News Summary
- Álex Márquez secured pole position at Sepang with a 1:56.493 lap, edging Marc Márquez by 0.070s.
- Pedro Acosta qualified third for KTM, while Ai Ogura and Marco Bezzecchi completed the top five.
- Jorge Martín withdrew from the Malaysian GP because of his wrist injury, dealing another blow to his championship hopes.
The Gresini Ducati rider produced his fastest lap in the closing stages of Q2, denying championship leader Marc Márquez pole position after the factory Ducati rider had briefly moved to the top of the timesheets. Acosta finished just 0.084s behind the pole-sitter, leaving the first three riders separated by less than a tenth of a second.
The result gave Álex Márquez his first pole position of the 2026 season and his first since the 2025 Catalan Grand Prix. The Spaniard, who won last year’s Malaysian GP, once again demonstrated his pace at a circuit where he has enjoyed considerable success.
Martín withdraws as Marc Márquez gains championship advantage
The biggest development before qualifying was Martín’s decision to withdraw from the remainder of the Malaysian GP. The Aprilia rider had attempted to compete despite the wrist fracture sustained during the Australian GP sprint at Phillip Island, but continued discomfort prevented him from taking part in qualifying.
Martín arrived at Sepang trailing Marc Márquez by 10 points in the championship. His withdrawal means he will score no points in either the sprint or Sunday’s Grand Prix, giving the Ducati rider an opportunity to strengthen his lead with three rounds remaining after Malaysia.
Marco Bezzecchi, who entered the weekend 50 points behind Marc Márquez, qualified fifth for Aprilia and remains another contender capable of capitalising on any mistakes from the championship leader.
Ogura impresses as Bagnaia struggles in Sepang qualifying
Ai Ogura delivered an impressive performance for Trackhouse Aprilia, qualifying fourth with a lap of 1:56.617, just 0.124s away from pole position. The Japanese rider will start on the second row alongside Bezzecchi and Fabio Di Giannantonio, who finished sixth for VR46 Ducati.
Enea Bastianini qualified seventh for Tech3 KTM, ahead of Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli. Francesco Bagnaia, meanwhile, endured a difficult qualifying session and could manage only tenth after being forced to progress through Q1.
The factory Ducati rider will share the fourth row with Joan Mir and Maverick Viñales. Further down the order, Fabio Quartararo struggled to find competitive pace on the Yamaha and qualified 18th, behind Jack Miller and Álex Rins.
Malaysian MotoGP 2026: Full qualifying results
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. MÁRQUEZ | Gresini Ducati | 1:56.493 | — |
| 2 | M. MÁRQUEZ | Ducati | 1:56.563 | +0.070 |
| 3 | P. ACOSTA | KTM | 1:56.577 | +0.084 |
| 4 | A. OGURA | Trackhouse Aprilia | 1:56.617 | +0.124 |
| 5 | M. BEZZECCHI | Aprilia | 1:56.668 | +0.175 |
| 6 | F. DI GIANNANTONIO | VR46 Ducati | 1:56.842 | +0.349 |
| 7 | E. BASTIANINI | Tech3 KTM | 1:56.970 | +0.477 |
| 8 | J. ZARCO | LCR Honda | 1:57.016 | +0.523 |
| 9 | F. MORBIDELLI | VR46 Ducati | 1:57.268 | +0.775 |
| 10 | F. BAGNAIA | Ducati | 1:57.287 | +0.794 |
| 11 | J. MIR | Honda | 1:57.343 | +0.850 |
| 12 | M. VIÑALES | Tech3 KTM | 1:57.737 | +1.244 |
| 13 | L. MARINI | Honda | 1:57.623 | +1.130 |
| 14 | D. MOREIRA | LCR Honda | 1:57.733 | +1.240 |
| 15 | B. BINDER | KTM | 1:58.127 | +1.634 |
| 16 | J. MILLER | Pramac Yamaha | 1:58.148 | +1.655 |
| 17 | A. RINS | Yamaha | 1:58.155 | +1.662 |
| 18 | F. QUARTARARO | Yamaha | 1:58.219 | +1.726 |
| 19 | I. LECUONA | Gresini Ducati | 1:58.456 | +1.963 |
| 20 | A. FERNÁNDEZ | Pramac Yamaha | 1:58.855 | +2.362 |
Positions 13–20 were determined in Q1. Their times and gaps are shown for reference, as they were recorded in a separate session. Jorge Martín withdrew before qualifying, while Raúl Fernández was declared unfit.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its MotoGP section.
