Race simulations and near-record times: Ducati and Aprilia take center stage

Checkered flag on the MotoGP tests at Sepang: report and standings from this final day.

An Aprilia on top in the afternoon, Marco Bezzecchi’s, but Alex Marquez stays ahead thanks to the best time set in the morning session. The combined times show a top 7 split between Ducati and Aprilia, followed by two KTMs and a Honda. That’s how the final day of MotoGP testing at Sepang comes to a close, with a few raindrops that stopped quickly and didn’t affect the running too much. Three important days wrap up to understand the direction to take ahead of the 2026 Championship, though everything will need to be “re-checked” at the next tests in Thailand, February 21–22. Here’s how it went.

Sun and heat in the morning and early afternoon, then a few drops of rain. There were plenty of technical trials, especially regarding aerodynamics, and it was also time for some race simulations. The fastest times came from Ducati: Alex Marquez maintained an average pace in the low 1:58.0s, with Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez slightly slower, by 0.1 and 0.2 respectively. Marco Bezzecchi then fluctuated between 1:58.4 and 1:59.1 (on used tires), while Pedro Acosta went from a best lap of 1:58.0 to 1:59.0 in his simulation.

At Yamaha, we saw almost all riders back in action (only Dovizioso remained completely idle) after the serious V4 issue, while in the afternoon only Alex Rins (who focused mainly on swingarm and frame tests) and the Pramac duo went out. The M1 is lacking in power; Yamaha is working tirelessly to make immediate progress. The very positive note, as confirmed by Meregalli to Sky Sport MotoGP, is that the engine problem from Day 1 has been identified, and the baseline to move forward for the next tests in Buriram is clear.