MotoGP, Sepang Test D3: Marc Marquez impresses with his race pace

The first half of the 2025 MotoGP pre-season has ended in the tropical torpor of Sepang, revealing a tableau of faces sometimes radiant with joy, sometimes darkened by bitterness. Honda and Yamaha, like phoenixes reborn, were hailed as the potential winners of this initial phase, but make no mistake, the real predator lurks beneath the exterior of modesty. And it is Marc Marquez.

The Sepang trials have indeed reserved a nice surprise with the performances of Marc MarquezThe Spanish driver demonstrated a terrifying race pace, leaving his competitors on their toes.

Although he was not the fastest over the three days and did not even manage to go below 1'57, which several other drivers, including Pecco Bagnaia, have made, Marc Marquez is undoubtedly the big winner of this first half of the season. The reason? His impressive racing pace.

All eyes were on what Marc Marquez could accomplish in its first tests with Ducati. And the answer was not long in coming: his pace in the Sprint simulation was simply spectacular. He left his rivals in the shadows, and that could well give them cold sweats, even if the season has only just begun.

Day three at Sepang was all about race simulation, and Marquez's result was solid to say the least: an average of 1'57.930 over the ten laps of the simulation. Compared to Pecco Bagnaia, which achieved an average of 1'58.243, Marquez had three tenths ahead. Although bagnaia encountered some setbacks that forced him to return to the pits, it is clear that Marquez has once again managed to pull off a masterstroke.

Ducati wolf Marc Marquez disguised as a lamb advances stealthily

It should be noted that the simulation of Marquez was even faster than the sprint race won by George Martin on this same circuit last year. And all this with a bike that is only at the beginning of its development, on a circuit where Marquez has historically struggled.

It is true that on a single turn, Marquez continues to suffer, and his qualifying practice did not end with an exceptional performance. He did finish with the fifth best time in the qualifying exercises, but was unable to go below 1'56, unlike several of his rivals. And, on Thursday, he suffered his first crash.

However, the racing pace of Marc Marquez is a clear indication: either his opponents still have some tricks up their sleeve, or the “93” is ready to become the big favourite for the 4 MotoGP season again…

MotoGP, Sepang J3 Test, Final: times