SEPANG : Ducati’s MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez overcame an early crash to set the fastest time in practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix on Friday, while title rival Jorge Martin managed only three laps as he battled a wrist injury.
Marquez fell at Turn 15 during the session but recovered to clock a best lap of one minute 57.000 seconds, finishing 0.109 seconds ahead of his younger brother Alex Marquez.
The Spaniard’s performance secured him direct entry into Saturday’s second qualifying session (Q2), strengthening his position ahead of the weekend’s race.
“The crash made me a little upset as it ended up limiting our track time,” Marquez said.
“The pace is excellent, but the important thing is not to overdo it. The time attack is where I struggle a little more, but when the tyre grip drops, I feel really good.”
Meanwhile, Martin, who trails Marquez by just 10 points in the championship standings, struggled with the wrist fracture he sustained during last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
The Spaniard completed only three laps and will have to compete in the opening qualifying session (Q1) to secure a place in Q2.
Martin admitted on Thursday that his injury was still causing considerable discomfort, saying he was unable even to brush his teeth with his right hand.
With Marquez showing strong pace at Sepang, the championship leader will be looking to extend his narrow advantage over Martin in the title race.
