MotoGP Sepang test: Espargaro leads Aprilia 1-2, Marquez crashes

Preparations for the 2022 MotoGP season kicked into full swing on Saturday in Malaysia, as the paddock made its first visit to the Sepang circuit since the COVID-19 pandemic began back in 2020.

Though three days of shakedown running for test riders, rookies and concession ream riders took place earlier this week, Saturday’s eight-hour session marked the first official MotoGP running of 2022.

It is the first of just five days of official pre-season running this February, with three of those taking place at the new Mandalika track in Indonesia next weekend.

As soon as the green light illuminated at the end of pitlane on Saturday morning, the track was abuzz with activity.

At the end of the first hour, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro led the times with a 1m58.371s he set on his ninth tour of the Sepang circuit – though the Spaniard had already taken part in Wednesday’s shakedown running.

Espargaro was at the centre of controversy earlier this week when he was found to have breached Malaysia’s COVID bubble protocols for MotoGP, with circuit officials issuing an email warning to governing body the FIM.

An impressive 1m58.638s from Gresini sophomore Enea Bastianini, as he got to grips with his 2021-spec Ducati, offered Espargaro his closest challenge for almost the whole day – 2020 Moto2 champion Bastianini moving to within 0.267s of the Aprilia.

Espargaro’s lap – the sixth-fastest lap ever at the Sepang circuit – stood as the benchmark right through to the end of the day, as he and teammate Maverick Vinales put the new RS-GP through its paces.

Bastianini’s lap kept him in second for most of the session, though a late surge from Vinales with a 1m58.384s put him up to second come the chequered flag.

Alex Rins was the leading Suzuki in third despite a tumble, 0.1s off the pace, with the Spaniard and 2020 world champion teammate Joan Mir trialling an updated engine, chassis, suspension components and aerodynamics.

Mir – who admitted testing was “important” for his 2023 future decision on Friday – was seventh at the end of day one, 0.696s off the pace.

Bastianini was the top Ducati runner in fourth ahead of Pramac’s Johann Zarco on the leading 2022-spec Desmosedici, while reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo completed the top six.

Yamaha team manager Massimo Meregalli said on Friday that the 2022 M1 was not a big revolution over the 2021 bike, with Yamaha’s top speed deficit still standing at around 8km/h.

Factory Honda duo Marquez and Pol Espargaro each had three RC123Vs to test on Saturday, one a 2021-spec machine while the others were 2022 variations.

Marquez – cleared to ride last month after three months on the sidelines with vision problems – was the top Honda rider in eighth, 0.916s off the pace, despite two crashes across the day.

He headed Espargaro, with VR46 rookie Marco Bezzecchi leaping up to 10th late on with a 1m59.468s ahead of Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow, LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami and Tech 3 rookie Raul Fernandez, who was the top KTM rider having taken part in the shakedown earlier this week.

Brad Binder was the leading factory team KTM in 15th, with the South African suffering a crash earlier in the day at Turn 8, as did teammate Miguel Oliveira, who was 16th.

Championship runner-up Francesco Bagnaia was a low-key 19th on his 2022 Ducati, with teammate Jack Miller similarly flying under the radar in 22nd ahead of the returning Andrea Dovizioso.

RNF Racing teammate Darryn Binder was another to suffer a crash, the satellite Yamaha rider falling at Turn 9, leaving him 25th in the order.

Testing results: