The first day of the Sepang MotoGP test was expected to bring excitement to the timesheets. However, the real drama unfolded on the track instead. Defending champion Jorge Martin now faces a tough start to his title defense after a massive highside crash that left him injured and out of the remaining test. Martin suffered fractures in his right hand and left foot. However, he wasn’t the only one sidelined. Fabio Di Giannantonio fractured his collarbone, and Raul Fernandez has a broken left hand and a fractured toe on his right foot. All three riders are now heading home for surgery and recovery.

Quartararo Leads

Despite all the crashes stealing the spotlight, Fabio Quartararo still made headlines by setting the fastest time of the day, just as he did in the Shakedown. Even Marc Marquez couldn’t beat Quartararo’s time, falling short by just 0.051 seconds. Alex Marquez finished third, with his rookie teammate Fermin Aldeguer impressively close behind.

Franco Morbidelli secured fifth place on the Ducati GP24, while Di Giannantonio placed seventh on the GP25. Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia finished 17th on the GP25, but don’t worry—this was just the first day of the test.

Yamaha and Honda

Yamaha had a strong presence in the top ten. Alongside Quartararo in first were Jack Miller, who finished eighth, and Miguel Oliveira, who rounded out the top ten. Quartararo and his teammate Alex Rins each had three bikes to test, with more options coming soon for the Pramac duo.

Honda also had a solid showing, with Joan Mir placing sixth. Johann Zarco finished ninth, making him the second Honda in the top ten. The factory Honda team also introduced a new seat unit, showing signs of development. Luca Marini finished 15th, while rookie Somkiat Chantra made progress despite being further down the order.

KTM and Aprilia

At KTM, Pedro Acosta finished 11th but suffered a crash at Turn 13. Thankfully, he walked away uninjured. His teammate Brad Binder was just 0.111 seconds behind him, with Maverick Viñales even closer, only 0.045 seconds behind Binder. Enea Bastianini is still adjusting to his new bike, but he should make improvements over the next few days.

For Aprilia, the injuries of Martin and Fernandez dominated the conversation. Rookie Ai Ogura finished 16th, impressively ahead of Bagnaia.

More Action to Come

After a dramatic start, there’s still plenty to look forward to. Now, a few questions remain—who will step up to fill in for Martin and Fernandez? Will Quartararo hold onto his lead, or will Ducati and KTM strike back?