Luca Marini led MotoGP World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:58.415 to lead the 23-rider field.
Franco Morbidelli was the best of the rest with a 1:58.422 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team Ducati Desmosedici GP24.
Francesco Bagnaia was third at 1:58.585 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marini’s teammate, Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 1:58.692.
Fermin Aldeguer, piloting his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24, got fifth with a lap time of 1:58.724.
Jake Dixon led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two Saturday morning, at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. The Brit used his Pirelli-shod ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro to lap the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track in 2:03.633, which led the field of 30 riders and broke his own 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 2:04.131 he set during FP1.
Aron Canet was the best of the rest with a 2:03.642 on his Fantic Racing Kalex.
Daniel Muñoz was third-fastest with a 2:03.680 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 15th with a best time of 2:04.440 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Ryusei Yamanaka led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Yamanaka used his Pirelli-shod Frinsa – MT Helmets – MSI KTM to lap the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track in 2:10.160 to lead the field of 26 riders
Leopard Racing Honda’s riders David Almansa was second-best with a time of 2:10.253 and Adrian Fernandez claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2:10.358.
More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finishes 2nd in Friday Practice at the Sepang International Circuit.
After a demanding start to the day, with heavy rain hitting during the morning session, Johann Zarco and the crew remained determined to take a step forward.
In the afternoon, at crunch time and with dry conditions, the Frenchman delivered an excellent performance to finish 2nd.
With this result, Johann goes straight to Q2, feeling increasingly comfortable and confident on the bike. The team and rider are fully committed to making the most of Saturday’s qualifying and Sprint.
Johann Zarco (5) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Johann Zarco 2nd – (1’57.578) :“I’m really happy with today. We set a strong lap time and secured direct access to Q2, which was the main goal. We made another step forward overall, and I’ve regained my confidence on the bike, which is very important. We tested a few different setups, and I felt comfortable with the direction we took. Tomorrow, we’ll aim for a strong qualifying to start the Sprint from a good grid position. It’s a positive way to begin the weekend.”
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Miller Leads the Charge for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP with Third Place in Sepang Practice.
At the end of a rather chaotic Practice session — with a brief sprinkle of rain in the closing minutes that threatened to shake up the standings — Jack Miller delivered for the Prima Pramac Yamaha team, securing a direct spot in Q2 with the third-fastest time of the session. It was a tougher outing for Miguel Oliveira, who had to settle for 18th place, meaning he‘ll need to fight his way through Q1 tomorrow morning. Qualifying for the Malaysian GP, 20th round of the MotoGP World Championship, is scheduled for 10:50 a.m. local time (4:50 a.m. CET), followed in the afternoon by the Sprint Race, which will award the first points of the weekend over ten laps.
Jack Miller quickly put behind him the disappointment of last Sunday‘s early crash in his home GP at Phillip Island, closing today‘s Malaysian GP Practice — round 20 of the MotoGP World Championship — in third place. The session turned chaotic in its final stages when rain briefly fell on the Sepang circuit, making it seem like the classification — and the list of the top 10 riders advancing directly to Q2 — was already set. But, as often happens here, the sun quickly returned, drying the asphalt in minutes and allowing everyone to head back out for a last push on new tires.
What had been shaping up to be a complicated session for the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team — with Oliveira sitting 15th and Miller 17th — suddenly changed complexion. The Australian stopped the clock at 1‘57”840, climbing to third overall. Oliveira also managed to improve in those final laps, though it wasn‘t enough to move him higher than P18.
Tomorrow, at 10:50 a.m. local time (4:50 a.m. CET), the Portuguese rider will chase one of the two remaining Q2 spots in Q1, while Miller will look to secure a front-row start shortly after. Then, at 3:00 p.m. local time (9:00 a.m. CET), it‘ll be time for the Sprint Race, handing out the weekend‘s first points.
Malaysian GP schedule:
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
“A half-good day — the good half coming from Jack, who felt comfortable right from the start and never complained about the bike‘s behavior, as he then proved with his third-fastest time in Practice. I‘m really happy for him; we won‘t have much to change on his bike ahead of tomorrow. On the other hand, there‘s quite a lot of work to do on Miguel‘s side — he still can‘t find a good feeling, and the electronics aren‘t responding the way he needs, so there‘s plenty to sort out. I hope to see him take a step forward tomorrow.”
Jack Miller (43) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Jack Miller: “I was very nervous at the end of the session. On the first time attack I got the yellow flag of Alex Marquez, tried to reset but then in turn 1-2-3 it was starting to rain and at that point I was P16, P17, something like that. Thankfully we were able to get out again, there was a break in the clouds and it‘s so warm here that all the little water that there was on the track dissipated pretty quick and so I was able to put up a couple of good times. The bike is behaving pretty well, all of the areas where we don‘t have to accelerate are really good. It was important to secure a direct place in Q2, now let‘s see what we can do tomorrow.”
Miguel Oliveira (88) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Miguel Oliveira: “Not a great day. The feeling on the front end under braking was quite strange, like the bike was not constant through the entire braking phase. As for the rear, I could bring the tire to bite enough to generate some grip out of the corner, so it was not a fantastic day, but we three fast Yamahas in front of me we have some data to look and have another chance tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol:
Mir rises above chaotic Malaysian GP Friday.
Just when everything looked set, the weather played its part to produce an electrifying end to practice. Joan Mir continued his front-running efforts in fourth as other riders halted Luca Marini’s attempt to crack the top ten right at the end.
There was no waiting around at the Sepang International Circuit for Joan Mir who made his intentions clear immediately, quickly getting to grips with his Honda RC213V. Third in FP1 and fourth fastest in the crucial afternoon session, Mir was only rider to stay within the top five in both sessions. Keeping his cool even when the conditions began to change towards the end of the session, Mir demonstrated his connection with the Honda RC213V this weekend. The Honda HRC Castrol rider’s consistency bodes well for the rest of the weekend as Mir chases more points and progress in his best season to date with the factory team.
A late shower of rain in the afternoon kickstarted a flurry of activity with just over ten minutes left and plenty of Q2 places still open, Luca Marini having spent the majority of the afternoon working on his race setup. Having been a near permanent fixture well inside the top ten, Marini was determined to keep the pace he was showing. With so little time left after the rain and everyone pushing for Q2, traffic would become a factor and the #10 was forced to settle for 11th, just 0.062s shy of the top ten after taking avoiding action.
Weather forecasts remain unpredictable, the grid and Saturday’s Sprint as wide open as ever. 0.8s splitting the top 15, everything remains open and as promising as ever for all four Honda HRC riders on the grid.
Joan Mir (36) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Joan Mir:“Today was a really good day, a positive day from the first exit of FP1. Straight away my feeling with the bike was strong and our package is looking competitive. We did a lot of work with the team yesterday to plan the setup and everything and it meant we were able to accomplish a lot today. When you start with the bike already feeling like this, you’re only doing small adjustments for the conditions, and everything is easier. After the rain, you had the potential to lose everything, but we showed our level by bouncing back really well. Tomorrow we can improve again and I’m looking forward to getting out on track again.”
Luca Marini (10) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Luca Marini:“Unlucky this Friday, bad luck in the last ten minutes. I was spending a lot of time on track in the afternoon working on our pace and setting for the race so when I went out with the first tyre, that’s when it started to rain. We had the possibility to stay in Q2, but on my final flying lap other riders were there in Sector 4 and I had to lift. The important thing is that we can see clearly the progress we have made since the winter test here and it’s really impressive. Q1 tomorrow will be tough with the other riders but like we’ve seen today, a lot can happen and we never give up.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Quartararo and Rins Secure Places in Sepang Saturday’s Q2.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP had to think on their feet on the Grand Prix of Malaysia Friday as the conditions were changeable at the Sepang International Circuit. Through strategic riding, Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins finished inside the top 10 in the afternoon Practice. They secured fifth and tenth place respectively, putting both riders on the Q2 entry list.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins showed speed in the Grand Prix of Malaysia Practice session. Despite a mixed first day at the Sepang track in terms of weather conditions, the teammates set solid lap times and successfully put in their bids for places in tomorrow’s Q2. They finished in fifth and tenth place respectively in the Practice rankings.
Quartararo had a good start to the Malaysian GP weekend and had set the eighth fastest time in FP1 before a sudden downpour. He soon held the same position in the afternoon Practice live timing, but the time attacks kicked off earlier than normal as dark clouds started to form. The Frenchman was temporarily bumped out of the top 10 but soon recovered to P1. However, he wasn’t home dry just yet. Several competitors saved their best effort for last, pushing him back to the danger zone. The Yamaha man responded with a 1’57.868s best time, set on lap 15/15, which earned him fifth place, 0.309s from the top.
Rins struggled to find grip in the morning, and with a monsoon ending progress early, he finished FP1 in 18th place. He knew he had work to do in the afternoon and made the most of the available dry track time in the Practice before starting his first shoot out. He timed it perfectly, before spots of rain started to fall, and found some extra speed to move up to fifth. However, as more hot laps came in, he was pushed outside the top 10 again. During the final time attack the Spaniard gave it his all. His 1’58.117s, clocked on lap 16, moved him temporarily into fourth again. Keen to put in another lap as the times kept dropping, he set a fastest first sector on his last try but crashed in Turn 5. He walked away unhurt and still held P10 at the end of the Practice, 0.558s from the top.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action tomorrow for the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 GMT+8, followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 10-lap Sprint, which starts at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“The mixed conditions made it a busy and tricky but also strategically interesting day. Despite a lack of rear grip – which seems to be a general problem as the overall field is quite far from the all-time lap record at this track – and despite the constantly changing track conditions, we were able to make progress. Both our riders did a great job adapting to the changes. They made the most of the available dry track time and pushed when it counted most. Álex had a crash in Turn 5 and was unable to finish his second time attack, but the most important thing is that he wasn’t injured and is still in Q2. Having both riders inside the top 10 was the goal for today, and we achieved this. Our one-lap speed is pretty decent, but we will continue to work on long-run pace. The team will work hard this evening and tomorrow morning to help the riders find something extra for tomorrow’s qualifying and the Sprint.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo:“I’m not feeling great on the bike so far. When the grip is low, we tend to struggle. The feeling is a bit different than usual, and we haven’t been able to find a solution yet. We know we are fast over one lap, but we are still trying to figure out how to improve our pace over a race distance. Hopefully, the weather can help us out a bit tomorrow.”
Alex Rins (42) At Sepang. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Alex Rins:“The track conditions were quite tricky in the wet and also in mixed conditions with some drops of rain. But today managing the tyres was the main difficulty. In FP1, we were suffering a lot with the rear tyre and also the front. We were using tyres that we didn’t use in the test, because we know they don’t work, but we needed to save the other tyres, so we used these tyres today. Anyway, apart from this we struggled with grip in the Practice too. It was dry, but the grip on track was not perfect. But we tried to find traction on the bike and a good set-up, and in the end I’m inside the top 10, so this is quite positive. I crashed in corner five because I was on the limit, but I’m in Q2 for the third time in a row, so I’m quite happy.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
The Malaysian Grand Prix is truly on for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP™ squad, with an eventful first day having taken place at the Sepang International Circuit. The rain played a part in Friday’s festivities making the afternoon’s Practice a tricky one to go through, but Pol Espargaro stood out once again as he claimed the 8th place of Practice in Malaysia, to qualify directly to Q2, just one week after he did it in Australia. Enea Bastianini finished in 19th, and he will have to go through a busy Q1, alongside the three last race winners who failed to make the top 10-cut.
While Maverick Viñales continued to focus on his recovery spending a few key days at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Austria, Pol Espargaro continued to do his things on track, with an excellent Friday in Sepang. On a layout that he obviously knows like his pocket, the Spaniard had the feeling straight away on his RC16 on Friday morning, as he wrapped up FP1 with the 4th fastest time in 2’00.581, just 0.382 secs off rookie Fermin Aldeguer, fastest this morning. In a rather unpredictable Practice session disrupted by the rain, Pol Espargaro managed to brilliantly stand out, and he placed his RC16 within the top 10 alongside Pedro Acosta who took the honours. The number 44 managed to clock in an excellent late 1’58.055 that had him in provisional 3rd within minutes to the end. However, red sectors were all over the place in a hectic final Practice showdown, but Pol’s lap was enough to make the Q2 cut in the end!
Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite the same feeling on Enea Bastianini’s side of the box, who struggled all day through to get comfortable on his KTM, despite already having 3 full track days in the bag during the pre-season. The Italian’s best in FP1 was a 2’01.338, 1.139 seconds from the top of the timesheets. Bastianini headed to Practice eager to try making some improvements, but the struggles continued. An improved lap in 1’58.953 as the sun was out again was his best, one that placed him in P19. Bastianini will face Q1 on Saturday morning at 10:50 local time (UTC+8), shortly after Free Practice 2 kicking off the day at 10:10. Then the Tissot Sprint will take place at 15:00 LT, for 10 laps!
Pol Espargaro (44) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Pol Espargaro: “I am very pleased with the work done today! In the continuity of Australia, everything comes together when I push, so it is a great feeling. After the first lap time, it started to rain, and I was begging for more rain, because my lap time was already fast, and I did not know if I could go faster! Then, we all went for it again, and I could improve by half a second, which is so fast, but still 0.5 seconds slower than Pedro (Acosta), but it is amazing for us anyway. The weekend is starting well, with two KTMs inside the top 10, so let’s try to keep the work going, and hopefully we can qualify well for both sprint and race.”
Enea Bastianini (23) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Enea Bastianini: “We are once again in a similar scenario to all the other weekends. Friday feels like we are riding this bike for the first time, then we get better on Saturday, but it is too late for Sunday. The confidence on the bike here is too low, we did not get any positive feeling today. It feels very strange to be two seconds slower than a few years ago, on a track that I have always been fast on, and I don’t know what we can do to fix that, without the confidence. We are far from our potential right now, so we have a lot of work to do to get back a good feeling.”
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More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing Team:
Q2 for Alex Marquez despite two crashes, Fermin Aldeguer excels in FP then finishes 13th.
Free Practice 1 – MalaysianGP
1st – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (2’00.199s)
7th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (2’00.720s)
Practice – MalaysianGP
9th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’58.057s) Q2
13th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’58.279s) Q1
Alex Marquez (73) at Sepang. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini
Alex Marquez: “It surely wasn’t our best Friday to kick off the weekend. I had a couple of crashes, and the track conditions were quite different from testing. In the first crash, I also felt some discomfort in my neck, which affected me quite a bit in the afternoon. We hit our minimum target, but there’s still a lot of work to do ahead of tomorrow.”
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Sepang. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini
Fermin Aldeguer: “The feeling was much better than what the final result shows. We were quickest this morning and for most of the second session. Then a small issue with the bike and the threat of rain made me a little nervous once I got back to the pits. After that, I just couldn’t put together the right lap, but there’s still plenty of margin for tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Aprilia:
Challenging Friday for Aprilia Racing at Sepang.
The opening day of practice at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit proved challenging for Aprilia Racing. The particular track conditions and consequently limited grip affected the sessions. In FP1, rain started to fall twelve minutes before the end, preventing Marco Bezzecchi from improving his time. The Italian rider finished the session in fifth place, just three tenths off the fastest lap. In the afternoon, during the practice session and after a light rain, Bezzecchi returned to the track but was unable to set an ideal time-attack, finishing the session in fifteenth, meaning he will go through Q1.
Standing in for Jorge Martín, Lorenzo Savadori used Friday to continue development work on the RS-GP25. The Italian rider finished the practice in twenty-first place and will take part in Q1 on Saturday.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Aprilia
Marco Bezzecchi:“The conditions certainly didn’t help, but they were the same for everyone. Unfortunately, I struggled a little more than on previous Fridays, and we aren’t quite there yet. We still have time to try to turn things around, and we’ll aim to make the most of Q1.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing
Lorenzo Savadori: “As in recent GP’s when I’ve stood in for Jorge, we’re continuing to test new components and conduct some experiments with the electronics. The conditions were unusual, and we all struggled with them. On Saturday, we’ll all be looking to take a step forward.”
Paolo Bonora – Team Manager:“Sepang is a track where we aim to build on the development work and progress achieved over the season. It’s been a challenging start: the track conditions weren’t ideal, and limited grip certainly didn’t help. Nonetheless, we remain confident despite Friday’s challenges because we’ve already demonstrated several times this year that by staying focused and working closely with our riders, we can effectively address our weak points.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo:
Challenging Practice at Sepang for the Ducati Lenovo Team: Bagnaia twelfth, Pirro twenty-second and both in Q1.
The Ducati Lenovo Team completed the opening day of action at the Sepang International Circuit, venue of the twentieth Grand Prix of the season. After a solid performance in Free Practice, Francesco Bagnaia finished Practice in twelfth place. Like his teammate Michele Pirro, who was twenty-second, he will take part in Q1 tomorrow.
Bagnaia, second in the morning’s wet FP session, remained in the top three for most of Practice. However, with light rain arriving in the final minutes, Pecco was unable to improve his lap time and ended the day twelfth, just 0.089s away from the top ten. Michele Pirro continued his development work on the Desmosedici GP to conclude day one in twenty-second position.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back on track tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT +8) for Free Practice 2, followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The twentieth Sprint of the season will take place over ten laps at 15:00.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo.
Francesco Bagnaia: “We made a small step forward and it was a clear one, as we were in the top positions in both sessions. Unfortunately, there was a little bit of chaos towards the end of Practice and we couldn’t improve, so we missed the direct seed to Q2. We must stay calm and keep working: tomorrow’s Q1 will be both important and challenging, but the goal is to keep growing in terms of feeling and performance. At the moment, the issue I’m experiencing is that I’m having a hard time making the bike turn. There are a couple of corners where, exactly for this reason, I end up losing a lot of time.”
Michele Pirro (51) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo.
Michele Pirro: “We’re working on the bike set-up, which is completely different from the one we had at Phillip Island. The feeling is OK at the moment, but I’m having a hard time getting up to speed with the soft tyre during the time attack. Generally speaking, I chose not to take too many risks, especially when the conditions were not ideal. The solutions we tried today didn’t work as we had hoped, so we’ll analyse the data to find a different direction ahead of qualifying and the Sprint.”
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More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra has finished 20th on Friday at the Sepang International Circuit.
Back in Sepang after several months, Somkiat Chantra started the morning session testing different setups to feel more at ease on the track.
Sudden heavy rain during FP1 disrupted the plans, highlighting areas where improvement is needed.
In the afternoon, using soft tyres on both ends, the rider felt more comfortable and made progress.
Saturday’s qualifying will be an opportunity for Chantra and the team to push hard on a circuit the Thai rider enjoys.
Somkiat Chantra (35) at Sepang. Photo courtesy IDEMITSU Honda LCR.
Somkiat Chantra:“FP1 was quite challenging. I started the session on a hard front tyre and medium rear and didn’t feel comfortable, but I was able to improve lap by lap. In the afternoon, we tested different setups and I felt much better. With soft tyres front and rear, my lap time improved. We’ll aim to carry this progress into qualifying tomorrow.”
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) 2026 National Roadracing series presented by Motobilia will unfold over 11 weekends at a variety of racetracks throughout the United States.
“We’re incredibly excited to release the 2026 AHRMA Road Race schedule. A tremendous amount of thought and collaboration went into building this lineup, led by our Road Race Director, Leasha Overturf, and the dedicated Road Race Committee. Every decision was made with careful consideration of our racer ‘heat map’, the economics of travel and participation, and, most importantly, creating an unforgettable member racing experience at some of the most iconic tracks in North America. I can’t wait to kick off the season and hope to see everyone at our first round at Roebling Road Raceway in February!” said Greg Tomlinson, Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees.
The season kicks off on February 12 with an AHRMA run track day at Roebling Road Raceway and moves into the race weekend from February 13-15, in Bloomingdale, GA and will conclude the weekend of October 8, during the 21st Annual Barber Vintage Festival in Birmingham, AL.
This season includes a western back-to-back with a weekend at Big Willow/Willow Springs, CA, followed by Inde Motorsports Ranch, AZ, and an eastern back-to-back with Gingerman Raceway, MI, followed by Blackhawk Farms Raceway, IL.
Mark your calendar now for some of the world’s best classic motorcycle racing events with AHRMA.
2026 AHRMA National Roadracing Series Schedule*
2/12-15 Roebling Road Raceway; Bloomingdale, GA
3/13-15 Carolina Motorsports Park; Kershaw, SC
4/17-19 Big Willow, Willow Springs Raceway; Rosamond, CA
4/24-26 Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox AZ
5/15-17 Motorsport Park Hastings; Hastings, NE
6/5-6/7 Autobahn, Joliet, IL
6/26-28 New Jersey Motorsports Park; Millville, NJ
7/24-26 Gingerman Raceway; South Haven, MI
7/31-8/2 Blackhawk Farms Raceway; South Beloit, IL
9/11-13 Nelson Ledges Road Course; Garrettsville, OH
10/8-11 Barber Motorsports Park; Birmingham, AL
*Preliminary Schedule as of 10/23/2025, subject to change
**The Barber Vintage Festival event is a no refund event. All road racers MUST BE FULL Members (no weekend memberships are available)
The AHRMA Academy of Roadracing (AAR) and the Sidecar Racing School (SRS) will be held on Friday of most events except the Barber Vintage Festival. Pass the school on Friday and be eligible to race the weekend. Final school schedule will be announced at a later date.
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With about 3,000 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
A week after racing a Team Hammer Suzuki GSX-R750 with ASRA during his Daytona debut, MotoAmerica Talent Cup race winner Bodie Paige finished 3rd in Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 held on Friday of the MotoGP event weekend In Malaysia, at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit.
During wet FP1, wild-card rider Paige was third with a lap time of 2:39.162 (+1.286) and during dry FP2 he finished third again with a time of 2:18.967 (+0.772). The Asia Talent Cup runs NSF250 Hondas.
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.
Luca Marini (10) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Luca Marini led MotoGP World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Riding his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:58.415 to lead the 23-rider field.
Franco Morbidelli was the best of the rest with a 1:58.422 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team Ducati Desmosedici GP24.
Francesco Bagnaia was third at 1:58.585 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marini’s teammate, Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 1:58.692.
Fermin Aldeguer, piloting his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24, got fifth with a lap time of 1:58.724.
Jake Dixon (96) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Marc VDS Team.
Jake Dixon led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two Saturday morning, at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. The Brit used his Pirelli-shod ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro to lap the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track in 2:03.633, which led the field of 30 riders and broke his own 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 2:04.131 he set during FP1.
Aron Canet was the best of the rest with a 2:03.642 on his Fantic Racing Kalex.
Daniel Muñoz was third-fastest with a 2:03.680 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 15th with a best time of 2:04.440 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Ryusei Yamanaka (6) at Sepang. Photo courtesy MSi Team.
Ryusei Yamanaka led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Petronas Sepang International Circuit, in Malaysia. Yamanaka used his Pirelli-shod Frinsa – MT Helmets – MSI KTM to lap the 3.44-mile (5.54 km) track in 2:10.160 to lead the field of 26 riders
Leopard Racing Honda’s riders David Almansa was second-best with a time of 2:10.253 and Adrian Fernandez claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2:10.358.
Alex Rins (42), Fermin Aldeguer (54) and Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Dorna.
More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finishes 2nd in Friday Practice at the Sepang International Circuit.
After a demanding start to the day, with heavy rain hitting during the morning session, Johann Zarco and the crew remained determined to take a step forward.
In the afternoon, at crunch time and with dry conditions, the Frenchman delivered an excellent performance to finish 2nd.
With this result, Johann goes straight to Q2, feeling increasingly comfortable and confident on the bike. The team and rider are fully committed to making the most of Saturday’s qualifying and Sprint.
Johann Zarco (5) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Johann Zarco 2nd – (1’57.578) :“I’m really happy with today. We set a strong lap time and secured direct access to Q2, which was the main goal. We made another step forward overall, and I’ve regained my confidence on the bike, which is very important. We tested a few different setups, and I felt comfortable with the direction we took. Tomorrow, we’ll aim for a strong qualifying to start the Sprint from a good grid position. It’s a positive way to begin the weekend.”
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Miller Leads the Charge for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP with Third Place in Sepang Practice.
At the end of a rather chaotic Practice session — with a brief sprinkle of rain in the closing minutes that threatened to shake up the standings — Jack Miller delivered for the Prima Pramac Yamaha team, securing a direct spot in Q2 with the third-fastest time of the session. It was a tougher outing for Miguel Oliveira, who had to settle for 18th place, meaning he‘ll need to fight his way through Q1 tomorrow morning. Qualifying for the Malaysian GP, 20th round of the MotoGP World Championship, is scheduled for 10:50 a.m. local time (4:50 a.m. CET), followed in the afternoon by the Sprint Race, which will award the first points of the weekend over ten laps.
Jack Miller quickly put behind him the disappointment of last Sunday‘s early crash in his home GP at Phillip Island, closing today‘s Malaysian GP Practice — round 20 of the MotoGP World Championship — in third place. The session turned chaotic in its final stages when rain briefly fell on the Sepang circuit, making it seem like the classification — and the list of the top 10 riders advancing directly to Q2 — was already set. But, as often happens here, the sun quickly returned, drying the asphalt in minutes and allowing everyone to head back out for a last push on new tires.
What had been shaping up to be a complicated session for the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team — with Oliveira sitting 15th and Miller 17th — suddenly changed complexion. The Australian stopped the clock at 1‘57”840, climbing to third overall. Oliveira also managed to improve in those final laps, though it wasn‘t enough to move him higher than P18.
Tomorrow, at 10:50 a.m. local time (4:50 a.m. CET), the Portuguese rider will chase one of the two remaining Q2 spots in Q1, while Miller will look to secure a front-row start shortly after. Then, at 3:00 p.m. local time (9:00 a.m. CET), it‘ll be time for the Sprint Race, handing out the weekend‘s first points.
Malaysian GP schedule:
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
“A half-good day — the good half coming from Jack, who felt comfortable right from the start and never complained about the bike‘s behavior, as he then proved with his third-fastest time in Practice. I‘m really happy for him; we won‘t have much to change on his bike ahead of tomorrow. On the other hand, there‘s quite a lot of work to do on Miguel‘s side — he still can‘t find a good feeling, and the electronics aren‘t responding the way he needs, so there‘s plenty to sort out. I hope to see him take a step forward tomorrow.”
Jack Miller (43) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Jack Miller: “I was very nervous at the end of the session. On the first time attack I got the yellow flag of Alex Marquez, tried to reset but then in turn 1-2-3 it was starting to rain and at that point I was P16, P17, something like that. Thankfully we were able to get out again, there was a break in the clouds and it‘s so warm here that all the little water that there was on the track dissipated pretty quick and so I was able to put up a couple of good times. The bike is behaving pretty well, all of the areas where we don‘t have to accelerate are really good. It was important to secure a direct place in Q2, now let‘s see what we can do tomorrow.”
Miguel Oliveira (88) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Miguel Oliveira: “Not a great day. The feeling on the front end under braking was quite strange, like the bike was not constant through the entire braking phase. As for the rear, I could bring the tire to bite enough to generate some grip out of the corner, so it was not a fantastic day, but we three fast Yamahas in front of me we have some data to look and have another chance tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol:
Mir rises above chaotic Malaysian GP Friday.
Just when everything looked set, the weather played its part to produce an electrifying end to practice. Joan Mir continued his front-running efforts in fourth as other riders halted Luca Marini’s attempt to crack the top ten right at the end.
There was no waiting around at the Sepang International Circuit for Joan Mir who made his intentions clear immediately, quickly getting to grips with his Honda RC213V. Third in FP1 and fourth fastest in the crucial afternoon session, Mir was only rider to stay within the top five in both sessions. Keeping his cool even when the conditions began to change towards the end of the session, Mir demonstrated his connection with the Honda RC213V this weekend. The Honda HRC Castrol rider’s consistency bodes well for the rest of the weekend as Mir chases more points and progress in his best season to date with the factory team.
A late shower of rain in the afternoon kickstarted a flurry of activity with just over ten minutes left and plenty of Q2 places still open, Luca Marini having spent the majority of the afternoon working on his race setup. Having been a near permanent fixture well inside the top ten, Marini was determined to keep the pace he was showing. With so little time left after the rain and everyone pushing for Q2, traffic would become a factor and the #10 was forced to settle for 11th, just 0.062s shy of the top ten after taking avoiding action.
Weather forecasts remain unpredictable, the grid and Saturday’s Sprint as wide open as ever. 0.8s splitting the top 15, everything remains open and as promising as ever for all four Honda HRC riders on the grid.
Joan Mir (36) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Joan Mir:“Today was a really good day, a positive day from the first exit of FP1. Straight away my feeling with the bike was strong and our package is looking competitive. We did a lot of work with the team yesterday to plan the setup and everything and it meant we were able to accomplish a lot today. When you start with the bike already feeling like this, you’re only doing small adjustments for the conditions, and everything is easier. After the rain, you had the potential to lose everything, but we showed our level by bouncing back really well. Tomorrow we can improve again and I’m looking forward to getting out on track again.”
Luca Marini (10) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Luca Marini:“Unlucky this Friday, bad luck in the last ten minutes. I was spending a lot of time on track in the afternoon working on our pace and setting for the race so when I went out with the first tyre, that’s when it started to rain. We had the possibility to stay in Q2, but on my final flying lap other riders were there in Sector 4 and I had to lift. The important thing is that we can see clearly the progress we have made since the winter test here and it’s really impressive. Q1 tomorrow will be tough with the other riders but like we’ve seen today, a lot can happen and we never give up.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Quartararo and Rins Secure Places in Sepang Saturday’s Q2.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP had to think on their feet on the Grand Prix of Malaysia Friday as the conditions were changeable at the Sepang International Circuit. Through strategic riding, Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins finished inside the top 10 in the afternoon Practice. They secured fifth and tenth place respectively, putting both riders on the Q2 entry list.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins showed speed in the Grand Prix of Malaysia Practice session. Despite a mixed first day at the Sepang track in terms of weather conditions, the teammates set solid lap times and successfully put in their bids for places in tomorrow’s Q2. They finished in fifth and tenth place respectively in the Practice rankings.
Quartararo had a good start to the Malaysian GP weekend and had set the eighth fastest time in FP1 before a sudden downpour. He soon held the same position in the afternoon Practice live timing, but the time attacks kicked off earlier than normal as dark clouds started to form. The Frenchman was temporarily bumped out of the top 10 but soon recovered to P1. However, he wasn’t home dry just yet. Several competitors saved their best effort for last, pushing him back to the danger zone. The Yamaha man responded with a 1’57.868s best time, set on lap 15/15, which earned him fifth place, 0.309s from the top.
Rins struggled to find grip in the morning, and with a monsoon ending progress early, he finished FP1 in 18th place. He knew he had work to do in the afternoon and made the most of the available dry track time in the Practice before starting his first shoot out. He timed it perfectly, before spots of rain started to fall, and found some extra speed to move up to fifth. However, as more hot laps came in, he was pushed outside the top 10 again. During the final time attack the Spaniard gave it his all. His 1’58.117s, clocked on lap 16, moved him temporarily into fourth again. Keen to put in another lap as the times kept dropping, he set a fastest first sector on his last try but crashed in Turn 5. He walked away unhurt and still held P10 at the end of the Practice, 0.558s from the top.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action tomorrow for the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 GMT+8, followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 10-lap Sprint, which starts at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“The mixed conditions made it a busy and tricky but also strategically interesting day. Despite a lack of rear grip – which seems to be a general problem as the overall field is quite far from the all-time lap record at this track – and despite the constantly changing track conditions, we were able to make progress. Both our riders did a great job adapting to the changes. They made the most of the available dry track time and pushed when it counted most. Álex had a crash in Turn 5 and was unable to finish his second time attack, but the most important thing is that he wasn’t injured and is still in Q2. Having both riders inside the top 10 was the goal for today, and we achieved this. Our one-lap speed is pretty decent, but we will continue to work on long-run pace. The team will work hard this evening and tomorrow morning to help the riders find something extra for tomorrow’s qualifying and the Sprint.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo:“I’m not feeling great on the bike so far. When the grip is low, we tend to struggle. The feeling is a bit different than usual, and we haven’t been able to find a solution yet. We know we are fast over one lap, but we are still trying to figure out how to improve our pace over a race distance. Hopefully, the weather can help us out a bit tomorrow.”
Alex Rins (42) At Sepang. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Alex Rins:“The track conditions were quite tricky in the wet and also in mixed conditions with some drops of rain. But today managing the tyres was the main difficulty. In FP1, we were suffering a lot with the rear tyre and also the front. We were using tyres that we didn’t use in the test, because we know they don’t work, but we needed to save the other tyres, so we used these tyres today. Anyway, apart from this we struggled with grip in the Practice too. It was dry, but the grip on track was not perfect. But we tried to find traction on the bike and a good set-up, and in the end I’m inside the top 10, so this is quite positive. I crashed in corner five because I was on the limit, but I’m in Q2 for the third time in a row, so I’m quite happy.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
The Malaysian Grand Prix is truly on for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP™ squad, with an eventful first day having taken place at the Sepang International Circuit. The rain played a part in Friday’s festivities making the afternoon’s Practice a tricky one to go through, but Pol Espargaro stood out once again as he claimed the 8th place of Practice in Malaysia, to qualify directly to Q2, just one week after he did it in Australia. Enea Bastianini finished in 19th, and he will have to go through a busy Q1, alongside the three last race winners who failed to make the top 10-cut.
While Maverick Viñales continued to focus on his recovery spending a few key days at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Austria, Pol Espargaro continued to do his things on track, with an excellent Friday in Sepang. On a layout that he obviously knows like his pocket, the Spaniard had the feeling straight away on his RC16 on Friday morning, as he wrapped up FP1 with the 4th fastest time in 2’00.581, just 0.382 secs off rookie Fermin Aldeguer, fastest this morning. In a rather unpredictable Practice session disrupted by the rain, Pol Espargaro managed to brilliantly stand out, and he placed his RC16 within the top 10 alongside Pedro Acosta who took the honours. The number 44 managed to clock in an excellent late 1’58.055 that had him in provisional 3rd within minutes to the end. However, red sectors were all over the place in a hectic final Practice showdown, but Pol’s lap was enough to make the Q2 cut in the end!
Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite the same feeling on Enea Bastianini’s side of the box, who struggled all day through to get comfortable on his KTM, despite already having 3 full track days in the bag during the pre-season. The Italian’s best in FP1 was a 2’01.338, 1.139 seconds from the top of the timesheets. Bastianini headed to Practice eager to try making some improvements, but the struggles continued. An improved lap in 1’58.953 as the sun was out again was his best, one that placed him in P19. Bastianini will face Q1 on Saturday morning at 10:50 local time (UTC+8), shortly after Free Practice 2 kicking off the day at 10:10. Then the Tissot Sprint will take place at 15:00 LT, for 10 laps!
Pol Espargaro (44) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Pol Espargaro: “I am very pleased with the work done today! In the continuity of Australia, everything comes together when I push, so it is a great feeling. After the first lap time, it started to rain, and I was begging for more rain, because my lap time was already fast, and I did not know if I could go faster! Then, we all went for it again, and I could improve by half a second, which is so fast, but still 0.5 seconds slower than Pedro (Acosta), but it is amazing for us anyway. The weekend is starting well, with two KTMs inside the top 10, so let’s try to keep the work going, and hopefully we can qualify well for both sprint and race.”
Enea Bastianini (23) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Enea Bastianini: “We are once again in a similar scenario to all the other weekends. Friday feels like we are riding this bike for the first time, then we get better on Saturday, but it is too late for Sunday. The confidence on the bike here is too low, we did not get any positive feeling today. It feels very strange to be two seconds slower than a few years ago, on a track that I have always been fast on, and I don’t know what we can do to fix that, without the confidence. We are far from our potential right now, so we have a lot of work to do to get back a good feeling.”
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More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing Team:
Q2 for Alex Marquez despite two crashes, Fermin Aldeguer excels in FP then finishes 13th.
Free Practice 1 – MalaysianGP
1st – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (2’00.199s)
7th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (2’00.720s)
Practice – MalaysianGP
9th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’58.057s) Q2
13th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (1’58.279s) Q1
Alex Marquez (73) at Sepang. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini
Alex Marquez: “It surely wasn’t our best Friday to kick off the weekend. I had a couple of crashes, and the track conditions were quite different from testing. In the first crash, I also felt some discomfort in my neck, which affected me quite a bit in the afternoon. We hit our minimum target, but there’s still a lot of work to do ahead of tomorrow.”
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Sepang. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini
Fermin Aldeguer: “The feeling was much better than what the final result shows. We were quickest this morning and for most of the second session. Then a small issue with the bike and the threat of rain made me a little nervous once I got back to the pits. After that, I just couldn’t put together the right lap, but there’s still plenty of margin for tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Aprilia:
Challenging Friday for Aprilia Racing at Sepang.
The opening day of practice at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit proved challenging for Aprilia Racing. The particular track conditions and consequently limited grip affected the sessions. In FP1, rain started to fall twelve minutes before the end, preventing Marco Bezzecchi from improving his time. The Italian rider finished the session in fifth place, just three tenths off the fastest lap. In the afternoon, during the practice session and after a light rain, Bezzecchi returned to the track but was unable to set an ideal time-attack, finishing the session in fifteenth, meaning he will go through Q1.
Standing in for Jorge Martín, Lorenzo Savadori used Friday to continue development work on the RS-GP25. The Italian rider finished the practice in twenty-first place and will take part in Q1 on Saturday.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Aprilia
Marco Bezzecchi:“The conditions certainly didn’t help, but they were the same for everyone. Unfortunately, I struggled a little more than on previous Fridays, and we aren’t quite there yet. We still have time to try to turn things around, and we’ll aim to make the most of Q1.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing
Lorenzo Savadori: “As in recent GP’s when I’ve stood in for Jorge, we’re continuing to test new components and conduct some experiments with the electronics. The conditions were unusual, and we all struggled with them. On Saturday, we’ll all be looking to take a step forward.”
Paolo Bonora – Team Manager:“Sepang is a track where we aim to build on the development work and progress achieved over the season. It’s been a challenging start: the track conditions weren’t ideal, and limited grip certainly didn’t help. Nonetheless, we remain confident despite Friday’s challenges because we’ve already demonstrated several times this year that by staying focused and working closely with our riders, we can effectively address our weak points.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo:
Challenging Practice at Sepang for the Ducati Lenovo Team: Bagnaia twelfth, Pirro twenty-second and both in Q1.
The Ducati Lenovo Team completed the opening day of action at the Sepang International Circuit, venue of the twentieth Grand Prix of the season. After a solid performance in Free Practice, Francesco Bagnaia finished Practice in twelfth place. Like his teammate Michele Pirro, who was twenty-second, he will take part in Q1 tomorrow.
Bagnaia, second in the morning’s wet FP session, remained in the top three for most of Practice. However, with light rain arriving in the final minutes, Pecco was unable to improve his lap time and ended the day twelfth, just 0.089s away from the top ten. Michele Pirro continued his development work on the Desmosedici GP to conclude day one in twenty-second position.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back on track tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT +8) for Free Practice 2, followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The twentieth Sprint of the season will take place over ten laps at 15:00.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo.
Francesco Bagnaia: “We made a small step forward and it was a clear one, as we were in the top positions in both sessions. Unfortunately, there was a little bit of chaos towards the end of Practice and we couldn’t improve, so we missed the direct seed to Q2. We must stay calm and keep working: tomorrow’s Q1 will be both important and challenging, but the goal is to keep growing in terms of feeling and performance. At the moment, the issue I’m experiencing is that I’m having a hard time making the bike turn. There are a couple of corners where, exactly for this reason, I end up losing a lot of time.”
Michele Pirro (51) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Ducati Lenovo.
Michele Pirro: “We’re working on the bike set-up, which is completely different from the one we had at Phillip Island. The feeling is OK at the moment, but I’m having a hard time getting up to speed with the soft tyre during the time attack. Generally speaking, I chose not to take too many risks, especially when the conditions were not ideal. The solutions we tried today didn’t work as we had hoped, so we’ll analyse the data to find a different direction ahead of qualifying and the Sprint.”
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More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra has finished 20th on Friday at the Sepang International Circuit.
Back in Sepang after several months, Somkiat Chantra started the morning session testing different setups to feel more at ease on the track.
Sudden heavy rain during FP1 disrupted the plans, highlighting areas where improvement is needed.
In the afternoon, using soft tyres on both ends, the rider felt more comfortable and made progress.
Saturday’s qualifying will be an opportunity for Chantra and the team to push hard on a circuit the Thai rider enjoys.
Somkiat Chantra (35) at Sepang. Photo courtesy IDEMITSU Honda LCR.
Somkiat Chantra:“FP1 was quite challenging. I started the session on a hard front tyre and medium rear and didn’t feel comfortable, but I was able to improve lap by lap. In the afternoon, we tested different setups and I felt much better. With soft tyres front and rear, my lap time improved. We’ll aim to carry this progress into qualifying tomorrow.”
Next Gen Superbike Lightweight - Paul Germain (61), Harry Vanderlinden (1s), Tony Read (50), Randy Sullinger (181), Sven Bly (83A). Photo Credit Eldon Holmes Photography
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) 2026 National Roadracing series presented by Motobilia will unfold over 11 weekends at a variety of racetracks throughout the United States.
“We’re incredibly excited to release the 2026 AHRMA Road Race schedule. A tremendous amount of thought and collaboration went into building this lineup, led by our Road Race Director, Leasha Overturf, and the dedicated Road Race Committee. Every decision was made with careful consideration of our racer ‘heat map’, the economics of travel and participation, and, most importantly, creating an unforgettable member racing experience at some of the most iconic tracks in North America. I can’t wait to kick off the season and hope to see everyone at our first round at Roebling Road Raceway in February!” said Greg Tomlinson, Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees.
The season kicks off on February 12 with an AHRMA run track day at Roebling Road Raceway and moves into the race weekend from February 13-15, in Bloomingdale, GA and will conclude the weekend of October 8, during the 21st Annual Barber Vintage Festival in Birmingham, AL.
This season includes a western back-to-back with a weekend at Big Willow/Willow Springs, CA, followed by Inde Motorsports Ranch, AZ, and an eastern back-to-back with Gingerman Raceway, MI, followed by Blackhawk Farms Raceway, IL.
Mark your calendar now for some of the world’s best classic motorcycle racing events with AHRMA.
2026 AHRMA National Roadracing Series Schedule*
2/12-15 Roebling Road Raceway; Bloomingdale, GA
3/13-15 Carolina Motorsports Park; Kershaw, SC
4/17-19 Big Willow, Willow Springs Raceway; Rosamond, CA
4/24-26 Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox AZ
5/15-17 Motorsport Park Hastings; Hastings, NE
6/5-6/7 Autobahn, Joliet, IL
6/26-28 New Jersey Motorsports Park; Millville, NJ
7/24-26 Gingerman Raceway; South Haven, MI
7/31-8/2 Blackhawk Farms Raceway; South Beloit, IL
9/11-13 Nelson Ledges Road Course; Garrettsville, OH
10/8-11 Barber Motorsports Park; Birmingham, AL
*Preliminary Schedule as of 10/23/2025, subject to change
**The Barber Vintage Festival event is a no refund event. All road racers MUST BE FULL Members (no weekend memberships are available)
The AHRMA Academy of Roadracing (AAR) and the Sidecar Racing School (SRS) will be held on Friday of most events except the Barber Vintage Festival. Pass the school on Friday and be eligible to race the weekend. Final school schedule will be announced at a later date.
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With about 3,000 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
Bodie Paige (26) at Sepang. Photo courtesy Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup.
A week after racing a Team Hammer Suzuki GSX-R750 with ASRA during his Daytona debut, MotoAmerica Talent Cup race winner Bodie Paige finished 3rd in Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 held on Friday of the MotoGP event weekend In Malaysia, at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit.
During wet FP1, wild-card rider Paige was third with a lap time of 2:39.162 (+1.286) and during dry FP2 he finished third again with a time of 2:18.967 (+0.772). The Asia Talent Cup runs NSF250 Hondas.
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.
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Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
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
