MotoGP Sepang Test: the on-track pecking order, Ducati dominant

In the early afternoon of the final day of official MotoGP testing at Sepang, about ten riders took part in so-called Sprint Race simulations. Ten (for some, 11) consecutive laps, under the same conditions and setups, to enable a reliable long-run comparison of the true pecking order. With one overarching takeaway: Ducati, with the new Desmosedici GP26, has taken another step forward compared to its rivals.

While in the outright time sheets (time attack) only Marco Bezzecchi disrupted the hegemony of the Ducati riders with Factory 2026 treatment, the Sprint Race simulations revealed a significant gap. Alex Marquez, Pecco Bagnaia, and Marc Marquez, in that order, would have fought for the win. For what it’s worth: they’re just tests, of course, but in less than a month they’ll be racing in Buriram.

While Fabio Di Giannantonio didn’t complete a full-fledged simulation, the trio of GP26 Ducatis dominated this exercise. After topping the single-lap charts, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) also led the long run: 10 laps with an average of 1'58"027 and a total of 19'40"279. On a track that particularly suits him (always has, even before his 2025 Grand Prix victory), despite a few small mistakes across his 10 all-out laps.

In the 10-lap Sprint Race virtual standings, Alex Marquez would have finished 1"365 ahead of Pecco Bagnaia (average lap 1'58"166) and 2"613 ahead of his brother Marc (average 1'58"289). Best of the rest, Pedro Acosta would have crossed the checkered flag 6"512 adrift (average 1'58"679), with Marco Bezzecchi (average 1'58"937) completing the Top 5 at 9"086 from Alex Marquez.

A positive note from the Malaysian test was Honda with Joan Mir. The 2026 RC213V is making progress, and the 2020 World Champion put together an 11-lap (not 10) consecutive simulation with an average in the 1'58"993 range. Excluding the final lap, over the first 10 consecutive laps he would have finished 6th at 9"186, in a sprint with Bezzecchi. Thinking back to testing 12 months ago, it’s a completely different situation for Honda.