Marquez top at midday on Day 1 in Malaysia

2019 is back underway as the Sepang Test rumbles into life and on his return from shoulder surgery, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) tops the times at midday with a 1:59.621. Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins sits second with a 1:59.621 as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) completes the top three – 0.316 off the reigning World Champion's best time.  

The Sepang temperatures are soaring with the track itself reaching highs of 56 degrees so far. This has seen Ducati emerge with aero forks to try and keep temperatures down, with Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) fourth fastest and teammate Andrea Dovizioso currently sixth fastest. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) currently splits the Bologna factory duo in fifth – 0.433 off top spot. 

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) joins fellow HRC rider Marquez in returning from injury in Sepang, the Briton currently 13th quickest after completing 34 laps so far. Due to his right ankle surgery, Crutchlow has been using a rear thumb brake so far in Sepang, with test rider Stefan Bradl heading out on Jorge Lorenzo’s bike for some periods during the morning. 

Elsewhere, Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has been testing a modified seat, the Frenchman currently sitting 17th fastest. Sticking with KTM, the Austrian factory have been testing a new exhaust, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) eighth on the timesheets at the minute – 0.692 off Marquez.

There were early problems for rookie Francesco Bagnaia (Alma Pramac Racing) after his GP18 had a technical issue, the Italian lies 14th. Meanwhile, Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) is the only rider to have crashed so far – rider ok.

Check out the full classification of lap times with Live Timing. (All times as of 14:00 local time).