With the 2026 MotoGP Winter Test kicking off at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) this week, there is drama aplenty on day one. Not surprising is incumbent MotoGP champion Marc Marquez posting a 1’57.018, which is pretty good considering the last time the Spaniard rode SIC was at the 2025 Winter Test. Bad luck though for Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, crashing out at Turn 5. Although initially given the all clear by the track medics, Quartararo complained of continued pain in his arm and hand, reporting a broken finger and choosing to fly home and recover. Second fastest testing time for the 2026 Winter Test went to Fabio Di Giannantonio of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, followed by Maverick Vinales of Red Bull KTM Tech 3. Meanwhile, Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia managed eighth fastest in day one testing, 0.702 seconds behind Marc Marquez. Pecco, however, remains undaunted and the two-time MotoGP world champion said a full race simulation will be run on day two (today) of Winter Test. Ducati remained dominant in the day’s testing, with Franco “Frankie” Morbidelli of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team finishing in the top ten. In the Yamaha camp, aside from Quartararo’s withdrawal from this year’s test, Jack Miller, Alex Rins and Toprak Razgatlioglu will shoulder the challenge of making the new Yamaha YZR-M1 V-four competitive. Razgatlioglu, still coming to terms with the YZR-M1, experimented with different seats and found a breakthrough with braking late on rear aero. Aprilia’s Marco Bezzechi posted a strong day one time, finishing fifth just a half-second behind Marc Marquez. Bezzechi’s Aprilia RS-GP was seen on track running several new components, including a new tail unit and larger seat wings, and a new swingarm. KTM Red Bull was also seen making big changes to the RC16’s setup, with a new chassis, new swingarm and aero at Sepang. Maverick Vinales was effusive in his praise for the KTM Red Bull bike during the press debrief, saying there are finally key changes on the bike to test.