Moto GP world champion Marc Márquez was the fastest on the first day of pre-season testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.
Operated on his left shoulder, Márquez set a time of 1 minute 59 seconds and 621 hundredths on the back of his Honda.
“I am very happy to be riding again after a long winter, but I was hoping to be better than I am. I still don’t have all the strength; I’m fine for one or two laps, but I had to change my riding style to compensate for it, ”said the Cervera rider.
“The bike is already at a good level, but there are always things to test before arriving in Qatar,” he added.
Márquez, 25, preceded three other Spanish riders, Alex Rins (Suzuki), Maverick Viñales (Yamaha) and Tito Rabat (Ducati), all of them in the same second.
The Mallorcan Jorge Lorenzo does not participate in the Malaysian tests due to a recent wrist injury, although he hopes to be present in the Qatar tests between February 23 and 25.
The three-time world champion in the premier class will race this season with Honda, after leaving Ducati.
Italian Valentino Rossi, who will turn 40 on February 16, finished with the sixth fastest time on his Yamaha.
The season begins in Qatar on March 10.
– Classification of the MotoGP trials this Wednesday at the Sepang circuit (5,543 km):
1. Marc Márquez (ESP / Honda) 1 min 59,621 sec.
2. Alex Rins (ESP / Suzuki) at 0.259
3. Maverick Viñales (ESP / Yamaha) at 0.316
4. Tito Rabat (ESP / Ducati) at 0.362
5. Danilo Petrucci (ITA / Ducati) at 0.430
6. Valentino Rossi (ITA / Yamaha) at 0.433. AFP