Malaysian MotoGP, Sepang - Saturday Practice Results
| 2023 Malaysian MotoGP, Sepang - Free Practice (3) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1'58.960s | 4/11 | 332k |
| 2 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.025s | 12/12 | 332k |
| 3 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.272s | 10/12 | 333k |
| 4 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.300s | 3/13 | 333k |
| 5 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.394s | 4/12 | 330k |
| 6 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.397s | 6/11 | 332k |
| 7 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.434s | 4/11 | 336k |
| 8 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.438s | 5/10 | 332k |
| 9 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.541s | 11/13 | 331k |
| 10 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.557s | 11/12 | 335k |
| 11 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +0.598s | 3/11 | 332k |
| 12 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.655s | 4/10 | 330k |
| 13 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.715s | 4/11 | 328k |
| 14 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.719s | 3/12 | 332k |
| 15 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.801s | 3/13 | 332k |
| 16 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.832s | 3/11 | 328k |
| 17 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Aruba.It Ducati (GP23) | +0.875s | 10/12 | 331k |
| 18 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.957s | 7/12 | 333k |
| 19 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +1.084s | 8/11 | 332k |
| 20 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +1.091s | 5/13 | 332k |
| 21 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.225s | 3/11 | 326k |
| 22 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.728s | 9/11 | 330k |
| 23 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +2.013s | 6/12 | 329k |
*Rookie.
Official Sepang MotoGP records
Best lap: Jorge Martin 1m 57.790s (2022)
Fastest race lap: Jorge Martin 1m 59.634s (2022)
Fabio Quartararo leads a rare Monster Yamaha one-two during a delayed final practice for the 2023 Malaysian MotoGP at Sepang, postponed to fix a damaged airfence in the previous Moto2 session.
Marco Bezzecchi was the only faller, at the tight Turn 9.
Qualifying 1, for those outside the top ten on Friday afternoon, including Franco Morbidelli, Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro, will now get underway.
Just 13 points separate reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia from title rival Jorge Martin heading into the final triple header of the MotoGP season, starting at Sepang this weekend.
While Bagnaia holds a narrow points advantage, momentum is back with Martin after taking a perfect double of Sprint and GP victories last time out in Thailand.
However, Martin was also among several riders to receive an official warning for low tyre pressure in the Buriram GP. Another infringement in the remaining rounds will result in the Pramac rider receiving a 3s post-race time penalty.
With tyre pressure tricky to predict, varying massively depending on if a rider is leading or following, the best way Martin can now be sure of keeping future race victories is to win on track by a margin of at least 3s... The same applies to any other finishing position he achieves.
Aside from the title fight, the big news this weekend is a wild-card entry for reigning World Superbike champion Alvaro Bautista. The Spaniard, making his first MotoGP start since 2018, is riding a factory spec Ducati GP23 in Aruba.It colours.
Bautista is not the only WorldSBK rider on the grid with Alex Rins, who missed Thailand after undergoing further leg surgery, replaced by Iker Lecuona for both Sepang and next weekend’s Qatar round.
Sepang was the venue for the opening pre-season test of the year, in February, when Luca Marini (fastest), Francesco Bagnaia, Maverick Vinales, Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin were all covered by 0.315s at the top of the timesheets.
Weather forecasts warn of a risk of afternoon rain on Saturday and Sunday.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
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