer heads Bagnaia in rainy Sepang FP1. It started out dry before the heavens really did open in a big way with just under a quarter of an hour remaining.
Sepang always brings four seasons in one day but in the case of MotoGP FP1, it was in one session. Sunshine at the start before cloud cover and a rain shower with 15 minutes to go meant that all the fastest times were set long before the chequered flag. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) took top honours, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Aldeguer’s 2’00.199 came on his sixth lap of ten in the session, putting him a quarter of a second clear of Bagnaia in second. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) secured third place and was just 0.033s ahead of KTM super-sub Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), who continues to deputise for fellow countryman Maverick Viñales. Winner of the last two Sprints, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) rounded out the top five.
Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) made it two Hondas in the top six ahead of Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), who crashed at Turn 7. The runner-up elect lost the front but was able to get back up and ride back to pitlane. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the top ten. Acosta had a crash at Turn 2 in the dry conditions but was able to remount and get back to the pits.
Track action continued as usual and a flurry of riders went out at the end of the session. Quartararo and Australian Grand Prix winner Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) had big moments at Turn 12 whilst Espargaro had had a front-end twitch into Turn 9. All riders who ventured out managed to stay upright as they got their first look of Sepang in the wet, crucial in the event of continued unpredictable conditions this weekend.
Jake Dixon (96) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy ELF Marc VDS.
Jake Dixon was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Pirelli-shod ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro on the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track, the Brit recorded a 2:04.131 to lead the field of 30 riders.
Albert Arenas was the best of the rest with a 2:04.292 on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex.
David Alonso was third-fastest with a 2:04.429 on his CFMOTO RCB Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished the opening session in 19th with a 2:05.507 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Angel Piqueras (36) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy MSi Racing Team
Angel Piqueras was quickest during Moto3 World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Frinsa – MT Helmets – MSI KTM on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard covered the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) road course in 2:10.979, topping the field of 27 riders.
Jacob Roulstone was the best of the rest with a 2:11.031 on his Red Bull Tech3 KTM.
Joel Kelso was third with a lap time of 2:11.085 on his LevelUP MTA KTM.
A test rider in action on Bridgestone Racing Battlax V03 tires.
Delivering the Best Grip in the History of Bridgestone’s BATTLAX Series, Powered by Technologies Refined Through Years of Elite Motorcycle Racing
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 23, 2025) — Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) will launch its track-only premium motorcycle tire, the RACING BATTLAX V03, to the European and North American markets in 2026. The new Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 is designed for both professional and amateur riders who pursue speed and the highest levels of grip.
The latest addition to Bridgestone’s motorcycle tire range incorporates technologies refined through years of success in the world’s most prestigious racing events, to deliver excellent grip. And, for the first time, Bridgestone introduces a rear ‘SPRINT spec’, providing a wide range of options according to race type and track conditions.
Unrivalled Grip in BATTLAX History
The new Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 is equipped with newly-developed compounds based on technology that has continuously triumphed in the world’s top-tier races – including the FIM Endurance World Championship, which has been won by a Bridgestone-supplied team for five consecutive years.
The tire applies a completely redesigned profile for both the front and rear tires, resulting in an increased contact area. In particular, the rear tire adopts advanced production techniques, achieving an optimal profile that significantly improves lap times.
Thanks to these innovations, the Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 delivers overwhelming grip, significantly reducing lap times when compared to its predecessor, the RACING BATTLAX V02. Comparing the SOFT compound performances of both tires, the RACING BATTLAX V03 reduces lap times by 1.3% per lap – while still maintaining the typical Bridgestone DNA of high grip even after multiple laps.
Newly Developed Rear ‘SPRINT spec’ for Maximum Performance in Sprint Races
With this new release, Bridgestone is launching its first-ever rear ‘SPRINT spec’ tire, providing the RACING BATTLAX V03’s highest grip levels.
By focusing on maximizing peak grip performance through advanced compound design, the new Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 SPRINT achieves a 1.9% reduction in lap times per circuit compared to the RACING BATTLAX V02 SOFT. This provides an optimal choice for riders looking for the highest grip levels or those competing in sprint races.
Bridgestone, guided by its fundamental principle ‘tires carry life’, positions its motorsports activities as a ‘mobile laboratory’ that represents a ‘challenge for excellence’. For its next generation of RACING BATTLAX tires, the company incorporates Bridgestone’s absolute best compounding and manufacturing technologies developed through track tire development into commercial tires. The new RACING BATTLAX V03 serves as the premium flagship model that symbolizes this new era of Bridgestone’s motorcycle racing tires.
Bridgestone is committed to supporting the development of a safe and enjoyable motorcycling culture offering peace of mind through products like its BATTLAX brand premium motorcycle tires. Through these efforts, the company strives to achieve the corporate commitment of ‘Emotion: Committed to inspiring excitement and spreading joy to the world of mobility’ described in the ‘Bridgestone E8 Commitment’.
Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 Slick Motorcycle Front Tire.Bridgestone RACING BATTLAX V03 Slick Motorcycle Rear Tire.
RACING BATTLAX V03
Front 120/70R17 (Soft, Soft-Medium Compounds, 2026)
Rear 190/60R17 (Two Compounds To Be Confirmed From 2027)
Rear 200/60R17 (Soft, Medium Compounds, SPRINT, 2026)
The Bridgestone Group established its corporate commitment, the ‘Bridgestone E8 Commitment’, to help it realize its vision: ‘Toward 2050, Bridgestone continues to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company’. This commitment will serve as the Group’s axis to drive management while earning the trust of future generations. The ‘Bridgestone E8 Commitment’ consists of eight uniquely Bridgestone values starting with the letter ‘E’ (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, and Empowerment) that the Group will commit to creating through distinctly Bridgestone purposes and processes, together with employees, society, partners, and customers to help realize a sustainable society.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber, building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Americas employs more than 45,000 people across its worldwide operations. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
Nicolo Bulega (11) on his Aruba.it Racing – Ducati during WSBK Test at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continued its 2026 preparations with the second day of winter testing at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto.
Day 2 Highlights
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) continued his strong form, dominating Day 2 with a 1’37.587, the fastest lap of the test and the only rider to consistently lap in the 1’37s.
Iker Lecuona made major strides in just his second outing with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team. The Spaniard improved steadily throughout the day, eventually clocking a 1’38.444 on his 70th lap to secure second overall, 0.857s off Bulega’s pace.
Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) showed competitive speed, setting a 1’38.756 on his 44th lap, ending the day third fastest and the top bimota rider.
Michael van der Mark (BMW) made late improvements in the final hour, breaking into the 1’38s with a 1’38.998 to finish fourth. The Dutchman completed 75 laps in total, as BMW continued its winter development programme.
Axel Bassani, riding for bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team,rounded out the top five with a 1’39.050, just 0.052s behind van der Mark. The Italian led the early morning sessions and completed over 50 laps, contributing valuable feedback to the bimota project.
Honda’s testing effort continued with Corentin Perolari (1’39.607), Ryan Vickers (1’39.659) and Alan Techer (1’40.323) all in action aboard the CBR1000RR-R. The trio focused on development work throughout the day, with Perolari the fastest of the group
Coming Next
The winter test action will continue on 26 and 27 November at Jerez, as the championship’s teams work toward the start of the 2026 campaign.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “It was quite a good day, even if only a half day of work. I think we improved a bit from yesterday, with one more night of experience to analyse everything. I felt good straight away, and we managed to make some small steps with the turning — not perfect yet, but better. I lost a little in braking compared to yesterday, but overall we’ve made progress. We have good data for the winter, and I’m sure the team will work a lot to prepare for next year.”
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Dorna
Iker Lecuona continues his adaptation to the Ducati Panigale V4 R, completing his second day on track with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) continued to show notable speed as well, with his times descending lower and lower into the 1’39s as the day went on. His fastest time of 1’38.444s placed him P2, nine tenths behind his teammate, Nicolo Bulega.
Alex Lowes on his bimota by Kawasaki. Photo courtesy Dorna
Axel Bassani on his Bimota by Kawasaki. Photo courtesy Dorna
Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani were on track with bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, continuing development of the KB998 Rimini. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) returned to the Andalucian circuit after not participating in Day 1 of the test. Day 2 saw the riders make up for lost time, laying down the most laps of any manufacturer on the day for a total of 101. The team were reportedly testing new items on the suspension and engine which they will hope can improve the bike’s straight-line speed. Lowes’s 1’38.756s time sat him third-fastest on the day, ahead of Bassani who finished fifth on the order thanks to his 1’39.050s time. The pair were supported by Xavi Fores who participated as a test rider for Bimota, logging a modest 9 laps after his 58 laps on Day 1.
Michael van der Mark (60) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna
Michael van der Mark focused on development work for BMW, representing the team in the absence of their new 2026 riders. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team) kept the irons hot on Day 2 recording an additional 79 laps for a total of 136 in his new role with the team as a test rider. The fastest of his laps came in Day 2 when he laid down a 1’38.998s time to seat the rider from the Netherlands P4 on the combined timesheet.
The combined top ten from the two days of testing at Jerez!
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’37.587s
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.857s
3. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +1.169s
4. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team) +1.411s
5. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +1.463s
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Aprilia Racing heads to Sepang for the final GP of the extra-European tour.
The extra-European tour will wrap up with the Malaysian round at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit ahead of the return to Europe for the last two races of the 2025 season, with Marco Bezzecchi and Lorenzo Savadori ready to tackle the twentieth GP of the year.
Bezzecchi will be highly motivated as he arrives in Sepang and his goal will be to finish out the extra-European tour with another significant result. The Italian rider is fresh from an extraordinary weekend on Phillip Island, where he took victory in the sprint race and third place in the long race. These are results which catapulted him into third place in the overall rider standings with 282 points.
Completing the line-up will be Lorenzo Savadori, subbing for Jorge Martín who will miss the Sepang race as well as he recovers from the right collarbone injury he suffered in Motegi. The Italian rider will take advantage of the weekend to continue his work developing the RS-GP25 in a race setting.
The Petronas Sepang International Circuit, located about 50 km from Kuala Lumpur, is one of the historic FIM World Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing rounds, on the calendar since 1999. At 5,540 metres long, it is the second longest track of the championship and has 15 turns – 10 right-handers and 5 left-handers. It is known for its demanding braking sections, particularly the first and the last, characterised by abrupt deceleration with a difference of more than 200 km/h between the initial and final speed.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Marco Bezzecchi: “I’m extremely happy to be returning to Sepang. It is a track where I’ve already ridden with my bike during the pre-season tests, so we have some references and I’m curious to see how it will go after all the work we’ve done this year. We did an outstanding job on Phillip Island, and the goal is to continue along the same lines in Malaysia. I can’t wait to get out on the track.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Lorenzo Savadori: “Malaysia is rather a different track from Phillip Island, with conditions that are undoubtedly hotter and more demanding. We’ll continue working on developing the RS-GP25, following up with the experiments we began in Australia with the goal of improving the bike even more. I can’t wait to get this weekend started and, as always, I’ll be giving it my all.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Serious in Sepang – three to go in 2025 for Honda HRC Castrol.
The circle of 2025 is almost closed as Honda HRC Castrol return to where the year started: the Sepang International Circuit. Luca Marini and Joan Mir prepared and ready to demonstrate a year of incredible gains from the Honda RC213V.
On February 05, 2025, the season officially began with the first test of the year at the Sepang International Circuit, now 258 days later the very same venue will host the Malaysian Grand Prix. Already collecting almost six times the points total from 2024 as a team, Honda HRC Castrol’s resurgence has been a welcome reward for all involved in the project.
Luca Marini’s steady hand, only suffering one DNF due to a technical issue, has not only benefited development of the Honda but also sees the #10 13th in the championship standings and only eight points behind leading Honda Johann Zarco. The top three still remains the ultimate goal of Marini and his recent run of top five challenges certainly confirms it as a realistic target. Consistency and adaptability will be key during the Malaysian GP, a weekend always characterised by high temperature, heavy rain and changeable conditions.
Throughout 2025, Joan Mir has shown incredible raw speed with a number of hard charging rides through the pack. When qualifying further forward, the #36 has been able to battle for, and take, the podium and repeating this remains the target in the closing trio of races. Arriving to Sepang in 2025, Mir is also looking to break a run of DNFs at the track.
Temperatures creeping into the 30s are predicted for much of the weekend with the 20-lap Grand Prix of Malaysia scheduled to start at 15:00 Local Time on Sunday, October 26.
Luca Marini (10) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castol.
Luca Marini:“Ready for another race in what I am sure will be an interesting weekend. Sepang is a very particular track and having tested there, you always get a chance to compare what you’ve worked on through the year. It’s a circuit with a big variety of braking, corners and straights and I think this will suit us a little more than in Phillip Island. Three races to achieve our targets and we will keep working until the very end, we are close.”
Joan Mir (36) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Honda HRC Castrol
Joan Mir:“This weekend we need to start well and be inside the top ten from Friday, like this we can have some more margin during the rest of the weekend. It’s clear that the bike has a lot of potential and I know that we can be there fighting with Luca and the other riders at the front. We’ve seen the last couple of races that these overseas ones are quite unpredictable, but I think our package has improved a lot to be quite consistent.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Augusto Fernández Returns to Action for Malaysian GP Wild-Card Entry with the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team.
This weekend Augusto Fernández will spearhead the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team as a wild-card rider at Round 20 of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, held at the Sepang International Circuit. His main aim for this weekend is to continue collecting data on the V4-powered prototype in a premier-class race-weekend setting.
Yamaha is pleased to confirm that Augusto Fernández and the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team will take part in the Grand Prix of Malaysia weekend as a wild-card entry. They will use the available track time to gather further data to boost the V4-powered prototype development, building upon their work done in Misano in September.
Fernández, who is the 2022 Moto2 World Champion and a former premier-class rider (2023-2024), already joined the full-time Yamaha teams as a wild-card rider three times before this year, in Aragon, Brno, and Misano, testing the V4-powered prototype at the latter occasion. The Spaniard is highly motivated to continue his endeavours this weekend with the Yamaha Racing MotoGP Test Team at the track where he scored a best result of fourth place in Moto2 in 2022. His best premier-class result in Malaysia was last year’s 10th position.
The Sepang International Circuit staged its first Grand Prix in 1999 and has been on the MotoGP calendar ever since. The 5.5km track has a reputation for providing very exciting racing thanks to a mixture of slow and medium-to-high-speed corners (five left and ten right) and two long straights, the longest measuring 920m. The circuit is also one of the longest tracks of the MotoGP season, and the riders have to negotiate it in extremely hot and humid conditions, making this GP extra challenging.
The Grand Prix of Malaysia is held in the GMT+8 time zone. FP1 will take place on Friday from 10:45-11:30 local track time and Practice will be held from 15:00-16:00. On Saturday, FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40, and the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, followed by the 10-lap Sprint that starts at 15:00. On Sunday*, Warm Up is held from 10:40-10:50 and the 20-lap Race starts at 15:00.
*On Sunday, October 26th, daylight saving time will start in Europe. The clocks in Malaysia do not change, increasing the time difference between Malaysia and Europe by one hour for the Sunday.
Augusto Fernández. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
AUGUSTO FERNÁNDEZ – Yamaha Factory Racing Test Rider:“I’m happy to be back racing. After the GP in Misano, it has been a long time, but I’m very excited about the upcoming weekend. We will keep improving the package of our V4-powered prototype. We’re back on track and racing again. I missed riding the V4-powered prototype so much, and I can’t wait to start the weekend and see what’s possible. But, of course, it’s going to be another weekend of developing the prototype bike, so the main target is to be ready for the next season.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
It does not feel like so long ago that Red Bull KTM Tech3 was in Malaysia for the traditional opening winter test of the season with a brand new exciting line up, Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales, both ready to embark into a new adventure in orange. Yet, nine months have gone by, and the team is back at the Sepang International Circuit, with a slightly different line up though, as Pol Espargaro continues to put the work in while Viñales focuses on recovery. The Grand Prix of Malaysia will be the final leg of the fly aways, before MotoGP™ heads back to Europe for the two final rounds of 2025, in Portimao and Valencia.
Both Enea Bastianini and Pol Espargaro will be heading to Malaysia after showing good form in Phillip Island last week. If the weekend had not started right, Enea sorted things out during the course of the weekend, after turning his P20 on the grid into a top 10 in the sprint, and a 9th place on the Sunday. Meanwhile, teammate Pol Espargaro, filling in for Maverick Viñales, impressed with a direct Q2 ticket in Practice to qualify in 8th, before scoring a point in the sprint, and finishing Australia on a high with a top 10 on Sunday. Both Red Bull KTM Tech3 riders will be eager to keep the momentum going at the Sepang International Circuit, a track they both know very well, as the majority of the championship, with Malaysia being a key testing destination. As we expect the KTM package to be competitive, both riders will have to face the tough conditions of Malaysia, hot temperature and high level of humidity, as they look to bring valuable points for the team before heading home.
As the Grand Prix of Malaysia marks the end of the overseas tour, you don’t want to miss this one! The action will start on Friday at 10:45 local time (UTC+8) with Free Practice 1, followed by Practice in the afternoon at 15:00, as both Enea Bastianini and Pol Espargaro will try to make their way to the top 10 for those precious direct Q2 tickets. The first highlights of the weekend will be on Saturday with qualifying kicking off at 10:50 LT, shortly after Free Practice 2. It will then be time for the Tissot Sprint, with lights going out at 15:00 local time for ten laps. Finally, the main show will be on Sunday with the MotoGP™ main race, as riders will line up on the grid for a start at 15:00 (UTC+8). Here we come, Malaysia!
Enea Bastianini (23) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “We are arriving in Malaysia, a track where we have reference from the pre-season with the KTM, which is already a positive. However, many things have changed since February, the bike is quite different, and the way I have adapted to the KTM and how I ride it, is different too. We are coming from a positive race in Australia, so I think that we can be competitive this week in Malaysia, and get closer to our rivals.”
Pol Espargaro (44) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3.
Pol Espargaro: “Sepang is a track where I have spent a lot of time, done many laps, so I know the circuit very well. However, the temperatures are so high with a lot of humidity, which makes it very difficult physically. Anyway, after our good weekend in Australia, I am looking forward to a new full race weekend with the team, to try helping everyone and gather important information for the factory heading to the off season. Our package should work well in Malaysia, so let’s see if we can be competitive, and battle against Aprilia, since they have shown excellent form lately.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We are ready for the last round of the Asian tour with the Grand Prix of Malaysia at the very well known Sepang International Circuit, a test destination as we come every year during the pre-season. We are expecting an interesting weekend for Enea Bastianini, as it is a track which he enjoys, having won there back in 2023. It is going to be the first time that he races on a track where he already have data with the KTM, so we think it will be a big help for him, and he is is arriving from a solid race in Phillip Island, so hopefully we can keep the momentum going as we hope a comeback close to the top 5. Pol Espargaro has done an incredible job so far with us, scoring 3 top 10 results in 3 rounds, and if there would be one, we would give him the award of the fastest test rider this season! Sepang is not his favorite track, but he will approach this weekend with calm and no pressure, which has paid off this year for him, so let’s see what he is capable of achieving here.”
ABOUT THE TRACK:
Specifically built for speed and exciting racing, the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia is one of the world’s best. The 2,300 acre complex which also houses a hotel, shopping centre, golf course and other sports facilities cost around £50m to construct and was built in just 14 months, holding its first Grand Prix in April 1999 and setting the standard for race circuits worldwide. With four slow corners following two long straights and ten medium to high-speed corners, the wide track is particularly favourable to overtaking manoeuvres and plenty of open throttle. One of the longest laps in MotoGP is made all the more gruelling for riders by intense heat and humidity. Sepang is located around 50km south of Kuala Lumpur city.
RACK RECORDS
All Time Record: 2024 – F. Bagnaia (ITA) – 1’56.337 – 171.5 km/h
Best Race Lap: 2023 – A. Marquez (SPA) – 1’58.979 – 167.7 km/h
Best Pole: : 2024 – F. Bagnaia (ITA) – 1’56.337 – 171.5 km/h
Top Speed: 2015 – A. Iannone (ITA) – 339.6 km/h
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Miller and Oliveira Target Points as MotoGP Lands in Sepang for the Malaysian GP.
With the return to Europe approaching, the MotoGP World Championship leaves Australia behind and prepares for this weekend‘s round at the Sepang International Circuit, home of the Malaysian GP — the 20th race of the season. A weekend where Jack Miller, Miguel Oliveira, and the entire Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team aim to fight for important points right from the opening sessions.
After an Australian GP that mixed joy and disappointment — from Jack Miller‘s impressive third place in qualifying and fourth in Saturday‘s Sprint Race, to the unfortunate crash early in Sunday‘s race while battling among the front runners — the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team leaves Phillip Island and heads to Sepang for the 20th round of the championship.
Malaysia marks the final stop in the four-race overseas stretch before the season returns to Europe for the closing rounds. For both Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira, it‘s a return to the track where, at the end of January, they first began their journey with the Yamaha YZR-M1. Since then, the bike has made significant progress, and this weekend will be a good opportunity to see what the Australian and Portuguese riders can achieve.
The Sepang International Circuit is one of the tracks where Miguel has achieved some of his greatest successes, with two victories — in 2015 in Moto3 and in 2017 in Moto2 — a second place the following year, and a third place in 2013 in Moto3, along with two front-row starts. Jack‘s best result here is a second place in 2014 in Moto3, starting from pole position. Last year, he was involved in a heavy crash at the start of the race, fortunately escaping without injury.
After 19 rounds, Miller sits 18th in the championship with 66 points, while Oliveira is 20th with 36. The Prima Pramac Yamaha team currently holds 11th place in the team standings with 105 points.
Malaysia GP schedule:
Friday 10:45 (4:45 CET) Free Practice 1; 15:00 (9:00 CET) Practice
Saturday: 10:10 (4:10 CET) Free Practice 2; 10:50 (4:50 CET) Qualifying; 15:00 (9:00 CET) Sprint Race (10 laps – 55,43 km)
Sunday: 10:40 (3:40 CET) Warm-up; 15:00 (8:00 CET) Race (20 laps – 110,86 km)
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
“We‘re returning to Malaysia after the pre-season tests, where we went quite well. We know it won‘t be an easy track for us, as there are some sections where we might struggle a bit, but since those early tests the bike has improved a lot. If we start off on the right foot from the very first sessions, we can have a really good weekend.”
Jack Miller (43) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Jack Miller:“The home GP was an intense one — a real rollercoaster of emotions. Even though it didn‘t end the way we had all hoped, it was amazing to feel the love and support from so many fans who came from all over Australia to cheer for us. With that same energy, we‘re now focusing on the next challenge — one of the most technically complete circuits on the calendar, where we hope to showcase the strengths of the YZR-M1.”
Miguel Oliveira during the MotoGP Pre-event at Kuala Lumpur. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Miguel Oliveira:“I am really motivated for the Malaysian GP, especially after the strong pace we showed in the second part of last race. We believe the bike setup we found in Australia can work well here too. The goal is to have a solid weekend, finding the right feeling with my Yamaha straight from the first session.”
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More from a press release issued by Lenovo Ducati:
Round 20 in Malaysia for the Ducati Lenovo Team.
The Ducati Lenovo Team’s final oversea round of the 2025 season will be at the Sepang International Circuit, once again featuring the Bagnaia-Pirro duo. As announced, Marc Márquez, the current World Champion, is continuing his recovery from surgery and will not attend the event.
Sepang, a track just outside the city of Kuala Lumpur, has hosted regular races since 1999. Ducati has won here eight times: Loris Capirossi achieved the feat in 2005, followed by Stoner’s double win between 2007 and 2009, before a seven-year drought. Andrea Dovizioso brought the Desmosedici GP back to the top step of the podium in 2016 and 2017. The Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s roll of honor at this track concludes with the wins of the last three editions: Pecco Bagnaia won in 2022, then Enea Bastianini in 2023, and Pecco again last year.
It was anything but an easy weekend for Pecco, with a double crash and a huge amount of data to analyze. The entire Team is working meticulously to close the gap and get back to fighting for the top places on a challenging track, with very particular weather conditions but a layout that certainly is suitable to the power of the Desmosedici GP.
Michele, who, as a test rider, regularly visits Sepang in the early months of the year, is back racing on a decidedly more familiar track. The appointment for both riders is Friday, October 24th, at 10:45 a.m. local time, for the first free practice session.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Mandalika. Photo courtesy Lenovo Ducati Team.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd (274 points) “I’m leaving behind another difficult weekend, with two crashes between the Sprint and the race. I’m not satisfied, but I know that, at least for Sunday’s race, I did everything I could to stay with the group and recover positions. It’s not an easy situation, but the whole Team and I are doing everything we can to fully understand the bike’s behavior and get back to being competitive. Furthermore, on this track, we have all the data from the early February test to be able to make a real comparison”.
Michele Pirro (51) at Phillip Island. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo Team
Michele Pirro (#51 Ducati Lenovo Team) “The first race weekend was challenging: Phillip Island is tough, both physically and in terms of riding. I hadn’t raced there since years. In Sepang, however, I feel more comfortable; I’ve already ridden here with this bike, and we definitely have more reference points. We’re continuing to work and gather information”.
2024 Results:
GP Podium: 1° Bagnaia (Ducati); 2° Martin (Ducati), 3° Bastianini (Ducati)
Pole Position: Bagnaia (Ducati), 01:56.337
Fastest Lap: Bagnaia (Ducati), 01:59.118
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP to Give Final Push in Malaysian Fly-Away-Rounds Wrap-Up.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins are determined to push to the limit at the Sepang International Circuit during this weekend’s Grand Prix of Malaysia, Round 20 of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team have travelled from Phillip Island, Australia, to Sepang, Malaysia, for Round 20 of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, the final fly-away round on the calendar.
Despite challenges in the Australian GP Race, Fabio Quartararo holds on to 9th place in the championship standings, and he will be on the attack again this weekend. He has raced at the Sepang circuit seven times (in the Moto3 class in 2016, in Moto2 in 2017 and 2018, and in MotoGP in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024) and never finished a full-length race outside the top 7. He came close to a podium in 2016, finishing fourth, and in 2018 and 2023, when he finished fifth. He had his first and only podium finish on Malaysian soil in 2022, when he secured third place despite riding with a hand injury sustained in a crash earlier that weekend.
Álex Rins thoroughly enjoyed battling in the Phillip Island Race and is feeling eager to step aboard his M1 again to continue the progress he and his crew have been making at the recent GPs. He arrives at the final overseas round holding 19th place in the rankings and fully motivated. The Spaniard is looking forward to the Malaysian GP, as Sepang historically is a good track for him. He secured second place there in 2013 and third place in 2014 in the Moto3 class, and in the premier class he rode to second place in 2018. Moreover, last year he scored his best 2024 full-length race result on Malaysian soil with an eighth place, and he is keen to repeat the feat this year.
The Sepang International Circuit staged its first Grand Prix in 1999 and has been on the MotoGP calendar ever since. The 5.5km track has a reputation for providing very exciting racing thanks to a mixture of slow and medium-to-high-speed corners (five left and ten right) and two long straights, the longest measuring 920m. The circuit is also one of the longest tracks of the MotoGP season, and the riders have to negotiate it in extremely hot and humid conditions, making this GP extra challenging.
The Grand Prix of Malaysia is held in the GMT+8 time zone. FP1 will take place on Friday from 10:45-11:30 local track time and Practice will be held from 15:00-16:00. On Saturday, FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40, and the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, followed by the 10-lap Sprint that starts at 15:00. On Sunday*, Warm Up is held from 10:40-10:50 and the 20-lap Race starts at 15:00.
*On Sunday, October 26th, daylight saving time will start in Europe. The clocks in Malaysia do not change, increasing the time difference between Malaysia and Europe by one hour for the Sunday.
However, before firing up their engines on Friday at the Sepang track, Quartararo and Rins took the opportunity to visit the Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn. Bhd. (HLYM) headquarters, joined by Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP’s Miguel Oliveira as well as BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara and Tony Arbolino. The five riders enjoyed a warm reception, giving them an extra boost for the Malaysian GP weekend.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“The previous round didn’t quite turn out as we had hoped. Fabio had another pole position and even set a new all-time lap record, but we need to learn from what happened during the Sprint and the Race and do better this time round. Álex, on the other hand, had a good Race and is growing in confidence. Historically, Sepang is usually a good track for us. Last year, Fabio and Álex also got decent results here. Moreover, we had a good winter test here at the start of this year during the off-season, which created high expectations, so we are keen to keep that trend going this weekend.”
Alex Rins on the left and Fabio Quartararo on the right during the Motogp Pre-event at Kuala Lumpur. Photo courtesy Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Fabio Quartararo:“I took a couple of days of rest to recharge before coming to Malaysia. Now we’re here in Sepang for the last fly-away round, and let’s see what we can do. We did some testing here earlier in the year, but since then the bike has changed a lot. Hopefully we can get some good results and finish this overseas trip on a positive note. For sure, the Malaysian fans will be cheering us on, which is always really nice.”
Alex Rins: “The Race in Phillip Island felt amazing. Finishing P7 is a strong result, so I’m eager to see what we can do in Sepang. We’re making good steps forward, and that’s what matters most. We’ll keep this set-up for this weekend. Hopefully we get mostly dry track time so we can collect solid data, and then let’s see what’s possible.”
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Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
